Free leak- free peek- free fun for all

Roger · 15 Mar 2015

badrobot said:

Exactly. I have 2 copies of Win 7 (one cloned copy for testing purposes) on my system with one license. As long you run them on the same machine, there shouldn't be any issue.

Now, upgrading the cloned Win 7 copy to Win 10 and running it on the same machine with the original Win 7 installation is something that I am curious about. Do you think Win 7 will get deactivated?

Yes!
Off the top of my head I would think you'll get an error msg that that system is no longer valid, in service, or similar.
You can't use the same Product Key in two places at once.

badrobot · 15 Mar 2015

Roger said:

Yes!
Off the top of my head I would think you'll get an error msg that that system is no longer valid, in service, or similar.
You can't use the same Product Key in two places at once.

Anyway, in any case, I don't have any plans of upgrading my 7. Maybe one of my Win 8.1 will go but for now I am thinking about getting a separate license for Win 10.

Mystere · 15 Mar 2015

Roger said:

"Remember this is going to be a dual boot on one machine. ... In order to dual boot Windows 7, you will need to have two licenses (meaning you ..." (from Google moments ago)

One of us doesn't understand Windows licensing very well...............

I find it interesting that you didn't provide a link to the article.. So I googled the exact text you quoted. The article is titled:

"2 Windows 7's on one machine...legal or not?"

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/81...-machine-legal

And it's about running two copies of the same OS, and nothing about downgrading rights. The downgrade rights faq at MS says explicitly (in red is my comments):

http://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/lice...id=aJUnLm0clGi

users can use the following media for their downgrades: retail (full packaged product), or system builder edge-to-edge media (DVD), provided the software is acquired in accordance with the Microsoft OEM System Builder License. End users can use one legal version of the downgrade media for multiple installations. They don't need to have one set of media for each PC they are downgrading, because they have acquired legitimate full operating system licenses for the most recent version, which gave them the right to downgrade.
The software may not be installed on any computer system other than the one that was downgraded under this right.
If downgrading, the end user cannot use the new operating system (for example, Windows 8.1 Pro) and the
downgraded operating system (for example, Windows 7 Professional) at the same time. (not the case with dual boot)
End users may reinstall the software at any time, provided the downgraded operating system has been removed
from the computer, and that software is reinstalled on the same PC on which it was originally installed

The last bit is easily achieved by using removable hard drives, or simply disabling the drive in BIOS and running the other version on a different drive. As we all know, with EFI, installing the OS on separate drives is the only safe way to dual boot anyways. So the only added requirement is to "remove" it from the computer when using the other OS.

But, once again, I'm not a lawyer, and this is just my interpretation.

Roger · 15 Mar 2015

badrobot said:

Anyway, in any case, I don't have any plans of upgrading my 7. Maybe one of my Win 8.1 will go but for now I am thinking about getting a separate license for Win 10.

I may not accept the "free" upgrade either.
It says junior member beneath my name up there but I've had from one to six copies of Windows on line at one time, all legally licensed, never ran a pirated copy of anything. Started with Win3.1 and have used them all with the exception of two, which I won't mention.
I signed on to AOL in 1992 and I'll be 82 in a few weeks. A computer is just a toy for me and I still have four online.
I have no need for Win10 but would like to play with it, as does everyone else, but, can I afford free??
I think there is going to be a lot of surprises!

groze · 15 Mar 2015

Mystere said:

I find it interesting that you didn't provide a link to the article.. So I googled the exact text you quoted. The article is titled:

"2 Windows 7's on one machine...legal or not?"

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/81...-machine-legal

And it's about running two copies of the same OS, and nothing about downgrading rights. The downgrade rights faq at MS says explicitly (in red is my comments):

http://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/lice...id=aJUnLm0clGi

users can use the following media for their downgrades: retail (full packaged product), or system builder edge-to-edge media (DVD), provided the software is acquired in accordance with the Microsoft OEM System Builder License. End users can use one legal version of the downgrade media for multiple installations. They don't need to have one set of media for each PC they are downgrading, because they have acquired legitimate full operating system licenses for the most recent version, which gave them the right to downgrade.
The software may not be installed on any computer system other than the one that was downgraded under this right.
If downgrading, the end user cannot use the new operating system (for example, Windows 8.1 Pro) and the
downgraded operating system (for example, Windows 7 Professional) at the same time. (not the case with dual boot)
End users may reinstall the software at any time, provided the downgraded operating system has been removed
from the computer, and that software is reinstalled on the same PC on which it was originally installed

The last bit is easily achieved by using removable hard drives, or simply disabling the drive in BIOS and running the other version on a different drive. As we all know, with EFI, installing the OS on separate drives is the only safe way to dual boot anyways. So the only added requirement is to "remove" it from the computer when using the other OS.

But, once again, I'm not a lawyer, and this is just my interpretation.

Mystere,
I was told by someone here or on windows 7 forum that you can install the same oem twice on one computer. The person actually called Microsoft activation system and talk to a rep and told them they have two windows 7 on one computer but on different partitions or drive, the Microsoft rep said that is no problem and will activate it the second partition or drive. I would link to that, but it is a to many posting to go through.

Mystere · 15 Mar 2015

The wording of the System Builder license for Windows 8 and 8.1 says:

We do not sell our software or your copy of it – we only license it. Under our license, we grant you the right to install and run that one copy on one computer (the licensed computer) as the operating system on a computer that you build for your personal use, or as an additional operating system running on a local virtual machine or a separate partition, subject to the restrictions outlined under “Are there things I’m not allowed to do with the software?

To me, this says you can use a system builder license in a Virtual Machine for a different licensed OS, but I think others interpret it differently.

BunnyJ · 16 Mar 2015

Roger said:

........and where will you get the product keys to activate these systems?

The one I purchase will have a key with it.. like it does when you purchase a copy of windows today and the upgrade will have a key with it.. well I would think it will have a unique key for each upgrade.

BunnyJ · 16 Mar 2015

Roger said:

I may not accept the "free" upgrade either.
It says junior member beneath my name up there but I've had from one to six copies of Windows on line at one time, all legally licensed, never ran a pirated copy of anything. Started with Win3.1 and have used them all with the exception of two, which I won't mention.
I signed on to AOL in 1992 and I'll be 82 in a few weeks. A computer is just a toy for me and I still have four online.
I have no need for Win10 but would like to play with it, as does everyone else, but, can I afford free??
I think there is going to be a lot of surprises!

@Roger What you need to do is settle down and wait for MS to come out with more information about the upgrade licensing process. At this point it seems like you're rushing to judgement on what may happen and finding information on the internet aht may not be accurate in not hellping much.

Some of us here are or have been in the IT field for years and don't use PC's as toys.. and in the end there are some here I think I would take their advice more seriously that others on the internet who are posting blogs.

YMMV.
Jeff

Winuser · 16 Mar 2015

If you want to try out Windows 10TP you can set up a dual boot and keep the OS your using now. When Windows 10 goes final you can make you decision then if it's worth upgrading to or not. It's possible MS may offer a discount price for anyone that wants to buy a full copy.