Install Win 10 on two hard disks, same computer

drexlar · 14 Feb 2017

Good day everyone
The reason why I want to install Windows 10 on each of my two hard disks is because the Win 10 on my first disk is for my job, where I need to install software provided by my employer. The second Wind 10 on my second hard disk is for my personal use, where I would install different software. At this moment the computer has the two hard disks buy only the first one has Windows 10. On my second hard disk I reserved the first two partitions for the MSR (16 MB) and Win10 (90GB). The space is there but nothing is installed yet on those two partitions. The rest of space on my second drive is occupied by data.

The computer is UEFI and both hard disks are using the GPT partitioning scheme.
Disk 1
EFI partition 260 MB
Microsoft reserved partition 16 MB
Windows 10 90 GB
Data The rest of the space

Disk 2
space reserved for Microsoft reserved partition 16 MB
space reserved for Windows 10 90 GB
Data The rest of the space

My question is how can I install the second Win 10 on my second hard drive? I read something about Sysprep but so far I have no clear understanding how Sysprep works.

Thanks in advance

RolandJS · 14 Feb 2017

The Windows boot/load/startup routine may not "like" two active Windows in one computer, unless you can make a dual boot. Others far wiser than I can help you with this. What I do not know: if there will be a license issue, here too, wiser heads than I can help you with this.

NavyLCDR · 14 Feb 2017

1. You will need to purchase a second copy of Windows 10. Per the End User's License Agreement, only 1 install of Windows 10 per license, even if it is the on the same computer.

2.. Delete the partitions you have "reserved" on the second hard drive. Leave only the data partition on it (preferably at the end of the disk). The rest should be continuous unallocated space.

2. Disconnect your hard drive that already has Windows on it. Leave only the "second" hard drive connected.

3. Boot from the Windows 10 installation media, select the custom install option, highlight the unallocated space on the "second" hard drive, which should be the only one connected. Click next to install Windows 10 to it.

4. After install is done you can reconnect the first hard drive and either use the UEFI boot menu to choose which one to boot from, or you can set up dual booting from the boot menu on either (or both) hard drives.

AddRAM · 14 Feb 2017

Is the PC yours, or was it provided by your employer ?

drexlar · 14 Feb 2017

AddRAM said:

Is the PC yours, or was it provided by your employer ?

The PC (in fact it is a laptop) is mine.

mrgeek · 14 Feb 2017

AddRAM said:

Is the PC yours, or was it provided by your employer ?

The PC (in fact it is a laptop) is mine.

I would just create another User account with Admin rights to keep your things separated.

jimbo45 · 17 Feb 2017

Hi there

Let's get back to Basics here --

1) Windows is licensed PER COMPUTER so you can have as many versions as you like ON THE SAME COMPUTER.
2) Restriction is that you can't run more than 1 CONCURRENTLY.
3) What you do is CLONE ist HDD to second HDD.
4) then make whichever system / HDD you want to contain the ACTIVE (booting) partition.

Perfectly legal and above board.

People should READ the EULA's and UNDERSTAND before offering what could be expensive incorrect advice.

If having Windows on two HDD's is illegal on the same machine then ANYBODY cloning / copying Windows to a new HDD or SSD according to some posters above would be required to get a new license --obviously utterly absurd.

There's nothing also illegal about having many copies of Windows as backup and keeping them online -- nothing to stop you restoring them to different HDD's and booting those.

The restriction I repeat is that you CAN'T RUN more than 1 copy of Windows concurrently (which on a PC you'd have to do by using Virtual machines or creating VPN's for remote access where you could actually logon to different windows systems.

Cheers
jimbo

NavyLCDR · 17 Feb 2017

jimbo45 said:

People should READ the EULA's and UNDERSTAND before offering what could be expensive incorrect advice.

If having Windows on two HDD's is illegal on the same machine then ANYBODY cloning / copying Windows to a new HDD or SSD according to some posters above would be required to get a new license --obviously utterly absurd.

You should take your own advice, jimbo.

---------
2. Installation and Use Rights.
a. License. The software is licensed, not sold. Under this agreement, we grant you the right to install and run one instance of the software on your device (the licensed device), for use by one person at a time, so long as you comply with all the terms of this agreement. Updating or upgrading from non-genuine software with software from Microsoft or authorized sources does not make your original version or the updated/upgraded version genuine, and in that situation, you do not have a license to use the software.
b. Device. In this agreement, “device” means a hardware system (whether physical or virtual) with an internal storage device capable of running the software. A hardware partition or blade is considered to be a device.

d. Multi use scenarios.

(iv) Use in a virtualized environment. This license allows you to install only one instance of the software for use on one device, whether that device is physical or virtual. If you want to use the software on more than one virtual device, you must obtain a separate license for each instance.

4. Transfer.
b. Stand-alone software. If you acquired the software as stand-alone software (and also if you upgraded from software you acquired as stand-alone software), you may transfer the software to another device that belongs to you. You may also transfer the software to a device owned by someone else if (i) you are the first licensed user of the software and (ii) the new user agrees to the terms of this agreement. You may use the backup copy we allow you to make or the media that the software came on to transfer the software. Every time you transfer the software to a new device, you must remove the software from the prior device. You may not transfer the software to share licenses between devices.
---------

Now, you can argue that paragraph 2a states "install and run" so you can have multiple copies installed, even on multiple devices, so long as only 1 is running at a time. The more strict interpretation, and likely the interpretation the court would hold, is that "and run" means with the intent to run it. I install and run copy a of the software. Then I shut that down and install and run copy b of the software. If I maintain the ability to switch between the two, I have "installed an ran" two copies of the software - and with only 1 license, that violates the EULA. According to your misinterpretation of the EULA, I could have 100 computers installed with the same single license of Windows and I would not violate the EULA so long as only 1 of them was turned on and booted into Windows at a time, which is clearly not the intent of the EULA.

Paragraph d (iv) makes clear two things - only one instance of the software may be installed. It doesn't say anything about running. And paragraph d (iv) applies to all devices, both physical and virtual.

Since Paragraph 2b defines a partition as a device - drive 0 is one device and drive 1 is another device. Even partition 1 on drive 0 is one device and partition 2 on drive 0 is another device.

Also note Paragraph 4b. That makes it clear that sharing the license between two devices - which also includes two partitions, even if on the same CPU - is prohibited. Paragraph 4b requires the software to be removed from the first "device" when transferring to to a second "device".

My current job in the Navy is the contract liaison and monitor between the government and our civilian contract aircraft maintenance company.

Have a nice day.

Affganos · 09 Nov 2017

jimbo45 said:

Hi there

Let's get back to Basics here --

1) Windows is licensed PER COMPUTER so you can have as many versions as you like ON THE SAME COMPUTER.
2) Restriction is that you can't run more than 1 CONCURRENTLY.
3) What you do is CLONE ist HDD to second HDD.
4) then make whichever system / HDD you want to contain the ACTIVE (booting) partition.

Perfectly legal and above board.

People should READ the EULA's and UNDERSTAND before offering what could be expensive incorrect advice.

If having Windows on two HDD's is illegal on the same machine then ANYBODY cloning / copying Windows to a new HDD or SSD according to some posters above would be required to get a new license --obviously utterly absurd.

There's nothing also illegal about having many copies of Windows as backup and keeping them online -- nothing to stop you restoring them to different HDD's and booting those.

The restriction I repeat is that you CAN'T RUN more than 1 copy of Windows concurrently (which on a PC you'd have to do by using Virtual machines or creating VPN's for remote access where you could actually logon to different windows systems.

Cheers
jimbo

Hi there Jimbo!
I just made acc 4 at this forum to correct your answer a bit.
You're right with answer, but I've noticed somethig rly strange that drove me crazy a lot
I was using win10 at the same PC but ran at HDD (switching windows installed discs often doesnt matter why)
Then I got crash problems at two of them and was unable to repair at them both !!! (msg me i've got sss)
Icontacted microsoft with that and they helped to solve that problem like this:
Sorry but our piracy recognise system works like this; If you have to use that win with same key, then its necessary to switch them between longer time distance (sry my lang).
Just the problem will happen if u will switch winX with same cdkey immediately
You're crazy that you wanted to read that so long message :) but keep it serious because its true and can be usefull to every1

fireberd · 09 Nov 2017

I have two Win 10's installed on a Dell Laptop, on separate SSD's. The Dell OEM is on an M2 SSD and is as it was shipped, no changes. I have a second (dual boot) installation on a separate SSD that is ONLY used for my recording studio and other than the initial install with Windows supplied drivers (and apparent legal activation), it will only be used off line with the wireless NIC disabled.