Should I consider a 2nd Win10 copy for a work HD?


  1. Posts : 132
    Windows 10 & Ubuntu Studio
       #1

    Should I consider a 2nd Win10 copy for a work HD?


    Allow me to explain...

    Soon I'll start a job at home that requires me to use Windows 10 Home.
    At the moment I have a pc that came with Win10 already. I have 3 accounts, for each of us in the family.
    I do have backups of the whole HD of course.

    But to keep things even smoother and further from technical difficulties along the way, would it be a good idea to get another HD with its own copy of Win10 boot from. That way if something goes south with the personal HD, it won't affect my work HD.
    Or should there be no reason to expect such problems on the first place?
    Or there is a better solution?

    Thanks guys!
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  2. Posts : 928
    Win 10
       #2

    Get an external if you do not have one and create regular images with Macrium.
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  3. Posts : 13,896
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #3

    Another thought, get an SFF/Small Form Factor computer and a 2-port USB KVM Switch [Keyboard Video Mouse] and use for the work computer. The SFF doesn't take up much room and the KVM Switch allows working from one or the other, keeps things separate. I use a 4-port KVM with 4 computers running different operating systems, Win10 RTM, Win10 Insider Preview, Linux Mint 19 and WinXP.
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  4. Posts : 7,724
    3-Win-7Prox64 3-Win10Prox64 3-LinuxMint20.2
       #4

    Hi,
    As long as it's going to be used on the same machine as the other three accounts sure
    Just clean install 10 on another/ new-old ssd or hdd is perfectly legal use it just for work stuff
    Just so they aren't used at the same time which would pretty impossible anyway lol

    I have at least two ssd's with different installs on the same machine and switch them out trying new things and soon to have another
    I still have a 1709 and 1803
    Once 1809 comes out I'll clean install it as well and system image to be reused time and time again like the other two releases.

    Of course I use one of these to quickly swap out the installs plus win-7 and linux.
    I like keeping my different os's far away from each other
    Amazon.com: Vantec 2.5-Inch Dual Bay Trayless SATA III - 6G Mobile Rack (MRK-225S6-BK): Computers Accessories
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  5. Posts : 132
    Windows 10 & Ubuntu Studio
    Thread Starter
       #5

    These are some great ideas!
    Thanks for sharing guys! :)
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  6. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #6

    You need to have a valid and separate license for each installation of Windows, even if on the same computer to comply with the EULA, if you bother to actually read it.
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  7. Posts : 7,724
    3-Win-7Prox64 3-Win10Prox64 3-LinuxMint20.2
       #7

    NavyLCDR said:
    You need to have a valid and separate license for each installation of Windows, even if on the same computer to comply with the EULA, if you bother to actually read it.
    Hi,
    That would be insane
    Same machine one can do as they please.
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  8. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #8

    NavyLCDR said:
    You need to have a valid and separate license for each installation of Windows, even if on the same computer to comply with the EULA, if you bother to actually read it.
    I did again look at the EULA and it isn't clear (at least to me but IANAL). It says :
    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.
    To me it isn't clear at all if you can (at different times) run different installs. Presumably they considered this and just didn't say. They are quite clear about installing both 32 and 64 bit (you can't) and making backups (you can).

    So if you dual boot what? Is it a backup when it isn't running? Or an install?

    I can't say and it isn't (to me) clear. Still it is their software and they could block it if they wanted.

    As they don't (and you can only have one DL per edition) it seems, to me, acceptable.
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  9. Posts : 7,724
    3-Win-7Prox64 3-Win10Prox64 3-LinuxMint20.2
       #9

    Hi,
    See easy swap evo :)
    One bay for os and one bay for data.... perfectly legal swap out as many 10 installs with original key as one wants too they will all self activate/ same machine and all.
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  10. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #10

    Hi folks

    Different issue here

    If you are going to use a computer for work then IMO it's really inadviseable to have ANY other accounts on it except for the person whose machine it is.

    Also login from home to most work places will either have a VPN or expect you to have really strict practices about what gets installed on home machine.

    Personally if this job pays decently I'd buy another machine - and in pretty well any jurisdiction I've ever been in you can get tax relief / capital allowances on both the Machine and the software if these are used for your gig.

    If you can't for all sorts of other reasons get a separate machine then I'd get another Windows license and have a dual boot system (normally never recommend dual booting -[- often better ways to run multiple OS's or even versions of the same OS) - on OS for non work and the other one for work stuff.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


 

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