Windows 10: Dual Boot Windows 10 with Windows 7 or Windows 8  

If the W7 and W10 on your computer are activated by the same product key, then yeah, you'll need to uninstall one of them. Otherwise it'll violate the EULA and both or one will eventually get deactivated.

Ok Shawn so I shall have to really think about this as my only option is to buy a licence for the 10 and keep the 7Pro using the original key if I want to dual boot or if I want to have 7 on one drive and 10 on another.

To be frank with you because you have always been up front with me I am really disappointed because it meant that all along Microsoft were intending to do this and also with the intention of making money. Why did they not simply charge for it from the word go? It certainly doesn't make them terribly trustworthy in my mind, and also they have used the feedback from those with it on their machines and folks like yourself who work so hard for them to improve the system. Not impressed.

ICIT2LOL said:

Ok Shawn so I shall have to really think about this as my only option is to buy a licence for the 10 and keep the 7Pro using the original key if I want to dual boot or if I want to have 7 on one drive and 10 on another.

To be frank with you because you have always been up front with me I am really disappointed because it meant that all along Microsoft were intending to do this and also with the intention of making money. Why did they not simply charge for it from the word go? It certainly doesn't make them terribly trustworthy in my mind, and also they have used the feedback from those with it on their machines and folks like yourself who work so hard for them to improve the system. Not impressed.

Microsoft has been pretty upfront about this all along though. Plus, it's always been only one activation with a product key per installation.

To be able to activate the free copy of Windows 10, you have to use the product key of a qualifying Windows 7 or 8.

I'm afraid it's either or, but not both unless you have another key.

ICIT2LOL said:

Ok Shawn so I shall have to really think about this as my only option is to buy a licence for the 10 and keep the 7Pro using the original key if I want to dual boot or if I want to have 7 on one drive and 10 on another.

To be frank with you because you have always been up front with me I am really disappointed because it meant that all along Microsoft were intending to do this and also with the intention of making money. Why did they not simply charge for it from the word go? It certainly doesn't make them terribly trustworthy in my mind, and also they have used the feedback from those with it on their machines and folks like yourself who work so hard for them to improve the system. Not impressed.

Butting in here:

Example 1: Owner has a system with Windows 98 on it. He buys the Upgrade version of Windows XP. By installing (upgrading to) Windows XP, he gives up the right to continue using Windows 98. The Terms of Use are stated in the EULA (Microsoft's End User License Agreement). Owner has to agree to the licensing terms before installing the OS. It is his responsibility to read and understand it.

Example 2: Owner has a system with Windows 98 on it. He buys the Upgrade version of Windows XP with the intent of dual booting Windows 98 and Windows XP. Microsoft's EULA doesn't allow that; Owner must buy the Full version of Windows XP in order to dual boot.

Today, for the first time in history, Microsoft has given us a free upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 or 8 (.1). The key words here are free upgrade. Microsoft hasn't given us a free full version of Windows 10. Thus, as with all upgrades in the past, we're not permitted the use of both.

No matter what we read on the Internet, the fact remains that we, as users of Windows 10 (or 7 or 8 or XP), must adhere to Microsoft's EULA (End User License Agreement).

ICIT2LOL said:

I am really disappointed because it meant that all along Microsoft were intending to do this and also with the intention of making money. Why did they not simply charge for it from the word go?

Microsoft's EULA (End User License Agreement) clearly states their Terms of Use.

Microsoft didn't do anything wrong: They gave us all (if we have Windows 7 or 8.1) a free upgrade to Windows 10. I really can't understand how Microsoft is making any money by giving away this upgrade. We all have a choice; we can say no to the offer, or we can accept it.

One of the reasons I jumped on a Black Friday discount at Newegg was so I could continue using the 7 Ultimate installation on the previously set host/boot drive along with 10. That was nothing new however since I have set up dual boots over the years always having a fresh key for each newer version.

I avoided upgrades simply to be able to continue running a previous version at times along with the next newest to come along. For XP it was OEM for System Builders cd purchased. Same for Vista. For 7 I went full retail for the Ultimate edition and why I simply grabbed a deal for 10 OEM dvd set.

For the second desktop there being a build set aside for testing purposes I won't be needing the 7 Pro seeing the 10 Pro Insider builds instead since the main softwares used are on the 10 Pro/7 Ultimate main build that does see the two keys in use. That will continue to see Insider builds while the main will be seeing the Redstone 1 go on as a clean install and run for some time at least like I had planned with the TH2 until that went buggy forcing a refresh by newer build. Usually takes MS a full year to get the bugs worked out anyways with any new version! No problem! Used to that one!

Ok Shawn as I said I am not one for churning through the legal stuff and to be honest don't really understand a lot of it so I am sticking with 7 on my two main laptops and keeping the upgrade on the older Toshiba and just keep going with it on that machine pro tem.

Also as I said I was getting used to working my way around in 10 and so what I think I might do is wait until 7 is almost defunct and then just buy a licence for 10 to dual boot with on the main laptops if indeed that is what I could do.

Thanks again for putting up with me I know I am a little on the pedantic and procrastinating side but the older the dog gets the harder teaching it new tricks becomes

"oh my achy breaky bones! ooooh..." Know that one only too well!

Yep me too NH now I just went looking out of curiosity for the the price of a 10 licence and am surprised there is so much difference anything from $75 - $300 the latte being Pro from Microsoft themselves. Thing is out here stuff is so much more expensive than the US - so much for the "lucky country" eh?

I was looking at a US site where the OEM key tag was only $39.99! But! the one other notation there was "Unsupported by Microsoft" which kind of left me going back to Newegg and finding that the $20 mark down for Black Friday from $160 OEM dvd price to $140 was still in effect! Apparently they decided to keep that as a permanent mark down. $160 would be too close to full retail and wouldn't sell many!

Note that is for the 10 Pro OEM just to get a key while seeing the physical media in hand but for the 10240 build anyways! Now it would likely be the TH2 media replacement since Newegg generally keeps up with things there. I may have to grab a second dvd at some point however since I still haven't been able to find a usb WiFi adapter that will work on 10 for the second mini tower I put together original for a portable case due to the NZXT Vulcan having a carrying handle for room to room use. So far only 7 drivers and no 8, 8.1 64bit drivers found to try out keeping 10 on ethernet bound. So I will simply be running Insider builds there for the time being I guess.

ICIT2LOL said:

...Thanks again for putting up with me I know I am a little on the pedantic and procrastinating side but the older the dog gets the harder teaching it new tricks becomes

Anytime mate.