Dual booting Windows 7 and Windows 10

[IPR512]

I have a friend who is thinking of downloading, and installing Windows 10. He has Windows 7 64 bit on his hard drive now, and would like to load Windows 10 on a separate hard drive so that he could keep Windows 7 and boot to it when he wants to.
He has a Windows 7 clone drive so he wanted to know if it would be possible to install Windows 10 over the Windows 7 clone or if he could just make a DVD of Windows 10 and install it on an empty drive.
Any help would be appreciated.

[renegade600]

windows 10 is an upgrade. once it is installed, you must remove the os that justified upgrading which would be win7,

[IPR512]

Hi Dan
Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure I'm understanding your answer.
If Windows 10 was installed on to a Windows 7 clone wouldn't that remove Windows 7? from that drive, but still make it possible to boot to a separate hard drive that still has the same copy of Windows 7 on it?
Be gentle, I'm slightly thick headed.

[renegade600]

No it is not possible per microsoft eula. Win 7 is being used to justify the win10 upgrade. It must be removed and never used again unless you completely removed win10 . If you want to continue using win 7 you will have to purchase win10.

[IPR512]

Ok I got it now. So my friend would have to buy a full retail version of Windows 10, and install it on a separate hard drive so that he could still boot from a separate Windows 7 hard drive.
Thanks for the explanation.

[Digerati]

So my friend would have to buy a full retail version of Windows 10

If bought with some hardware, he can buy the OEM/System Builder version and save some money. He just needs to make sure he selects 64-bit or 32-bit at the time of purchase as OEMs versions are sold separately. "Full retail" come with both 32-bit and 64-bit (though you are only allowed to install 1). The other primary differences are the "full retail" license comes with 1 year tech support from Microsoft and you can legally transfer the full retail license to another computer (but you have to uninstall it from the original).

Tech support with OEM/System Builders licenses must be provided by the "system builder" - in this case, your friend. And the license is inextricably tied to the "original equipment" so it cannot, under any circumstance, be transferred to a different computer.

But he might look at buying Windows 8.1 instead. If he shops around, it is currently cheaper than W10 but 8.1 buyers can then upgrade to W10 for free for 1 year.

[IPR512]

Thanks for all the info, I'll pass it along.

[renegade600]

Originally Posted by Digerati

If bought with some hardware, he can buy the OEM/System Builder version and save some money. He just needs to make sure he selects 64-bit or 32-bit at the time of purchase as OEMs versions are sold separately. "Full retail" come with both 32-bit and 64-bit (though you are only allowed to install 1). The other primary differences are the "full retail" license comes with 1 year tech support from Microsoft and you can legally transfer the full retail license to another computer (but you have to uninstall it from the original).

Tech support with OEM/System Builders licenses must be provided by the "system builder" - in this case, your friend. And the license is inextricably tied to the "original equipment" so it cannot, under any circumstance, be transferred to a different computer.

But he might look at buying Windows 8.1 instead. If he shops around, it is currently cheaper than W10 but 8.1 buyers can then upgrade to W10 for free for 1 year.

that is not true, the only hardware that can be bought where another oem can be used is a motherboard. then the original oem must be taken off and a full retail version must still be purchased for the 2nd os for a dual boot.

there is one exception, as far as I know there was never a retail version of win8 released, only oem. If he can find a cheap system builders copy of win8 oem, it can be upgraded to 8.1 and then 10

[IPR512]

I e-mailed yours and Digerati's responses, and he said he will probably just stay with Windows 7 until he wants to get a new computer.
Thanks again to both of you.

[Digerati]

that is not true, the only hardware that can be bought where another oem can be used is a motherboard. then the original oem must be taken off and a full retail version must still be purchased for the 2nd os for a dual boot.

there is one exception, as far as I know there was never a retail version of win8 released, only oem. If he can find a cheap system builders copy of win8 oem, it can be upgraded to 8.1 and then 10

No, sorry, but wrong on both parts. You can buy an OEM with other hardware - it just get tied to a specific motherboard when installed, But I agree the original intent was to purchase it when building totally new systems - but there are exceptions and dual booting is one. And no "full retail"??? Where you been hiding for the last decade? Of course you can buy full retail licenses of Windows 8. Always have been able to.

Newegg: Window 8.1 Pro Full Retail (32 & 64-bit)

Amazon Windows 8.1 Pro - Full Version

Amazon: Windows 8.1 Full

Amazon: Window 7 Home Premium Full Retail too.

[renegade600]

You are totally wrong. READ THE OEM EULA!!! you can purchase oem at any time but it must be installed on a newly built system or one where the motherboard was replace.

Here's what Microsoft say on the subject:

"The OEM software is licensed with the computer system on which it was originally installed and is tied to that original machine. OEM licenses are single-use licenses that cannot be installed on more than one computer system, even if the original machine is no longer in use. The End User Software License Terms, which the end user must accept before using the software, states that the license may not be shared, transferred to, or used concurrently on different computers."

and

"Generally, an end user can upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on a computer—except the motherboard—and still retain the license for the original Microsoft OEM operating system software. If the motherboard is upgraded or replaced for reasons other than a defect, then a new computer has been created. Microsoft OEM operating system software cannot be transferred to the new computer, and the license of new operating system software is required. If the motherboard is replaced because it is defective, you do not need to acquire a new operating system license for the PC as long as the replacement motherboard is the same make/model or the same manufacturer's replacement/equivalent, as defined by the manufacturer's warranty."

[Digerati]

To be sure, I have read the EULAs, many times over, and no, I am not wrong.

But I hear you and there no disagreement over the second part of your reply concerning replacing any part "except the motherboard.

But note your first part does not address dual-boot scenarios and that is the issue and exception here. And sadly, Microsoft does not make it clear either, except to say that dual-boot systems MUST have separate licenses for each OS. But they don't say if OEM or not.

[renegade600]

Microsoft does make it clear, system builders oem is ONLY for a newly built computer that is for resale. A new motherboard is considered a new computer.

In the past you can purchase any hardware with oem but that changed years ago.

f you are building a system for your personal use or installing an additional operating system in a virtual machine, you will need to purchase a full version of Windows 10, available in FPP. Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7 system builder software does not permit personal use, and is intended only for preinstallation on customer systems that will be sold to end users.*

http://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/lice...id=qBpUr_2iUxC

[Digerati]

Okay - you win. In my defense - and this is, admittedly, a flimsy excuse, this is a new document that came out for W10 and I had not see it. And I am glad MS put it out for clarification was definitely needed.

Thanks, Dan. Bookmarked.