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Is it possible to use two installations of Windows 10 on the same machine at the same time? -One that You already have installed and holds critical apps that mustn't break -one fresh installation for gaming.
I have 3 real drives. One ssd, two classic hard drives. Win10 is currently installed on the ssd.
Maral
Posted 2016-02-18T11:48:02.460
Reputation: 143
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You can use multiple copies of Windows 10 in what's known as a Multi-Boot configuration. Often you'll hear of this as "Dual-booting", because most commonly only two different OSs are in question.
How To Geek has a nice tutorial about setting up dual boot with multiple copies of Windows, and a good explanation of dual-booting in general.
Legally, you need a licence for EACH Windows install you make. So if you want to install Windows 10 twice, you'll need to own two licenses for it, even if they're only running one at a time, on the same computer.
Similar has been discussed previously here on on SU:
Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007
Posted 2016-02-18T11:48:02.460
Reputation: 103 763
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Yeah, no you don't need 2 licences for a single machine since the installed devices are EXACTLY the same. Suggesting otherwise is pure greed and stupidity. Since even Microsoft can't tell, and even they would help you install it on a 2nd drive should you have trouble. The Eula specifically says a SINGLE machine Single instance. This is a single machine and you can only run 1 instance at a time. A 2nd win 10 on your machine is very wise, should your first drive fail, becomes corrupted, or virus and malware can be removed from your main win 10 install far easier using a 2nd. In regards to VM that is very specific in regards to requiring more then 1 VM to require more licences. Actually if your running Windows 10 and you want to run a VM on that machine, requires an additional license(s). I will admit MS does not make it easy to do so. Using cloning software is by far the easiest, because no matter how you partition the 2nd drive, it won't start win 10 installation. There's your vague part lol. But going by the EULA they have not said you can't have 2 installations using the same product ID. I think they would need to be very point blank about it as they have done with VM.
GrimReaper
Posted 2016-02-18T11:48:02.460
Reputation: 1
1@Jonno - What the author wants to do wouldn't require multiple licenses since only a single instance of Windows could ever be used at any given time. If the author wanted to use a virtual machine that would make a difference though. – Ramhound – 2016-02-18T12:58:57.133
@Ramhound The EULA makes it a little vague. " 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." - Both install and run one – Jonno – 2016-02-18T13:02:45.890
@Ramhound Source - "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."
– Jonno – 2016-02-18T13:03:48.697