Windows 10: Anniversary Upgrade W10 dual-boot license change

I've read different threads/posts about Anniversary Upgrade license/activation changes/issues/questions.
My situation is different than what I've read, so i created this thread as an fyi for anyone interested in multi-boot.

Here's what happened for me with a multi-boot PC with 2 Win 10 OS's:

The Anniversary Update changed my Insider Preview W10 OS from a license with an expiration date to a permanently activated license.
This OS is not a free Upgrade license, it is the OS I installed before the official release of the free upgrade offer.
It always has been an Insider Preview OS with an expiration date until now.

This PC also has a W10 RTM (not an insider) OS that was the free upgrade from W7 to W10.
The W10 RTM OS has always been a permanently activated retail pro license.

I use the same MS Outlook.com address on both of these OS's, and i also have a Local Admin account on each OS.
To me, it seems the Anniversary Update "applied" my permanent RTM OS upgrade license to my Insider OS that should have an expiration date.
The Anniversary Update also changed my Local Admin account to a Local Standard account on the Insider OS.

Each OS is on a different drive, and all other drives were disconnected when installing the Anniversary update except the drive/OS being updated.

From what i see, i now have 2 permanent W10 OS's.
I should only have 1 permanent, and 1 with an expiration date.

:)

 

dual boot Windows 7 and windows 10

correct, you cannot use the upgrade to create a dual boot. you need to actually
upgrade the Windows 7 partition. if you want to dual boot, you need to purchase
Windows 10. The W10 license replaces the W7 license.



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Please mark as answered if this answers your question

 

Dual Boot Windows 10 on two hard drives not working

Turns out the issue is you can only have one installation of the free upgrade per PC. I since bought another W10 license and dual boot is now working.

 

1607 - the Anniversary update - is permanently activated, whether obtained via the Insider route, or upgraded from a purchased retail version - identical.

When new insider builds are released, it is likely they will have trial evaluation periods and expiry dates.

 

All Insider versions of current version show no expiry date. This is so you can leave the Insider Programme if you wish keeping all existing files and programs. This only happens when the Official and Insider versions are the same.

The moment you get a new Insider build, they will have expiry dates again.

Do not confuse expiry date with activation. If you leave the Insider Programme in your case, it will deactivate as you never upgraded from a valid 7/8 or 10 licence.

I guess theoretically, you could stop all updates on your Insider version whilst remaining on the Insider Programme, and your version would remain activated and would not expire, but you could never update it again without reverting to the normal time-expiry versions.

 

Does it actually deactivate the current install? I always figured you were good until you had do the next clean install.

 

It won't deactivate the current install. Both current installs are on the normal digital license type activation and are permanent (and probably in violation of the EULA).

 

Yes, that part I know. I should have been more specific in my question. And I agree with the in violation of the EULA part.

If you have only ever run the insider preview from day one, and clean installed it originally. No upgrade from another OS. On a clean install will it activate?

 

It will if the activation screen shows a digital entitlement or license. When build 10240 came out as RTM, Microsoft gave insiders permanent digital activations.

 

My concern is with what happened to my Insider Preview OS license/activation it could get detected as an "illegal" dual-boot EULA violation.
I can stop using the Insider Preview OS, i don't mind if i lose that OS.
I don't want to cause any problems for my W10 Upgrade RTM OS license.

For me, having an Insider Preview and Upgrade dual-boot PC was not an issue until the Anniversary Update.

It would be interesting to see if anyone else with a dual-boot setup like i have sees the same thing.

 

Makes sense. I remember when the rules changed. Must have missed that part. Or just didn't understand the wording. *Wink

 

As far as I know this is not the case. If you were using Windows 10 TP, you had to remain on the Programme to remain activated, unless you had originally upgraded from a valid licence. This caused a lot of fuss as people said MS reneged on promise of a free licence if you were on TP. MS counter claimed you would remain activated provided you stayed on Programme.


Upcoming changes to Windows 10 Insider Preview builds [UPDATED 6/22] | Windows Experience Blog

 

Well, here is the current situation, @cereberus. If the user has an installation of Windows 10 that is activated with a digital entitlement or a digital license and their installed product key on that activated Windows 10 ends in -3V66T for Pro or ends in -8HVX7 for Home then they have a permanent digital entitlement/license for Windows 10. I don't believe that there is an insider build of Windows 10 that was activated with the unique insider product keys that isn't expired by now.

 

This contradicts MS statements that clearly stated if you did not start from a qualifying licence, it would become unactivated if you leave.

I have seen many reports on other forums of people who left Insider Programme who started from a TP key, and installed release version and it did not activate.

Of course, it is possible MS policy has quietly changed as this would apply to so few persons now.


Upcoming changes to Windows 10 Insider Preview builds [UPDATED 6/22] | Windows Experience Blog

“I want to opt out of the Windows Insider Program on 7/29.” If you decide to opt-out of the program and upgrade to the 7/29 build you will be subject to exactly the same terms and conditions that govern the offer* that was extended to all Genuine Windows 7 and 8.1 customers. This is not a path to attain a license for Windows XP or Windows Vista systems. If your system upgraded from a Genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 license it will remain activated, but if not, you will be required to roll back to your previous OS version or acquire a new Windows 10 license. If you do not roll back or acquire a new license the build will eventually expire.
Read more at Upcoming changes to Windows 10 Insider Preview builds [UPDATED 6/22] | Windows Experience Blog

 

When did all insider OS's change to expired ?

What happens if a person installed Win 10 TP as an insider before the official free upgrade offer ?
The TP/Insider OS was never a "free upgrade or any purchased W10", it has always been a BETA Insider OS, with an expiration date, and not with a permanent digital entitlement/license.
If anyone has a TP/Insider OS only, did the Anniversary Update change the expiration date, and now shows digital entitlement or a digital license ?

For me, the TP Insider OS has always had an expiration date until i installed the Anniversary Update.
It did not have digital entitlement or a digital license.
I just had to keep it "updated" so the insider license did not expire.

Until a few days ago, before installing the Anniversary Update, I had an expiration date 0f 2016-10-01 for my Insider OS.

From posts i've read it seems MS has changed the license/activation rules so the HD is not used, and a MS account is used.
I think these changes are what caused the license change i see.