Windows 10: Best approach to configuring windows 7/10 pro with single license?

I have 2 computers with windows 7 pro 64 bit at my house.

The living room computer is the family computer which has windows 7 pro 64 bit on one hard drive.

I have in my own room, windows 8.1 Enterprise 64 bit, which has 2 partitions, with windows 7 Pro on the remaining partition.

Both Windows 7 Pro pc's have reserved their copy of windows.


My question is, what is the best way to keep windows 7 pro and still have the windows 10 pro upgrade so both computers can utilize either windows 7 pro/10 pro under the same license?

I was thinking of on my living room pc, making a windows 7 backup, then through updates let that computer upgrade to 10 pro, then create a vm and restore my windows 7 pro on that. or just buy a seperate hard drive and restore it to that so in essence that be dual booted, with seperate drives.(not interested in vhds)

on my windows 8.1 enterprise, i realize i cannot upgrade to 10. i have windows 7 pro dual booted on a the same hard drive as my windows 8.1 enterprise. so i was thinking of making a backup of both OS, then either buy another hard drive and install windows 7 pro to the hard drive let it up date and then vm windows 7 pro on that copy of 10 on that new drive and just restore windows 8.1 enterprise to the original entirety of the hard drive.


i hope explained this well enough!


the point of all this is i still want to be able to retain on both computers the ability to have windows 7 pro and 10 pro using each computers single license for 7.

:)

 

Will Lotus Approach run in Windows 10 Pro?

I am running Lotus Approach version 9.8.0709.1005 in Windows 7 Pro 64 bit using Windows XP (service pack 3) compatibility mode.

If I upgrade to Windows 10 Pro 64 bit, will Approach still run?

I have seen info that suggests that 16 bit programs will not run on Windows 10 64 bit.

Thanks

 

Best Windows and Best Browser

I have upgraded the following:

1) Windows 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 Pro (PC)

2) Windows 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 Pro (Virtual-PC)

3) Windows 7 Professional to Windows 10 Pro (Laptop)

4) Windows 8.1 Single Language to Windows 10 Single Language(Tablet)

5) Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 10 Home(OLD PC)

All works Great!!!

Even my OLD PC ROCKSSSS!!!

 

You cannot legally use the same license and dual boot. Since it's illegal to do what you suggest, we can't really give you advice on how to accomplish it.

 

As I understand it, you're trading in your Win 7 license for Win 10. Continued use of the Win 7 is a license violation. No word if there will be some way MS disables any non-upgraded installations still using your old Win 7 key.

See discussion here.

 

No. You cannot install the same license in two separate instances. You can continue to use Windows 7, but to do so you must delete Windows 10, and vice versa. So it's not that you are "trading in your license" to use Windows 7. You're getting a new license which supersedes your old license, but you can always go back the old license, but doing so means you can't use Windows 10 (or have it installed anywhere).

 

thats a shame, but luckily, my school gets volume licensing discounts so i only pay $5 for win pro 64 bit or windows 8/8.1 ent.. wont be the end of the world.. but just means i have to now spend $10 more for 2 additional new windows 7 pro copies..

so lets say on my living room computer i upgrade that computer to 10 pro, then i should just install the newly purchased win 7 pro to vm?

then on my own pc in my room, buy a new hdd.. and dedicate windows 7 pro to the new hard drive then upgrade it to 10 then install the new copy of windows 7 to vm on there? and backup restore my windows 8.1 to the entire original hard drive.(originally only took up 500gb/1000gb because it was dual booted with 7)

 

Yes, if you want to use a VM, you can do that. Or you can dual boot... whichever you want to do.

 

for all intensive purposes i do like being able to use vms, but for full functionality i think dual may be a better approach for my room having the 1tb.. whereas the living room pc may need upgrade the sata to something like 500gb+ as its @ 300gb currently so it be pretty thin dual booting just on that single drive.


**game plan: not changing anything on my room pc, as its already dual booted. just backing up both OS to my external. then after 10 upgrade on the one partition just install windows 7 as a vm on 10.

and for the living room pc, upgrade that to 10 and if need be i can either upgrade the hdd after a backup and restore.

thanks again for the help and licensing clarification!! definitely dont want to violate any terms or agreements as it was a pretty interesting theory/question.

 

It becomes a chore to manage multiple versions of Windows on multiple multi-boot machines in the home. The will have updates to install on a regular basis, and if you download a nice new app or program on one PC, on one of the OSs, you will probably want it on all of your systems. Virtual machines, interesting as they are, can never realise the full potential of the hardware that the host OS is installed on. Whilst running a VM, the host is not running at full potential, either.

It is worthwhile making a plan to determine exactly what you (+ family members) need, rather than what you could possibly do. For instance what can you only do with Windows 7 and not 8 or 10, and vice versa?

Are you just collecting Windows versions out of geeky interest (nothing wrong with that!) ?

Are you maintaining skillsets in using Windows versions for personal fulfillment or career reasons?

list your reasons...

Microsoft's plan is to get all devices running the latest Windows Version, and they will really be pushing the benefits to business users - to us, these are employers, and educators, to Microsoft, they are 75% of their income sources.

If for you, over the next few months, Windows 10 does everything you need, or think you might need, then you possibly need it on both machines. It is unlikely that Windows 8.x cannot be totally replaced by Windows 10. There are some things that 7 can do, but 10 cannot - if this the case you may need it on one of the machines, maybe as a VM you could call up as wished.

 

thanks for the reply! very valid and good points in here. for me, reasons why i would like to utilize 7 pro, 8.1 ent and of course 10 are as follows.

i need windows 8.1 for school, so that will remain untouched.

win 7 pro is a cornerstone and stable IMO all around. my father refuses to use anything but that, ive tried to show him you can login to the desktop of 8.1 without having to go through the metro/tiles first but that was to no avail.

and windows 10 pro, i have mixed feelings about. however since they are trying to phase everyone out of the older OS, i figured i may as well upgrade before i have to pay.(even though i have a year to make that decision)


mostly, my academic/career prospects. i want to be familiar with as much as i can, as long as it doesnt take away more time or effort im alright with spending a little extra time making sure my OS's are up to date, and have their malware/anti virus definitions to spec as well.


what ive decided is just keep my personal computer dual booted with 8.1 ent and win 7 pro, upgrade my 7 pro to windows 10 pro then if im bored or want to toy with something else ill triple boot 8.1 ent, 7/10 pro...

as far as the living room is concerned, we shall see how 10 pro goes over with my pops and everyone. 10 more resembles 7 but at the same time incorporates the tiles so. it will be a bit of adjusting in all regards.


i appreciate the insight and perspective on things

 

There you go! I wish you luck and lots of pleasure from your home computing. *Smile

Noting your Computing skills, achievement, and prospects, you may (in the future) consider running a home server with perhaps thin clients for your family members. IMHO Windows Embedded Standard 7 was particularly good and generous with educational licenses, and great fun to build your own unique Windows 7, with just the features you need, and all the extraneous stuff removed. No doubt similar programmes will evolve from the Windows 10 stable as they did in 8.

 

ive given the home server some thought from time to time, at the very least setting up a test lab with a server and 1-2 computers.. im going to have to read more up on the windows embedded standard 7 that you mentioned..


cheers! *Smile