Windows 10: OMG, two Windows with one product key???

I am thinking the same as the others , the Activation Servers Can't tell it is a Dual boot but see the Hardware (MB) ID and so have activated the Dual Boot too , thinking you just reinstalled it without the Key.

 

I have seen no evidence that Microsoft has ever enforced, or indeed is able to enforce, the clause that limits installation to a single "device" on the same hardware system, as defined in clause 2b:

Code: 2. Installation and Use Rights. . . .

• b. Device. In this agreement, “device” means a hardware system (whether physical or virtual) with an internal storage device capable of running the software. A hardware partition or blade is considered to be a device.

[/quote] When a Windows installation has become inoperable, due to some irreparable corruption, it has always been possible to reinstall in another volume (partition on same or different disk drive on the same hardware system) before deleting the broken installation after transferring data, and in the case of XP, or earlier, in a differently named Windows folder on the same partition as well.

 

Using product key on second install makes no difference as the hardware id is not changed. Basically you can only have one digital licence per edition per pc.

So even attempting to be purist is futile. So as MS cannot get their act together, I see no reason to get emotive or worried about it.

If a person is trying to behave in good faith but cannot, I see no reason why that person should not dual boot as discussed. There are times when strict adherence is not possible without limiting oneself.

 

Totally agree, just giving options, as best I can. *Wink Then let the OP decide what to do. Microsoft doesn't say how activation works , in detail, for obvious reasons. That leaves a lot of guess work on our part, well on my part anyway. Some here know a lot more about it than I do. I was thinking as I typed my above response that both install would just toggle to the new key/DL. No way to tell as far as I know. If it was me, I'd just run it as is and see what happens down the road.

 

*Ditto It's my understanding that the "Linked to your Microsoft Account" part has nothing to do with Activation, or the DL. It just makes recovering activation easier via the activation trouble shooter. If you Install and log in with a local account it will still activate with the DL. I've done it. It just says activated with a DL, with no linked to the MSA at the end. Switch to your Microsoft Account and the Linked to part appears on the end.

 

That is exactly it - all the link does is help you find your digital licence when a hardware change changes mobo id so a digital licence cannot be found but exists. It is purely a backup mechanism which is manual.

Many people mistakenly think that all you need to do is longin with MSA and you get automatically activated - quite how they think this is simply because they jump to conclusions without checking facts.