Windows 10: Window 10 Free Upgrade License Question

I have a few questions relating to the license terms for the Free Windows 10 Upgrade from 7.
1) Does the license require that Window 7 be replaced on the computer with Windows 10? For example, can I create an image of my existing Win 7 system, recover it to a second hard drive and then upgrade that second HD to Win 10? This would permit access to either operating system at a time albeit requiring a switch of drives.
2) Does the license permit a dual boot with the original Win 7 and a clean install of Windows 10?
3) If either of these is allowed by the license terms, are there any issues with activation?
Thanks for any help you can provide.​

:)

 

Has there been an official answer to what happens to existing OS serial when upgrading to Win 10?

So I take it this answers the question with my first option. My Win 7 will be replaced by Win 10 and will no longer be useable?

 

If Win7 is free-upgraded to Win10, the partition backed up, then rolled back to Win7 before 29 July, will Win10 install from the backup with license at a later date?

Nope.When you upgrade, your license becomes a dual Windows 7 and 10 license so if you upgrade now before 29th and then rollback to Windows 10,you can use windows 10 for free after the free offer expires too.

Same is explained here:

Get Windows 10 for Free After July 29th,
with a Little Prep Now

Let us know if there are any questions

 

If Windows 7 and Windows 10 are on two different physical hard drives, and only one hard drive is physically connected to the computer at a time, I don't think that violates the EULA.

It violates the EULA to dual boot Windows 7 and Windows 10 with only one license. You do not get an extra license for a second Windows with the upgrade.

I don't think you would have any issues with activation if you switched out hard drives.

 

Thanks very much for clarifying this!
One more question. If I do the traditional Free upgrade to 10 and then later want to do a clean install of 10, I would assume this is both possible and permitted by the EULA right?

 

Yes, when you do the upgrade you get Windows 10 for free for the life of that device.

 

This is provided you have a retail key and not an OEM key.

 

What difference would it make?

 

So if I do the free upgrade to 10 and two years later, after the free upgrade offer has expired, I can still do a clean install of 10 on the same computer, correct?

 

Yes.

Windows 10 – Microsoft Windows

 

Yes thanks for that clarification. Now, once i have windows 10 for free and for life on that computer, my thought is Microsoft would not be happy if I deleted the win 10 installation and restored 7 a few years later, for example by using an image. I don't see that happening, but i'd like to understand the license issues.

 

Why not? Your Windows 7 license is just as good for that computer as it always was. You just can't use it to install two copies of Windows at the same time.

 

To be clear i don't know. I skimmed through the EULA and didn't see anything definitive. However, I suspect that Microsoft is giving 10 away for the reason of encouraging fast user migration to 10. If they permit users to go back to 7 at any time, then it would seem that they didn't accomplish their goal. Stated differently, I speculate that Microsoft would want to configure their free deal as a transfer (or relinquishment) of your original 7 license in return for a Win 10 license. Does this make sense or am I not looking at this correctly?

 

If that was the case, then I don't think that Microsoft would put instructions on their website how to go back to Windows 7, 8 or 8.1, do you?

Going back to Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 - Windows Help -

Recovery options in Windows 10 - Windows Help

 

Thanks much for answering my questions and for the links above which I agree make clear that the user retains the right to go back to 7. It’s not what I expected but I like it!