Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines
-
Installing a boot loader (like grub) could probably work, but BIOS already has a boot loader built in. Adding the complexity of installing another boot loader on top of an existing installation, and then converting a physical installation from one host to a physical installation on another host, under a custom boot loader.
Is way more complex, and likely would cause all sorts of issues.
I would stick with using the existing BIOS to manage the boot device and simply train the customer how to hit F12 or Delete or whatever the boot selection key is at startup.
You can name the boot devices from within the OS.
-
@DustinB3403 said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
How would he even license this?
As long as one of the Windows 10 copies is retail rather than OEM or he gets two OEMs for the same hardware...
-
@DustinB3403 said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
@IRJ said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
Is there any real reason for this? OP doesn't mention it either
IDK, I thought the same thing as well, but I didn't not want to provide a potentially useful answer.
When the objective or goal itself is useless, any answer you feel is useful would then default to useless anyways.
So, the only potentially useful answer would be to get the OP to re-evaluate the situation and perhaps approach it differently altogether. -
@scottalanmiller said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
@DustinB3403 said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
How would he even license this?
As long as one of the Windows 10 copies is retail rather than OEM or he gets two OEMs for the same hardware...
You're incorrect here - Windows 10 OEM License Terms and Windows 10 Retail License Terms
2. Installation and Use Rights. a. 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 state the same terms and conditions. Each instance needs to have it's own license.
-
And further down in the documentation. . .
d. Multi use scenarios. (i) Multiple versions. If when acquiring the software you were provided with multiple versions (such as 32-bit and 64-bit versions), you may install and activate only one of those versions at a time. (ii) Multiple or pooled connections. Hardware or software you use to multiplex or pool connections, or reduce the number of devices or users that access or use the software, does not reduce the number of licenses you need. You may only use such hardware or software if you have a license for each instance of the software you are using. -
Meaning to dual boot or run as a VM (on Hyper-V) for example gives you only that 1 installed license to use. If you wanted to consolidate the hardware, you would be required to purchase an additional Windows 10 OEM or Retail license for each instance on any given system.
Even in the scenario I proposed of just moving the drive from one system into the other and using the boot selection, would require that the host have an additional licensed purchased and be applied to that host.
Edited to make the clarification about Retail licensing terms and conditions.
-
@Obsolesce said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
@DustinB3403 said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
@IRJ said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
Is there any real reason for this? OP doesn't mention it either
IDK, I thought the same thing as well, but I didn't not want to provide a potentially useful answer.
When the objective or goal itself is useless, any answer you feel is useful would then default to useless anyways.
So, the only potentially useful answer would be to get the OP to re-evaluate the situation and perhaps approach it differently altogether.My response is to get more detail from @CCWTech as to the reason the client wants this. I don't know why the client wants to do this as it's not explained anywhere in this topic.
@CCWTech why just post and disappear? Give us some more details.
-
Also whether it's dual boot or a vm, it's another OS to manage, update, and troubleshoot.
-
@DustinB3403 said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
@scottalanmiller said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
@DustinB3403 said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
How would he even license this?
As long as one of the Windows 10 copies is retail rather than OEM or he gets two OEMs for the same hardware...
You're incorrect here - Windows 10 OEM License Terms and Windows 10 Retail License Terms
2. Installation and Use Rights. a. 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 state the same terms and conditions. Each instance needs to have it's own license.
Thats what i said.
-
@scottalanmiller said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
As long as one of the Windows 10 copies is retail rather than OEM or he gets two OEMs for the same hardware...
What? No you said that so long as 1 of the licenses is Retail that the Owner of that Retail license gets two instances of Windows 10 Retail (on the same hardware) and the licenses both very clearly disagree with you.
If you want to run two copies of Windows 10 Retail (or OEM) on the same hardware, you need to have two distinct product keys (and licenses).
I've very clearly lined this up across a matter of very few posts above.
-
Another option.... avoid licensing issues by using a single OS install and making two user profiles instead.
-
@DustinB3403 said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
@scottalanmiller said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
As long as one of the Windows 10 copies is retail rather than OEM or he gets two OEMs for the same hardware...
What? No you said that so long as 1 of the licenses is Retail that the Owner of that Retail license gets two instances of Windows 10 Retail (on the same hardware) and the licenses both very clearly disagree with you.
If you want to run two copies of Windows 10 Retail (or OEM) on the same hardware, you need to have two distinct product keys (and licenses).
I've very clearly lined this up across a matter of very few posts above.
No.... I was saying that you either needed two OEMs tied to the same hardware or a retail copy that is added to an already OEMd hardware
-
@scottalanmiller said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
@DustinB3403 said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
@scottalanmiller said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
As long as one of the Windows 10 copies is retail rather than OEM or he gets two OEMs for the same hardware...
What? No you said that so long as 1 of the licenses is Retail that the Owner of that Retail license gets two instances of Windows 10 Retail (on the same hardware) and the licenses both very clearly disagree with you.
If you want to run two copies of Windows 10 Retail (or OEM) on the same hardware, you need to have two distinct product keys (and licenses).
I've very clearly lined this up across a matter of very few posts above.
No.... I was saying that you either needed two OEMs tied to the same hardware or a retail copy that is added to an already OEMd hardware
Speaking in a very general stance, a normal person isn't supposed to purchase OEM license for installation. Even on a system they are building for themselves.
OEM licensing is meant to be reserved for businesses that build and sell computers to consumers and are not the End User of said workstation (themselves - the business).
You're still wrong, the only way to do this legitimately would be to purchase a RETAIL key and apply that additional key to ANY Key that is already assigned to an individual computer.
-
@scottalanmiller said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
Another option.... avoid licensing issues by using a single OS install and making two user profiles instead.
I already said that
-
@scottalanmiller said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
Another option.... avoid licensing issues by using a single OS install and making two user profiles instead.
As @IRJ said. . .
@IRJ said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
@scottalanmiller said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
Another option.... avoid licensing issues by using a single OS install and making two user profiles instead.
I already said that
And this would likely only work in the case that the Client simply wants to consolidate their hardware and doesn't have a bunch of software that needs to come with it. As I mentioned above.
We need more details from @CCWTech to figure this out.
-
@scottalanmiller said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
Another option.... avoid licensing issues by using a single OS install and making two user profiles instead.
I cant think of many scenarios where this isnt the answer.
If they had some valid reason why they couldnt just install the tools the need on one installation, then I think virtualization is the only try solution. Dual boot causes so many issues, because it isnt manageable on the network. Another huge disadvantage of dual boot is a loss in productivity. You have to run updates on two devices and dual booted system cannot run updates when it isnt booted.
-
@IRJ said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
If they had some valid reason why they couldnt just install the tools the need on one installation,
I've dealt with software that is bound of the serial of the CPU it's originally installed with/on in the past which would make this nearly impossible to move without involving the software vendor (but maybe you could go the other way with it).
In any case, there are valid reasons to need multiple installations accessible from a single footprint. (it's a benefit of virtualization and or dual-booting today).
But we're just speculating at this point.
-
@DustinB3403 said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
@IRJ said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
If they had some valid reason why they couldnt just install the tools the need on one installation,
I've dealt with software that is bound of the serial of the CPU it's originally installed with/on in the past which would make this nearly impossible to move without involving the software vendor (but maybe you could go the other way with it).
In any case, there are valid reasons to need multiple installations accessible from a single footprint. (it's a benefit of virtualization and or dual-booting today).
But we're just speculating at this point.
Yeah I agree about virtualization, but I can't see a valid use case for dual boot with all the negatives it provides
-
@IRJ Yeah I would agree, virtualizing one installation and running it as a VM on the other's hardware would likely make the most sense.
But it will take more time to complete and setup, compared to the alternative(s).
It's just a matter of what the client is really looking for and how much they are willing to spend.
-
@IRJ said in Joining 2 Windows 10 Machines:
but I can't see a valid use case for dual boot with all the negatives it provides
The use case is almost moot at this point.
All we know is the client wants to run two existing installations of Windows 10 on a single workstation and apparently is comfortable enough to use a Boot loader to dual boot.
What's the most cost efficient means to completing this?
