How to install dual OS (win 7 and win 8) using the win 8 upgrade offer

[BillWindows]

I must be mentally challenged, I understand the EULA, I just cannot understand why this is such a big deal for Microsoft, to have two OS both on the same PC, both paid for. .

No you have not paid for 2 OS, you have paid for one OS and at reduce price an update, is that so hard to understand.
2 OS on a hard drive is nothing, I have VM servers with over 20 OS in them, and all have their legit license.

Aside you have to be dam noob to not make a back up before made an update.

I suppose I could be a noob, but I started on a Vic 20, C64 and Amiga, and started off in DOS. Okay I'll ask again, what advantage am I getting by having two OS on the one PC on the one HDD aside from the fact that if one breaks down I have a backup system ready to go. I suppose I'm asking why is Microsoft charging me double for doing the same thing.

I guess I'm just missing something, but I don't know what it is.

Oh, and I have two NAS for all my wireless backups and 8 Windows licences.

 

[area 66]

I suppose I'm asking why is Microsoft charging me double for doing the same thing.
.

Microsoft don't charge you the double, they charge $ 49 for a Pro update, many peoples upgrade from a Premium or not pro version, the $ 49 is less than the difference between a Windows 7 premium and a Pro Retail , so where is your double. It's an upgrade, Microsoft can charge the price they want, you don't need to upgrade, from what I can see of your complain, if you can afford your upgrade stay with Windows 7, it work fine.


And if you play with computers since 30 years and you don't understand the importance to make a back-up, well, I will refrain to use the word to describe it.

 

[machare]

I must be mentally challenged, I understand the EULA, I just cannot understand why this is such a big deal for Microsoft,...

I am inclined to agree. When Windows 7 came out you could pre order the full retail version for a very reasonable price. There was no legal reason not to run both Vista and W7. However as W7 is better than Vista 'PERIOD' the migration was straightforward. The problem with W8 is that it does not retain some of the features of W7, e.g. start button, gadgets, ability to run virtual machines on 32bit version.

It is a pity that MS have made this complicated upgrade offer with its differing legal and technical requirements. (IMHO)

 

[area 66]

Microsoft give you a new OS at $ 40 and you call it pity, you don't have a 12 gauge on your head, keep Windows 7 if it best for you. I really don't get how some members thing, here, they NEED Windows 8 but they own a pity Pentium 4, they NEED the $ 40 upgrade, but demand a full retail instead.

You have what you pay for. If you don't like the price of Microsoft, you are free to get a Linux, as too compare the price of the OSX and Windows , it's absurd, you can't install the OSX in the computer of your choice. Don't quote me wrong here, I must like Apple products too as I own quite few.

As to retain Windows 7, let me tell you I build a new PC to host a Windows 7 to put at the side of my PC before I install Windows 8, I do it because I dislike dual booting, and even VMware Workstation is full of bug, let me tell you, I never get in this Windows 7 PC as I use only my Windows 8 PC. So I will soon put this PC in other use. VMware WS is the only software I have to upgrade as it was not working well in Windows 8 , $ 100 is little paid for avoid dual booting

 

[Brink]

I must be mentally challenged, I understand the EULA, I just cannot understand why this is such a big deal for Microsoft, to have two OS both on the same PC, both paid for. Surely they must realise that people can do a lot of damage to their important files and programmes by going in over the top and trashing their current operating system.
Just looking at the problems people are having with Windows 8 installed over their old OS, you'd think Microsoft would soften their stance on this issue.
I can certainly understand in a lot of cases where there is no previous licence the objections they might have. It's just that in this case I'm having a lot of problems understanding their objection. I wish I could talk to someone a little bit higher up in Microsoft to let them know why people are upset over this and the damage it's doing to their brand.
I don't want anything for nothing, but I can't see why I would have to pay for two full licenses on the one hard drive on the one computer.

I'll just add a bit more.

if no one ever had a problem with installing a new OS over an old one, and everything "just worked" I wouldn't have a problem with any of this, but we all know better, these things are always fraught with danger.

I really just don't see the difficulty with this.


If you want to keep both Windows 7 and Windows 8 installed, then you would just simply need to purchase a system builder copy ($99) of Windows 8 and not an upgrade copy of Windows 8.


If you purchase an upgrade copy of Windows 8 ($15 if just purchased W7 computer, or $40), then you are getting it for a lower cost by agreeing with Microsoft to replace/upgrade your say Windows 7 with Windows 8, and to never have Windows 7 installed if Windows 8 is still installed. Yes, this includes no dual booting them as well.

You can still do a clean install with an upgrade copy of Windows 8. There's no need to install say Windows 7 first, then upgrade to Windows 8.

 

[skallal]

After thinking it over I'd like to undo the upgrade on my Windows 7 box. I did the $40 upgrade on my Windows 7 box because my Samsung slate had Windows 8 90 day eval on it. But knowing what I know now, I'd rather have upgraded my slate directly. My slate originally came with Windows 7 / 64 Pro and I can restore it and then do the upgrade. I have no intention if ever using Windows 7 on the slate.

Can I do a return on upgrade on the desktop and then do the upgrade on the slate? That way I can leave Windows 7 on my desktop with a clear conscience. If I ever need to reinstall Windows 7 on my desktop, I'd want the original product keys to work.

 

[Brink]

Hello Steve,

Your Windows 7 keys will always still work, and so will your Windows 8 keys.

You could do a factory restore to Windows 7 and upgrade to Windows 8 if you like, but there's really no need to. It's perfectly fine and legal to do a clean install with your upgrade copy of Windows 8.

The only thing the EULA requires is that you cannot have both the Windows 7 and upgrade Windows 8 installed at the same time. This includes dual boots.

If you decide you want Windows 7 installed instead of Windows 8 in the future, then all you would need to do is uninstall/format the upgrade copy of Windows 8, and install your Windows 7 again.

For those that do want to keep both Windows 7 and Windows 8, they would just simply need to purchase a system builder copy of Windows 8 and not an upgrade copy of Windows 8 instead.


Hope this helps.

 

[BillWindows]

Microsoft give you a new OS at $ 40 and you call it pity, you don't have a 12 gauge on your head, keep Windows 7 if it best for you. I really don't get how some members thing, here, they NEED Windows 8 but they own a pity Pentium 4, they NEED the $ 40 upgrade, but demand a full retail instead.

You have what you pay for. If you don't like the price of Microsoft, you are free to get a Linux, as too compare the price of the OSX and Windows , it's absurd, you can't install the OSX in the computer of your choice. Don't quote me wrong here, I must like Apple products too as I own quite few.

As to retain Windows 7, let me tell you I build a new PC to host a Windows 7 to put at the side of my PC before I install Windows 8, I do it because I dislike dual booting, and even VMware Workstation is full of bug, let me tell you, I never get in this Windows 7 PC as I use only my Windows 8 PC. So I will soon put this PC in other use. VMware WS is the only software I have to upgrade as it was not working well in Windows 8 , $ 100 is little paid for avoid dual booting

So area 66, because a guy questions the rules surrounding this update, you tell him to go take a flying leap onto Linux. You might find this whole thing easy but some of us don't. Like I said I've got no problems paying for a full version or an OEM version or a system builders version. I just can't understand why I have to pay for two full versions of an operating system on the ONE computer, because by buying the upgrade version I can't put it on another computer, just another HDD.

I've got 8 licences, now if I wanted to upgrade all of those licences and not destroy my previous OS, you're saying I have to pay $100 for each licence and feel okay with that, sorry I don't.

I also told you I have two NAS for my backups don't you know what a NAS is. I've got images going back to Windows 8 so I think I know about backups.

 

[Brink]

........ Like I said I've got no problems paying for a full version or an OEM version or a system builders version. I just can't understand why I have to pay for two full versions of an operating system on the ONE computer, because by buying the upgrade version I can't put it on another computer, just another HDD.

You can install an upgrade copy of Windows 8 on whatever computer or HDD your like, so long as you have a different key number per installation.​

I've got 8 licences, now if I wanted to upgrade all of those licences and not destroy my previous OS, you're saying I have to pay $100 for each licence and feel okay with that, sorry I don't......

Sorry, but that's what you agree to do as per the EULA when your purchase an upgrade copy of Windows 8. That's why you get it for only $40. It's a break in price for agreeing to replace your old OS.

Otherwise, you need to purchase the system builder copy of Windows 8.​

 

[BillWindows]

I must be mentally challenged, I understand the EULA, I just cannot understand why this is such a big deal for Microsoft, to have two OS both on the same PC, both paid for. Surely they must realise that people can do a lot of damage to their important files and programmes by going in over the top and trashing their current operating system.
Just looking at the problems people are having with Windows 8 installed over their old OS, you'd think Microsoft would soften their stance on this issue.
I can certainly understand in a lot of cases where there is no previous licence the objections they might have. It's just that in this case I'm having a lot of problems understanding their objection. I wish I could talk to someone a little bit higher up in Microsoft to let them know why people are upset over this and the damage it's doing to their brand.
I don't want anything for nothing, but I can't see why I would have to pay for two full licenses on the one hard drive on the one computer.

I'll just add a bit more.

if no one ever had a problem with installing a new OS over an old one, and everything "just worked" I wouldn't have a problem with any of this, but we all know better, these things are always fraught with danger.

I really just don't see the difficulty with this.


If you want to keep both Windows 7 and Windows 8 installed, then you would just simply need to purchase a system builder copy ($99) of Windows 8 and not an upgrade copy of Windows 8.


If you purchase an upgrade copy of Windows 8 ($15 if just purchased W7 computer, or $40), then you are getting it for a lower cost by agreeing with Microsoft to replace/upgrade your say Windows 7 with Windows 8, and to never have Windows 7 installed if Windows 8 is still installed. Yes, this includes no dual booting them as well.

You can still do a clean install with an upgrade copy of Windows 8. There's no need to install say Windows 7 first, then upgrade to Windows 8.

"If you want to keep both Windows 7 and Windows 8 installed, then you would just simply need to purchase a system builder copy ($99) of Windows 8 and not an upgrade copy of Windows 8."

You see Brink that bit right there, that's the bit I can't understand, if I've already built my machine with an OEM licence, why do I have to pay for another full licence on the same machine, I'm paying for two full licences on the same machine. Why can't I buy an upgrade do a clean install on the same machine and dual boot until such time I get sick of Windows 7.

Then when I build a new machine I buy another full version. I think I'm still missing something but I still don't know what.

And listen guys don't tell me to go to Linux or Apple if I don't like it, I call myself BillWindows for a reason, I'm pretty well known for sticking up for Microsoft on a certain website. I've been stuck on Microsoft since DOS and I'm not about to change, I just want a simple answer to a complicated question.

 

[Brink]

"If you want to keep both Windows 7 and Windows 8 installed, then you would just simply need to purchase a system builder copy ($99) of Windows 8 and not an upgrade copy of Windows 8."

You see Brink that bit right there, that's the bit I can't understand, if I've already built my machine with an OEM licence, why do I have to pay for another full licence on the same machine, I'm paying for two full licences on the same machine. Why can't I buy an upgrade do a clean install on the same machine and dual boot until such time I get sick of Windows 7.

Then when I build a new machine I buy another full version. I think I'm still missing something but I still don't know what.

I think that is what you missing. It's best to think of it has either a full (system builder) or upgrade license. They are not the same, and are not both full copies even though you can do a clean install with both.

An upgrade license simply does not allow you to keep both copies installed (even a dual boot), but a system builder copy does.

 

[BillWindows]

"If you want to keep both Windows 7 and Windows 8 installed, then you would just simply need to purchase a system builder copy ($99) of Windows 8 and not an upgrade copy of Windows 8."

You see Brink that bit right there, that's the bit I can't understand, if I've already built my machine with an OEM licence, why do I have to pay for another full licence on the same machine, I'm paying for two full licences on the same machine. Why can't I buy an upgrade do a clean install on the same machine and dual boot until such time I get sick of Windows 7.

Then when I build a new machine I buy another full version. I think I'm still missing something but I still don't know what.

I think that is what you missing. It's best to think of it has either a full (system builder) or upgrade license. They are not the same, and are not both full copies even though you can do a clean install with both.

An upgrade license simply does not allow you to keep both copies installed (even a dual boot), but a system builder copy does.

Yeah look, I sort of understand and sort of not, but I'll accept what you're telling me. It's not so much for me that I'm trying to get an answer to this question it's more for the people that are having huge problems with their machines while upgrading, I feel sorry for them, they're asking questions as to what they can do and nobody can answer them.

I just wish for their sake they could do a clean install and sort out the headaches later. I don't think they're trying to do anything illegal, they just want a simple clean way of doing what they want to do and we can't tell them what to do.

 

[area 66]

BillWindows, you don't own your Windows, you own the right to use it as long as you fallow the rules establish by Microsoft. You like it or not it's like that.

I have a solution for someone who want to use an Update of Windows 8 and not lost his Windows 7 in case :

With Windows 7 you can make a System Image , so before upgrade to Windows 8, why not make a System Image on an external Hard Drive , or a Hardrive that you can't remove, and after you upgrade to 8, so if something happen, you just wipe off the Windows 8 disk and restore from your Windows 7 System Image.

Microsoft EULA say you can't use your old 7 and an the Windows 8 Update at same time, they don't say to destroy your back up ( restore) , We do it in VM, we create a master, we clone it and use only the clone, if something happen we just make another clone, but we use only 1 at the time.

 

[Brink]

Area 66,

That's certainly a great option to do. There's nothing wrong with creating a system image of their Windows 7 before doing the upgrade. That way they could always do a system image recovery to restore Windows 7 if they chose not to use Windows 8 anymore.

 

[Brink]

"If you want to keep both Windows 7 and Windows 8 installed, then you would just simply need to purchase a system builder copy ($99) of Windows 8 and not an upgrade copy of Windows 8."

You see Brink that bit right there, that's the bit I can't understand, if I've already built my machine with an OEM licence, why do I have to pay for another full licence on the same machine, I'm paying for two full licences on the same machine. Why can't I buy an upgrade do a clean install on the same machine and dual boot until such time I get sick of Windows 7.

Then when I build a new machine I buy another full version. I think I'm still missing something but I still don't know what.

I think that is what you missing. It's best to think of it has either a full (system builder) or upgrade license. They are not the same, and are not both full copies even though you can do a clean install with both.

An upgrade license simply does not allow you to keep both copies installed (even a dual boot), but a system builder copy does.

Yeah look, I sort of understand and sort of not, but I'll accept what you're telling me. It's not so much for me that I'm trying to get an answer to this question it's more for the people that are having huge problems with their machines while upgrading, I feel sorry for them, they're asking questions as to what they can do and nobody can answer them.

I just wish for their sake they could do a clean install and sort out the headaches later. I don't think they're trying to do anything illegal, they just want a simple clean way of doing what they want to do and we can't tell them what to do.

Please let us know what part you are unsure about, or relay some of their questions. We'll try our best to help.

They certainly can do a clean install with their upgrade copy of Windows 8 if they like.

 

[SoulBrix]

I can see why people defend one point or the other.
The EULA states that, if I choose to buy this upgrade, MS does not want me to use Windows 7. That's the 'law' and I must follow it, that's fine, I guess.

But why would MS do this? What's the point in forcing your users to update to a software they're unsure it'll work properly with their routine usage? Let's think about it. General population don't really care about what OS they use. They just want something that works. Windows 7 is a great OS, it wasn't like Vista, which everybody hated. For those reasons, it's not like there's a high demand for Windows 8. Then, there's the whole metro interface/no start button rage that threw off so many people. So, the only people who actually want Windows 8 are those who like have state-of-the-art software. But many of those just don't want to scrap their perfectly working Windows 7 installations. They want to do it gradually. But because of this upgrade, which force users to take the leap without the ability to retain Windows 7, Windows 8 may have less sales.

I understand it is just an upgrade. I understand that there's System Builder licenses. But it just doesn't make sense forbidding the users to use both at the same time. It is not a car or a phone you trade in for a new one.

 

[SoulBrix]

I have a question. If I use the COA Product Key to create a new partition (that is, the product key written on the sticker) and upgrade windows 8 from there, that would technically count as a second Windows 7, am I right?

 

[theog]

I have a question. If I use the COA Product Key to create a new partition (that is, the product key written on the sticker) and upgrade windows 8 from there, that would technically count as a second Windows 7, am I right?

NO, you would then have two installs under one license.

 

[SoulBrix]

but the Windows 7 currently installed is different from the one written on the sticker. Aren't they supposed to be different? The SLP and COA keys?

 

[theog]

but the Windows 7 currently installed is different from the one written on the sticker. Aren't they supposed to be different? The SLP and COA keys?

The SLP and COA key are the same license.
You still only have one windows 7 license, you need two to dual boot with Windows 8 upgrade.