Can I Have Both Windows 10 and 7 on Same Machine?

newseed

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Jun 17, 2009
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I have not found anything remotely close to what I am about to ask.

I have an OEM Windows 7 license and I want to upgrade to Windows 10. However, I want to do a clean install which I have already researched and know how to do.

My question is this: If I did a clean install of Windows 10 on another partition thus leaving Windows 7 intact in it's original partition, will I be able to still boot to either one?

Reason I ask is that I don't have the allotted time to do a full transformation to Windows 10 because I have way too many work related programs that I need install and I want to be able to still boot up to Windows 7 during my work day and then boot to Windows 10 while I am not working to continue my installations of third-party software.

Thank you.
 
Solution


Correct.
The 'Clean install of Win 10 and activating with a previous qualifying license" is new...only since mid November.
Would a license for an Upgrade Win 7 work? Unknown.
If it was actually installed, yes. That license on its own? Maybe, maybe not.

sfootie

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Math Geek

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yes you can easily dual boot win 7 and win 10. i do it myself. it is easy to set-up. win 10 should be installed to it's own partition, leaving win 7 alone and then it will set up the dual boot on its own. it's that simple. the windows installer sees the win 7 installed and goes from there.

problem is that using the free win 10 upgrade will deactivate your win 7 key. you can't use both at the same time. they are offering the free wn 10 update to get you away from win 7 and not to let you use both of them.

if you have to use win 7 then stay with it for now. otherwise you'll need a new win 10 key to be able to use both os's
 

USAFRet

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If you have 2 licenses, sure.

Installing Win 10 on the other partition will result in a boot screen that allows you to choose what to boot from.
Like this:
gyS0UZE.jpg

It won't say "Technical Preview", but will be similar.
 

newseed

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What about a upgrade license product? I have a copy of Windows 7 upgrade software I have never used. Can that be used to confirm Windows 10 that I do have a license copy of 7?
 

USAFRet

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That Upgrade license for Win 7 must be Upgraded from something earlier. XP or Vista.
Unknown if that would work. But doubtful.
 

newseed

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Maybe I was not clear. When installing Windows 10, does it not give you a popup asking if you have a previous version of windows where it will allow you to enter that previous version (Windows 7) product key as a valid method of getting Windows 10 installed?
 

USAFRet

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With the most recent release of Win 10 (10586), yes. You can use a valid Win 7 or 8.1 license to authenticate.
Whether a Win 7 Upgrade license would work is a different story. I do not know.

That Upgrade is to upgrade from XP or Vista to 7. Not a Win 7 license on its own.
It might work, it might not.
 

USAFRet

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Moderator


Correct.
The 'Clean install of Win 10 and activating with a previous qualifying license" is new...only since mid November.
Would a license for an Upgrade Win 7 work? Unknown.
If it was actually installed, yes. That license on its own? Maybe, maybe not.
 
Solution