Question Dual Booting & Remote Access - - - two licenses or three ?

[isaacm8]

Hi yall,

Background: I will be putting together a new PC build in which I have an SSD for personal stuff and one for work. I intend to boot up the work side before i head to the office and remote into because my work laptop is too weak to run how i need it to. Now, i understand that I could use just one Windows 11 Pro license on the new build and have different accounts for personal and work. But, I would rather have separate SSDs to keep work information entirely discrete from personal data. So, i would need two Windows 11 licenses--Pro for my work and Home for my personal.

However, i was reading a Microsoft Q & A post about a person attempting to access the Windows side of his dual boot from the Linux side using a virtual machine, and to do so, he would have had to obtain a second license because the software considered the virtual machine to be a "second" computer, even though they were on the same device.

I thought i had understood the difference between a virtual machine and remote access, but after reading that article, i am not so sure, and i wonder if i will be in the same boat trying to remote into the work SSD from my office. To be clear though, i dont want to take up anyone's time regarding the difference between a virtual machine and remote access since that feels pretty complicated and not entirely necessary to answer my question. Instead, my question relates only to how many licenses i will require. (although im always happy to learn if anyone wants to explain )

To lay it out, here is the license I have, those I intend to purchase, and where i am unsure if i need one.

1. Personal Windows 11 Home (will purchase)

2. Work Windows 11 Pro (will purchase) <- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -???- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A. Current Work Laptop Windows 11 Pro (already installed)


Question: Essentially, will I need to purchase two Windows 11 Pro licenses to access my Work SSD remotely? One for the SSD and one to access the SSD?

Like i said i am not certain about the difference between a VM and remote access, but i am certain i am not understanding a ton of obvious things, so i dont want anyone to feel like they need to take the time explain it all. I would be more than happy with an answer along the lines of "you'll only need two" or "you'll have to get three."

Thanks yall!

 

[USAFRet]

Question: Essentially, will I need to purchase two Windows 11 Pro licenses to access my Work SSD remotely? One for the SSD and one to access the SSD?

Yes.

The system you're sitting at needs a license.
The system you are remoting to needs a license.


If the laptop already has a license (likely), and you are using the laptop as it came...that one is just fine.


Technically, a VM also needs its own license. In the eyes of Microsoft, it is a whole new PC.

 

[isaacm8]

Ah excellent! Thank you sir!

And, nuisance though it may be, i prefer asking redundant questions to make sure i understand even if i look foolish for doing it. Blame a boss i had who had been in the military and taught me to always repeat orders back to double check haha

My current work laptop already has a license for 11 Pro. So, is it correct to say that I will just need to purchase an 11 Pro license for the work SSD and then i will be able to remote into it?

Put another way, for remote access in this setup i have planned, i only need to buy one Windows 11 Pro license, right?

Again, sorry for the redundant questions. Software is something that i am just barely getting a grasp on, and i want to make sure i get everything absolutely right to avoid costly mistakes or delays.

 

[USAFRet]

Ah excellent! Thank you sir!

And, nuisance though it may be, i prefer asking redundant questions to make sure i understand even if i look foolish for doing it. Blame a boss i had who had been in the military and taught me to always repeat orders back to double check haha

My current work laptop already has a license for 11 Pro. So, is it correct to say that I will just need to purchase an 11 Pro license for the work SSD and then i will be able to remote into it?

Put another way, for remote access in this setup i have planned, i only need to buy one Windows 11 Pro license, right?

Again, sorry for the redundant questions. Software is something that i am just barely getting a grasp on, and i want to make sure i get everything absolutely right to avoid costly mistakes or delays.

Basically, each "system" needs a valid Windows license.
If the laptop already has one, that counts.

 

[ubuysa]

You can find the Windows EULA in C:\Windows\System32\license.rtf. They key part for you is section 2...

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 the terms and restrictions contained in 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.

b. Device. In this agreement, “device” means a local 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. For purposes of this agreement, “device” does not include any hardware system (whether physical or virtual) on which the software is installed or accessed solely for remote use over a network.