Windows Licensing

[Guest]

Hi there,

I have a Windows 2000 Product. Previously, my machine was running with 1
copy of Windows 2000 Professional. I would like to make my machine to run 2
copies of Windows 2000 Professional (dual boot of the same copy & version of
Windows 2000 Professional). Can I use the same license to install 2 copies of
Windows 2000 Professional on 1 machine or do I need to purchase 1 more
license ? Please advise.

 

[Leythos]

* Installation and use. You may install, use, access,

display and run one copy of the Product on a single

computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other device

("Workstation Computer").



I would say this is pretty clear that you cannot install two copies of the
OS on the same computer. Seems kind of silly, since you can only run one OS
at a time on the same computer in a dual boot configuration.

Even with a dual boot, if you were to install one copy of the CD on the
computer, meaning that you installed it twice from the one copy, it
would be legal. As long as the copy is installed on a single computer
you are only running ONE COPY on that computer - even if you dual boot -
it's the same copy (meaning same CD, same key, same everything).

 

[Glenn L]

I grabbed this from the XP professional EULA. I suspect Windows 2000 Pro is
the same.

1. GRANT OF LICENSE. Microsoft grants you the following rights

provided that you comply with all terms and conditions of

this EULA:

* Installation and use. You may install, use, access,

display and run one copy of the Product on a single

computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other device

("Workstation Computer").



I would say this is pretty clear that you cannot install two copies of the
OS on the same computer. Seems kind of silly, since you can only run one OS
at a time on the same computer in a dual boot configuration.

 

[Rob Stow]

I grabbed this from the XP professional EULA. I suspect Windows 2000 Pro is
the same.

1. GRANT OF LICENSE. Microsoft grants you the following rights

provided that you comply with all terms and conditions of

this EULA:

* Installation and use. You may install, use, access,

display and run one copy of the Product on a single

computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other device

("Workstation Computer").



I would say this is pretty clear that you cannot install two copies of the
OS on the same computer. Seems kind of silly, since you can only run one OS
at a time on the same computer in a dual boot configuration.

It all depends on how you define "dual boot" - which is just
a subset of "multi-boot".

There is the traditional multi-boot method that restricts
you to running one OS at a time, but there are also tools
like VMWare that let you *simultaneously* run as many OSes as
you like.

I suspect MicroSoft wants to make sure that people who
are running multiple OSes simultaneously have purchased a
license for each copy.

 

[Guest]

I wonder why you would want to run 2 copies of the same os on the same
computer, but all and all the knowledge that i do have is that there is no
problem with that if you do. Microsoft however does not like it when you
install one user versions on multiple computers. But if i own 12 computers in
my house as far as if see it I paid for it so >>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[Guest]

Might want to listen for those stealth helicopters over you house. Please
purchase additional copies for your 12 machines. You would help my stock
holdings considerably!

v/r
Mike

 

[Leythos]

But if i own 12 computers in
my house as far as if see it I paid for it so >>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sorry, that's theft and you may soon find that your activation is no
longer working, SP2 may help cause that for you.

Just because you are permitted to install and use a single licensed copy
on a machine does not give you the right/permission to install it as
many times as you want - it's still theft!

 

[Rob Stow]

I wonder why you would want to run 2 copies of the same os on the same
computer,

The two most common reasons are
1.) If you bugger up your "main" copy, you can still boot the
second copy and repair the main copy from there. This type
of thing has saved my bacon several times when MicroSoft has
released a hotfix/patch that rendered my primary copy unbootable.

2.) Testing. For example, MicroSoft screwed the pooch quite badly
with IE. They integrated it very tightly into the W2K and XP and
one extremely nasty side effect is that you can only have one version
of IE installed at a time. Hence, if you want to make sure a web page
displays properly with several different versions of IE, then you need
a separate copy of W2K or XP installed for each version of IE that you
need to test your web page with. By contrast, the professionally made
browsers are not integrated into the OS, so you only need to have a
single copy of W2K or XP in order to use as many different versions of
Mozilla, FireFox, Netscape, Opera, etc., as your little heart desires.

but all and all the knowledge that i do have is that there is no
problem with that if you do. Microsoft however does not like it when you
install one user versions on multiple computers. But if i own 12 computers in
my house as far as if see it I paid for it so >>>>>>>>>>>>>

The way things work these days is nobody sells you software.

Instead they sell you a _license_ to use their software and
by buying the license you are agreeing to obey the terms of
the license. And with Windows, the license terms generally
boil down too one license per computer.