2x Windows XP on one HDD!!!

[Tariq Khury]

Can I install 2 windows XP on the same HDD, but on different partitions?
If yes, will it create the boot list alone to choose the needed version on
booting?

 

[Gordon Burgess-Parker]

Can I install 2 windows XP on the same HDD, but on different
partitions? If yes, will it create the boot list alone to choose the
needed version on booting?

You can, but why would you want to?

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Lots of people do, so if one is corrupted, they can access it from the
other.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[BruceM]

Yes & XP will provide you with the bootup choice too. Only thing is that
you'll need a dif reg No to install it. If you try the same No, it will spit
fire at you!! lol.
BruceM

 

[Gordon Burgess-Parker]

Lots of people do, so if one is corrupted, they can access it from the
other.

presumably these are people installing beta software etc etc? 'Cos if that
is what the OP is doing, then either he would have had the knowledge
already, or he shouldn't be installing beta software!

 

[Ed Medlin]

Lots of people do, so if one is corrupted, they can access it from the
other.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

Rick,
Are there any downsides to having a dual install? I also assume that the
license allows this as long as the 2 installs are on the same system. I have
a portable USB2.0 HD that I use for backups etc and would like to have an
install of XP Pro on it for emergency purposes. One other thing that I would
like to do is to be able to also boot from both my laptop and my desktop on
it if I needed to. This would make actually 2 separate installs on THAT
drive alone. One install would be on the license for each system. Would this
drive the activation nuts or would it even be allowed with only 2 licenses?
One for the desktop and one for the laptop if I am traveling. Both the
laptop and desktop run XP Pro and are formatted in NTFS and the portable is
FAT32 so that I can use it on my 98SE systems also. The drive is large
enough that a couple of NTFS partitions for just an OS-only install would be
no problem. I would still have plenty of room for a FAT32 partition for
backing up files and storing photos etc.

Ed Medlin

 

[Michael Stevens]

Can I install 2 windows XP on the same HDD, but on different
partitions? If yes, will it create the boot list alone to choose the
needed version on booting?

Physically it is possible, but it is a violation of the EULA.
XP will activate without any problem as long as you haven't changed too much
hardware or XP was installed for more than 120 days since the last hardware
upgrade
If you trigger a phone in activation, there is a good chance it will not be
validated when you inform the activatition center this is a second install
on the same computer.
Technically this is a violation of the EULA, and usage of the duplicate
other than use for a backup would be hard to determine the use was not
piracy of the limitations of the licensing.
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[gls858]

Rick,
Are there any downsides to having a dual install? I also assume that the
license allows this as long as the 2 installs are on the same system. I have
a portable USB2.0 HD that I use for backups etc and would like to have an
install of XP Pro on it for emergency purposes. One other thing that I would
like to do is to be able to also boot from both my laptop and my desktop on
it if I needed to. This would make actually 2 separate installs on THAT
drive alone. One install would be on the license for each system. Would this
drive the activation nuts or would it even be allowed with only 2 licenses?
One for the desktop and one for the laptop if I am traveling. Both the
laptop and desktop run XP Pro and are formatted in NTFS and the portable is
FAT32 so that I can use it on my 98SE systems also. The drive is large
enough that a couple of NTFS partitions for just an OS-only install would be
no problem. I would still have plenty of room for a FAT32 partition for
backing up files and storing photos etc.

Ed Medlin

Check out a previous post 10/7/03 with the subject Re: Installing win xp on a
usb hdd
I don't think that you can boot from a USB drive.
gls858

 

[Lemon Jelly]

Michael Stevens - typed:

Physically it is possible, but it is a violation of the EULA.
XP will activate without any problem as long as you haven't changed
too much hardware or XP was installed for more than 120 days since
the last hardware upgrade
If you trigger a phone in activation, there is a good chance it will
not be validated when you inform the activatition center this is a
second install on the same computer.
Technically this is a violation of the EULA, and usage of the
duplicate other than use for a backup would be hard to determine the
use was not piracy of the limitations of the licensing.

The EULA indeed states one copy on one machine but per licence, which
could be plural (such as in Ed's case - though he still wants a copy of
each on his USB drive). An obvious case would be a different language
edition.

IMO, MS's intention to stop multiple copies of the same licence on the
same machine is unclear. Surely piracy involves the ability to run the
same copy consecutively which is impossible here & could be argued to be
a backup (maybe not successfully - a strong moral case means little in
law). What revenue is being lost by MS? Most of the tools they supply
for running XP outside itself are bundled with the OS. No one is going
to buy a 2nd copy just so they can maintain the other one with greater
ease.

A 2nd instance is useful for manipulating kernel files that would be
locked if tried from the original copy but still from XP's UI. It's also
useful for testing Critical & recommended updates, 2 of which have
caused me grief such as OE messages disappearing before posting & the
inability to use or recreate CD drive shortcuts (now sorted).

 

[Lemon Jelly]

Ed Medlin - enthusiastically X posted then typed:

Ed, please ignore the reference to X posting, I overlooked the fact you
ain't the OP & am as guilty

 

[Ron Sommer]

Check the Bios.
If you can choose which hard drive to boot, you can probably boot from a USB
drive.

 

[Michael Stevens]

Michael Stevens - typed:

The EULA indeed states one copy on one machine but per licence, which
could be plural (such as in Ed's case - though he still wants a copy
of each on his USB drive). An obvious case would be a different
language edition.

IMO, MS's intention to stop multiple copies of the same licence on the
same machine is unclear. Surely piracy involves the ability to run the
same copy consecutively which is impossible here & could be argued to
be a backup (maybe not successfully - a strong moral case means
little in law). What revenue is being lost by MS? Most of the tools
they supply for running XP outside itself are bundled with the OS. No
one is going to buy a 2nd copy just so they can maintain the other
one with greater ease.

A 2nd instance is useful for manipulating kernel files that would be
locked if tried from the original copy but still from XP's UI. It's
also useful for testing Critical & recommended updates, 2 of which
have caused me grief such as OE messages disappearing before posting
& the inability to use or recreate CD drive shortcuts (now sorted).

My reply was posted on the assumption the poster was installing XP on the
same computer with one license. My assumption was wrong, but my information
was correct if the poster was trying to install multiple installations of XP
on the same computer using the same license. There was no judgment call
expressed. I was only providing information on what should be expected. The
information would be helpful to the user that was in a system configuration
affected by the licensing scenario.
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Lemon Jelly]

Michael Stevens - typed:

My reply was posted on the assumption the poster was installing XP on
the same computer with one license. My assumption was wrong, but my
information was correct if the poster was trying to install multiple
installations of XP on the same computer using the same license.
There was no judgment call expressed. I was only providing
information on what should be expected. The information would be
helpful to the user that was in a system configuration affected by
the licensing scenario.

I think your assumption was correct, it's Ed who wants to use 2
licences. My reply was highlighting the ambiguity of the EULA regarding
running a backup copy of XP & no criticism was intended.

 

[[H]omer]

Physically it is possible, but it is a violation of the EULA.

Not worth the (metaphorical?) paper it is written on.

See http://www.microscum.com/ns/mmpafaq/index.htm

--
Regards,

[H]omer

"The only liberties people have, are those they take."
Palladium is not the solution, it is the problem.
www.antitcpa.com

 

[Ed Medlin]

Check out a previous post 10/7/03 with the subject Re: Installing win xp on a
usb hdd
I don't think that you can boot from a USB drive.
gls858

Both my XP Pro systems have the option of booting from USB. I can even boot
to dos from a memory stick or a pocket USB pen drive.

Ed Medlin

 

[Ed Medlin]

Ed, please ignore the reference to X posting, I overlooked the fact you
ain't the OP & am as guilty

No problem......I also apologize for being too quick with the send
button.......

Ed

 

[Ed Medlin]

Michael Stevens - typed:

The EULA indeed states one copy on one machine but per licence, which
could be plural (such as in Ed's case - though he still wants a copy of
each on his USB drive). An obvious case would be a different language
edition.

IMO, MS's intention to stop multiple copies of the same licence on the
same machine is unclear. Surely piracy involves the ability to run the
same copy consecutively which is impossible here & could be argued to be
a backup (maybe not successfully - a strong moral case means little in
law). What revenue is being lost by MS? Most of the tools they supply
for running XP outside itself are bundled with the OS. No one is going
to buy a 2nd copy just so they can maintain the other one with greater
ease.

A 2nd instance is useful for manipulating kernel files that would be
locked if tried from the original copy but still from XP's UI. It's also
useful for testing Critical & recommended updates, 2 of which have
caused me grief such as OE messages disappearing before posting & the
inability to use or recreate CD drive shortcuts (now sorted).

I own two licenses and technically speaking, what I want to do is to back up
both licenses (desktop and laptop) to one external drive. I do not want to
pirate anything, just have a way to retrieve data, especially if I am
traveling, on the laptop if something goes badly wrong. The configurations
of both installs are so different that one bootable copy would not work. I
can boot from USB on both systems, so it would be nice to be able to do in a
pinch. I guess I can just give it a try and see what happens.

Ed

 

[Lemon Jelly]

Ed Medlin - typed:

No problem......I also apologize for being too quick with the send
button.......

Ed

I used to think that any X posting was OTT but if done with a few well
chosen NGs, it can get answers quicker & pruning afterwards is pretty
pointless. My beef of the day is those who seek other's help but never
bother giving any feedback - not me so much being too terse or whatever
for many but those who contribute daily.

 

[Kent W. England [MVP]]

But Mike Brannigan claims this violates the license. You need a license
for each install, even if on the same computer. I could read the license
differently and I have, in the past.

For myself, I have multiple Windows versions on the same computer, each
with its own license, of course.

 

[Ed Medlin]

But Mike Brannigan claims this violates the license. You need a license
for each install, even if on the same computer. I could read the license
differently and I have, in the past.

For myself, I have multiple Windows versions on the same computer, each
with its own license, of course.

That gives me another idea which might be much less of a headache. I
have a couple of Win2k Pro licenses which I am not using at all. That might
be the best way to go since what I need most of all is to recover NTFS data
in an emergency. I would not need to see any of the FAT32 partitions to
repair the XP install which is NTFS if I needed to do so. I wouldn't even
have to do a week long period of updates to W2k since all I need to do is
boot to it...... As far as violating the EULA goes, I can read it several
ways and come to several conclusions as to if it would violate it with two
side by side XP installs. I would rather not even bother if I can get the
same results by going with another solution. This whole thing is not a life
or death matter anyway. It is mainly just one of those "see if I can do it"
type of things....... I don't see any problems with this solution for
doing an in-place repair install to XP from a W2k install and being able to
save any important data first. At home I do regular backing up, but when I
am on the road with a hectic schedule I am not nearly as diligent when it
comes to that.....
( btw, I am leaving the x-posting because the groups listed are all
somewhat relevant to the discussion................;-)


Ed