How to check that I have a Windows 10 license in Windows 7.

I'm not exactly sure how you'd do that, but I'd be interested in knowing myself.

I assume you did an "upgrade install" through Windows Update, rather than any type of install from a DVD or USB stick?

Did you confirm that Windows 10 was in fact activated?

Obviously, you could do a clean install of 10 and see if it that was permitted and activated. But you'd take the risk of wiping out a good Win 7 install and not have a valid 10 install and then might be stuck in no-man's land.

I have Win 7 right now. Earlier today, I made a USB stick installer for Windows 10 using a legit ISO downloaded from Microsoft directly.

I booted from that installer stick and went 5 or 6 mouse-clicks into the installation program to confirm that the stick worked and would likely succeed in making a clean install if I choose to do that before the free upgrade expires in late July. Everything seemed to be kosher. I went as far as the window where you are asked if you want to do a custom install or an upgrade install. I chose "custom install" and was then presented with a list of partitions to which I could install if I wanted to. That's where I cancelled out and I think it's a pretty good confirmation that the stick would work.

You went farther than I did and actually did the 10 install. I didn't have the nerve to do it because I did not have complete faith in the rollback to 7 process, nor do I have complete faith in image restoration.

David or Derek:

David: I think you answered my following questions, but I want explicit confirmation.

Can either of you guys comment or confirm what I have in mind per the following:

I have a recent highly configured retail and activated Win 7 SP1 install.

I want to try Win 10 for a few weeks or months or possibly forever, but I want a totally reliable fall back position to Win 7. I don't want to trust imaging or Win 7 rollback.

Is this legit per the EULA and problem-free:

Remove existing SSD containing 7.

Install new empty SSD.

Clean install 10 to the new SSD from USB stick made from legit downloaded ISO, activating with my Win 7 retail key.

Confirm 10 is activated.

Use it for a month or two or three and keep it if I like it.

If I don’t, remove the new SSD and replace it with the old SSD containing my current activated Win 7.

Put the new SSD with the Win 10 installation into the closet. Possibly bring it out months or years later if I decide to again try Win 10.

This is one PC, one retail license, and not a dual boot. No reliance on imaging or Windows rollback—just an SSD swap. Each SSD contains an activated Windows installation—one for 7 and one for 10.

I might be able to do something like this with a dock, but I don’t want to get involved with that.

I don’t anticipate constantly switching back and forth from one SSD to the other. I just want a foolproof fallback position if I don’t like Win 10.

Four questions:

1: is this allowed per the EULA and MS regulations?
2: if not, exactly why not?
3: do you know of anyone who has actually done this or something very similar (not a dual boot)?
4: what are the pitfalls or possible problems with this, considering I might change hardware at any moment?

Thanks for any confirmation on this, especially if you've done it or can point me to a discussion of the topic. I googled it a bit a couple of days ago and couldn't find anyone who'd done exactly what I have in mind.

When you perform an upgrade, either via an in place upgrade or a fresh install using the original key, the original licence becomes invalid, replaced by the new digital entitlement Licence .

If you upgrade and then use the roll-back option within the 30 day period allowed the original licence will be re-instated and the digital will also be retained on Microsoft's servers, this is the only allowable way to legally revert that I am aware of. If the roll-back fails you can contact Microsoft who should sort things out as usual. this would also apply with the digital version of a retail licence if major changes are made to hardware in future, although actual details are scarce due to the "New" status of the actual Digital entitlement process

Barman58 said:

If you upgrade and then use the roll-back option within the 30 day period allowed the original licence will be re-instated and the digital will also be retained on Microsoft's servers, this is the only allowable way to legally revert that I am aware of. process

Barman:

Are you implying or stating outright that a restoration of an activated legit Win 7 image (not a roll-back from within 10 itself within 30 days) is not legit or would fail in some way, whether done inside or outside of the 30 day window?

I would have thought that tens of thousands of people have tried it by now, so I wouldn't think there would be any gray area after nearly a year since the official release of Win 10.

As I stated this is the only method I personally know that works, It may well be that the actual transfer of the licence take place after the 30 days rather than immediately and so would allow other re-install methods to work. As I have not read any definitive statement from Microsoft, (plenty of contradictory rumours, of course ), I can only state my experience

However, It has always been the case that although the retail licence may be transferred It can only be present on one system at any one time. Your plan would have the licence present on two hard disks at the same time although of course not actually in use, (I don't know how to consider backup images which have a valid licence and so would also technically break the EULA )

How this is going to work with the new digital system is not really known yet but it should be more secure than the old system as all licences would be held in one place.

Can I take your response in post 8 to be a "no, not that I know of from personal experience and to the best of my knowledge" answer to the question I posed in post 7?

I'm not sure what you mean by "I don't know how you would consider backup images which also technically break the EULA" followed by a winking emoticon.

I was and am totally unaware that backup images violated a EULA, but maybe the winking emoticon means you are kidding or ?

I remain confused.