Windows 7 x64 SP1 on Multiple Partitions - License Question

Hi everyone,

So I just read that one can only use 1 license of windows 7 x64 per computer. I can't have 2 partitions with Windows 7. Is this correct?

I wanted to run a stripped down version of Windows 7 for my music setup. There is an excessive amount of useless crap I won't need to be draining my laptop while playing. Then have my regular windows 7 for my applications. My machine came with windows 10 home. I have 1 license for Windows 7 x64. I have not installed it yet since now I am not sure I can have 2 partitions running with the same license.

Also from what I recalled isn't windows 7 activation suppose to be within 30 days? Mine is now saying 2 days before automatic activation (It hasn't been 30).

cloves said:

Hi everyone,

So I just read that one can only use 1 license of windows 7 x64 per computer. I can't have 2 partitions with Windows 7. Is this correct?

that is correct you will need two licenses one for each install. as far as I know

Damn that is sooo ridiculous, I don't get how MS has stayed in business for so long.

Reason I want to install in 2 partitions. When I am djing I need that windows 7 install to get nothing installed to it. I run a clean partition with my live djing. Also I am going to try and slim down windows 7 in size and running services. So much crap they load. I am coming off a laptop with XP and Windows 7. XP was for djing, its 8 years old and still running great! However hardware change in new mixer won't run on Windows XP.

It took sometime but yes I am running windows 7 on UEFI bios and GPT partition. Just turned off a few things in bios such as secure boot. I need pure stability with live music. Windows 10 is not there yet. Plus its more resource intensive.

Interesting idea & I think it could work. If you install & activate W7, then shrink drive "C" and create partition "D" on your hard drive. Using Macrium, clone partition C to D. You could then use BCD to edit the boot manager so as to identify which installation of Windows that you wish to boot. Then adjust what programs you want on which partition. The above is based on the fact that I can clone a hard drive that has W7(activated) to another hard drive and the OS will remain "activated", regardless of which hard drive that I boot from. All the hardware that windows checks for activation purposes will remain the same, except for the hard drive, which isn't sufficient to "deactivate" the OS.

I'd be more concerned about 'slimming down' the OS. If you remove stuff you think is superfluous, you may find it's a necessary part of the OS that is needed some time in the future. The last thing you need is a laptop crash whilst doing a live DJ gig.

If I was in the OP's position, I'd have a bog standard Windows install on a laptop that exceeded the sys req of the software by a good margin. I'd also have an identical laptop, fully loaded with software + music as backup.

OK, decided to try my suggestion(post #6). Had an extra Win7 desktop that I wasn't using. I used EaseUS to resize C, and create another partition on the same drive. In my case it ended up being partition E. However, Macruim would not clone a partition to another partition on the same hard drive. I used EaseUS to copy partition C to partition E, then used BCD to edit the boot manager. OS on C is named Windows 7 and OS on E is named Microsoft Windows 7. I have booted to both and both are activated. Of course, ALWAYS do an image backup prior to attempting this. Completely legit, as the OS is only installed on ONE computer. Note, don't know if it would make any difference, but I partitioned C and E to equal sizes.

Wow that a great idea! I am going to have to give this a try Holmes, great thinking! I wonder if making the partition a different size would have any impact.

Technically speaking I wonder if the License is tied into the motherboard hardware? Or similar to the way a mac address works.

cloves said:

Wow that a great idea! I am going to have to give this a try Holmes, great thinking! I wonder if making the partition a different size would have any impact.

Technically speaking I wonder if the License is tied into the motherboard hardware? Or similar to the way a mac address works.

I seriously doubt that making the partitions different sizes would matter, since we are not cloning, but copying. Not 100% sure, but I have read that the OS license checks the MB, RAM, and any attached hardware, such as graphics cards, DVD drives etc. Minor changes in hardware are acceptable(changing RAM for instance) to MS, but if you change the MB, new activation will be required.