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This question is about win7, not an OEM license. I'm planning on getting windows 7 home basic for my machine. However, I'm also planning on building a PC in the next year or two.

Now, I've read around here that a single license can be installed on multiple computers, as long as you don't use it on two at the same time. Thing is: when I get the OS installed on the PC I'm gonna build, I'm gonna want to transfer a lot of stuff from one machine to the other. I'd like to do this through a local network, I don't have an external drive large enough to perform the transfer.

Since I'm gonna have the same license installed on both PCs, and since I'm gonna need them both running simultaneously for the transfer, I need to know how does the limitation actually work:

  • Is it only a legal matter? (it would be wrong to use both at the same time)
  • Is it also a windows update limitation? (once the second PC gets activated, the first one no longer has access to windows update)
  • Is it a stronger limitation? (once the second PC gets ativated, the first one will detect it during boot and just stop working)
  • Is it something else?

(The first two options wouldn't be much of a problem, since I'm only gonna use the old one for a few hours. The third option, however, could mean a headache.)

(Update: I've decided I'm either gonna transfer the HD itself to the new machine or set up a local network before activating the second machine. So my problem is solved.)

Community
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Malabarba
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3 Answers3

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An OEM licence can only be used on one computer and only one computer - it can be reactivated as many times as you like, but again, only used on one single computer and not transferred.

A Windows Fully boxed product can be installed on as many machines as you like as long as it is only one at a time.

On all of these, if you do it to much, activation will fail however it is just a matter of ringing up Microsoft and explaining the situation, they will either give you a code to type that will activate Windows or give you a new key.

To your points.

  1. Yes, really just a legal point.
  2. No, Windows update will continue to work on both.
  3. No, and even if it did, Microsoft have weakened the security, worst case scenario is you have a 15 second wait at start and no desktop wallpaper.
  4. Not really.

However, if you have a new pc and just want to transfer files, Personally, I would put the hard drive of the old one either in an enclosure or just connect it directly to the machine.

William Hilsum
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You don't have to activate your second computer right away. It will work for several days before the OS requires you to activate it. I don't even think you're required to type in your product key right away. Just click 'continue' when asked for it.

Just transfer all your files, then turn the first computer off, then activate your new one.

Grant
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6

Check out the wikipedia Windows Genuine Advantage page and this Microsoft social.answers page. It explains that you should still be able to receive security updates on both machines. You may start getting pop up boxes about your machine not being 'genuine'. However, question #5 on the social page is interesting:

From what I've read about the program that verifies you have a legal version of Windows running, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA), it collects the activation key from your computer and compares it to all the other computers running Windows. If it finds that two computers are using the same key it concludes both are not genuine it can shut down Windows in some way on both machines. So - if you legally move your Windows 7 upgrade install from one computer to another and WGA collects your key and finds it's being used on a different computer what keeps it from shutting down your computer? How will it know it's still a legal install? And in this and the questions above what happens if WGA falsely determines your installation is not legal even though it's only on one computer at a time?

The Microsoft MVP answer:

The first install takes presidence[sic] till a phone call adjusts that.

The Windows Genuine Advantage FAQ is pretty blunt:

Windows is licensed for use on a single PC and can not be shared among multiple PCs. If you receive a copy of Windows pre-loaded on your PC, you can not transfer the license to another PC.

DaveParillo
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