Dual Boot Win10 Pro. One install lost activation. Help?

[Hybrid Divide]

Hello all.

 

I have a PC running two separate installs of Windows 10 on two separate SSDs, one for work stuff, the other for gaming.

 

I've been running this setup for almost two years, and the only hardware change was when I upgraded the gaming setup's SSD in October of 2017, both now run on 500GB Samsung 850 EVOs.

(I reinstalled Windows 10 Pro on both drives at this time, just to go with fresh installs all around.)

 

Seeing as these were on the same computer, I had used the same product key.  This was totally fine until the other day.  The gaming install is fine.  But the work install now says that Windows 10 isn't activated. 

When I try to activate it, it says that Windows can't be activated by that product key.

 

The work install is running Windows 10 Pro, Version: 1709, OS Build: 16299.192, if that helps at all.

 

Has Microsoft recently changed something regarding install situations like this?  Or do I really need to buy a second Win 10 Pro key, even though they're on the same PC, and are never online at the same time?

 

Your help is greatly appreciated in advance!

 

EDIT: I haven't tied either install to a Microsoft account, as I have zero desire to do so.

--------------------

PC Specs:

CPU: Intel Core i7 6700K

RAM: 32GB DDR4

GPU: EVGA Geforce GTX 980

MOBO: Gigabyte GA-Z170X-Gaming 7 (Rev: 1.0) With latest firmware)

Boot SSD: 2x Samsung 500GB SATA (One per Win 10 install)

Storage HDD: Western Digital 3TB HDD

Case: Corsair 650D

OS: Windows 10 Pro

Edited February 7, 2018 by Hybrid Divide
Forgot to mention that neither install is tied to a MS account

[deXxterlab97]

You can only keep one key per machine. It happened to me when I was attempting to dual boot Windows 8 that came originally and Windows 10 that upgraded from 8. I somehow able to made a dual boot instead of plain upgrade but one of the key did not pass.

[Hybrid Divide]

15 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

You can only keep one key per machine. It happened to me when I was attempting to dual boot Windows 8 that came originally and Windows 10 that upgraded from 8. I somehow able to made a dual boot instead of plain upgrade but one of the key did not pass.

Thanks for the reply.  By keeping one key per machine, are you referring to the "Digital Entitlement"?  Since posting this, I've read elsewhere that I'd need a second key, but, then, wouldn't that override the first install's "digital entitlement"?  

 

I mean, I'd rather NOT have to buy another key, but I need this dual boot option, so I'll do it if I have to.  I know it's possible somehow.

 

Thanks again.

[Sir Asvald]

10 minutes ago, Hybrid Divide said:

Thanks for the reply.  By keeping one key per machine, are you referring to the "Digital Entitlement"?  Since posting this, I've read elsewhere that I'd need a second key, but, then, wouldn't that override the first install's "digital entitlement"?  

 

I mean, I'd rather NOT have to buy another key, but I need this dual boot option, so I'll do it if I have to.  I know it's possible somehow.

 

Thanks again.

Question, Why would you need 2 OSes? I get that you do your work and game, Why not use one OS on one system?

[Dujith]

2 minutes ago, Abdul201588 said:

Question, Why would you need 2 OSes? I get that you do your work and game, Why not use one OS on one system?

If he is anything like me, the "work" OS will be loaded up with all kind of software needed for work (even a frigging SQL server) that could impact gaming.

Be it stability wise or performance.  

[Hybrid Divide]

1 minute ago, Abdul201588 said:

Question, Why would you need 2 OSes? I get that you do your work and game, Why not use one OS on one system?

Thanks for the reply. It just works better for me that way.  Also, so I'm not tempted to slack off and game when I have a project I'm working on.

[NelizMastr]

If your "digital entitlement" is coming from an OEM license for Win7/8.x/10 you're limited to one SID per license, so one physical Windows installation. The difference with a retail license is that it's valid for one SID at a time instead of one in total for an OEM.

[Sir Asvald]

1 minute ago, Hybrid Divide said:

Thanks for the reply. It just works better for me that way.  Also, so I'm not tempted to slack off and game when I have a project I'm working on.

Fair Enough. like the others said, you'll need to get a new key. 

 

 

[Hybrid Divide]

1 minute ago, Dujith said:

If he is anything like me, the "work" OS will be loaded up with all kind of software needed for work (even a frigging SQL server) that could impact gaming.

Be it stability wise or performance.  

It's more so I don't start slacking off when I should work on a project, but performance issues are another reason.    

Always nice to run into another AKIRA fan, too. 

[Hybrid Divide]

2 minutes ago, NelizMastr said:

If your "digital entitlement" is coming from an OEM license for Win7/8.x/10 you're limited to one SID per license, so one physical Windows installation. The difference with a retail license is that it's valid for one SID at a time instead of one in total for an OEM.

Yeah, it came from a Windows 7 OEM key.

 

Now, if I bought another key, would another OEM key work?  Or do I have to go with a retail key to make this work?

(If a new OEM key would just wipe out the first OEM key, then I'd likely be stuck with the same problem, yes?)

Need to know, as OEM keys tend to be cheaper, and I'd rather go that route if I can.

 

Thanks for your help!

[NelizMastr]

1 minute ago, Hybrid Divide said:

Yeah, it came from a Windows 7 OEM key.

 

Now, if I bought another key, would another OEM key work?  Or do I have to go with a retail key to make this work?

(If a new OEM key would just wipe out the first OEM key, then I'd likely be stuck with the same problem, yes?)

Need to know, as OEM keys tend to be cheaper, and I'd rather go that route if I can.

 

Thanks for your help!

If I understand Microsoft licensing correctly, a key is bound to your SID, the unique installation ID your install was given. If you have multiple instances on one PC, each instance needs to be licensed separately. This would also mean that a secondary OEM license could technically work. One of those grey $20-30 licenses would do.

[Hybrid Divide]

5 minutes ago, NelizMastr said:

If I understand Microsoft licensing correctly, a key is bound to your SID, the unique installation ID your install was given. If you have multiple instances on one PC, each instance needs to be licensed separately. This would also mean that a secondary OEM license could technically work. One of those grey $20-30 licenses would do.

I'll do that.  Thanks!