BleepingComputer.com: Can you legally dual boot your laptop using the two OEM copies of Windows that came with the machine?

Our department purchased from Dell 32 Latitude E6500 laptops. The laptop comes with a Windows XP downgraded from Windows 7 pre-installed, but the laptop came with both OEM Dell CD 's for Windows XP and Windows 7. I was able to dual boot both of them succesully. Someone in our department said you can not dual boot with OEM's legally even if they came with the laptop. I have not not seen a concrete answer that shows you can not dual boot both on the same machine at the same time. The two disk are full 32-bit versions of the Operating systems and not an upgrade disk. Does anyone know if this is legal?

This post has been edited by itinva: 13 February 2010 - 03:01 PM

Dual-booting is done all the time. It is not illegal. My netbook came with XP, and I added Windows 7 on a separate partition. Works fine.

Thanks for the reply. The ability to dual boot or install an OEM on multiple computers is done all the time, but the concern is does dual booting using the downgrade option (Win XP) and using the Win 7 at the same time create a violation of the terms and agreement policy. I have not seen a concrete statement that says it is acceptable or not, even though it is easy to do. My home laptop is one thing, but the work laptop has to be by the book, but it would be nice to be able to use both as I do at home.

Oh, I see what you mean now. Yeah, that might constitute a little grey area there.

I can see your point about using both when only one was intended, but at the same time, you have a valid product key for both. I don't personally see a problem with it.

I certainly understand the part about it being a work computer, and having to go by the book. If you need a for-sure answer, your best bet would be to call Microsoft on Monday and see what you can find out. I make no guarantees that you will get a black and white answer from them either, but it's the best place to ask.

Good luck.

See the link below. It says

"If downgrading, the end user cannot use the new operating system (for example, Windows 7 Professional) and the downgrade operating system (for example, Windows Vista Business) at the same time."
and
"End users may reinstall the software at any time provided the downgrade operating system has been removed from the computer..."

http://oem.microsoft.com/script/contentpag...x?pageid=552856

So the answer is that you can use either XP or Windows 7, not both.

Edited to add: BTW, this addresses whether you have valid licences to use both. Using an unlicensed copy of software may or may not be illegal depending on where you live. It can certainly get you sued, but whether there are any statutory provisions against it depends on the jurisdiction in which you live.

This post has been edited by tekchallenged: 14 February 2010 - 01:26 AM

Darn,
That reply was crystal clear tekchallenged, and the link was right on the money. I will check with Dell on Monday, if it is possible to use the downgraded Windows XP disk and purchase a full copy of Windows 7 to perform the dual boot or Install the Windows 7 disk that came with it and buy a copy of Windows XP. Thanks for the reply.

itinva, on Feb 14 2010, 09:11 PM, said:

No problem. Technically, it's a Windows 7 licence you've got, with the right to use XP instead. There was something online (I didn't read it carefully) that the downgrade rights for Windows 7 are time-limited, so you might only be able to use XP until that time has run. If that's the case, it's the XP licence you'd be chasing. It's be easy to get a new Windows 7 licence, you could just buy it from the shop, but it might be harder getting an XP licence because they don't sell it any more. Hopefully Dell can sort it for you. Good luck.