Windows 10 and 11 dual boot (separate drives)

I have Windows 10 installed on one SSD and Windows 11 installed on another SSD.

Currently on Windows 10 I login using my Microsoft account but on Windows 11 I went down the local route as I wasn't sure if I can sign into both using the same account. Is that possible to do without anything messing up on wither install?

Also as Windows 11 isn't activated, if I sign in with my Microsoft account, will it activate 11 and deactivate 10?

Thanks.

Win 11 should be activated as the computer has a Digital license for win 10.
Did you do a Win 11 clean install? Same version used on Win 10 (Home or Pro)?
Did you disconnected Win 10 drive before installing Win 11?
Please post a whole window Disk Manager image of your drives. Don't forget to expand the columns so we can read them. How to Post a Screenshot of Disk Management
If you have a MiniTool or AOMEI Partition use it instead or Windows disk manager.

Sure it is. I have dual booted 11/10

Megahertz said:

Win 11 should be activated as the computer has a Digital license for win 10.
Did you do a Win 11 clean install? Same version used on Win 10 (Home or Pro)?
Did you disconnected Win 10 drive before installing Win 11?
Please post a whole window Disk Manager image of your drives. Don't forget to expand the columns so we can read them. How to Post a Screenshot of Disk Management
If you have a MiniTool or AOMEI Partition use it instead or Windows disk manager.

Click to expand...

I did a fresh install of Win 11 using the Pro version as I have Win 10 Pro.

I disconnected the Win 10 drive before installing Win 11 to it's own drive.

I never signed in with a my Microsoft account on Win 11 but I am signed in on Win 10. If I sign in on Win 11, will that deactivate Win 10?

uhhh no. I don't so considering 10/11 are the same besides 11 just adding fun features. They are on the same Kernel Level

The1nonly1 said:

I never signed in with a my Microsoft account on Win 11 but I am signed in on Win 10. If I sign in on Win 11, will that deactivate Win 10?

Click to expand...

Your Microsoft account isn't the primary (or even a necessary) way that activation of your Windows is determined.

Every PC that has had an edition (Home or Pro) of Windows 10/11 installed and activated gets a digital licence for that edition stored on the Microsoft activation servers and linked to the unique hardware ID of that PC. This digital licence is for both 10 and 11, they are the same thing for activation purposes. Any subsequent install of the same edition of 10/11, whether as a clean install or as a dual boot, will activate from that existing digital licence as soon as it can contact the MS activation servers. Once a PC has a digital licence it cannot be removed, except by a major hardware change. The hard drive isn't counted, but replacing the motherboard may well change the hardware ID sufficiently to loose the digital licence.

Linking a digital licence to your MS account is an optional extra that has some benefits, particularly if you ever need to use the Activation Troubleshooter after a significant hardware change.

If Win 10 Pro is activated, Win 11 pro should also be activated, regardless of linking a digital licence to your MS account.
Where did you get the Win 10 pro license key?
As you have a Win 10 pro license key, try to insert on Win 11

The1nonly1 said:

I have Windows 10 installed on one SSD and Windows 11 installed on another SSD.

Currently on Windows 10 I login using my Microsoft account but on Windows 11 I went down the local route as I wasn't sure if I can sign into both using the same account. Is that possible to do without anything messing up on wither install?

Also as Windows 11 isn't activated, if I sign in with my Microsoft account, will it activate 11 and deactivate 10?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

I have mine setup like that. Both on local accounts. Both activated, same license.
I wasn't worried about activation on MS accounts, I just don't like MS accounts.
I only hook up one or the other at a time, so mine isn't really "dual boot".




And this will save @NavyLCDR a post.