[SOLVED] Is it damaging or detrimental to share an OS with 2 different machines, laptop and desktop?

Bruno Vincent · Jan 3, 2019

I have 2 computers:

1. i5-8400 Desktop, win 10 64 bit
2. i3-7100u Laptop, win 10 64 bit

I shuttle the OS on SSD between both machines, been doing this for years with no issues, the SSD has an adapter so I don't damage the ports by moving the SSD in and out depending if I work at home on desktop or go out with laptop.

Now this works flawlessly, when switching, it goes into "getting devices ready" and then boots up no problem on either machine.

I've heard this is not a good idea, can a pro elaborate on why ? Or is this totally ok?

Would I benefit with an independent OS per machines and shared data disk?

captaincharisma · Jan 3, 2019

windows licensing should be an issue when you are trying to use one windows license from one PC to another when most windows licenses are only good for one PC. you should check to see if windows is actually still actvated on any of the computers its installed in

moving a windows install to a different PC is always 50/50 but if it does work it may become unstable or have performance issues due to driver conflicts

asoroka · Jan 3, 2019

Do you have identical motherboards with same BIOS level, if not then theoretically you could corrupt your system.

Not sure where you stand from a legal perspective, you might be ok as you are using your windows on one PC at a time.

You will have issues if any of your software requires a constant ip or MAC address.

A shared data disk (NAS or file sharing) would be the traditional way of doing it.

Bruno Vincent · Jan 3, 2019

captaincharisma :

Could be performance issues, and i5-8400 with 16 gigs of ram so fast that I don;t notice it?

Bruno Vincent · Jan 3, 2019

asoroka :

Legally it all works for some reason, actually , seems like it might confuse windows in a loop, so every time I switch disks, it reboots the 30 days trial, so never have to enter serial!

Bruno Vincent · Jan 3, 2019

asoroka :

Boards are different, drivers different, bios different, but it all "seems" to work, but wondering if I might get more performance the traditional way, I may inadvertently be sabotaging my performance?

That's why I'm waiting for a super pro to comment on this, an engineer expert

captaincharisma · Jan 3, 2019

Bruno Vincent :

when i say performance i mean you may run into somethiong that would hurt it like if you play certain games or maybe do any video editing

why can't you have a copy of windows on both PC's at the same time? the laptop definitely has a windows license stored in the BIOS.

USAFRet · Jan 3, 2019

You're lucky this works at all.
Usually, it does not. Especially between desktop and laptop.

What OS is this?

Corwin65 · Jan 3, 2019

Bruno Vincent :

asoroka :

Legally it all works for some reason, actually , seems like it might confuse windows in a loop, so every time I switch disks, it reboots the 30 days trial, so never have to enter serial!

30 day trial?

k1114 · Jan 3, 2019

It is uncommon to work switching between desktop and laptop, but I've seen it a few times. It wouldn't be hard to benchmark and compare results to see if you are getting the right performance

I don't see how it would corrupt the system theoretically.

Windows 10 doesn't have a 30 free trial like previous versions but that's why you don't have a license issue because you don't have a license. It's "free" for life. License isn't an issue here or legality of using no license.

USAFRet · Jan 3, 2019

This is Windows 10?
There is no "30 day trial" for Win 10. There is only Activated and Unactivated.

Where did this install come from?

Bruno Vincent · Jan 3, 2019

USAFRet :

Windows 10, 64 bit

Bruno Vincent · Jan 3, 2019

USAFRet :

Got an ISO from a shop in Thailand, and serial I bought on Ebay UK for about $10 each or so

captaincharisma · Jan 3, 2019

Bruno Vincent :

the only thing you need to know is you getting lucky it will boot at all. if you have important data on the drive along with the OS you may run into problems getting it off if it gets corrupted someday from moving between 2 computers all the time.

windows 10 doesn't have a "trial" but it will work . but you will never have an activated copy of windows on any computer

Bruno Vincent · Jan 3, 2019

Corwin65 :

Don't know but it doesn;t bug me and doesn't prompt me to enter serial, it all works , and updates are turned on also

I reformat often, sometimes I put in serial, sometimes I don't, but it all works the same, I think the sharing SSD confuses windows servers?

lolnole · Jan 3, 2019

What are you trying to accomplish by doing this? Have you looked into virtualization?

Bruno Vincent · Jan 3, 2019

lolnole :

yes, I use virtual box also, sharing disk is very convenient for worklow, never need to sync between machines back and forth

USAFRet · Jan 3, 2019

Bruno Vincent :

You paid both too much and too little.
Too much for an ISO you can get from Microsoft for $0, and too little for a 'license key' from fleabay for $10.

As far as it actually "working" moving between the two systems...as mentioned above, sometimes it works.
Usually not, but you just got lucky.

Will that luck hold? Completely unknown.

You could, of course, just download the actual ISO direct from Microsoft, and install that on one or the other machine. $0.
And leave it there.

USAFRet · Jan 3, 2019

Bruno Vincent :

No, it doesn't "confuse" anything for the licensing. It just remains in an Unactivated state.

[SOLVED] Is it damaging or detrimental to share an OS with 2 different machines, laptop and desktop?

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