Windows 7, 10 and Linux 64 distros??

[dibl]

I am an example of a Linux user created 100% as a consequence of Microsoft's license policy. When I added a second hdd to my Win XP desktop box, about 2005, it "broke" and referred me to an 800- number to call for assistance. The voice from India asked me what I was doing, and for reasons I still cannot fathom, believed me when I told him (truthfully) that there were only two hdds in my computer. He cautioned me that I could not add any more or it would be considered a "server" and I would be required to upgrade to a server license. Then he gave me a new authorization key.

Next day, I asked one of my engineer buddies in the engineering firm that I worked in, what would be a good Linux to try. He said Ubuntu or SUSE. So I installed Ubuntu, I think it was Dapper Drake, and commenced to study it, and the rest is ... the rest.

Since that time, I have bought exactly 3 Windows licenses; Win 7 Pro, Win 8.1 Pro, and Win 10, and they have only run as VMs on my Linux systems. That's 3 OS licenses in 12 years, and I will not bother to mention how many Linux boxes they ever ran on, although I do pretty much honor the "1 OS on 1 PC at a time" rule per the EULA. But all without that intrusive MS stuff going on regarding hardware upgrades and new systems.

[Simon]

Final solution and update on this; I bought a legit Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit for less than $50 on Amazon. No more question about the issue of piracy on the machine. Also dug out my old Toshiba laptop HDD (small 250GB) and squeezed it into the desktop as then Windows OS drive. I unplugged the original HDD and installed the media to the 250GB drive. Once that was done, I plugged the other drive back into the SATA and rebooted with Linux Live CD. I fixed the grub and fstab to reflect the new settings. Default is to boot Linux Mint and he can select booting Windows 7.

I also blew off the old Window 7 32 bit by deleting the following;
Boot, Config.MSI, Recovery, Windows, autoexec, bootmgr, bootsect.bak, config.sys, hiberfil.sys, and pagefile.sys

If that is not 99% then let me know.

He will need to remake some shortcuts, and possibly reinstall or register a few games.