Installing BitDefender on one PC with two Windows installations (MultiBoot)

Wolf359 · 2022-03-24T08:40:37+00:00

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Hi there,

I bought 20 licenses and everything is actually running normally on the devices that I look after.

Now I have a PC where I have installed Windows twice and choose which version of Windows to boot when booting. On the one hand I have Windows for the usual office and some tricky programs and on the other hand I have a slim stable Windows installation for real-time audio recording and video editing. Depending on what I'm doing, I start up the corresponding Windows installation (partition). With Kaspersky, I was able to use a single license for both Windows installations because it is one PC and both Windows installations can never be started at the same time anyway. What is the solution with BitDefender? Does anyone know about this?

Thanks for the support!

Wolfgang

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Accepted answers

Surfrat

On my work HDD I downloaded the installer stub (a stub is just the downloader for the actual installer) from Central. I installed as normal and logged in using my email address.

I copied the installer stub onto the games HDD. I installed as normal and logged in with the same email. I see that Central swaps the names of the installations but treats it as one.

You questions:

"I have to consume a license for each device." No, a computer with 2 HDD's or partitions is seen as one device.
"does bitdefender realize it's the same device?" Yes.
"Does the Computer must have the same name for both Windows installations?" No. Most software that is device dependent creates a hardware ID based on your components. Because your hardware is the same for both installs, therefore the hardware ID is the same.
"Are you also installing from central.bitdefender.com?" Yes, see detail above.

Good luck.

All comments

Surfrat

I do this (dual boot with work and games HDD's) and it uses 1 license in the same way Kaspersky/Eset do.

Wolf359

Thank you for your answer.

But how do you do it? When I go to "central.bitdefender.com", where I manage my subscriptions, I have to consume a license for each device. So if I install BitDefender from "central.bitdefender.com" on the same device but in the second Windows installation, does bitdefender realize it's the same device? Does the Computer must have the same name for both Windows installations? Can you explain that to me in more detail? Are you also installing from central.bitdefender.com?

Surfrat

On my work HDD I downloaded the installer stub (a stub is just the downloader for the actual installer) from Central. I installed as normal and logged in using my email address.

I copied the installer stub onto the games HDD. I installed as normal and logged in with the same email. I see that Central swaps the names of the installations but treats it as one.

You questions:

"I have to consume a license for each device." No, a computer with 2 HDD's or partitions is seen as one device.
"does bitdefender realize it's the same device?" Yes.
"Does the Computer must have the same name for both Windows installations?" No. Most software that is device dependent creates a hardware ID based on your components. Because your hardware is the same for both installs, therefore the hardware ID is the same.
"Are you also installing from central.bitdefender.com?" Yes, see detail above.

Good luck.

Wolf359

Thanks for this excellent answer !!!