<p dir="ltr">Moving a fully licensed win VM from host a to host b is not an issue if the two host are running the same type of virtualization, I.e., KVM, VMware, xen. Moving between host types is far trickier and may cause license issues.</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Nov 28, 2014 5:23 PM, "Ken Cochran" <<a href="mailto:kwc@shell.theworld.com">kwc@shell.theworld.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Thanks for y'all's responses.<br>
<br>
Answer to one of my questions: The .iso images of Win7 that<br>
are available are several months old, so evidently they're<br>
not patch-maintained.<br>
<br>
Q: Does running Windows in a VM "abstract" the hardware enough<br>
that Windows itself does *not* "see itself" differently if its<br>
"VM image" is moved from one physical computer to another?<br>
<br>
Methinks this likely a feature/characteristic of the hypervisor(?)<br>
<br>
Scenario:<br>
<br>
The only versions I'm finding of Win7 available for purchase<br>
are OEM, not retail.<br>
The OEM license is tied to a single computer, single installation.<br>
The Retail license is subject to the above restriction.<br>
<br>
What if I install/run in (some) VM & want to move/migrate that<br>
"VM image" to another (physical) system? Will Windows see<br>
that as a new install & call for another activation?<br>
<br>
Gosh, licensing & license-administration is A Booger...<br>
Virtualization tosses a number of things on their heads... :)<br>
<br>
Thanks, -kc<br>
<br>
> From: Jim Kinney <<a href="mailto:jkinney@jimkinney.us">jkinney@jimkinney.us</a>><br>
> Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 11:04:26 -0500<br>
> To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts <<a href="mailto:ale@ale.org">ale@ale.org</a>><br>
> Subject: Re: [ale] Semi-OT, Windows as VM guest<br>
><br>
> Worse. It's an OEM license and it's tied to a specific class of<br>
> hardware. The OEM submits their supplied license keys along with the<br>
> hardware list it shipped on to Microsoft. If your installation is to a<br>
> system that's too different, it refuses the key.<br>
><br>
> Migrating the certificate file will also fail as the hardware checksum<br>
> will fail on next test and the update process will refuse to create an<br>
> updated cert as the new hardware is too different. A motherboard change<br>
> is allowed as long as the hard drive is the same. Moving from physical<br>
> to virtual will change both drive and motherboard thus invalidating the<br>
> license cert. The exception to this is if using a company bulk license.<br>
><br>
> On November 28, 2014 10:35:24 AM EST, Michael Trausch <<a href="mailto:mike@trausch.us">mike@trausch.us</a>> wrote:<br>
> >Yes, but doesn't that require copying the certificate from the host<br>
> >firmware and grafting it into the VM BIOS image?<br>
> ><br>
> >> On Nov 27, 2014, at 10:11 PM, Beddingfield, Allen <<a href="mailto:allen@ua.edu">allen@ua.edu</a>><br>
> >wrote:<br>
> >><br>
> >> Look at the computer you are wanting to run it on...if it shipped<br>
> >with some OEM version of Windows (look for the MS product code<br>
> >sticker), you can run that license in a guest.<br>
> >> Allen B.<br>
> >> --<br>
> >> Allen Beddingfield<br>
> >> Systems Engineer<br>
> >> The University of Alabama<br>
> >> ________________________________________<br>
> >> From: <a href="mailto:ale-bounces@ale.org">ale-bounces@ale.org</a> [<a href="mailto:ale-bounces@ale.org">ale-bounces@ale.org</a>] on behalf of Ken<br>
> >Cochran [<a href="mailto:kwc@shell.TheWorld.com">kwc@shell.TheWorld.com</a>]<br>
> >> Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2014 3:47 PM<br>
> >> To: <a href="mailto:ale@ale.org">ale@ale.org</a><br>
> >> Subject: [ale] Semi-OT, Windows as VM guest<br>
> >><br>
> >> Semi-OT, so off-list reply ok & I'll try to summarize back.<br>
> >><br>
> >> Hey ALErs & Happy Thanksgiving!<br>
> >><br>
> >> I have a few applications that *require* Windows & won't run in<br>
> >> an emulator (a la Wine/CrossOver, believe me, we've tried). They<br>
> >> should run fine in a VM though.<br>
> >><br>
> >> Questions:<br>
> >><br>
> >> What is the "best" (or recommended version(s)) of Windows to run<br>
> >> as a guest/hosted in a VM? Looks like my choices are 7 Pro or<br>
> >> 8.1 Pro. I'm thinking 7Pro - everyone else I've talked with<br>
> >> *hates* 8; thought I might ask here.<br>
> >><br>
> >> Should it be the OEM DVD or is this something I can/should<br>
> >> download & make into a USB/flashdrive install?<br>
> >><br>
> >> Does MS maintain the download images with service packs and/or patches?<br>
> >><br>
> >> Can I "migrate" a Windows VM to a different machine, as needed?<br>
> >><br>
> >> If I download it, how do I go about getting proper/valid/legal<br>
> >> license key(s)?<br>
> >><br>
> >> As usual, pointers to FAQs, docs, FMs to RT are quite welcome. :)<br>
> >><br>
> >> -kc<br>
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