Same OS license key for VMs?

[x509]

I'm running Win 7 Ultimate 64, and I want to get started with VMs. I'm not even sure if MS VPC is better than VMWare for me, but before I sort that one out, I need to know if I can use the same license key for Windows installed in a VM as the one I used to install the base OS on the system?

If that is not possible, then do I need to buy a separate OS key for the VM? what if I want to run 2 or even 3 VMs?

Thanks.

 

[Skud]

For most non-server software the authors consider a VM to be equivalent to a physical PC, so you would license your VM just like a regular PC. So, you would need a separate license for each VM you wanted to run.

Now, that being said I would think that if you're just doing this to play around there won't be any issue with using the same key. Though, if you try and activate the same key 3 or 4 times you may run into trouble. If that won't work for you and if you just want to get your feet wet you have a few other options:

1) Install Windows, but don't use a key or activate. You will have 30 days to play around

2) Microsoft gives you a Windows XP key to use XP mode under Windows 7. Possibly, you could use that key and setup an XP VM.

3) Purchase a Microsoft Technet subscription and you will get a few keys to play around with.

Some interesting MS licensing facts....

- Server 2008/2008R2 Standard gives you two licenses. One for the physical box and one for a VM. This only is allowed if the physical box *ONLY* is a hyper-v host.

- Server 2008/2008R2 Enterprise gives you one physical and FOUR virtual licenses.

- Server 2008/2008R2 Datacenter gives you one physical and UNLIMITED virtual licenses.

- Microsoft OEM licenses live and DIE with the machine which they came with (or where first installed on). OEM licenses cannot be (legally) moved to a new machine. So, that copy of Office 2007 OEM that came preinstalled? Yeah, have to buy another copy if you want to use it on your fancy new PC. Sucks, I know..

- In order to legally use a Microsoft volume license key on a PC, that PC must already have a Windows license (I know. Doesn't make sense, does it?)

Of course.. that's if you play by all the rules...

Riley

 

[x509]

For most non-server software the authors consider a VM to be equivalent to a physical PC, so you would license your VM just like a regular PC. So, you would need a separate license for each VM you wanted to run.

Now, that being said I would think that if you're just doing this to play around there won't be any issue with using the same key. Though, if you try and activate the same key 3 or 4 times you may run into trouble. If that won't work for you and if you just want to get your feet wet you have a few other options:

1) Install Windows, but don't use a key or activate. You will have 30 days to play around

2) Microsoft gives you a Windows XP key to use XP mode under Windows 7. Possibly, you could use that key and setup an XP VM.

3) Purchase a Microsoft Technet subscription and you will get a few keys to play around with.

Some interesting MS licensing facts....

- Server 2008/2008R2 Standard gives you two licenses. One for the physical box and one for a VM. This only is allowed if the physical box *ONLY* is a hyper-v host.

- Server 2008/2008R2 Enterprise gives you one physical and FOUR virtual licenses.

- Server 2008/2008R2 Datacenter gives you one physical and UNLIMITED virtual licenses.

- Microsoft OEM licenses live and DIE with the machine which they came with (or where first installed on). OEM licenses cannot be (legally) moved to a new machine. So, that copy of Office 2007 OEM that came preinstalled? Yeah, have to buy another copy if you want to use it on your fancy new PC. Sucks, I know..

- In order to legally use a Microsoft volume license key on a PC, that PC must already have a Windows license (I know. Doesn't make sense, does it?)

Of course.. that's if you play by all the rules...

Riley

Riley, Thanks for the detailed description. I just checked out TechNet, and it said on the website that the $199/year subscription is per user. I'm assuming that I would get only one key for Windows 7. Yes? No? That's still a great deal if you also need Office, etc., etc.

x509

 

[munkle]

Riley, Thanks for the detailed description. I just checked out TechNet, and it said on the website that the $199/year subscription is per user. I'm assuming that I would get only one key for Windows 7. Yes? No? That's still a great deal if you also need Office, etc., etc.

x509

Technet is evaluation software, and isn't supposed to be used in a "production" environment. I guess you could buy it to test it out but in all reality the license really prohibits you from using the licenses for a long period of time. Even though there isn't a time limit it's purpose is evaluation software.

 

[gimp]

if you're using Windows 7 for the VMs... just don't enter a key. You get, what, 60 days before it gets crippled, which is easy to extend another what, 180 days or something?

 

[Skud]

Technet Standard gets you two keys and technet plus gets you five.

You used to get 10 keys before summer of 2010...

Riley