There seems to be a serious misunderstanding here. Changing the hardware, even if it is only virtual one, will never invalidate your license. It may be possible that Windows needs to be reactivated when serious hardware changes occur, but at no point more than a reactivation will be needed and at no point will your license become invalid.

I think the concern is that too many hardware changes, with an OEM licence (yes you can use one in a VM), will invalidate the licence.

Microsoft has been quite clear and consistent that the motherboard cannot be replaced:

"The motherboard is the component that determines whether or not a new Microsoft Windows Desktop Operating System license is required. Motherboard upgrades or replacements require a new operating system license with an identical series motherboard (unless a replacement is for a defect)."

and

• "Generally an end user can upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on a computer, except the motherboard, and still retain the license for the original Microsoft OEM Windows Desktop Operating System software."
• "If the motherboard is upgraded or replaced for reasons other than a defect, then a new computer has been created. Microsoft OEM Windows Desktop Operating system software cannot be transferred to the new computer, and new operating system software is required."

It is totally unclear to me just what changes in the host software and/or hardware might look like a "new motherboard" to the Windows guest and require a new license. I've done a lot of searching without finding any reports of what can or cannot be done.

I could just say, "The ${PLACE_of_ETERNAL_TORMENT} with it. It's only $85US to $90 for a new license." With my luck, I'd run into the problem just after Windows 7 is no longer officially available and a new key can be obtained only from shady resellers.

That is not entirely correct.

OEM copies from major vendors like Dell, Lenovo, HP and Acer are indeed installed from an image using a particular Product Key that cannot be activated online. Instead, Windows is activated by a certificate matching a BIOS signature. This is know as OEM-SLP (System-Locked Preinstall) or SLIC activation.

HOWEVER: Each system is still equipped with a license sticker with a regular, unique key that most certainly can be used for online activation[*]. If one swaps out the motherboard on such a system (or moves the installation to a VM environment), the SLIC activation will most likely fail. The user will then have to enter the "real" Product Key and reactivate.

Some vendors also ship Windows installation DVDs containing these Product Keys and SLIC certificates, which means the user won't have to enter a Product Key or activate Windows at all; the OS just activates itself the first time it boots. Using these DVDs on other systems usually works just fine[**], except that the system will fail to activate and one has to enter a valid Product Key immediately after installation or suffer the black "not genuine" screen.

[*] This is not true for Windows 8 installations on on EFI "Secure Boot" systems, as these activate using the built-in Microsoft certificate. I believe Windows 8 SLIC deployments may exist as well, but even the crackers haven't bothered to investigate this further.

[**] A few vendors use a custom DVD boot sector that performs a cursory check of the BIOS signature, and will refuse to load the bootloader if the required OEM signature isn't found. This is very rare these days, and is usually only found on Windows Server DVDs.

A motherboard from another manufacturer, or a different model from the same manufacturer, or even a BIOS upgrade for the existing motherboard could cause SLIC activation (and even a regular activation) to fail. It's all about the BIOS signature.

Transferring the OS to a VM, even on the same physical system, is pretty much guaranteed to cause an activation failure, even though the scenario is explicitly covered by the license.

In all these cases, it's usually just a simple matter of reactivating online. Worst case scenario is you have to call the Microsoft activation robot.

Microsoft has a rather weird definition of a new computer. When I exchanged motherboards in my computers with everything else being the same I do not create a new computer, since the computer is the whole of the system, not just the motherboard. I think this is a scaring tactic, they want you to buy a new license when it is just not needed. I personally did not have any problems with changing any component (including motherboards) in any of my systems. In fact, when I changed my motherboard on that very system I am writing this post on all I had to do was to call Microsoft, type a number into the phone and they sent me a SMS with an activation code. I can't see why they would do it if that would clearly violate their license. Though it might be possible that that part of the license is not applicable in Germany, so YMMV. I have never heard of someone having problems with that.

In any way, I seriously doubt that invalidation because of hardware change is even slightly applicable on virtual systems. If the license speaks of changing the motherboard and you are running Windows in a virtual system, which emulates a chipset, but not a specific motherboard, then this part of the license simply can't apply. I am not a lawyer, so of course just my opinion.

": Each system is still equipped with a license sticker with a regular, unique key that most certainly can be used for online activation"

However Microsoft doesn't keep copies of that number. The OEM's provide service and support for the system. You can't activate it as such.

What do you mean? You can most certainly activate a Windows installation with the Product Key on an OEM sticker. It's not the same key used to deploy the OS image.

Having worked for some smaller OEMs, I always bought OEM licenses of my Windows OSes. They come with the disk and the COA (certificate of authenticity, that what you call license sticker) and that COA is all you need to get an activated installation of Windows.

We are back to the phrase OEM.

A Dell dvd dedicated to a model won't require activation since it is tied to the hardware.


A dvd bought from a store sold as a builders OEM dvd will require activation.

If one reads either of the agreements they'd notice that microsoft doesn't support them.

There is no OEM builders version. You either have an OEM version or those versions called "Systembuilder" (called wrongly so by Microsoft to indicate that those versions do not come with the support that the retail versions have). While the Systembuilder versions always incorporate a physical medium that contains the OS installer this is not necessary (while often the case with smaller OEMs) for the OEM versions, a recovery partition on the harddisk is sufficient. It is also not necessary for the OEM versions to be tied to the hardware (while quite often the case with the large OEMs), they can be as free as the Systembuilder versions.

In any case, Microsoft not offering support for those versions does not mean that they won't activate them if you have a COA, it only means that you can't call them for regular support (which is quite a joke anyways even for the retail versions).

Hi,
I have been running Windows under a VM since NT days and have never had a problem with license keys. I have always used the keys off the COA on whatever machine was running the VM. I am running Windows 7 in a VirtualBox VM on both my laptop (at home) and my desktop (at work). They both have windblows COA's but I have Slackware installed on the hardware. I install using an ISO image I downloaded from the web and the only glitch is that the automagic activation during install does not work ... you have to call the 800 number they give you when it fails. This is an automated whatsit that just works!

On my laptop I installed windows 7 under Slackware 13.37 using whatever was the latest VirtualBox as of mid 2012.
I have upgraded VirtualBox at least twice, and gone from Slackware 13.37 through Slackware 14 to Slackware 14.1. I am using the same image that I activated under 13.37 and have never had to reactivate it.

As always (especially with Windblows) YMMV

cheers
pete

pete hilton
saruman@ruvolo-hilton.org

1 members found this post helpful.

Thanks. I really appreciate the report.

From Microsoft. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../dd979803.aspx

"Activation is the process of establishing an association between a valid product key and a computer. Computers that are purchased from reputable retailers or manufacturers often have Windows preinstalled, and the software has been pre-activated by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). There is no additional user action required. Customers who obtain their Windows software through other means—for example, from a retail software store, Microsoft volume licensing programs , or MSDN—can activate their software through the Microsoft activation service by using the Internet or phone. In addition, Microsoft provides large organizations with the ability to host and run the activation service within their company environment (which is explained more thoroughly later in this paper)."

More info here on builders versions.

http://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/lice...id=WmuT3wPSHz8


A common restriction.

"From the Manufacturer

Use of this OEM System Builder Channel software is subject to the terms of the Microsoft OEM System Builder License. This software is intended for pre-installation on a new personal computer for resale. This OEM System Builder Channel software requires the assembler to provide end user support for the Windows software and cannot be transferred to another computer once it is installed. To acquire Windows software with support provided by Microsoft please see our full package "Retail" product offerings."


The above doesn't fully apply to OEM disks that you might get from HP or such. It doesn't apply to volume software and some of the software one might get from places that offer software to schools and non-profits.

I keep my VirtualBox VMs on a separate /home partition.
I have upgraded, downgraded and re-install Slackware and VirtualBox a couple of times.

My VM (Windows XP - retail) never even noticed.
Yes, I paid for Windows XP once.