[ale] Semi-OT, Windows as VM guest

[Ken Cochran]

Thanks for y'all's responses.

Answer to one of my questions:  The .iso images of Win7 that
are available are several months old, so evidently they're
not patch-maintained.

Q:  Does running Windows in a VM "abstract" the hardware enough
that Windows itself does *not* "see itself" differently if its
"VM image" is moved from one physical computer to another?

Methinks this likely a feature/characteristic of the hypervisor(?)

Scenario:

The only versions I'm finding of Win7 available for purchase
are OEM, not retail.
The OEM license is tied to a single computer, single installation.
The Retail license is subject to the above restriction.

What if I install/run in (some) VM & want to move/migrate that
"VM image" to another (physical) system?  Will Windows see
that as a new install & call for another activation?

Gosh, licensing & license-administration is A Booger...
Virtualization tosses a number of things on their heads... :)

Thanks, -kc

> From: Jim Kinney <jkinney at jimkinney.us>
> Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 11:04:26 -0500
> To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts <ale at ale.org>
> Subject: Re: [ale] Semi-OT, Windows as VM guest
>
> Worse. It's an OEM license and it's tied to a specific class of
> hardware. The OEM submits their supplied license keys along with the
> hardware list it shipped on to Microsoft. If your installation is to a
> system that's too different, it refuses the key.
>
> Migrating the certificate file will also fail as the hardware checksum
> will fail on next test and the update process will refuse to create an
> updated cert as the new hardware is too different. A motherboard change
> is allowed as long as the hard drive is the same. Moving from physical
> to virtual will change both drive and motherboard thus invalidating the
> license cert. The exception to this is if using a company bulk license.
>
> On November 28, 2014 10:35:24 AM EST, Michael Trausch <mike at trausch.us> wrote:
> >Yes, but doesn't that require copying the certificate from the host
> >firmware and grafting it into the VM BIOS image?
> >
> >> On Nov 27, 2014, at 10:11 PM, Beddingfield, Allen <allen at ua.edu>
> >wrote:
> >>
> >> Look at the computer you are wanting to run it on...if it shipped
> >with some OEM version of Windows (look for the MS product code
> >sticker), you can run that license in a guest.
> >> Allen B.
> >> --
> >> Allen Beddingfield
> >> Systems Engineer
> >> The University of Alabama
> >> ________________________________________
> >> From: ale-bounces at ale.org [ale-bounces at ale.org] on behalf of Ken
> >Cochran [kwc at shell.TheWorld.com]
> >> Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2014 3:47 PM
> >> To: ale at ale.org
> >> Subject: [ale] Semi-OT, Windows as VM guest
> >>
> >> Semi-OT, so off-list reply ok & I'll try to summarize back.
> >>
> >> Hey ALErs & Happy Thanksgiving!
> >>
> >> I have a few applications that *require* Windows & won't run in
> >> an emulator (a la Wine/CrossOver, believe me, we've tried).  They
> >> should run fine in a VM though.
> >>
> >> Questions:
> >>
> >> What is the "best" (or recommended version(s)) of Windows to run
> >> as a guest/hosted in a VM?  Looks like my choices are 7 Pro or
> >> 8.1 Pro.  I'm thinking 7Pro - everyone else I've talked with
> >> *hates* 8; thought I might ask here.
> >>
> >> Should it be the OEM DVD or is this something I can/should
> >> download & make into a USB/flashdrive install?
> >>
> >> Does MS maintain the download images with service packs and/or patches?
> >>
> >> Can I "migrate" a Windows VM to a different machine, as needed?
> >>
> >> If I download it, how do I go about getting proper/valid/legal
> >> license key(s)?
> >>
> >> As usual, pointers to FAQs, docs, FMs to RT are quite welcome.  :)
> >>
> >> -kc