Installing XP Pro under VMware Workstation?

[Bill]

I would like to reinstall my XP Pro on a VMware virtual machine so I
can do some testing without risk of damaging my computer. I assume this
is legal under the license since I am installing XP on the same
physical machine, however, I am concerned that I will have a problem
registering Windows if the registration code sees the virtual machine
as a different machine. Does anyone know if this will work without
problems?

 

[Timothy Daniels]

I would like to reinstall my XP Pro on a VMware virtual machine so I
can do some testing without risk of damaging my computer. I assume this
is legal under the license since I am installing XP on the same
physical machine, however, I am concerned that I will have a problem
registering Windows if the registration code sees the virtual machine
as a different machine. Does anyone know if this will work without
problems?

Is the XP Pro an OEM version that came with the machine (and tied
to the machine manufacturer's BIOS), or is it a retail copy?

*TimDaniels*

 

[Robert Moir]

I would like to reinstall my XP Pro on a VMware virtual machine so I
can do some testing without risk of damaging my computer. I assume this
is legal under the license since I am installing XP on the same
physical machine,

Yeah that's not the case.

however, I am concerned that I will have a problem
registering Windows if the registration code sees the virtual machine
as a different machine. Does anyone know if this will work without
problems?

You might get away with it if it isn't an OEM copy of Windows (e.g. if it
came with the machine then it _is_ OEM). Is it "ok" according to the
licence? Nah.

 

[Bill]

Is the XP Pro an OEM version that came with the machine (and tied
to the machine manufacturer's BIOS), or is it a retail copy?

It came with the Dell computer it is installed on and on which VMware
workstation is running.

 

[Bill]

You might get away with it if it isn't an OEM copy of Windows (e.g.
if it came with the machine then it is OEM). Is it "ok" according to
the licence? Nah.

Thanks. I use Win2k for the test. I am not about to buy another copy of
XP for this.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

It came with the Dell computer it is installed on and on which
VMware workstation is running.

That's an interesting techncal question: Does the OEM OS
recognize the BIOS of the manufacturer if it's run on a virtual
machine? Legally, Microsoft would argue that it *is* another
installation of the OS for which the user must buy a license.
But whether there are any practical barriers....
Why not just try the installation and let us all know?

*TimDaniels*

 

[Bill]

That's an interesting techncal question: Does the OEM OS
recognize the BIOS of the manufacturer if it's run on a virtual

It never occurred to me that the OEM Windows installer would check for
the hardware manufacturer's BIOS signature. I may try it just to find
out.

machine? Legally, Microsoft would argue that it is another
installation of the OS for which the user must buy a license.

That was one of my questions. I am not a lawyer and I am not about to
try to wade through the Windows license to try to determine if it says
installation on a single PC or just any installation of any kind. As a
practical matter I think I should be allowed to install in a VM since
it is still a single person using a single license on a single PC. The
only thing I gain is the ability to install and test software then
completely and safely undo the installation without risk of
contaminating my "real" Windows installation.

But whether there are any practical barriers....
Why not just try the installation and let us all know?

I suspect the practical barrier, if any, would come when I try to
register the new installation. I think it is highly likely that the
code that node locks Windows will see the VM as a different PC and MS
may not accept the registration. I have never tried to move XP from one
PC to another or replace major hardware components so I have no idea
what happens if you try to re-register a copy of XP. My only experience
is that I upgraded my laptop from 1 gig of memory to 2 gig of memory
and that did not cause a problem with XP.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

I am not a lawyer and I am not about to
try to wade through the Windows license to try to determine
if it says installation on a single PC or just any installation of
any kind. As a practical matter I think I should be allowed
to install in a VM since it is still a single person using a single
license on a single PC. The only thing I gain is the ability to
install and test software then completely and safely undo the
installation without risk of contaminating my "real" Windows
installation.

What Microsoft says the EULA says, and what it can enforce,
and what the wordl's courts might say, and what it is willing to
try to enforce given the power of public opinion around the world
are four different things. Some of the more retentive MVPs here
argue that making a clone of an installed OS is a sin. But none
of them even imply that you're in any legal, financial, or reputational
danger if you do make clones of your installed OS. But they do
imply that you should feel the dark weight of guilt for doing so.
<hee, hee>
It should be admitted, though, that one can get additional function
out of a server app if one runs multiple copies of it as virtual machines
on the host computer rather than just one copy on the real metal.

I suspect the practical barrier, if any, would come when I try to
register the new installation. I think it is highly likely that the
code that node locks Windows will see the VM as a different PC
and MS may not accept the registration. I have never tried to move
XP from one PC to another or replace major hardware components
so I have no idea what happens if you try to re-register a copy of XP.
My only experience is that I upgraded my laptop from 1 gig of memory
to 2 gig of memory and that did not cause a problem with XP.

The common wisdom is that after 4 months have elapsed since
the OS was last registered, the registration ages off MS's database,
and another registration of the same copy of the OS will go unchallenged.
If it is challenged, a quick phone call to Microsoft telling them how your
old PC died and went back to China will have the new installation
registered again without any hassle.

*TimDaniels*

 

[Bill]

The common wisdom is that after 4 months have elapsed since
the OS was last registered, the registration ages off MS's database,
and another registration of the same copy of the OS will go
unchallenged. If it is challenged, a quick phone call to Microsoft
telling them how your old PC died and went back to China will have
the new installation registered again without any hassle.

The registration on the VM did fail and the original registration was
three years old at the time. The problem with re-registering is that I
suspect you will no longer be able to install updates on the real
machine. As I said earlier, it is not worth the hassle. I'll just use
Win2k on the VM for testing.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

The registration on the VM did fail and the original registration was
three years old at the time. The problem with re-registering is that I
suspect you will no longer be able to install updates on the real
machine. As I said earlier, it is not worth the hassle. I'll just use
Win2k on the VM for testing.

You implied earlier that the XP was an OEM copy. If that is true,
the failure may have been due to the BIOS signature not being
visible, as 3 years is longer than Microsoft's attention span.

*TimDaniels*