Activating a virtual machine copy using the same OEM-key?

[HedgeToaster]

Is it possible to make a virtual machine copy of my PC, then activate the Windows inside the copy using the same OEM product key?


Using Microsoft's tool Disk2vhd I've created a *.vhd copy of my old Windows 7 PC's harddrive to run as a Virtual Machine on my new Windows 10 PC, with all the same programs already installed and all the settings retained.

I've got my reasons for why I need to use this setup; but I also do plan on occasionally still using my old PC, though mainly I suppose this'll be as a data dumping ground, or as a temporary holdover in case my new Windows 10 PC ever needs to be sent in for repairs.

Although right now it's still needed for some other stuff until I can figure out how to make that work on Windows 10.

Now the virtual Windows 7 is asking to be activated (with a 30 day limit).



Question #1.1: Can I activate this virtual copy of my PC using the same key that the *actual* PC is still using? Or will this cause problems, either for the virtual machine or the real machine? Can a Windows-activation "undo" itself or something?? :sarc:

Question #1.2: If this *did* have the potential to cause problems, would it still do so as long as only EITHER the virtual machine OR the physical machine is powered on at any given time?

(E.g., if my new PC were in repair, I couldn't use the VM on it anyways, and if I want to turn on the old physical machine to long-term store or retrieve data, I probably won't have need of the VM at that exact moment.)


Question #2.1: The product ID is something like "00000-OEM-0000000-00000" (with actual numbers instead of zeroes, obviously). Can I even activate an OEM-key inside a virtual machine, or is it exclusively tied to the physical motherboard of my old PC?

Question #2.2: Can I sidestep the issue if I boot up the virtual machine on the original physical computer that it is a copy of (yes that works, it's just very slow), and then activate it there to start with, then afterwards copy the virtual harddisk back to my Windows 10 PC with the already activated Windows 7 VM?

(The thought process being that the VM would temporarily be using the same physical motherboard if it's running on the same hardware, so the OEM key should match - and once Windows is activated it stays activated, I suppose? :sarc

Question #2.3: This would however also mean that both the virtual and physical PC using the same key would be running side-by-side, at least for that one single day. Could this cause problems?

To clarify: I'm the only person who would use both the virtual and physical machine in question, and I assume usually there'd never be a reason to have both active at the exact same time.

I have not yet tried to activate Windows 7 inside the virtual machine, not knowing if this may cause issues for my physical Windows 7 PC. :huh:

 

[SIW2]

Depends what your "windows 10 machine" is. Does it have slic 2.1 table in bios?

Example
OEM Windows 7 Pro in a Virtual Machine

Your statement

new Windows 10 PC

might indicate it is too new to have slic2.1 table.

But you didn't tell us what it is, so we don't know.

It it does not have slic2.1, then you need to use a retail win7 key. That can be either the full retail, or a purchased so called "oem system builder" key. You cannot have those on two different machines at the same time.

 

[Alejandro85]

Before answering the concrete questions, let's begin with some basics things.
Windows licenses are issued for one single "device", where "device" meaning a physical computer, a tablet, an IOT applet or even a virtual machine. This is all defined in the EULA, that you can access here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Useterms/Retail/Windows/10/UseTerms_Retail_Windows_10_English.htm

At least for client versions of Windows. Server editions are much more permissive in this regard.

Question #1.1: Can I activate this virtual copy of my PC using the same key that the *actual* PC is still using? Or will this cause problems, either for the virtual machine or the real machine? Can a Windows-activation "undo" itself or something??

No. As said earlier, each license is for one and only one installation. By cloning and using both you're using it twice, which is a violation of the EULA (in simpler words, by doing so you're effectively pirating Windows ). You need a separate license key and activate each one separately, otherwise both could be deactivated at any time when the activation servers catch the problem.

Question #1.2: If this *did* have the potential to cause problems, would it still do so as long as only EITHER the virtual machine OR the physical machine is powered on at any given time?

No. The license counts per installed "device", not in use. As you cloned the install and continued to use both, each one if possible to be deactivated. The legal usage scenario would be to clone to the VM and uninstall the physical machine, leaving only one installed copy at any time. I doubt bumping back and for between both system is a valid use case, and certainly using both together is not.

Question #2.1: The product ID is something like "00000-OEM-0000000-00000" (with actual numbers instead of zeroes, obviously). Can I even activate an OEM-key inside a virtual machine, or is it exclusively tied to the physical motherboard of my old PC?

OEM keys have the arbitrary limitation that they can only be used on the first hardware they are used into, and not transfered around, virtual or not. You won't be able (legally) to transfer an OEM key from a real to a virtual machine (or viceversa), but using a new OEM serial on a virtual machine is fine.

Question #2.2: Can I sidestep the issue if I boot up the virtual machine on the original physical computer that it is a copy of (yes that works, it's just very slow), and then activate it there to start with, then afterwards copy the virtual harddisk back to my Windows 10 PC with the already activated Windows 7 VM?

You might be able to bypass the validation, but it probably will be deactivated as soon as it touches the new hardware. Depending upon the VM hypervisor you use, the deactivation may still happen in the original hardware too, if the virtual hardware don't matches the real one. Still, it's not valid to have installed the virtual and real systems together.

Question #2.3: This would however also mean that both the virtual and physical PC using the same key would be running side-by-side, at least for that one single day. Could this cause problems?

It can cause problems and is a direct violation of the EULA. Each install should have its own unique license key at all times. In practice, other than annoying you asking to activate, it does indeed work. I personally think it's fine to do so during the initial setup and transfer of data for migrating to a new computer, but keeping the original as a backup, even with no use, is not.


Bottom line: you need to either get a second serial for the VM, or get rid of one of the systems