Win7 Virtual Machine on Win7

[rap33042]

Hello All:

I run Win 7; I would like to install win 7 on Virtual Box.

Am I going to run into a snag when I try to activate the virtual Windows 7?

Will MS think I'm running it on two machines?

What are the licensing issues?

TIA

 

[brady]

OEM won't install but a normal VL or "family" key will.

 

[rap33042]

I don't have a Volume License or Family Pack license- I guess I'm out of luck, then?

 

[Kari]

You can not activate an already activated Windows 7 on another computer. It's no difference if the other computer is a real, physical one or a virtual machine. Before installing an activated retail copy of Windows 7 to another computer, you should "deactivate" it first.

To deactivate Windows Seven, open an elevated command promt by right clicking Command Prompt in Start Menu > Accesories and choose Run as administrator. Tell system licence manager tool to uninstall current, activated product key by typing slmgr /upk to command prompt, like this:



When software licence manager has finished, you get the confirmation dialog. You also see a watermark on the lower right corner of your desktop telling that your Windows is no longer activated:



If you reboot your computer, you'll see this:



Windows is now completely deactivated, product key uninstalled and you should have no problems to re-activate it on another computer. Reminder: this works for retail version. OEM version can be deactivated using this same method but can only be re-activated on that same computer.

Kari

 

[jimbo45]

OEM won't install but a normal VL or "family" key will.

Hi there
OEM WILL install but it won't pass activation - so you would have to re-create your VM every 30 (or 3) days depending on the activation message.

You *might* be able to get an OEM version to work by doing a P2V (Physical to Virtual) conversion from the physical machine. It's possible in this case the activation will either not be requested or it will pass.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[NoelDP]

OK - there are a few myths in this thread that need to be exploded once and for all.... (since I got pointed here from another thread)

1) Family Pack Windows are ALL Upgrades, and cannot be used in isolation, particularly for installing into Virtual Machines of any kind - which require Full Licenses for each instance.

2) 'Uninstalling' the Key does NOT remove the activation from MS's database - all it does is prepare the current system for the entry of a new Key. MS will still 'see' the old install for comparison when the new install is activated. MS's database will still record the activation attempt, and the hardware hash (as it does ALL attempts at activation that get as far as its servers)

3) Activating a previously-used Key on another computer (or motherboard) will almost always require telephone activation.

4) OEM Licenses CANNOT be moved to another computer for any reason whatsoever - and can only be moved to a new motherboard when the board is repalced *under warranty conditions*.


I hope this clears some things up - PM me if you need specifics.

 

[Kari]

@Noel:

1) See tutorials section of Seven Forums or any other Windows forums to see how to make a clean install with upgrade version of Windows 7. For instance this method method can be used to install an upgrade version of Seven to a virtual machine: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html. And it's legal. Done that, been there, although didn't get the T-shirt

2) Own experience: an activated retail Seven Ultimate on an old Toshiba laptop. When Toshiba started dying, used the same key to activate Ultimate on a new HP laptop using Anytime Upgrade (HP came with Home Premium). It was a no go, even the automated phone activation was telling the key was used, waited almost 15 minutes to be connected to a real person. Did not want to wait anymore, put the phone down and used slmgr /upk (Software Licence Manager with Uninstall Product Key switch) on old Toshiba. Tried to activate HP with the same key, did not succeed. Waited for half an hour, tried again, succeeded.

3) See 2)

4) Nothing to add, although both Seven Forums and other forums have numerous stories from people who have had a good explanation and phone activation people have given them a code to use OEM key on another machine.

Kari

 

[huisinro]

If you want to run win7 on top of 7, you can do so without using any iso. VMLite allows you to create vm using the files from host os.

We released a beta version of vmlite v4, you can download from: (free registration is required)

www.vmlite.com

click Download, Beta, VMLiteWorkstationSetup-v42-beta-1.exe

After install, reboot the pc, then start VMLite Workstation,

go to menu Machine > New VMLite...,

it will create a vm that allows the current OS to be virtualized. It takes only 1 min, then you can start the vm, taking a few mins, and you will have a sandbox.

 

[NoelDP]

@Noel:

1) See tutorials section of Seven Forums or any other Windows forums to see how to make a clean install with upgrade version of Windows 7. For instance this method method can be used to install an upgrade version of Seven to a virtual machine: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html. And it's legal. Done that, been there, although didn't get the T-shirt

Just because it's possible (and I've used that method myself) doesn't mean that it's legal - it is ONLY legal when a qualifying license is held for that system.

Activation and validation are only able to test the techical aspects of the system, not the legal ones.