One Windows 7 CD For Every PC?

[larrytucaz]

I have a Windows XP CD that installs on any machine without any problems, versus being specific to one machine. (I actually bought it here some years ago.) This is handy as I do sometimes have several machines I may set up (or one machine may be disposed of & a new machine takes its place, the new one uses the CD the old one used).

With Windows 7 activation being the way it is, is this now a thing of the past, to where I'd have to buy a Windows 7 CD for every single PC I have? I do sometimes get computers for cheap at garage sales or such & sometimes have to wipe them clear & start over. Other times it comes in a pretty good working state & I just system-image it with Acronis, enabling me to re-set it up if I have to replace the hard drive etc (or start over from a more "clean slate" position later on). This has been the case a few times with XP or 7 machines.

LRH

 

[DominionSeraph]

??
What makes you think there's a difference between CDs?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Your XP CD, doesn't it require a key for each machine? If it doesn't, if it just installs and that's it, no activation or entering a product key, then it's a bootleg disc. (Or VLK with pre-installed key, which is effectively bootleg as well.)

I ran into an issue recently, with a laptop with a legit product key stick on it, that wouldn't install with an XP SP3 OEM disc. So strange.

Edit: Cliffs is that MS requires that each PC have it's own valid license. You cannot "share" a license between PCs.

 

[Dahak]

Well if you are only talking about the install media(cd) the no you do not necessarily need one for every machine.

But you do need a valid license like VirutalLarry said

 

[larrytucaz]

Oh okay, so I've been doing it wrong all along? Okay, now I know. Can we say "duh!!"

 

[mfenn]

Well if you are only talking about the install media(cd) the no you do not necessarily need one for every machine.

But you do need a valid license like VirutalLarry said

This. The specific physical media that you use doesn't matter. However, each PC must have it's own (unique) license key.