Question with Windows 7 OEM License and VM

DigitalCancer

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2004
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So...this is a business environment and I tried Googling my question but answers seem to be everywhere on the charts.

My question is, can I use an OEM HP License in a VM environment under the EULA agreement?

so I have an HP Retail Desktop w/ an OEM W7 Pro sticker that I want to de-commission and place it into a VM under Windows Server 2012. The license will ONLY be used in the VM and if we choose to run the desktop again we would buy a new OEM license for it (only if we need it and we're still running the VM for the other user).


Legal?
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
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No. Aside from any vm restrictions that may be on oem software, you can't transfer it to a new machine, which a vm would be.
 

Snapshot1

Member
Dec 26, 2011
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Agreed that re-using the OEM W7 in a VM running on a different physical machine would not be permitted under the typical license terms.

But what about this: I built W7 machine in my signature machine using an OEM version of Windows 7 that I purchased for that purpose. Now can I also use that license to run a Windows 7 machine in a VM using the original physical machine as the host?

Snapshot1
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
57,981
8,219
126
Agreed that re-using the OEM W7 in a VM running on a different physical machine would not be permitted under the typical license terms.

But what about this: I built W7 machine in my signature machine using an OEM version of Windows 7 that I purchased for that purpose. Now can I also use that license to run a Windows 7 machine in a VM using the original physical machine as the host?

Snapshot1

I don't think so. You'd be running it on two machines in that case. The closest thing that might work, but still violate the license is transferring Win7 to a vm, and hosting that on a GNU/Linux host, or maybe a different Windows host.

All this ignores any possible restrictions that may be in place regarding using an oem copy in a vm. You'd have to look through the license to determine if there's any restrictions like that. That's the problem with arbitrary, non-technical restrictions. They seldom make sense, and don't provide value to the user.
 

Gunbuster

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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You could spring for Server 2012 datacenter, that lets you run unlimited VM's on the box. They would give you keys and you could just paste it in to reactivate the 7 pro VM.
 

DigitalCancer

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2004
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You could spring for Server 2012 datacenter, that lets you run unlimited VM's on the box. They would give you keys and you could just paste it in to reactivate the 7 pro VM.

Yea, we don't have the resources nor the need for that anyway. This is just one machine for a remote user (was local then he went remote due to the field).
 

Snapshot1

Member
Dec 26, 2011
42
0
0
I don't think so. You'd be running it on two machines in that case. The closest thing that might work, but still violate the license is transferring Win7 to a vm, and hosting that on a GNU/Linux host, or maybe a different Windows host.

All this ignores any possible restrictions that may be in place regarding using an oem copy in a vm. You'd have to look through the license to determine if there's any restrictions like that. That's the problem with arbitrary, non-technical restrictions. They seldom make sense, and don't provide value to the user.

Amen. A quick search on this subject turned up many confusing and conflicting answers and I am not inclined to pursue it further.

Snapshot1