Dual-bootable Virtual Machine

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My work computer is a Linux desktop with a Windows 7 virtual machine for Visual Studio and IE testing. I'm very picky, and I don't want to configure two Windows installs... but I can't think of a way to do this without running afoul of Windows activation.

I've already set up VirtualBox to run my VM off a physical hard drive, and grub isn't too hard to configure. But it'd be a waste of time without solving the activation problem.

Is there any way I can boot into a single install of Windows as a virtual machine and on actual hardware without having to reactivate (until I'm eventually flagged as a pirate) every time I switch between the two? Is there any MS-endorsed way to use a single installed license with two sets of hardware?

ojrac

Posted 2010-05-07T19:02:51.843

Reputation: 113

I'm going to guess no. (and all it is is a guess) As for why; because they are MS. – BCS – 2010-05-07T19:47:05.580

I'm not super optimistic that there's a way to do this and stay valid... but there's always a chance. I'm still hoping someone here has experience with this sort of thing. – ojrac – 2010-05-07T20:11:24.020

1I haven't used VirtualBox but in VMware Workstation I would use snapshots to overcome this limitation. Create a base system and activate it and create a snapshot. Then create two more snapshots based of the first one and configure them independently of each other. – Mike Fitzpatrick – 2010-05-08T01:23:59.803

Does that mean reverting the hard drive to a vm-registered snapshot before opening the VM, and a direct-boot snapshot before booting? Does that help share one install? – ojrac – 2010-05-10T17:34:20.130

Answers

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Per the Windows license, it technically treats VM's as a separate machine; so regardless you'd need to 'technically' buy 2 licenses, some links for possible help:

https://blogs.technet.com/b/simonmay/archive/2011/01/13/windows-7-licensing-and-virtual-machines-clarified.aspx?Redirected=true

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/windows-7-vm-on-virtual-box-separate-license/9847f058-a6b5-416a-86f7-a273f17bd1e7

On a side note, if you've already activated the VM and you go to active the 'hard iron' you won't be flagged as you're allowed a certain number of 'hardware' changes (with limitation) but both the physical and virtual machines could be run side by side after activation without being 'flagged' ... it's just a violation of MS's license agreement (whatever that might mean to a particular individual) .. I've personally done it numerous times in some field testing of some applications (though I also drop the VM when I don't need it anymore)

txtechhelp

Posted 2010-05-07T19:02:51.843

Reputation: 3 317

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing your experience. It figures that the licensing is at least as complicated as the tech. – ojrac – 2013-12-16T19:46:12.417

Asked: 2010-05-07T19:02:51.843

Viewed: 243 times

Active: 2013-12-15T21:50:14.990