VMware + WindowsXP guest + license?

[Derek Broughton]

NoOp wrote:

> On 05/07/2007 09:37 AM, Derek Broughton wrote:
>> Albert Charron wrote:
>> 
>>> Sadly, you can't use an OEM licences (licence that came with a computer)
>>> anywhere else than on the PC it came with (As for Windows, it's
>>> installed in a second computer when installed in VMWare).
>> 
>> No, it's not.  That's Microsoft's opinion, but it isn't a _legal_ one.
> 
> Hmmm... you might want to have a read here:
> 
> http://www.vmware.com/solutions/whitepapers/msoft_licensing_wp.html

la, la, la.  So they're singing the same song.  VMWare certainly doesn't
want any hassles with Microsoft.  They're not interested in whether the
EULA legally prevents you from running the XP copy you own in a VM - it's
not their concern. They are interested in keeping relations with MS
friendly.

> "In addition, they cannot transfer an existing OEM Windows
> desktop license into a virtual machine."

Again, that's not a legal opinion, it's a _fact_.  You can't do it without
hacking or convincing MS that the key you have is faulty.
-- 
derek