Windows 8x virtual license?

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gzt

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#173324 19-May-2015 17:34

Ideally I will run one virtual instance of 8x pro in my 8x pro installation for local mach single user access only.

Is there any 'free' (as in beer) license to do so for this purpose?

nathan

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#1307892 19-May-2015 17:35

yes with a 90 day time bomb

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-8-1-enterprise

Athlonite

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#1307899 19-May-2015 18:00

nathan: yes with a 90 day time bomb

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-8-1-enterprise

If he already has an legit key why can't he just use that it's not like it's one OS on multiple machines its the same OS on the same machine just running a virtual instance of itself

gzt

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#1307906 19-May-2015 18:19

From technical pov virtual machine is a different machine. Different virtual hardware from o/s pov.

MS did/does provide a free xp license for this purpose aka xp mode.

Also iirc there was an MS pro/server os a while back which did allow exactly what you suggest so I thought it was worth an ask.

Athlonite

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#1307914 19-May-2015 18:35

shouldn't a virtual machine now use a virtual copy of your machines actual hardware I know it used to be quite crappy but it should have caught up with the times by now, maybe try something like Virtual Box or something similar

nathan

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#1307915 19-May-2015 18:35

gzt: From technical pov virtual machine is a different machine. Different virtual hardware from o/s pov.

MS did/does provide a free xp license for this purpose aka xp mode.

Also iirc there was an MS pro/server os a while back which did allow exactly what you suggest so I thought it was worth an ask.

yes slightly confusing as Windows Server Standard Edition physical includes another license for VM, Enterprise Edition includes 4, Datacenter is unlimited etc

nathan

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#1307926 19-May-2015 18:40

Athlonite: shouldn't a virtual machine now use a virtual copy of your machines actual hardware I know it used to be quite crappy but it should have caught up with the times by now, maybe try something like Virtual Box or something similar

it doesn't matter which Hardware virtualization / hypervisor / virtual machine monitor you use to provide a VM using Virtual Box, Hyper-V, VMware etc it still requires a license

maybe you are thinking of OS level virtualisation like containers, virtual private servers (VPS), or jails etc rather than hardware virtualisation

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gzt

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#1307944 19-May-2015 19:15

nathan:
gzt: From technical pov virtual machine is a different machine. Different virtual hardware from o/s pov.

MS did/does provide a free xp license for this purpose aka xp mode.

Also iirc there was an MS pro/server os a while back which did allow exactly what you suggest so I thought it was worth an ask.

yes slightly confusing as Windows Server Standard Edition physical includes another license for VM, Enterprise Edition includes 4, Datacenter is unlimited etc

All good. Thanks for the reminder.

gzt

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#1307947 19-May-2015 19:19

How about dual booting two 8.x pro installations on the same machine? ; ).

Have to ask but I'm guessing activation of the second will deactivate the first.

Or can I flip flop them re/activating each in turn as required?

Postie

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#1307967 19-May-2015 19:44

Your rights around local VMs will vary depending on the type of Windows license you own.

For example, if it is a Volume License with Software Assurance, you will have rights to run Windows OS on up to 4 local VMs.

However if it is an OEM license your rights may be more restricted. I believe it may still provide use rights to run Windows locally in a VM, but you would need to read the use rights that accompany your OEM license to be sure.

gzt

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#1307968 19-May-2015 19:48

Athlonite: shouldn't a virtual machine now use a virtual copy of your machines actual hardware I know it used to be quite crappy but it should have caught up with the times by now, maybe try something like Virtual Box or something similar

Nope. For the most part that is just not how it works in practice.

nathan

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#1307987 19-May-2015 20:19

gzt: How about dual booting two 8.x pro installations on the same machine? ; ).

Have to ask but I'm guessing activation of the second will deactivate the first.

Or can I flip flop them re/activating each in turn as required?

try it and let us know :) there's no deactivation so if anything it will just not activate

I would do a BootVHD install so you don't have to worry about repartitioning etc