Can I move Windows 11 pro licence into virtual machine?

[860lacov]

I've ordered a laptop with windows 11 pro.
I don't use Windows.
Would it be legal to use this windows inside virtual machine on this laptop?

 

[lexluthermiester]

I've ordered a laptop with windows 11 pro.
I don't use Windows.
Would it be legal to use this windows inside virtual machine on this laptop?

You should be able to. Can't think of any reason why it wouldn't work.

 

[860lacov]

You should be able to. Can't think of any reason why it wouldn't work.

I'm pretty sure that it is possible. (it can be done)
I'm not sure if this is legal.
This is a pro version but still, if I'm correct it's an OEM.

 

[Wirko]

Can't comment on the legal side, just the tecnical side: the guest sees an emulated motherboard made up of emulated system devices, so I'd expect Windows to require activation with a different licence key.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I'm not sure if this is legal.
This is a pro version but still, if I'm correct it's an OEM.

As long as that license is in use on only one system, even if that system is a virtual machine, it's perfectly legal.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I'm not sure if this is legal.
This is a pro version but still, if I'm correct it's an OEM.

Pro vs Home has no bearing on this.

Even OEM vs Retail doesn't matter in this case because you are using the license on the computer the OEM license was purchased for and originally installed on.

The key point with OEM is the license is inextricably tied to the "O"riginal "E"quipment it was installed on, and only that original equipment. And we, as users, agree to those terms of the license when we first decide to keep using Windows after first power up. That's how that agreement becomes, in effect, a legally binding contract.

With full "Retail" licenses, we are allowed to transfer Windows to a new computer (or new motherboard if upgrading) AS LONG AS we totally remove any and all previous installations from all other computers. In other words, as long as the license is used only on one computer at a time.

In your case, you are using that license on the "O"riginal "E"quipment and only on one computer at a time. Hence, regardless if OEM or Retail, you are using the license legally within your rights and in accordance with the terms of the EULA (end-user license agreement).

So you are good to go - well, at least legally. Getting it to work may be another issue. If me, I think I would just go for dual-boot setup rather than running W11 in a VM. But that's me.

 

[Jacky_BEL]

The thing is , if you restart your VM , is your VM going to look like the same machine that the license is coupled to?
Aren't some things randomized in a VM, like it is in the Windows Sandbox?
That is going to be a problem for a OEM licence I think. It will complain the licence is not valid because it is already in use on another machine?
Or you should leave the VM always on.

 

[Remeca]

The thing is , if you restart your VM , is your VM going to look like the same machine that the license is coupled to?
Aren't some things randomized in a VM, like it is in the Windows Sandbox?
That is going to be a problem for a OEM licence I think. It will complain the licence is not valid because it is already in use on another machine?
Or you should leave the VM always on.

I don't think anyone is saying have the host machine is also running the OEM license as the guest VM. It could be Linux or another copy of Windows.

 

[Jacky_BEL]

I don't think anyone is saying have the host machine is also running the OEM license as the guest VM. It could be Linux or another copy of Windows.

Yes, i was talking about the VM only and not the host machine.

Check the VM documentation about this?

 

[860lacov]

Linux as a host.
A my concern is what Jacky_BEL said.
Even thought it is the same machine, the VM is an emulation of a different one.

 

[Remeca]

Legally it's peaches. Functionally, who knows. I was able to use a Dell OEM W7 key to upgrade to W10, and then it tied the key to my Microsoft account so when I deactivated Windows on the Dell and got my current PC there was no issue activating W10 and then 11 even though it's a totally different computer. Not a reliable method for what you're trying though.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Even thought it is the same machine, the VM is an emulation of a different one.

That's ok, you're still good to go.

 

[richard.edington]

The fact is that you can copy a Virtual Machine in HyperV or VMware and drag all licensing along with it. Any commercial operating system is going to require a separate license for every running machine, Virtual or directly on hardware, to be legal.

 

[remixedcat]

You'd have to use a P2V converter

 

[richard.edington]

You'd have to use a P2V converter

The functionality is dead in the middle of native to the hypervisors. You know P2V is for virtualizing a physical machines entire functionality including OS. I'm speaking of copying virtual machines not that. Sorry if I'm off topic for the thread. I thought those facts might be relevant.

 

[johnspack]

Installed on one os, so should be tied to that one os forever. It's legal. But you can't use it on your host.
And only works if you haven't already used it to install an os. Although others may correct me...

 

[natr0n]

You can test it out without using a license to see.

no MS police gonna get you

 

[A Computer Guy]

I'm pretty sure that it is possible. (it can be done)
This is a pro version but still, if I'm correct it's an OEM.

Just a thought you might not be able to get the OEM key to activate in the VM if the key is already activated for the host hardware since the emulated hardware will be different.

In a product like VMWare Workstation you need to be careful copying or cloning VM's as this may change the BIOS signature in the new vmx file. When the signature changes windows will no longer be activated after booting the VM. If you still have the original vmx you can repair your current vmx file with the old BIOS signature value and windows will be reactivated again. I'm not sure how other virtualization platforms hyper-v or virtualbox handle this kind of issue. Just something to keep in mind if you do manage to virtualize a Windows 11 and later want to move it to a different machine for whatever reason or clone to consolidate incremental snapshots.

 

[Wirko]

Just a thought you might not be able to get the OEM key to activate in the VM if the key is already activated for the host hardware since the emulated hardware will be different.

In a product like VMWare Workstation you need to be careful copying or cloning VM's as this may change the BIOS signature in the new vmx file. When the signature changes windows will no longer be activated after booting the VM. If you still have the original vmx you can repair your current vmx file with the old BIOS signature value and windows will be reactivated again. I'm not sure how other virtualization platforms hyper-v or virtualbox handle this kind of issue. Just something to keep in mind if you do manage to virtualize a Windows 11 and later want to move it to a different machine for whatever reason or clone to consolidate incremental snapshots.

According to this document at VMBroadcomWare, the user does have control over the machine UUID. It's possible to keep it when moving or copying the VM, and it's also possible to set it manually. If I were to move a physical machine to a VM, I'd also try to keep the UUID, hoping that it would keep Windows activated.

Changing or keeping a UUID for a moved virtual machine

knowledge.broadcom.com

 

[A Computer Guy]

According to this document at VMBroadcomWare, the user does have control over the machine UUID. It's possible to keep it when moving or copying the VM, and it's also possible to set it manually. If I were to move a physical machine to a VM, I'd also try to keep the UUID, hoping that it would keep Windows activated.

Changing or keeping a UUID for a moved virtual machine

knowledge.broadcom.com

Nice find. Very helpful.

 

[redeye]

I've ordered a laptop with windows 11 pro.
I don't use Windows.
Would it be legal to use this windows inside virtual machine on this laptop?

no, unless you can get around the internet check.
yes it would be legal on the laptop. but getting it installed in is another issue. probably could go the hdd as a virtual image, and install another SDD/nvme/HDD for the other OS.

win 11 requires an account. WIN 10 does not. Win 11 requires an internet driver, WIN 10 does not require an internet driver to get installed.

 

[Wirko]

You can test it out without using a license to see.

no MS police gonna get you

Oh, we TPUers who buy $12 LTSC licenses at FastKeyz365 totally fear MS police, and MS executioners too!

 

[A Computer Guy]

Oh, we TPUers who buy $12 LTSC licenses at FastKeyz365 totally fear MS police, and MS executioners too!

Years ago I tried one of those cheap licenses and it worked ok. More recently I tried it again with the same vendor but the transaction was blocked. Digging a little deeper I found the company operated out of Hong Kong (now under China rule) . I have no doubt current political tensions perhaps are related to blocking the sale online.

From my limited and maybe erroneous understanding what they are doing is reselling unused OEM keys. In the past I was able to buy these from a local distributor but it usually came with a string attached such as having to buy a disk or motherboard.

 

[Wirko]

From my limited and maybe erroneous understanding what they are doing is reselling unused OEM keys.

In my understanding, they are the unused part of volume licensing keys, which companies buy in big batches. Those might at the same time be "OEM" as in non-transferable.
Also for Win 11, Server 22 and other current MS products: why would anyone resell OEM keys for *current products* for cheap?

 

[A Computer Guy]

...why would anyone resell OEM keys for *current products* for cheap?

To move physical product? Like in my local OEM reseller example.