As some know, and others don't, one may not use the same serial number to run windows guest on a windows host. (Confirmed this on the Microsoft site). But what about the case where I'm running OS X, and installed Bootcamp? Only one of the virtual machines will be running at any given time? This is analogous to having multiple instances of a VM such as what VMware can do with its 'snapshots'... only one of the versions can be running at any one time. Is there any way I can justify not buying and activating two copies of XP simply because I run it using two different, separate and mutually-exclusive ways? I boot into Bootcamp for games, and run it in Parallels for work. Is there a way I can motivate this, or will I have to give up on Parallels and just dual boot rather?
The guest and host are running at the same time. a BootCamp version of XP will hardly run at the same time you guest XP is on the OSX host. lailoken, you may worry a wee bit to much here.
I work at some serious clients who do audits on machines, and I'd like them not to be able to find fault with my installation. I could lose contracts this way. I feel that I am on the moral high ground if I maintain that I only need to have one licence if only one instance ever runs at any one time. After all, one does not need a licence every time one upgrades a machine (and leaves the old windows installation lying on a disused HD somplace). The problem is the switching back and forth between the systems... will Windows validation (during upgrade) detect that you are trying to update a system with a deprecated/superceded activation code? There are some strange Windows licencing issues, for instance: One needs 2 different licenses if you run XP in XP. You can run 4 instances of Windows Server for free in Windows Virtual Server. You can run one copy of an older windows for free in Windows Vista (a lincese would be supplied). etc. So things are not so simple really. I don't like Microsoft and believe in open source and freedom of speech... but this means that I believe in people giving away software for free, and not that people can just steal what they want.
I think I found it: http://www.microsoftvolumelicensing.com/userights/PUR.aspx Download and read document, section "Microsoft Desktop Operating Systems" reads: I) Installation and Use Rights. a) You may install up to two copies of the software on one device. b) Except as provided in Section II.a and II.b below, only one user may use the software at a time. c) You may run a prior version in place of the licensed version for either or both of the copies. d) You may only use the copies on the device on which you first install them. e) You may use the software on up to two processors on that device at one time. That settles it then! PS: 'Device' in this document means 'equipment', as they state that you can run multiple virtual environments on a device...
