Linux Question

[Jonathan Kotta]

On 3/27/07, Brian D. McGrew <brian at visionpro.com> wrote:
> Scott @ Dell :-)
>
> You're very close in your answer.  Note that I have not tried a Dell OEM
> Windows Vista CD, only Dell OEM XP.  The Dell OEM XP will install on any
> PC.  However, on Dell hardware the activation is nullified as you'd
> said.  On other hardware it acts just like a retail copy and requires a
> product key.  Easy enough, there is one on the side of your machine and
> as long as it hasn't been activated, you're good to go in a VM.
>
> Note that I use VMWare, not Virtual PC.  Another work around that I have
> found to work about 50% of the time is to install WinXP on the system
> then move the primary drive to the slave and install Linux/VMWare and
> then point the entire VM at the original hard drive containing Windows.
> It'll work and you've got a 50/50 chance of Windows detecting new
> hardware and asking for a product key or not.
>
> -brian
>
> Brian D. McGrew        { brian at visionpro.com ||
> brian at doubledimension.com }
> --
> > Do not read this email while waxing that cat!

VMware makes a migration tool for converting physical Windows
installations to virtual machines.  I haven't tried it, and I don't
know if there are any issues with activation.  Also, the VMs obviously
won't run in VirtualBox unless it supports VMware's format.  Anyway,
it looks really slick and I wish it was available when I replaced my
Windows partition with a VM.

-- 
Thanks,

Jonathan Kotta

Hofstadter's Law:
    It always takes longer than you expect, even
    when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.