[windows software] XP licenses, volume and oem

[fafster]

May be a silly question, but if I had a bunch of machines already had XP Pro OEM licenses, would I be able to reinstall Windows and make a system image using a volume licensing key, and still be covered by the OEM license?

[john]

Yes is what I believe to be the case

[sparkeh]

Yes that is allowed, got the MS paperwork somewhere about this, will dig it out if I can find it but you are definitely covered.

[Gatt]

YOu MUST have an OEM licence in order to use VL

This is because VL is an UPGRADE licence only...

[sparkeh]

YOu MUST have an OEM licence in order to use VL

This is because VL is an UPGRADE licence only...

 

Although yes you do need a prior fully licensed version of XP that is not quite true, you can use a VL key with a Fully Packaged Product version of XP as well.

 

Read this document

Edited March 23, 2010 by sparkeh

[Gatt]

Although yes you do need a prior fully licensed version of XP that is not quite true, you can use a VL key with a Fully Packaged Product version of XP.

 

Read this document

 

I stand corrected - though all the docs i got from MS licensing said otherwise!

Oh well..

[sparkeh]

I stand corrected - though all the docs i got from MS licensing said otherwise!

Oh well..

 

Ah...yes that is a very good point actually, I have found conflicting documentation from MS on various licensing issues. I try and keep the versions that fit in with what is best for us

[fafster]

Cheers all! That makes it a lot cheaper for us.

[albertwt]

ok, how about making those Windows XP as a VM in WMware ESXi ? would that be still valid ?

[tmcd35]

I'm going to be abit contriversal here and say I think the answer to the OP's question is - NO.

 

Or atleast it is No - If he hasn't bought the Volume License Upgrades for these machines, you are not supposed to use the VLK without purchesing the Volume Licenses. You can only purchase the Volume Licenses if you have a qualifying OEM/FPP license for the machine already and the Volume Licenses are not transferable between machines.

 

As for the VM question - my understanding is -

 

You need a qualifying OEM/FPP version of Windows + the Volume License Upgrade + Software Assurance + the VECD License.

 

Microsoft want their pound of flesh

[albertwt]

I'm going to be abit contriversal here and say I think the answer to the OP's question is - NO.

 

Or atleast it is No - If he hasn't bought the Volume License Upgrades for these machines, you are not supposed to use the VLK without purchesing the Volume Licenses. You can only purchase the Volume Licenses if you have a qualifying OEM/FPP license for the machine already and the Volume Licenses are not transferable between machines.

 

As for the VM question - my understanding is -

 

You need a qualifying OEM/FPP version of Windows + the Volume License Upgrade + Software Assurance + the VECD License.

 

Microsoft want their pound of flesh

 

wow such a hard way just to virtualize the old PC hardware into a VM :-|

Windows XP is no longer available to purchase even as a retail product so this is ging to be a bumpy road ahead.

 

Thanks for the reply.

[tmcd35]

Purchase a load of Windows 98 FPP's off of ebay

[Soulfish]

I'm going to be abit contriversal here and say I think the answer to the OP's question is - NO.

 

Or atleast it is No - If he hasn't bought the Volume License Upgrades for these machines, you are not supposed to use the VLK without purchesing the Volume Licenses. You can only purchase the Volume Licenses if you have a qualifying OEM/FPP license for the machine already and the Volume Licenses are not transferable between machines.

 

As for the VM question - my understanding is -

 

You need a qualifying OEM/FPP version of Windows + the Volume License Upgrade + Software Assurance + the VECD License.

 

Microsoft want their pound of flesh

 

To run a Windows VM for VDI purposes you need either a device without a valid windows license and VECD. If you already have a windows license with SA then you can get VECD for SA (it's cheaper) instead to allow you to run in a VM.

 

However as from July if you have a windows license with SA you'll no longer need VECD for SA - it's being included as a SA benefit. VECD is also being renamed to VDA

 

VECD/VDA allows you to run windows VMs using Thin Client devices that don't have their own windows licenses

[tmcd35]

To run a Windows VM for VDI purposes you need either a device without a valid windows license and VECD. If you already have a windows license with SA then you can get VECD for SA (it's cheaper) instead to allow you to run in a VM.

 

However as from July if you have a windows license with SA you'll no longer need VECD for SA - it's being included as a SA benefit. VECD is also being renamed to VDA

 

VECD/VDA allows you to run windows VMs using Thin Client devices that don't have their own windows licenses

 

What a tangled web Microsoft weave. Is VECD not just the license to access the VM?

 

I was under the impression the actual windows installation license for the VM on the server would be seperate. Thus by neccessaity probably a FPP copy, with VL Upgrade if you want to use a VLK and clone the vhd.

[albertwt]

To run a Windows VM for VDI purposes you need either a device without a valid windows license and VECD. If you already have a windows license with SA then you can get VECD for SA (it's cheaper) instead to allow you to run in a VM.

 

However as from July if you have a windows license with SA you'll no longer need VECD for SA - it's being included as a SA benefit. VECD is also being renamed to VDA

 

VECD/VDA allows you to run windows VMs using Thin Client devices that don't have their own windows licenses

 

@Soulfish: wow that sounds simpler and make sense.

Today I spoke with my reseller to get the VECD/VDA license but then it seems they're not sure if the existing Windows 7 can be down graded into XP ?

 

All i want to do is Virtualizing the old hardware (Windows XP only) not Windows 7 or migrating the license.

[albertwt]

What a tangled web Microsoft weave. Is VECD not just the license to access the VM?

 

I was under the impression the actual windows installation license for the VM on the server would be seperate. Thus by neccessaity probably a FPP copy, with VL Upgrade if you want to use a VLK and clone the vhd.

 

hm... perhaps I'm not the only one who suffer from migraine after reading the M$ EULA (>_<)".

 

getting the OEM Windows XP license and then subscribing with M$ VECD/VDA is the option to go ? .. cmiiw..

[tmcd35]

This is purely my understanding of the rules - I hope I am wrong and someone can definitively correct (for the cheaper).

 

- You can't officially by OEM licenses without buying atleast 3 harware components (ram/mobo/hdd/etc), you need to be building a system or an OEM to qualify for OEM licenses. However you may find a friendly reseller who'll break that rule :shrug:

 

- So you need a FPP license if you can't buy OEM. I think an old Windows 98/98SE/2000/NT4/XP Pro license from eBay would be cheaper than a new Win7 FPP License

 

- Unless you buy XP Pro FPP from eBay you'll need a Volume License Upgrade License in order to get downgrade rights for XP Pro for the the VM

 

- You then need the VECD license for the terminal accessing the VM. Depending on whether its a thin client or desktop with SA covered OS installed depends on which of the two types of VECD license you need to access the VM with.

 

- The VM will probably need a CAL as well if you are running a Windows Domain based Network.

[tmcd35]

To run a Windows VM for VDI purposes you need either a device without a valid windows license and VECD. If you already have a windows license with SA then you can get VECD for SA (it's cheaper) instead to allow you to run in a VM.

 

However as from July if you have a windows license with SA you'll no longer need VECD for SA - it's being included as a SA benefit. VECD is also being renamed to VDA

 

VECD/VDA allows you to run windows VMs using Thin Client devices that don't have their own windows licenses

 

I've re-read this and this ...

 

Microsoft VDI Licensing changes Software Ruminations

 

and this

 

Microsoft VECD: Diagrams Software Ruminations

 

and this

 

VECD Licensing Made Easy/Easier Calfo’s Blog

 

And I think I understand it now!

 

You don't need any OS licenses for the VM - that is covered by the VECD license. It's just the licenses on the client machines you need to worry about. Thus the destinction in VECD between Thin Client and Desktops+SA clients.

 

That is certainly alot cheaper and more pratical. Makes VDI worth a closer look!

[albertwt]

I've re-read this and this ...

 

Microsoft VDI Licensing changes Software Ruminations

 

and this

 

Microsoft VECD: Diagrams Software Ruminations

 

and this

 

VECD Licensing Made Easy/Easier Calfo’s Blog

 

And I think I understand it now!

 

You don't need any OS licenses for the VM - that is covered by the VECD license. It's just the licenses on the client machines you need to worry about. Thus the destinction in VECD between Thin Client and Desktops+SA clients.

 

That is certainly alot cheaper and more pratical. Makes VDI worth a closer look!

 

Hi tcmd,

 

yes it is sounds cheaper by paying the subscription only (assuming the bare metal PC use VMware view 4 ?)

 

If we get Windows VECD/VDA then we dont need to have Windows7 as the OS ???.

 

my understanding is that VECD/VDA is the full L+SA, meaning we dont have to have a full underlying OS on the device. VECD/VDA is all that is needed for a device not covered with SA ?