MS EULA interpretation question

I may be in a position soon to get a new laptop. It will be purchased by someone else, so let’s assume it comes with some flavor of Windows (hopefully an XP variety). I have two questions.

Let’s assume I dual boot OpenSUSE and Windows. Will there be any drama for me to use the same OEM copy / license of Windows for virtualization when booted into Linux on that same laptop?

If this is not acceptable as per the EULA, would using that copy / license just for virtualization be ok?

Thanks!

You can try this:

http://download.microsoft.com/documents/useterms/Windows%20XP_Professional_English_9e8a2f82-c320-4301-869f-839a853868a1.pdf

Neophyte42 wrote:
> I may be in a position soon to get a new laptop. It will be purchased
> by someone else, so let’s assume it comes with some flavor of Windows
> (hopefully an XP variety). I have two questions.
>
> Let’s assume I dual boot OpenSUSE and Windows. Will there be any drama
> for me to use the same OEM copy / license of Windows for virtualization
> when booted into Linux on that same laptop?

nope. I’ve talked to Microsoft about this. However, realize that
the OEM version of Windows may not install as a VM guest.

>
> If this is not acceptable as per the EULA, would using that copy /
> license just for virtualization be ok?

They told me as long as both were not up at the same time, I was
fine. Thus I could use VMware (for example) to boot my actual
dual boot partition as a guest in VMware. However, that is
fraught with issues… but it does work (after the machine
reconfigs itself many reboots later).

I have had all kinds of trouble with M$, and installing xp in a virtual machine. I am presently running VirtualBox — i tried to install XP in VirtualBox and had to go thru the "call home routine. They refused to activate xp. Tried again a couple of days later and xp was activated automatically without having to talk to a call-center person. This scenario happened on at least 3 occasions. M$ is a real pain in the backside.