Convert physical W10 installation to VM

[cocksy]

Hi All,

 

I'm just about to start playing with virtualization for the first time on my new TS140 server and was after some advice. I currently have W10 installed on an SSD activated and running fine. I want to put Hyper V Server 2012 R2 on a separate SSD and then convert the physical installation of W10 to a VM using disk2VHD.

 

So my question is: if I convert W10 to a VM and use that VM on the same physical hardware, will the existing activation still work? Or will it throw up issues?

 

Thanks!

[GotNoTime]

will the existing activation still work?

No. The hardware will change completely and it will require reactivation. The VM will use its own virtual devices and they won't be the same as the real hardware.

[cocksy]

OK, thanks for the info.

[Drashna Jaelre]

It really depends on the license type (OEM vs Retail).

 

Retail can be changed up to 5 times without issues, I think.  It may just require activation on the new "hardware". 

 

OEM will have issues, as it's LOCKED to the hardware it's initially activated on. 

[cocksy]

OK, thanks. I can't remember which licence it is (I'm guessing there is no easy way to check?), and I know MS are very picky, but technically it's still on the same physical hardware, just now inside a VM on the same machine.... I doubt MS will see it that way though!

[xbliss]

Disk2VHD

 

OR 

 

Sysprep /Generalize 

DISM to Image to .WIM

Then Apply to VHD

[jmwills]

OK, thanks. I can't remember which licence it is (I'm guessing there is no easy way to check?), and I know MS are very picky, but technically it's still on the same physical hardware, just now inside a VM on the same machine.... I doubt MS will see it that way though!

 

In that instance, those would be treated as two different machines.  Sysprep would be the easiet thing to do and you would always have an image to fall back on.  Load the new VM, get it fully patched and then SysPrep the VM to use over and over.

[cocksy]

In that instance, those would be treated as two different machines.  Sysprep would be the easiet thing to do and you would always have an image to fall back on.  Load the new VM, get it fully patched and then SysPrep the VM to use over and over.

Thanks - I checked and my licence was retail so I deactivated it on the physical machine, and activated it in the VM with no issues at all - didn't even need to call MS or anything - it just worked, which was nice! Not heard of used sysprep, so will take a look and see if I can make use of it somehow!