How many computers (sequentially) can a Windows license be re-used

[Don Phillipson]

I have a Microsoft store-bought version of Windows 7 professional. . . .
The question is simply whether there is a limit to
the NUMBER of machines that used the license, over time?

If Microsoft had a legal department, you might think they would be
glad to tell you.

 

[Evan Platt]

No. I'm just saying don't be online with more than two at the same time.
They will know how many machines are online through your MAC address.

Oh wow. Clueless as ever.

 

[Eddie Powalski]

what are the odds that no two ever have the same mac address?

I think the odds are low, except, that it's trivial to CHANGE
the MAC address of your NIC cards.
http://lifehacker.com/5048343/change-your-mac-address-in-windows

Of course, it's trivial to change your IP address also...

 

[Eddie Powalski]

Windows updates send your MB number, MAC address and HD serial number to
the Micro$oft/NSA at EVERY update. Encrypted. They also get the router IP
(and mac, if you it uses IPV6)
You are confused, and possibly doomed.
Changing MAC addy is only useful in Linux, and even then only if you
wardrive.

This makes no sense to me - but maybe I'm missing something.
First, what's a "MB" number?
Second, a MAC address, on both Linux & Windows, is trivial to change.
It's also trivial to change a MAC address on (most) routers.

I have no idea how to change the hard drive serial number though.

Can it be done with freeware?

 

[Eddie Powalski]

My NVidia Nforce2 based
motherboard, is the only one I have where the MAC
can be changed via the BIOS flasher.

Why not just change the MAC address in freeware software?
http://www.mydigitallife.info/how-t...ista-server-20032008-mac-os-x-unix-and-linux/
http://www.zokali.com/win7-mac-address-changer/
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Network-Tweak/MAC-Address-Changer.shtml
http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/change-mac-address-in-windows-7-with-win7-mac-changer/
etc.

 

[Eddie Powalski]

If Microsoft had a legal department, you might think they would be
glad to tell you.

I seriously doubt they'd answer an email.

Have _you_ ever gotten an email response from a lawyer at
any large company like Microsoft?

 

[Paul]

Why not just change the MAC address in freeware software?
http://www.mydigitallife.info/how-t...ista-server-20032008-mac-os-x-unix-and-linux/
http://www.zokali.com/win7-mac-address-changer/
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Network-Tweak/MAC-Address-Changer.shtml
http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/change-mac-address-in-windows-7-with-win7-mac-changer/
etc.

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/it-security/how-to-spoof-a-mac-address/

"MS Windows: On Microsoft Windows systems, the MAC address is stored
in a registry key. The location of that key varies from one
MS Windows version to the next, but find that and you can
just edit it yourself."

The OS can probe for the "burned in hardware value", when
doing a WPA check. I don't think the spoof software you
quote, will fix that. It's for changing the MAC which is
stored in some intermediate location. Windows WPA won't be
reading a registry key for this. They're not that dumb.

*******

And the hard drive serial number, the hard drive manufacturer
doesn't want you to change that. (They check the serial, when
determining whether your warranty claim is valid.) So they're
not going to leave that out in the open. It's probably
not "burned in hardware" and ultra-secure - you might need to
overwrite "track -1" to get at it. Just a guess. "Track -1"
contains the body of the drive firmware and data structures.
And it just might have the serial as well. Using the firmware
flasher, should not be overwriting where the serial is stored.
As far as I know, there is some provision in the ATA/ATAPI
spec for updating firmware. And it's not likely to trash
other areas of storage.

Even if you did a Secure Erase of the drive, it should not
touch the serial number.

Paul

 

[Bill Graham]

I seriously doubt they'd answer an email.

Have _you_ ever gotten an email response from a lawyer at
any large company like Microsoft?

I can't even email a large company like Microsoft. I can't email Facebook.
these people don;t wnt to talk to the likes of me. They know it all. They
don't need any suggestions, complaints, or advice of any kind from the likes
of me. All they want out of me is my money. As much of it as possible, as
fast as possible with no questions asked or given. And the hell of it is, I
have no choice. I am completely dependent on them, and they know it.

 

[K Wills]

I can't even email a large company like Microsoft. I can't email Facebook.
these people don;t wnt to talk to the likes of me. They know it all. They
don't need any suggestions, complaints, or advice of any kind from the likes
of me. All they want out of me is my money. As much of it as possible, as
fast as possible with no questions asked or given. And the hell of it is, I
have no choice.

Yes you do. Windows is not the only operating system in
existence.

I am completely dependent on them, and they know it.

You mean you have made the choice to be dependent on them. Not
only are you not required to use any Microsoft product, you are not
required to use any home computer of any sort.

 

[Ken Blake]

Actually, you can install the retail version on as many machines as you
want, that you own.

Can? Do you mean that you can violate the licensing agreement and get
away with it? Perhaps. And perhaps you can rob a bank and get away
with it too. But you *may not* have it on more than one computer at a
time.

If you were to install that item on machines owned by friends, and M$ sees
them operating from several locations, then that is a violation.

It's got nothing to do with who owns the machines. If it's on more
than one at a time, it's a violation.

And if it's a retail version, it may be installed sequentially, one at
a time, on as many computer as you like, regardless of who owns them,
and regardless of where they are located.

 

[Eddie Powalski]

And if it's a retail version, it may be installed sequentially, one at
a time, on as many computer as you like, regardless of who owns them,
and regardless of where they are located.

This is really what I needed to know!

 

[Evan Platt]

Can? Do you mean that you can violate the licensing agreement and get
away with it? Perhaps. And perhaps you can rob a bank and get away
with it too. But you *may not* have it on more than one computer at a
time.



It's got nothing to do with who owns the machines. If it's on more
than one at a time, it's a violation.

And if it's a retail version, it may be installed sequentially, one at
a time, on as many computer as you like, regardless of who owns them,
and regardless of where they are located.

richard has proven numerous times he doesn't comprehend how software
licenses operate.

 

[Ken Blake]

This is really what I needed to know!

Glad to help.

 

[...winston]

One can install a retail version on as many machines as necessary.

A separate Product Key is necessary to activate each installation.
- each installation and use requires a unique and separate product key
- i.e. one product key, one license required per installation/use per
machine

--
....winston
msft mvp consumer apps

"Eddie Powalski" wrote in message

And if it's a retail version, it may be installed sequentially, one at
a time, on as many computer as you like, regardless of who owns them,
and regardless of where they are located.

This is really what I needed to know!

 

[...winston]

That's not how it (metadata collection) works.
MAC address is not relevant for hardware, it may be significant for VM since
changing the UUID in a VM changes the system generated VM Mac Address.


--
....winston
msft mvp consumer apps

"richard" wrote in message

Now that's interesting.

I have the box in front of me. It says:
Windows 7 Ultimate
Microsoft Company Store Purchase
Do not lend or make illegal copies.
32-bit software (and 64-bit software)

There is a proof of license card, with a product key, which says
"Label not to be sold separately".

There is also an orange booklet for Windows 7, and an upgrade card.
But the actual license terms don't appear to be printed.


Hmm... doesn't that contradict your first statement that I can
use it on any number of machines that I own at one location?

No. I'm just saying don't be online with more than two at the same time.
They will know how many machines are online through your MAC address.

 

[Char Jackson]

I don't think a MAC address makes it through the router.
Does it?

No, not by normal networking means, but nothing prevents an application from
picking up the MAC and transporting it as data to a distant endpoint. Maybe
that's what richard is talking about, but I don't know.

Plus, you can set all your PCs to have the same MAC address if you like.
Right?

You could, but if they're on the same LAN you won't get very far. Duplicate
MAC addresses will prevent intra-LAN communication.

 

[Laszlo Lebrun]

Plus, you can set all your PCs to have the same MAC address if you like.

If you want to get a huge mess, just do that!
;-)