legality of virtualization

[theRightNee]

hey all,
do not know if this is the best place to post this question...but here goes:
i am currently virtualizing windows 2000 professional...my dell box has a CD key for win2kpro, but it does not validate, so i got one from the Net...is any part of this setup legal? (o and, i had to download the .iso of course)

[viciouslime]

So long as you do have a licence that is perfectly legal as far as I am aware. However, I seem to remember reading somewhere that it is illegal to use vista in a virtual machine, because something in the EULA disallows it. No such restriction applies in the win2k EULA though.

[wolfen69]

i would say legally, no it's not. but.....i promise not to tell.

[Sef]

Microsoft has lifted its ban on enabling Windows Vista Home Basic and Home Premium in virtual machine environments.

Here is an article where than lifting of the ban (http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1122) is mentioned.

Microsoft has lifted its ban on enabling Windows Vista Home Basic and Home Premium in virtual machine environments.

[Mad_Dawg]

I think that you are in a gray area here. I wouldn't worry about it though.

[theRightNee]

lol ok...just trying to live a clean life =]...i got the machine for free, and it came with the sticker...so i thought why not give it a shot...but eh...i don't know

[bodhi.zazen]

You shuld read your EULA or contact Microsoft.

If you did not obtain a key form Microsoft I doubt you are legal.

You contact Microsoft and explain your situation they may give you a key which would then be legal.

[theRightNee]

sounds great

btw: i have the certficate of authenticity...so i don't think that the CD key is an issue. am i right in thinking this?