Windows 11 OEM on Vmware Workstation

[VMware Community Member]

Hello All,

I come hat in hand looking for a good answer. Not one that is subjective where multiple responders (if I am so lucky) disagree on answer. Also google has been such a hornet's nest of outdated information I humbly ask do not reply with a 2 or 3 year old link that may not be right. What I want to know is can I run Windows 11 Pro OEM System Builder on my licensed copy of Vmware Workstation that is hosted on my Windows 10 desktop. Money is not the issue and if need be I will fork over $199 to Microsoft. I am also struggling with these "no name resellers" who are selling Windows 11 Pro for under $100. I rather go legit if need be and if I spend more so be it. 

 

Best Regards

Brian

[Technogeezer]

Well, you’ll never get an authoritative answer in this forum because we’re all users and not Microsoft.

Yes you can use a Windows OEM System Builder license on a VM.

You would have to be careful if you move the VM around, as the OEM license is tied to a single system. For a VM, that’s the VM’s virtual hardware and associated things like the VM’s BIOS UUID - which do differ in many respects from the host. Moving a VM and answering that you copied it (not moved it) may change the virtual hardware enough that Windows will think it’s on a new machine and therefore in violation of the licensing. 

[VMware Community Member]

So forgetting these "no name" wanna be resellers because I have to think long term. I don't have time to wonder if they are or are not legit. That being my HP Window 10 desktop is 3 years old. I hope to get a couple more years out of it before I get another HP Z Workstation. It might just make sense to eat the extra $50 and get the full Windows 11 license. Thank you for replying and not posting links that may not be valid. Humbly appreciated. Curious to see if someone else chimes in what he\she thinks.

[Technogeezer]

I’m going to make one additional comment on my post. The OEM System Builder license can only be installed on 1 machine. Once you’ve used it to install Windows, any attempt to use it to install Windows on another system will be met with problems as Microsoft has recognized the license as used on another system. 

Once the license is installed, it behaves as if you had a physical PC from Dell/HP/Lenovo/et.al. that came with a pre-installed copy of Windows (also an OEM license).