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Windows 7 Licensing and SYSPREP!

Hi Guys,

I am currently trying to build a Windows 7 Image on a HP Elite 8000 System. Of Course this is OEM Licensing and unlike the old days of Sysprep ing XP and being able to enter in the OEM License Key provide by Microsoft, there is no place to do this.

I have built an Unattended.XML Answer file and provide our volume license key for Windows 7, but I would like to know will this cover the licensing across the board for my Deployment Images?

Can anyone suggest a better way of deploying Windows 7? I'm current using WDS and Sysprep. Do you think I should use my Volume Licensed Windows 7 Media install it on the HP Elite 8000 and Sysprep from there? Does that cover the licensing of the system?

I'm pretty new to Windows Deployment and would be greatful for any help given.

Regards,

Gerard

IanTh

see
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd349337(WS.10).aspx?ppud=4

hope it helps

Adam Leinss

Are you using your VL media? If so, there should be no issue.

Member_2_6105789

Whenever I sysprepped with the OEM keys, I could activate manually on each computer by typing "slui 1" in the run menu after imaging. If you dont have access to the internet, "slui 4" will let you use the phone activation, but that is a lot of work for a whole enterprise of computers. Instead you can set up a KMS server and use VAMT 2.0 to activate any Windows 7 client from you desktop regardless of their activation status. This of course will incurr some cost up front, but you aleviate the risk of running out of having to manually activate at the computer each time you image a computer.

Randox_Laboratories

ASKER

What I am trying to do is deploy 25 Windows 7 Systems out into our office, but to reduce the time it take to install standard Software I'd like to use the WDS Imaging like I did back with XP. I have found this link from Microsoft and read the "Reimaging Rights" Document and it states the following:

Reimaging is permitted if the copies made from the Volume Licensing media are identical to the originally licensed product . Volume Licensing customers who have licensed Microsoft software products from an OEM, through a retail source, or under any agreement other than their Microsoft Volume Licensing agreement may use copies made from Microsoft Volume Licensing media. Customers can use these copies from Microsoft media only if they are the same product and version, contain the same components, and are in the same language.

Now I'm no licensing Guru but it sounds as though I can use my Volume License Key to Install Windows 7 on a OEM system then Image it. Am I correct or have I picked this up wrong?

Member_2_6105789

You are correct, it will activate if it is on the same system.

Randox_Laboratories

ASKER

OK so I take it I wipe the OEM System with the VL Media, configure it, sysprep, then deploy via WDS and this should be within the licensing for Windows 7?

Just like to make sure I'm not in breach of the Licensing from Microsoft.

Member_2_6105789

Yup as long as the the same exact computer, it will activate. If you want to double check before you activate type in SLUI 4 in the run window, hit next, and compare the 6-set in section 9 with that of another computer with the same exact hardware. It should be the same. If they are both using the same VLK.

Randox_Laboratories

ASKER

OK. For Examle in the future I will get in 20 different OEM Systems. Can I use that Image again to deploy to these as in theory the VL should cover them too?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Member_2_6105789

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LeeTutor

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