Want to Run Vista Under PD? Prepare to Pay More

[austone]

Looks like Microsoft is not happy at the thought of people buying the cheap versions of Vista and running them under VM software like Parallels Desktop :

Techweb

Microsoft has released licenses for the Windows Vista operating system that dramatically differ from those for Windows XP in that they limit the number of times that retail editions can be transferred to another device and ban the two least-expensive versions from running in a virtual machine.

The new licenses, which were highlighted by the Vista team on its official blog Tuesday, add new restrictions to how and where Windows can be used.

Elsewhere in the license, Microsoft forbids users from installing Vista Home Basic and Vista Home Premium in a virtual machine. "You may not use the software installed on the licensed device within a virtual (or otherwise emulated) hardware system," the legal language reads. Vista Ultimate and Vista Business, however, can be installed within a VM.

Vista Home Basic, at $199 for a full version and $99 for an upgrade, and Vista Home Premium ($239/$159), are the two most-affordable retail editions of the operating system scheduled to appear on store shelves in January 2007.

Bad move Microsoft. Many Parallels Mac users are going to be hurt by this. I don't need a "Business" version of Vista to run on my Mac. In fact, I think I'll avoid Vista altogether now. Win2k and XP run just fine under Parallels Desktop.

 

[austone]

Update:

Techweb

Update, Fri. Oct 13, 11:00 am: The initial version of this story erroneously mischaracterized the way Microsoft's Vista license applies to user of the OS in a virtual machine, stating that there was a blanket ban in effect. This is incorrect; we regret the error. The updated version of this story removes all references to a VM ban, including a change in the headline, removal of a virtual machine reference in the lead paragraph, and the deletion of the fifth and sixth paragraphs of the original story

This mention has been removed from the Vista blog as well.

The license for Windows Vista Home - Basic - (downloads.microsoft.com/documents/useterms/Windows Vista_Home Basic....)
states:

4. USE WITH VIRTUALIZATION TECHNOLOGIES. You may not use the software installed on the licensed device within a virtual (or otherwise emulated) hardware system.

It sounds like now, that you won't be able to install Vista under Boot Camp and then under Parallels Desktop.

 

[waterhead37]

If it continues to demand 105% of my CPU in Parallels, I shall be happy not to use Vista. I reckon that XP will continue to do what I need from Windows for several years yet!

 

[palter]

Update:

Techweb


This mention has been removed from the Vista blog as well.

The license for Windows Vista Home - Basic - (downloads.microsoft.com/documents/useterms/Windows Vista_Home Basic....)
states:


It sounds like now, that you won't be able to install Vista under Boot Camp and then under Parallels Desktop.

My interpretation is that you can't install Vista Home in a virtual machine running inside Vista Home unless you have two separate licenses.

According to other parts of the license, you won't be able to install Vista Home in both Parallels and Boot Camp simultaneously as that would be an attempt to install it on two different "licensed devices".

Of course, I'm not a lawyer. (Thank goodness)