Hi, The last I heard, you can only install the one copy of a OS on a computer. Ie, If you use a Dell reinstall Win 7 HP disc to recover your OS on your main system, then, you cant use a Dell reinstall Win 7 HP disc to install on a Virtual Machine, on that system. You will have to use retail, or use another version, Ie Pro,or Ultimate. I use Linux Mint 9 on my Virtual machine.
Hello I have Dell 1558 Laptop with Windows 7 preinstalled on it. I installed the same copy of windows 7 on a virtual machine ( I used Oracle VM VirtualBox). After some time, the background of the OS on virtual machine turned black and there was a message saying that this copy of windows is not genuine. I also can't activate  it, because it says that the product key is not apropriate for the activation. The OS installed natively on the laptop works without any problemmes.   Is there something wrong with the installation CD or is it maybe that the windows doesn't let me activate it, because it recognises the hardware of virtual machine as not dell product? Or maybe if it's installed and activated on my laptop it can't be on any other machine? Any help would be welcome.
Can't activate win7 on virtual machine