[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Not to mention the fact that MS is likely to be able to detect this sort of piracy and lock you out from using the illegal product.

[Johnny B.]

Not to mention the fact that MS is likely to be able to detect this sort of piracy and lock you out from using the illegal product.

That brings up a good point. Even if you have a legitimate copy of Windows, there are significant limitations on how and when you can install it on a new machine (real or virtual).

I have a stack of legitimate Windows install disks which can no longer be used because I have installed too many times (I tend to wipe and reinstall often as part of my work as a software developer).

[Robe]

Not to mention the fact that MS is likely to be able to detect this sort of piracy and lock you out from using the illegal product..................

This is the situation I in now....I was using a Gateway system with XP..for 5 years or so. In the past weeks I was hit a few times but Trend Micro seemed to do it’s thing.
However the Computer was slow to boot and had a couple of crashes.
I put a machine together from Tiger Direct motherboard/cpu combo,and all new devices.
I loaded XP and at activation, got the old “Product Key invalid thing. I called Microsoft, they told me that the Gateway XP op sys was on the internet, and they wouldn’t give me a new key.
So now I’m stuck.. gonna have to go buy W7

The version of my lagitemit XP an OEM from Gateway