Windows 10 Creating Custom Windows Images for Multiple Laptops: Legal Considerations and Guidance

[skysummer]

i just want to ask for does who know everything about creating custom image and install to multiple laptops with same unit same model same specs with embedded product key from the motherboard. my question is, is this illegal? please help

 

[ussnorway]

I assume by image you mean pixie booted iso file so yes thats legal and Microsoft tip uses a pre-coded hdd to allow clients with this type of licence to do what they need.

However if you just want a V-image like what is made from VMWare or Hyper-V then thats still ok in some senarios... in cases where a embedded product key don't meet to standards then a part-boot system would normaly happen i.e, the server takes it to almost finished then a human tech kicks in the final product key just at the end.

with embedded product key from the motherboard

If this is an oem or msdn key then thats normaly one key per motherboard and can't be transfered to another machine... in some senarios you can put a msdn key on a V-system copy installed on that same machine but it's a very limited loophole for backups and not something you run into in normal day to day.

 

[skysummer]

so you mean if i create a custom image that comes from the fresh install and install it to many laptops that has a same unit, model and specs is not illegal? then after i install the image i restart the laptops and go to the administrator and use the sysprep and check the product key if it is match on in the embedded key from the motherboard then i check the drivers as well if it is all installed and after that i click generalize onthe sysprep and shutdown. thats all.

 

[skysummer]

how about the hardware info? they said that it will copy the hardware info to another computer. i don't get the hardware info because i use the sysprep. i know it will display the same details of the hardware info because they same drivers same specs and same unit and model. please healp me because i need to know everything.

 

[ussnorway]

So first thing is to understand that legal boils down to;
If Microsoft ok-ed it in writing before you go ahead and do it then yes it's legal
Far more important is the fact they don't then send the lawyers around… ask anyone in the software industry and they will tell you Microsoft has a F lot of lawyers!

Now a sysprep has two functions;
• There is the system-preparation part that anyone can do at home on their own windows server which takes an iso image and pumps it out over a network to whatever device is waiting at the other end to install it.
This is a physical or virtual network procedure that has no legal issues because it simply produces an outcome.
• The second part is licencing and that is independent of the basic sysprep tool built into a windows server.
If you use sysprep to install an image then you must still activate the windows (normally done online for private owners or an In-house server in the case of companies with a Microsoft distributing licence)

The only way to have two different laptop machines with the same id is in an virtual environment… two identical looking physical laptop will always have at least different motherboard id and more importantly different MAC address. In fact, one of the major issues with older network tech is the lack of current (virtual evolution) knowledge that MAC addresses are no longer set in stone as unique numbers that can never be identical.