Imaging and Licence Issues

This forum is proof that there are very good imaging programs. Taking an image regularly for backup purposes is nowadays relatively easy and quick.
I know many users especially on wilders like to use images for testing new software and instead of uninstalling a program, just go back to the previous clean image. From lurking here I understand that some programs offer the option of installing an image on different hardware, so technically migrating a pc from one set of hardware to a new faster, bigger, shinier set is all possible.

I would however like to ask about experiences with licenses. Often software licenses are tied to a specific machine. Assuming this machine dies or really is no longer suitable to handle the job, how does the image on the new machine handle licensing and possible activation issues, especially for Microsoft.

 

I believe that Acronis products only require a serial number and do not take hardware into consideration. I've used their products on several different computers over the past 8 years as I've upgraded to newer technology.

SourMilk out

 

I don't expect any problems from Acronis or Shadow Protect or similar but wonder what happens the next time Microsoft is running validation and the hardware has changed. Won't that look like a legitimate serial number has been installed on a second computer (or potentially a thousand more?). I know that some software vendors let you deactivate a license first before installing it on a different set but I am not aware of this option with MS licenses.

 

Is this what you're looking for?

-http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/165472-product-key-number-uninstall-deactivate-windows.html-

 

Useful tool: 7Tokens Manager v1.1 - The Activation Backup Solution