I’ve hunted high and low on the MS site, and can’t find an answer to this
question anywhere. Maybe someone here knows.
The licence for MSDN notes that it includes a key for up to 10 XP machines
for testing.
Ok. But what happens a year later when you renew? Do you get 10 new key
usages with the renewal? Or do you have 10 and only 10 machines that you
can EVER install XP on, no matter how many years you keep paying for
subscription renewals?
Since I tend to cycle through about 3 new machines a year to keep up with
technology so I can test my products on the hardware people are buying, I
need to know whether I should renew my MSDN subscription again, or whether I
need to let it die and buy a new MSDN subscription to get some new machine
keys.
Thanks,
Loren
When contracts are ambiguous it is reasonable to interpret the ambiguity in
your favor, especially when you are acting in a fair and reasonable manner.
The contrary interpretation is manifestly unfair.
I assume that I have the right to 10 active installations. Machines that I
have junked, or configurations that I have scrapped simply don’t count.
=====================
Mark Roddy
-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Loren Wilton
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 5:01 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] Question on MSDN machine keys licencing
I’ve hunted high and low on the MS site, and can’t find an answer to this
question anywhere. Maybe someone here knows.
The licence for MSDN notes that it includes a key for up to 10 XP machines
for testing.
Ok. But what happens a year later when you renew? Do you get 10 new key
usages with the renewal? Or do you have 10 and only 10 machines that you
can EVER install XP on, no matter how many years you keep paying for
subscription renewals?
Since I tend to cycle through about 3 new machines a year to keep up with
technology so I can test my products on the hardware people are buying, I
need to know whether I should renew my MSDN subscription again, or whether I
need to let it die and buy a new MSDN subscription to get some new machine
keys.
Thanks,
Loren
Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256
You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@stratus.com To
unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
This is a great perspective, but will the activation server agree? 
Actually I’ve heard (don’t recall the source) that the activation server
will allow an MSDN XP key to be used to activate up to four
installations on different hardware per year. So effectively a single
key could be used on up to four different machines per year.
Chuck
----- Original Message -----
From: “Roddy, Mark”
To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 8:34 PM
Subject: RE: [ntdev] Question on MSDN machine keys licencing
> When contracts are ambiguous it is reasonable to interpret the
> ambiguity in
> your favor, especially when you are acting in a fair and reasonable
> manner.
> The contrary interpretation is manifestly unfair.
>
> I assume that I have the right to 10 active installations. Machines
> that I
> have junked, or configurations that I have scrapped simply don’t
> count.
>
> =====================
> Mark Roddy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
> [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Loren Wilton
> Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 5:01 AM
> To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
> Subject: [ntdev] Question on MSDN machine keys licencing
>
> I’ve hunted high and low on the MS site, and can’t find an answer to
> this
> question anywhere. Maybe someone here knows.
>
> The licence for MSDN notes that it includes a key for up to 10 XP
> machines
> for testing.
>
> Ok. But what happens a year later when you renew? Do you get 10 new
> key
> usages with the renewal? Or do you have 10 and only 10 machines that
> you
> can EVER install XP on, no matter how many years you keep paying for
> subscription renewals?
>
> Since I tend to cycle through about 3 new machines a year to keep up
> with
> technology so I can test my products on the hardware people are
> buying, I
> need to know whether I should renew my MSDN subscription again, or
> whether I
> need to let it die and buy a new MSDN subscription to get some new
> machine
> keys.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Loren
I’ve never had a problem. I’ve used the same MSDN account for years and have
done many installs, although a fairly limited number of activations.
Generally I don’t activate test systems, which renders the whole issue
irrelevant, although I am fairly sure that I have gotten past 10.
=====================
Mark Roddy
-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Batson
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 9:54 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: Re: [ntdev] Question on MSDN machine keys licencing
This is a great perspective, but will the activation server agree?
Actually I’ve heard (don’t recall the source) that the activation server
will allow an MSDN XP key to be used to activate up to four installations on
different hardware per year. So effectively a single key could be used on
up to four different machines per year.
Chuck
----- Original Message -----
From: “Roddy, Mark”
To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 8:34 PM
Subject: RE: [ntdev] Question on MSDN machine keys licencing
> When contracts are ambiguous it is reasonable to interpret the
> ambiguity in
> your favor, especially when you are acting in a fair and reasonable
> manner.
> The contrary interpretation is manifestly unfair.
>
> I assume that I have the right to 10 active installations. Machines
> that I
> have junked, or configurations that I have scrapped simply don’t
> count.
>
> =====================
> Mark Roddy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
> [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Loren Wilton
> Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 5:01 AM
> To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
> Subject: [ntdev] Question on MSDN machine keys licencing
>
> I’ve hunted high and low on the MS site, and can’t find an answer to
> this
> question anywhere. Maybe someone here knows.
>
> The licence for MSDN notes that it includes a key for up to 10 XP
> machines
> for testing.
>
> Ok. But what happens a year later when you renew? Do you get 10 new
> key
> usages with the renewal? Or do you have 10 and only 10 machines that
> you
> can EVER install XP on, no matter how many years you keep paying for
> subscription renewals?
>
> Since I tend to cycle through about 3 new machines a year to keep up
> with
> technology so I can test my products on the hardware people are
> buying, I
> need to know whether I should renew my MSDN subscription again, or
> whether I
> need to let it die and buy a new MSDN subscription to get some new
> machine
> keys.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Loren
—
Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256
You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@stratus.com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
Loren Wilton wrote:
Since I tend to cycle through about 3 new machines a year to keep up with
technology so I can test my products on the hardware people are buying, I
need to know whether I should renew my MSDN subscription again, or whether I
need to let it die and buy a new MSDN subscription to get some new machine
keys.
Remember that you have 30 days to activate. If you will be replacing
the machine or reinstalling the OS within 30 days, then Microsoft
recommends you simply do not activate. For test machines, it might be
easier to do a wipe and reinstall every month rather than sweat the
licensing.
–
Tim Roberts, xxxxx@probo.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.
> Remember that you have 30 days to activate.
For MSDN’s XP keys - 60 days IIRC.
Maxim Shatskih, Windows DDK MVP
StorageCraft Corporation
xxxxx@storagecraft.com
http://www.storagecraft.com