Yes, this will work fine.

I'm assuming you will create a Windows VM on one Linux box (KVM, VirtualBox, VMware, whatever), then install Windows 10 into that VM. When Windows is installed and boots, it will get activated *in that VM image*, which is 100% supported by Microsoft. Don't p2v. If this VM is stored on a removable media, you would just shut down the VM, unplug the media, move it physically to a different Linux host, plug it in, then boot the VM.

Windows will still think it's running on the same VM, *because it is*, and thus not need reactivation.

If the two Linux hosts have different CPUs (keep the same manufacturer and gen) you should have no problem. Everything else about the VM is encapsulated - BIOS version, motherboard, devices, etc. The versions of the virtualisation software should be the same or as similar as possible. Obviously don't try to boot a VM on VirtualBox on one host and KVM on another host.

On Thu, Jan 21, 2021 at 2:55 AM Trevor Cordes <trevor@tecnopolis.ca> wrote:

Is it possible to run a virtual Windows (10) on a Linux host running
something like virtualbox?  It has to be normal Win 10 Home or Pro though,
no corporate licensing.

I ask because I'm unsure how Windows activation (cursed be!) handles that
situation.  I'd like to be able to run the same host image on 2 different
boxes (but not at the same time) and not have it moan about activation.
So I guess the question is more this: does the VM hide/abstract the
hardware enough from Windows to have it think it hasn't changed boxes?

(The idea is a portable drive with the VM on it would travel between 2
locations which are never used simultaneously.  Each location would have
an identical Linux box.  Don't ask why; suffice it to say that speed is
paramount and cloud or net access or remote access won't cut it.  Lugging
the entire box is not an option.  Laptop is a very sub-par option.)

Thanks!
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