Ghosting PC Image... effect on Licensed software, legality?

[1LUV1T]

Ok I have a simple question and I am not implying that I want to do this for illegal purposes but here it goes;

I have 10 users who's laptops are all the same model. I want to ghost an image of the first laptop and restore it to the other 9. I have a X<10 user license pack for Norton Antivirus. If I am ghosting laptop A, and restore the image to laptop J will I still be able to use the same license key even though the license covers less then 10 users?

I'm just not understanding how Norton could even tell since everything is exactly the same hardware wise.

 

[HughLerwill]

Could be (and probably) Norton is smart enough to pick up some chip, disk drive serial numbers and network card mac addresses all of which should be unique?

 

[1LUV1T]

All those make sense, except for MAC address because those can get swapped frequently, but I need to know for sure. Just for sure, it sounds like they really dig deep into the systems then if they start identifying machines by something thats unique inside.

 

[AccessGuruCarl]

AOConsulting

You can Ghost and everything will work fine.

Then you need to run a command line statement, that opens the Registration form, so you can enter the correct product key.

I don't recall the exact string you need to type, but if you contact Symantec's, Give the version and explain what your attempting, They will supply you with the correct info to type into the Run box.

If the version is a 3 or 5 user license pack, the product key should be the same. So you have nothing to change on x number of laptops.

To the best of my knowledge, If you install it on more PC's than the license permits... Everything will continue to function fine until, it expires. Then you will not be able to renew the license, due to to many in use! You will be forced to purchase a new copy at Full Price, not the upgrade/renewal price.

But as hard-drives grow larger, they have the ability to store more details now, then before... So your at a risk if you continue to run illegal versions.

Hope this helps....

AccessGuruCarl
Programmers helping programmers
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[1LUV1T]

Ok thanks. Thats what Symantec told me or at least implied. Thanks.