Will a Windows image find the imbedded pk?

[PeterPorker3]

Here is some background:

 

I ordered a laptop from ebay for school and released im busy the weekend it gets here, so i'm trying to save some time and make an image of windows in virtualbox so all i have to do is clone the VHD to the ssd so all my programs are already installed and i just need to install the drivers. I want my laptop working ASAP when it arrives. My problem is the windows product key in that generation of laptop is imbedded into the bios. Normally the Windows setup will find the pk and activate windows automatically. 

 

So my question is: If i copy an image made in virtualbox to the ssd and boot it on the laptop, will it find the pk and activate windows? or will only the windows setup find the pk and activate windows. I want to know before I spend time installing programs on a VM.

[Crunchy Dragon]

I'm pretty sure for a VM, you need a separate activation key. I could be wrong though.

[PeterPorker3]

Just now, Crunchy Dragon said:

I'm pretty sure for a VM, you need a separate activation key. I could be wrong though.

I don't want to activate it in the VM, i want it to activate it on the laptop. So the Vm will have no pk and after i image it to the laptop, i will activate windows.

[Crunchy Dragon]

1 minute ago, MineParker101 said:

I don't want to activate it in the VM, i want it to activate it on the laptop. So the Vm will have no pk and after i image it to the laptop, i will activate windows.

Oh, OK.

 

That might work, but why not just do a clean install of Windows?

[PeterPorker3]

Just now, Crunchy Dragon said:

Oh, OK.

 

That might work, but why not just do a clean install of Windows?

I'm not going to have enough time from when the laptop gets here and I need it for school. I was going to make a fresh install on a VM then image it to the laptop. I have done this in the past multiple times, but never with a pk imbedded in the bios. 

[Crunchy Dragon]

1 minute ago, MineParker101 said:

I'm not going to have enough time from when the laptop gets here and I need it for school. I was going to make a fresh install on a VM then image it to the laptop. I have done this in the past multiple times, but never with a pk imbedded in the bios. 

To be perfectly honest, that sounds like more work.

 

But as far as I know, it should work.

[PeterPorker3]

7 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

To be perfectly honest, that sounds like more work.

 

But as far as I know, it should work.

Thanks for the help. Also, I don't care if its more work, I just want to get my laptop up and running as fast as possible. I will post my success to help others when I get it.