Question: when you install some kinds of non OSS software, they generate a machine ID. You send this to the maker, they then send you back a registration code which works for that particular machine, and only that machine. Not even that machine, if you make too many changes of hardware.

Is it possible to tweak a different machine so it generates the same machine ID?

This is stuff that comes free with several thousand pounds worth of hardware, does something very simple, like generate a hash index of some sort on a flash card to make some standard format files accessible to the hardware. But for some crazed reason the suppliers of the hardware want to restrict the use of their stuff to one specific machine. I want to know there is a backup solution, should they go bust, or get acquired and suddenly charge exorbitant prices to move the stuff to a different machine.

I am thinking, with considerable sense of humour failure, that one solution might be, install into a VM, then generate the activation for that VM, and then make an archive copy of the VM, so one would always be able to move that VM. I notice that vmware has an option for keeping the machine ID when you move installations. Which is totally ridiculous, but at least you would not have several thousand pounds worth of hardware at the mercy of a whim of some people you have never heard of somewhere in the wilds of Provence. Or their potential purchasers in Kazakhstan!

Can you imagine then, you run Linux in a VM, then you run Wine in that VM, all to be able to be sure of having a moveable solution for your Windows package in case one of your machines explodes or gets stolen! Nuts.

Is there a simpler way by spoofing the machine ID?

Peter