Vmware 6.x linked clones requiring reactivation on a different host for XP?

[Guest markm75]

We are running Vmware Workstation 6.x.. I've installed an MSDN copy of

XP on a virtual machine instance on our LAN.

 

On my own machine, the same machine used for the creation of the VPC,

i can create a linked clone of that original XP image from the lan

without problem. No re-activation is needed etc.

 

But, if i have someone else try to do a linked clone of the XP image

from the LAN to their workstation (different hardware on the host),

the guest linked clone complains that it needs re-activated, requiring

us to call Microsoft and go through that long process for every linked

clone we have to make outside of the machine it was made on

originally.

 

Is there any way around this? Is VMware using the specific hardware of

the HOST machine, so that when a linked clone is made on a different

machine, this hardware has changed resulting in activation?

 

I'm guessing the only way around this is with some version of XP or

Vista for that matter, that doesnt require activation?

 

One subnote.. this is not an issue with differencing and Microsoft's

Virtual PC. I was hoping to get away from MS VPC completely, but it

appears we may be out of luck in the activation arena.

 

Thanks for any thoughts..