I’ve seen various notes about virtual to physical configuration, e.g. this VMware discussion and this VMware support page. However, some of them are in particular are a bit long in the tooth, as in, probably older than Windows 10’s release date. There are basic questions like this in this forum as well, but I did not find obvious current answers.
One article that I came on said, “Virtual access to a bootable Windows partition is no problem; you just set up a VMware guest to use [an existing] disk of /dev/sda2.” However, I am wary of whether things are quite that simple.
In particular I am concerned about Windows activation and a Windows product key across 7 and 10. VMware presents at least a partly idealized “physical” machine to guest OSes, and it would be a feat to do so while not disturbing Windows 7 and 10 from thinking they’re running on the same hardware signature between booting natively as a GRUB selection, and booting as a VMware guest under Linux.
(I do not say that this feat is not something VMware could have pulled off; I only wish to say it seems like a feat and not to be taken for granted.)
Are there known ways to make ambidextrous Windows partitions that will boot and function either natively or as guests?
If so, are we talking something easy, tractable, or monumental to pull off?
Thanks,
