Windows 7 Enterprise activation - what's the real story?
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Alright, as you might know, I've been searching for my old Windows 7 Enterprise CD/DVD. It looks like I might've last installed it in 2012. I say "might've" because I also bought imaging/backup software at one point and I know I changed C drives at least once. Suffice it to say, I know it was at least before the Trump presidency. Anyway, my memory back that far is a little hazy. I don't think I had to put in a product key but I do think I had to activate it. I also had some documentation printed out at the time (part of it revolving around the secret real administrator account needed to make SQL 2000 install) but it's lost right now.
My question is, if I somehow do find this CD/DVD and go to install it on a completely different machine, does it increment a counter somewhere or can it possibly refuse to activate? I thought, when they started pushing activation, Enterprise licenses weren't policed as heavily because they were purchased in bulk. But I'm not sure now and most of what I can find on Google is basically noise from social media or keyword parking.
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IIRC outside of KMS activation the rules are the same as other editions, so worst case you might need to use the telephone activation if it's still allowed for 7.
