2 Windows 8 installs, same product key

I recently posted a Windows 8 problem in the Microsoft Community Forum. Of course they wanted to blame my problem on third party software and they asked me to remove all such software. Well that would pretty much destroy a lot of hard work getting Windows 8 working to my satisfaction. So I decided to install Windows 8 on a virtual hard drive (VHD) created on the same HDD as my Windows 8. This would give me a pure vanilla Microsoft system.

Now here is the reason for my post: I was very surprised that the VHD instance of Windows 8 activated with the same product key as my original install. And Windows Media Center did too.

I assume that this is because both instances of Windows 8 are on the same physical HDD and therefore have the same hardware signature. Microsoft may have thought I was just reinstalling my original Windows 8.

However, when I checked Computer => Properties I found that the product ID is slightly different.

I am now tempted to create a third instance on another VHD to see if this theory holds water.