Migrating Intel Windows 11 VM to ARM (and the machine's Security ID)

[Mick-Mac]

I'm a Mac user and use a virtualized Windows environment, via VMware Fusion, for all of my Windows needs. Many years ago I installed an important application into my then Windows 7 VM and that program used a license file tied to both the Windows and the User SID (security ID). That Security ID is a big long number that looks like S-1-5-21-123456789-987654321-1234567890-1000. Since then I've upgraded that Windows 7 VM to Windows 10 and then to Windows 11 - each time the Windows and the User SID were automatically maintained and I could keep running that software without issue. That's fortunate because I no longer have access to the installer for that program. I've recently purchased a new ARM-based M1 MacBook Pro so I was forced to do a fresh Windows 11 ARM install on the new Mac which does NOT allow any kind of migration from the Windows 11 Intel VM and so I now have a VM with a different SID. I believe I can manually copy across all of the program's various files, but it won't run because the license file is tied to the original SID.

Is there any way to define the ARM Windows 11 SID when creating that VM, or any way to change the SID of an existing VM?

 

[maflynn]

which does NOT allow any kind of migration from the Windows 11 Intel VM and so I now have a VM with a different SID

Windows ARM is an OS for a different CPU, so there is no migration path, i.e., there is no way to use it for Arm windows

or any way to change the SID of an existing VM?

Hacking/changing/altering a SID seems like a security risk as it has implications and could allow bad actors to spoof who they are on networks, so I think it may be fairly locked down. That being said, I think you'll have a hard time trying to change or alter it.

I no longer have access to the installer for that program

When you say you no longer have access to the installer, are you inferring that you don't own or have rights to use the application? I'm not accusing you, but its an odd way to state that you don't have the installer.

Contact the company's support and ask for help to get this installed on your new Mac. I was in a similar boat where I had an app that I lost the installer, and I was running a version of MACos that it wouldn't run even if I had the installer. I contacted the company and I was able to upgrade to a compatible version. This may be your best et.