1. A computer-implemented method in connection with a hardware-based software product activation process that uses a group of hardware device descriptors to identify a computer in activating the software product, the method comprising: deriving one or more different descriptor values from a first hardware device; establishing the one or more different descriptor values as one or more of the respective hardware device descriptors in the group of hardware device descriptors to identify a virtual machine before the software product is run or activated on the virtual machine; wherein the one or more different descriptor values are established as hardware device descriptors for the virtual machine; and wherein the virtual machine resides on the first hardware device, and wherein the virtual machine comprises an operating system installed within the virtual machine.