Virtualization

Query the WMI property Win32_BaseBoard (I believe that's the right one) and check to see if it's made by "Microsoft". Until Microsoft moves into the motherboard business, it is a quick and dirty way of doing it.

It seems like the next versions of Virtual Server and/or VMWare should have some official way of doing this - even a simple 'isVM.vbs' or something provided.

Check this out. Essentially, in a nutshell, W2k3 R2 EE and Longhorn EE will run 4 virtual machines off of one license. Nice.

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/Oct05/10-10VirtualizationStrategyPR.mspx