need help activating windows XP Pro in a virtual machine

[mcveigh]

My mom switched to a mac but needs windows for a couple of things. I installed vmware and her old legit version of windows.
When I installed I couldn't find her COA with the activation code so I just used a generic one from the Internet.

after I got it all installed I found the COA and tried to change the key but it wouldn't let me. I called MS, I didn't tell them I had it in a virtual machine as I don't know if they allow that. anyways I couldn't get it to activate even with their help.
(I don't remember what tool i tried to change the key with)

any ideas? the trial period has expired and I don't want to reinstall everything over again.

thanks!
Seth

 

[postmortemIA]

bootcamp should be your choice, virtual machine has inferior hardware (or better said, emulation of it)

 

[mcveigh]

I thought bootcamp let you dual boot. I'm afraid if she dual boots she'll just keep running windows more and more because she wants her sewing programs (I want her to switch to mac to cut back on tech support calls to #1 son)

 

[postmortemIA]

isn't OSX default option? if she wants to use Windows, let her do her thing.

 

[mcveigh]

she likes OSX, she also like being able to run windows inside of it and pop out to check her email. I know she won't like the idea of rebooting to run her program for a few minutes

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328874

Thy this. This worked for me when I did it in my VMWare XP part.

 

[RebateMonger]

You should be able to do an XP Repair Installation. That will re-install XP, will require you to enter the COA Key, and won't require you to re-install your applications. You'll have to re-install Windows Updates and Service Packs that aren't contained in your XP Install CD.

 

[mcveigh]

thanks everyone. Hopefully I can get this working ASAP

 

[Ratman6161]

Whether or not your version of XP is legit to run on the VM depends on what edition it was. If it was an OEM edition that came pre-installed on the old computer, then the license is tied to the original computer - so its not valid for use in the VM. That said, it should still work if you have a valid product key. I will tell you flat out that "a generic one from the Internet" is not going to work. MS has a database of all the product codes they consider "compromised" and any key you got from the internet is almost 100% guaranteed to be one of those - and will never activate.

If its an OEM copy that came pre-installed on the old computer, do you still have that old machine? If so, there will be a MS sticker on it somewhere that will have the product key.

 

[mcveigh]

I have the OEM version I bought when I built my mom's od machine. It's just when I installed it in VMware I couldn't find the COA sticker at the time. It's a 100% legit version installed on only one machine.

 

[Blain]

A. The OEM XP is tied to the PC you built for her.
B. Her current Mac isn't the one you built.
C. Installing the already assigned OEM XP on another machine (virtual or not), is in violation of the EULA that you agreed to when you installed XP the first time.
D. "Retail" versions aren't tied to any certain PC. They can be installed on any system (only one at a time).
If I remember correctly, you are allowed to install "retail" versions on a desktop as well as your laptop, if you have one.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Blain
If I remember correctly, you are allowed to install "retail" versions on a desktop as well as your laptop, if you have one.

No. That applies to some versions of MS Office, but not to of Windows. Tthe MS EULAs were poorly written and it's easy to get the above impression.