Virtualbox how to minimize Windows re- Activations?

[manko]

The videocard on my old laptop died, so I pulled the drive and converted it to VHD and got it running in Virtualbox on my desktop PC. Now, the VM system is asking for activation.

The OS is Windows XP Pro retail that I own and put on my laptop after wiping the original included OEM Home version. If I manage to repair or replace my dead laptop GPU, I may want to go back to running the existing system on the laptop physical hardware again.

So, what's the best procedure to minimize having to re-Activate Windows if I switch from running the system on Virtualbox back to running on the laptop again?

UPDATE: I went ahead and activated in the VM and the standard online activation worked. I hope it's that easy to switch the activation back to the laptop if I can get it repaired.

 

[DrGreen2007]

I would think if you replace the GPU with the same one on the laptop, when you fire up the OS, it wont see any changes since nothing changed...aka it shouldn't prompt to reactivate.

(unless you mean your going to try and image the VM onto the physical laptop drive)

 

[imagoon]

Windows wanted to reactivate because all the hardware changed. Virtual box appears to be a completely different system. If that VM stays alive it shouldn't ask for activations again. However you removed the HDD and "stuck it in to the Virtual machine." Which will always trigger an activation since the chipset, drive controller, video, serial numbers all changed.

 

[manko]

Thanks for the replies. The vm is now activated, so if I can repair the laptop and boot into Windows, I expect that it will phone home and probably deactivate the laptop system until I run activation again.

The vm runs quite well since it's on much faster hardware, but there are a few things that the laptop hardware can handle that none of my newer machines are set up for (and there are no drivers beyond XP). If Microsoft does pull the plug on patches in a few months, the vm might be better suited to keep around as an offline system.

 

[DrGreen2007]

I don't think the laptop will prompt for reactivation, as long as you replace the video with the same one

 

[Golgatha]

I would think if you replace the GPU with the same one on the laptop, when you fire up the OS, it wont see any changes since nothing changed...aka it shouldn't prompt to reactivate.

(unless you mean your going to try and image the VM onto the physical laptop drive)

Some hardware IDs can change even if it's the same model of a piece of hardware. In my experience the biggest no no's are C: HDD change out and NICs to trigger reactivations.

 

[DrGreen2007]

Yes, Ive seen/noticed the same thing, one change is aok usually, two changes might trigger it.