8 replies to this topic

[Zoso]

I have a new in box genuine XP Home retail edition that has never been activated and I would like to activate inside a vmware workstation virtual machine.

first question: is this possible without a hitch?

second question: can I boot this .vdmk vm in workstation on a different system/hardware as is without extra usboot or other tweaks and without having to re-activate due to hardware changes?


thanks

[Rootman]

Yes, it should be.  OEM versions are sometimes tied to specific hardware and will refuse to install on something else, retail versions are not.

 

You say NEW, does this mean that that license key has never been activated?  If so you are probably golden.  If you HAVE activated it before it may refuse to activate, in that case you will be forced to activate it via phone.  You call a number which is given to you on the activation screen, you MUST tell the eltro voice on the other end that you have put this OS on only ONE PC, else the activation will cancel right then and there.  You give the voice a long string of characters and the voice gives you another string back - that string you type into the dialog and it typically activates.

[Zoso]

brand new, still in shrink wrap with hologram/seal.


I havnt needed it but since official support for XP is ending soon I think I should activate it because Im not sure if activation will be possible after support ends for XP.

before I try this I wanted to make sure activation through a VMware machine actually works. it seems like the activation server might detect a virtual install and throw a monkey wrench into the mix or something.


also would srill like to know the correct answer to my second question in OP.


thanks

[Rootman]

Changing hosts WILL require reactivation in the situation you specified, the only keys that don't need reactivation are multiple activation keys for corporate versions.  Putting the VM on a different host machine will trip reactivation.

[Zoso]

if it is installed in a VM then how does it know the host has changed and is there a way to prevent it knowing?

thanks

[Wonko the Sane]

Let's say that one installs a legit XP on a PC and activates it for the first time.
Then someone physically steals the CD (and Key) and installs the same XP source on another machine.
 
When it comes to activation the good MS guys detect that that same key has already been activated.
 
What would they do ?:

• deny the requested activation
• deny the requested activation, then scan the whole internet until they find the first PC and remove also that activation
• deny the requested activation,  then scan the whole internet until they find the first PC and remove also that activation, find also all the PC's running any windows OS belonging to all first grade relatives of the original owner of the CD, and deactivate all of them, further banning their IP from MS servers, canceling their accounts on SkyPe, MSN and Dropbox for additional retaliation

 
 
Choose one.
 
http://www.vmware.co...2_guestos5.html
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
Known Issues 

The Microsoft Windows XP product activation feature creates a numerical key based on the virtual hardware in the virtual machine where it is installed. Changes in the configuration of the virtual machine may require you to reactivate the operating system. There are some steps you can take to minimize the number of significant changes.
...

Learn about Yes votes:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.php

More:
http://www.msfn.org/...vation-servers/
http://www.msfn.org/...ows-activation/
http://www.msfn.org/...post__p__827471

Again choose, but choose wisely.

http://www.imdb.com/...?item=qt0357926

 

Wonko

[Zoso]

Thanks for the linkage Wonko.

so theoretically you can move the virtual machine to a different host if you set the machines parameters exactly the same as the first one it was in when activated but I think VMware copies the hosts processor type and that it is not a parameter of the vm that can be changed so that may be a problem. I dont have enough experience with vmware to be sure.

the topic is my effort to find a way to keep a this legitamate copy of XP arround long after support for it and the host the vm was activated in is gone.

I will experiemnt a little before attempting the first activation with the XPInfo tool provided in one of those links. I just dont want to blow it (activation) since a new retail copy of xp is no longer officialy available.

I hesitate to even open the package.

BTW Im drawing a relation with that last link..

[Rootman]

I've moved entire VM's completely (with .VBOX setup files) from one host to another and opened them, since the hosts CPUs are so different they inevitably require reactivation.  If I recall it seems like the second or perhaps even third time it allows it over the internet, after that it refuses to allow the subsequent reactivations and requires you to call on the phone and confirm vocally that you have installed this OS on only ONE computer, anything else and the activation stops right then and there, I am NOT sure if the keys get "black listed" or not - that is, NEVER to be activated again.  I would imagine that OS keys that are stolen or released publicly and used over and over again eventually get blocked but I am not sure of this.  The machines that are already activated do not get kicked off again - UNLESS something like a CPU change requires them to be reactivated again.  There are times when a user will get the MB and CPU replaced and upgrade the HDD so there has to be some way to allow reactivation, albeit awkwardly over the phone.

[Wonko the Sane]

What the provided links say is different, mind you no one says that it is correct, BUT it says ANOTHER thing.

 

And of course different VM's may behave differently.

See also:

http://www.licenturion.com/xp/

 

 

Wonko