Multiple activations of Windows XP

[Fifer]

I read the following in another thread:

VMware is aware of the problem where switching from Boot Camp to a Fusion VM triggers activation in Vista. Ideally this would not happen, VMware are working on a solution.

I set up Boot Camp, installed Windows XP and activated it, then (next day) exited Boot Camp and installed Fusion. Using the Boot Camp partition as a VM, I had to activate Windows XP again, with some difficulty.

As I understand it, to-ing and fro-ing between the VM and Boot Camp initiates a request/instruction on the part of Window XP for activation. My questions are:

1) Do I understand correctly that at some point VMware will produce an update of some kind so that this no longer has to happen with Windows XP?

2) Will such an update only preclude the need for re-activation in the VM, still leaving the re-activation in the Boot Camp partition as a necessary step?

I have a feeling that Microsoft will get tetchy with folk re-activating multiple times, even though they have a legally acquired, single copy of Windows XP/Vista on one and only one machine.

[admin]

I'm not sure exactly what you're quoting, but my guess is that it's older than 1.1 (e.g. before Vista reactivation was solved). XP should work.

You need to install VMware Tools in the Boot Camp virtual machine, possibly activate once more in each environment, and then you should be OK.

[Fifer]

Hi, etung. It was in this thread, fourth comment down:

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/109108?tstart=90

Considering the date of the thread, it would have been Fusion version 1.0?

Yes, I have installed VMware Tools in the Boot Camp virtual machine.

So do you think that if I boot once more into Windows XP in the Boot Camp partition, I will be freed up from ever having to do an activation again? I'm thinking long term and the possibility of going back and forth between the VM and Boot Camp.

I am hesitant about this because I don't want to be frozen out of either environment. As you can tell, I am very much a newbie with all this.

[jim_gill]

You are okay.

VMware Tools keeps track of two sets of activation data: one for the Boot Camp native mode, one for the virtual machine. Early in the boot process, it arranges things so that Windows sees a legally activated set of data.

So long as your hardware doesn't change, you can reactivate Windows an unlimited number of times on the same computer (not that you'd need to...). Depending on the order in which you activated the Boot Camp partition vs when you installed Fusion, you may need one more activation in the Boot Camp partition, but that won't require a call to Microsoft.

This order has been found to work best:

1) Install Windows in the Boot Camp partition

2) Activate it.

3) Install Fusion and run your boot camp partition. Tools installs automatically.

4) Activate Windows in the virtual machine.

No further activations will be necessary. If you wait on the initial activation and do your first activation in the virtual machine, or somehow activate Windows in a VM before installing Tools, then you'll need a second activation.

[rrkessler]

I don't get this thing about this being solved. I have a new MacBook Pro and VMWare Fusion 1.1 and Leopard. I run an MSDNAA and so have access to several activation codes.

As far as I remember, I followed exactly the method outlined. Did bootcamp. Activated. Installed Fusion and brought up XP. Did activation. It was fine until I went back into Bootcamp. It wanted a new activation. Said that the hardware had been changed and needed a new code, I could not use the old one again. It would not let me activate it again. So, I used another activation code and it was happy (Fusion). Then I went back into Leopard and Fusion and it wanted a different activation code. I've gone through this several times and I'm to the point that I only run Bootcamp because I just can't spend any more of my activation codes.

The only thing that I can imagine is that the MSDNAA codes are some how different or something is broken with Fusion.

Is there no hope for me?

Thanks.

Bob.

[Fifer]

Bob, your situation is what I feared would happen with me ... just because it's me! I'm very hesitant, and quite ignorant, about things Windows.

However, what Jim describes is exactly what happened in my case. I wonder whether it comes down to hardware (again, an uneducated guess). I have an iMac, bought December 2007, with a natively installed version of Leopard.

Another bizarre chapter in my tale involves connecting wirelessly to the internet via my already set up and long standing wireless network, with its WPA security. I had read of other folks' problems and having to download and install more drivers from MS. However, the whole getting-online process took me the time needed to click a couple of items and key in my WPA password. Weird voodoo.

Have you tried enquiring on the Apple Discussion forums[/url], in the Boot Camp section?

[rrkessler]

I got it to work!!

Here is what I did.

I had been running Bootcamp only for months. I got one of those XP Activation key recovery programs and grabbed my activation key (I've put in some many that I forgot which one was the one that I used last).

I then booted up Leopard and ran fusion. I gave me the following error message: A problem prevented windows from accurately checking the status of the license for this computer. Your copy of windows must be activated with Microsoft. Do you want to activate now?

So, I said no. It logged me out. I shut down Fusion and started bootcamp again to see if it was corrupted. But it came up fine and was activated and everything. I checked the activation key and it was the same.

I fired up Leopard and Fusion again. This time it gave me a different error message: This copy must be activated before you can log in. Do you want to activate now?

I said yes. It said that my activation code had used up its activations and I needed a new code (in the past this is what I did, put in a new code and started the cycle over again). I decided after reading several postings that maybe I would try telephone activation. So, I called up and went through the process (you have to click on the telephone button at the bottom of the activation - took me a bit to figure that out). Well, after going through that process and telling them that this was the one computer that I had used the code on and that yes, it had a different configuration (hard drive, etc), it gave me a new code to put in. I entered it and fusion was up and running. I ran the key recovery program again just to see if that got changed and it was the same.

Now for the test. I shut down and fired up bootcamp and it worked!!! No activation problem. The activation key was still the same as it was in the beginning. Then I fired up leopard and fusion and it didn't complain at all.

So, it now all works. I don't know why, but it does.

Hope this helps you and anyone else having these problems.

Bob.

[Fifer]

Good news!

I have my fingers crossed that all will be plain sailing for a long while.

[jerryleejr]

Bob,

I was hoping it wouldnt come to that for me, I am currently deployed with the Army, I had my wife give them a call and explain it to them and they just transfered her to Tech Support which wanted to talk to me and remote log into my computer. Which wasnt going to happen from here. I am downloading 1.1.3 and see if that helps if not I will just deal with boot camp until I get home.

JJ