Fusion 8 - Win 10 (new install, not upgrade) - Bootcamp Activation problem and Metro apps crash.

[PixelPeep]

I installed Windows 10 Home (not an upgrade but a new full licence) onto a Bootcamp partition.

Everything was working nicely before I decided to install VMWare Fusion 8 to test out. I owned Fusion 7 but thought Fusion 8 would be needed.

I noticed on the forum here that many people were having issues - but I foolishly thought that it was mainly with those who upgraded from a previous version of Windows.

So now Windows is not activated when I run it in Fusion and it says "the activation server reported that the product key has exceeded its unlock limit" . Error code: 0xC004C008

It has only been 'unlocked' once when I installed it using Bootcamp.

However it remains activated when I restart into Bootcamp.

Unfortunately I find my "Modern Apps" crash now too... and I cannot open the Microsoft 'Store' app to even re-install them.

They all crash on start... both when starting into Bootcamp and when running Fusion from Bootcamp.

It really seems like VMWare rushed out Fusion too quickly - maybe to try and 'catch up' with Parallels?

I would love to hear any comments on how to fix...

Do I really have to phone Microsoft activation to activate this twice? I thought I could do it twice with my new licence?

thanks.

[MacsRule]

Note the comment in the middle of this article about activation issues in Parallels when using a Windows 10 Boot Camp installation as the source for creating a Virtual Machine. There were comments when Windows 10 was first publicly released that activation would be much stricter and the error reported when you try is simply telling the truth.

[Woodmeister50]

There are a myriad of issues with Windows 10 activation.  Bootcamp and Fusion combo is not alone.

The problem also exists in that "other VM environment" (won't mention the name as their new upgrade

options have left me with a bad taste, hence my return to Fusion).

There are also activation issues with Windows10 VM imported from that "other company".

However, in this case, I think Microsloth is the major culprit as there are activation issues on all

fronts which include real PCs.  Their change in activation is now much more tightly tied to hardware

configuration than ever before and they still need to iron out needed exceptions to their rules.

Also, FWIW, my impression is that clean installs seem to be the top items when it comes to activation issues.

[PixelPeep]

Thank you for your replies.

While the issues may be with "the other" VM software option as well... perhaps that only means that BOTH companies rushed their release.

If both are saying they are Windows 10 "ready" then that isn't really true then.

Whether they support Cortana or not is the least of my needs. It doesn't seem like it offers much more than Fusion 7 then in the areas that count...

I hope an update to the VM tools will fix this.

To my way of thinking a "hard installed" Windows in Bootcamp should have less issues with activation - the VM software should be designed to use that pre-existing computer and not turn it into another machine which makes it act like a copy. You don't have to tell me why it doesn't work that way, but that is how I think it should be for Bootcamp as opposed to a 'Virtual Machine'.

However regardless of activation issues, I am wondering how I can get my Metro apps to work again?

If I was to uninstall Fusion and remove the VMWare tools out of the Bootcamp partition I wonder if they will come back?

Has anyone else had problems with these apps not working and found a solution?

Cheers.

[MacsRule]

"While the issues may be with "the other" VM software option as well... perhaps that only means that BOTH companies rushed their release.

If both are saying they are Windows 10 "ready" then that isn't really true then."

Actually, Fusion is ready and was ready. I've been running Windows 10 as a Windows Insider since January in Fusion 7 without a problem. I've also upgraded a Windows 8.1 VM to Windows 10 and, again, it was successful. In both instances, the installation or upgrade was for a single license and that is what they are enforcing.

The "problem" is that Microsoft has become very aggressive about pirating their OS and so keeps track of activation count on a given product key, which is what your error message reported.

[PixelPeep]

Thanks again for your comment.

Please be assured... I am not trying to argue with anyone... just stating an opinion from my experience with the new software.

For yours and others reference, I restarted my Mac into Bootcamp and uninstalled the VMWare tools... and hey Presto!! All of a sudden my Metro apps are working again!

So while Microsoft may be adding to the problem of activation, I still feel justified in thinking that VMWare and no doubt Parallels too have released their software too soon without getting rid of important bugs.

I may try to install the VMWare tools again to see if it works this time... but it is a bit disappointing so far.

[PixelPeep]

Well I may have to eat my words just a little....

I reinstalled VMWare Tools into Win 10 and now the Metro Apps are working on both Fusion running as a VM and when I hard Boot into Bootcamp.

Plus now in Fusion it says that my Windows in now activated!

Strange how it required a removal of the "Tools" and a reinstall of them to work.

About the only thing different I did was disable "Syncronize Time" in the 'Advanced' control panel of Fusion settings.

So for now I am happy again... the speed and responsiveness compared to Bootcamp is so-so... but ok for now.