Gatewa 500gr vmware installation

[lmntvaq8]

Hello all, as some of you might know, Gateway desktops don't come with their own separate Windows XP disk; instead, we have a bundled disk which includes many programs including Windows XP. I was wondering if there would be a way to install windows XP onto my VMware via the disk. I tried previously and it would say an error that it didn't detect a drive. Any help would be appreciated.

Windows XP sp2

VMware-workstation-5.5.3-34685

[KevinG]

Typically, OEM install CDs and OS recovery CDs are designed to place an operating system onto a PC with the factory configuration and defaults specific to that vendor. A VMware virtual machine provides a complete virtual PC for the operating system running in it. The vendor-specific hardware and BIOS components expected by the OEM software are not present inside the virtual machine, and the installation or restore cannot continue. This is also true for physical PCs. If you attempt to use one manufacturer's OEM install or OS recovery CD on a physical PC from different vendor, sometimes even just a different model by the same manufacturer, it will refuse to install. The best way to work around this problem is to install your Guest operating system with a full install CD, rather than using an OEM install or recovery CD.

What OS did you select in the dropdown menu when you created the virtual machine?

Are you creating the VM with a virtual disk or are you trying to use a physical disk?

[lmntvaq8]

Ah, sorry dumb mistakes, I simply switched the driver to D and was able to load my disk. Now the next problem is that i says I have an incorrect validation key. I tried typing in the code on the back of my computer, and no luck. Any help?

OS I chose was windows XP

Creating VM with physical disk I believe...what's a virtual disk? sorry kind of new to this.

[KevinG]

You may want to look for the validation key on the CD, the CD sleeve or on the CD book if it came with one. Typically the EULA agreement that comes with the OEM CD does not allow you to install on another machine that it was not purchased with, this includes a virtual machine.

[lmntvaq8]

Alright, thanks. I guess I won't be able to get this VM to work unless I buy another Windows OS disk...I checked my WindowsXP booklet and it says the COA is located on my computer. I used it, and well, same error.

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lmntvaq8