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alibaba40
Contributor
Contributor

Windows activation required for activated windows

Hi,

I have a Sony laptop, windows xp home (provided on laptop), lots of legal applications (and windosw is activated on this computer).

This laptop falled, screen is broken, will not be repaired..

I connected an external screen, installed vmware 7, connected an external usb disk, vmware: import-> local computer in a new virtual machine, stored on external usb disk, OK without errors.

Bought new Asus laptop, windows 7 64 bits, installed vmware, copied virtual machine from external hdd to internal hdd, power on virtual machine.

After VM win xp logon, the vm asks me to activate the windows xp version of the virtual machine.

If I click no, computer logs off, I cannot work with the vm.

If I click yes, computer tells windows is already activated, computer logs off, I cannot work with vm.

Tried safe mode, same effect.

Help please... Both windows versions are legal. Just one of the windows will be kept "alive" in a virtual machine on a host that has another legal windows licence.

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6 Replies
Primetime_de
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

An OEM version was shipped with your Sony notebook.

Windows was pre-activated with a special BIOS signature.

This signature is now missing inside the VM but you can activate Windows via telephone.

Here in Germany it's legal...

Best regards

Christian

Best regards Christian
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albourg
Contributor
Contributor

1. He tells windows IS activated when clicking on link.

2. He doesn't show any phone number and doesn't propose to activate windows over the phone.

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JamesVan
Contributor
Contributor

Mount the virtual disk on your host and remove the XP activation file. This will cause the XP VM to request a new activation and if it fails over the internet you will get the screen to activate by phone.

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albourg
Contributor
Contributor

which file is the xp activation file?

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JamesVan
Contributor
Contributor

Oops, sorry about that. The activation file is %windir%\system32\WPA.dbl.

I would first try to rename this file to wpa.dbl.old.

Knew I seen this some place before. If renaming the file does not work then read this post:

Fits the exact problem your having.

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albourg
Contributor
Contributor

Same problem, indeed. But proposed solution doesn't work. :_|

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