Activating Windows 8 Pro on VMWare Fusion 5 - Product Key does not work

[justsimplysam]

I've installed a retail copy of windows 8 pro on fusion 5 using a 64-bit installation disc which worked fine (This is my first virtual machine so I didn't install windows 8 to an existing windows 7 partition so I installed just installed windows 8 anew) During installation it asked me for the product key which it accepted. After installation I tried customising windows 8 and it told me that I needed to 'activate windows'. I go to settings>activate windows, enter the product key and it wont accept it. It refuses my product key and I'm not sure how to get around it.

How do I activate windows? Have I purchased a wrong copy of windows 8? Do I need to purchase an OEM copy of windows 8? Any help would be great!

Thanks 

[avanish321]

Did you get any error message when you entered the key while activating ? If yes what was the error msg?

[WoodyZ]

If it was an upgrade version have a look at "Activate Windows 8 Pro Upgrade" in Windows 8 Upgrade: clean install possible?.

Additional interesting links can be found on this page: Tag Archives: clean install on Windows 8 Pro Upgrade in VMWare Fusion"

[justsimplysam]

I cant remember what it says exactly, im at college at the moment but I'll have a look tonight when I get home - something along the lines of 'the product key is invalid, re-enter the product key or enter a different product key'

[justsimplysam]

No its NOT the upgrade version, its an ordinary retail copy of windows 8 pro bought from a store and installed using an installation disk. i didnt have windows 7 as a virtual machine before hand

[WoodyZ]

What version of VMware Fusion 5.0.x?

Did you use Easy Install?  If yes try not using Easy Install.

Otherwise we'll need to know the exact error message however if the Virtual Machine has Internet Connectivity then this is probably not really a VMware issue per se and you will most likely have to contact Microsoft directly to resolve your Microsoft Windows Product Activation issue

[avanish321]

It looks like the key entered is indeed incorrect and is definitely not an upgrade disk. Double check they key. If issue persists, you may have to contact vendor.

[WoodyZ]

Windows normally validates the Product Key during the install/setup process and will not continue past a certain point if it's not, so I doubt that it's not a valid key!   Also possibly relevant is the exact version of VMware Fusion as there were Windows 8 specific changes made to Easy Install in each release version.  However without the exact error message and maybe some additional information it's a moot issue anyway and my end up having to be resolved by Microsoft directly.

[justsimplysam]

Im currently using vmware fusion 5.02 should that change anything? so I should re-install windows 8 without easy install?

[WoodyZ]

As I've previously said, without and exact error message all I can suggest is if you used Easy Install then don't.  Also I'd suggest setting the Network Adapter temporarily to Private to my Mac (see Configuring the Network Connection) and install VMware Tools before switching the Network Adapter to either Bridged Networking or Share with my Mac, the latter of which is the normal default.  Then verify you have Internet Connectivity from within Windows 8 and then attempt to activate it.  If you do have Internet Connectivity and it will not then properly activate then you'll need to contact Microsoft directly as WPA issues in this context are not VMware issues per se.

[MacsRule]

justsimplysam wrote:

No its NOT the upgrade version, its an ordinary retail copy of windows 8 pro bought from a store and installed using an installation disk. i didnt have windows 7 as a virtual machine before hand

I don't think you can buy the full Windows 8 installer (i.e., the OEM version) in stores. You can buy a DVD version of the Windows 8 Pro upgrade installer pretty much anywhere, as well as buying the downloaded upgrade from Microsoft (sort of like buying Lion from the App Store when running Snow Leopard). I just checked Staples, which doesn't seem to offer the OEM version at all, and Best Buy, which will sell it to you on-line and ship it to a store near you, but I can't find any stores which have an OEM box on the shelf they can just hand to you.

[justsimplysam]

How can I install vmware tools on my windows 8 guest operating system? with easy install it automatically installed it for me

and I haven't got the OEM copy, but this is what is on the 'Upgrade to Windows 8 - Microsoft' Page - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/upgrade-to-windows-8#section_5

- (scroll down to 'Purchasing a full version of Windows 8'

'Purchasing a full version of Windows 8

If you want to build your own PC and install Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro, or want an additional operating system running in either a local virtual machine or separate partition (including a Mac), you can purchase the Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro System Builder products (OEM versions). If available in your country or region, Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro System Builder products can be purchased at participating stores, you'll need to ask a sales rep for more information. This version does not include customer support.'

[MacsRule]

justsimplysam wrote:

How can I install vmware tools on my windows 8 guest operating system? with easy install it automatically installed it for me

and I haven't got the OEM copy, but this is what is on the 'Upgrade to Windows 8 - Microsoft' Page - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/upgrade-to-windows-8#section_5

- (scroll down to 'Purchasing a full version of Windows 8'

'Purchasing a full version of Windows 8

If you want to build your own PC and install Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro, or want an additional operating system running in either a local virtual machine or separate partition (including a Mac), you can purchase the Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro System Builder products (OEM versions). If available in your country or region, Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro System Builder products can be purchased at participating stores, you'll need to ask a sales rep for more information. This version does not include customer support.'

That, indeed, is the product I was describing but apparently is not the product you have. (I'm emphasizing "product" because that's what Microsoft will do, as I learned with the "free" upgrade to Office 2013 from Office 2010 purchased now: the three license Home and Student Office 2010 is a "product" and the single license Home and Student Office 2013 is also a product and the free upgrade is one product for one product).

[justsimplysam]

I know that I don't have that copy, but what I'm asking is do I need that copy in order to run windows 8 as a virtual machine on Vmware Fusion 5?

[sigpoggy]

If the activation key you are using is from buying the $40 upgrade, it will not work on a clean install which is what Fusion does. The work around is to reinstall Windows 8 over the one you just installed (saying you want to replace everything). Then the activation will work since it over wrote and existing version of windows and is therefore not a clean install.

This solution worked for me.

[WoodyZ]

sigpoggy wrote:

If the activation key you are using is from buying the $40 upgrade, it will not work on a clean install which is what Fusion does. The work around is to reinstall Windows 8 over the one you just installed (saying you want to replace everything). Then the activation will work since it over wrote and existing version of windows and is therefore not a clean install.

This solution worked for me.

Sure you can do that but it's ludicrous to have to do that much when all that is necessary is setting one value in the Windows Registry and then running a simple command.  It takes but a minute and certainly is way faster then the time it takes to install twice!

[justsimplysam]

I've just tried both methods and it STILL comes up with the same problem. I enter the product key at the end and it says 'This key didn't work. Please check it and try again, or try a different key'. I'm really confused on what I need to do.

[justsimplysam]

I think I found the problem.

went to activate windows through control pannel and it gave me a error message reading

'The following failure occurred whilst trying to use the product key:

Code:

0xC004F061

Description:

The Software Licencing Service determined that this specified product key can only be used for upgrading, not for clean installations'.

So does this mean that I need to buy Windows 7 in order to install Windows 8 Pro? and if yes, what version of Windows 7 would I need e.g. will an ordinary copy of something such as Windows 7 Home Premium work?

[WoodyZ · Accepted solution]

Would you just do what is says under the "Activate Windows 8 Pro Upgrade" section in Windows 8 Upgrade: clean install possible? and be done with this issue!

[justsimplysam]

This is exactly what I needed! thats a million!