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andresmlna
Contributor
Contributor

Windows 10 + Boot Camp VM = activation issue (error 0xc004c003)

I upgraded my Windows 8.1 from the Boot Camp partition, it is activated. Now when I create a new Boot Camp virtual machine and proceed to activate I have the following error:


Error 0xc004c003

The activation server determined the specified product key has been blocked.


On my Boot Camp partition, Windows 10 it's activated. This error activation only happens on Boot Camp VM.


PD: my Windows 8.1 license is a Retail MSDN (Dreamspark).



Edit 1:

According to this thread on Reddit there is a solution


  • In VMware Fusion, hide the physical Windows 10 drive
  • add a virtual drive
  • install Windows 7 on that with my CD-Key
  • upgrade it to Windows 10
  • verify that that it is Activated (my VMware virtual hardware should be whitelisted)
  • remove the virtual drive and un-hide the physical drive

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29 Replies
mntnbighker
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

The new MS automatic validation process relies  on hardware identification. I think hypervisors are in direct conflict with their methods. So until VMware and company can work with MS to find a solution it's going to be a problem. And I'm not sure MS thinks it's in their best interest to resolve this. My existing 8.1 VM successfully upgraded to 10 in place. But so far I can't do a bare metal new install. It will not activate.

SKasai
Contributor
Contributor

Actually, I am trying to talk with the Microsoft Techs about this, as this is part of the problem with how they are doing activations.

One of the things is, VMWare itself states that you will have to do a second activation with Windows if you are mounting a Boot Camp Windows while in VMWare Fusion.

Windows counts the VMWare mounting as if you are on new hardware and requires a secondary activation.

Problem is, Windows 10 is fairly new and the upgrade is only to take into account a single activation based on your upgraded hardware.

Once I get more information from Microsoft, assuming I get through their long tech support queue and get them to go over my case again, I will bring more information, but I do know that one tech cited that there are currently no 'Windows 10' product keys they can give to users at this time due to the upgrade path going on.

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SKasai
Contributor
Contributor

Okay...  I just got off the phone and here is Microsoft's Answer...

At this time Windows 10 is fairly new...  The Upgrade is ONLY for a SINGLE activation.  So Boot Camp Users trying to access their Boot Camp Windows 10 will have an activation block because you are trying to use the product key again.

I told them that there are Windows Users, such as myself, who bought a retail version of Windows 7/8 that should have been qualified for more than 1 activation and that there are users with Macs with a Boot Camp install and using VMWare who would like to be able to access their Windows 10 install that it should be an option.

The tech I spoke with noted it and I did ask them to contact me when we have this option available.

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0mshirtcliff0
Contributor
Contributor

I can confirm the activation issues and currently have a support ticket open with VMware regarding the same.

I've confirmed i can get activation working in only one location at a time.

Install and activate of 8.1 in bootcamp and upgraded and activated in fusion to 10 completed

Install and activate of 8.1 in bootcamp and upgraded and activated in bootcamp to 10 completed

Clean install of 10 in bootcamp (skipping both key requests) and activated fine, opening via fusion then breaks activation and activation fails upon returning to bootcamp.

Only way i can get activation currently in both bootcamp and fusion is to enable preview builds which i'm not happy to do for my production desktop.

(i've confirmed multiple upgrade install paths face the same issue, different keys, different os as i have multiple keys for win 7, 8, 8.1 via technet)

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andresmlna
Contributor
Contributor

VMware Technical Support insists that the problem is Microsoft and its new licensing system. VMware might notice this problem and work on a way to emulate (if possible) the hardware id Macs.

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glutenenvy
Contributor
Contributor

I have the same issue with a retail key. It worked fine booting to VM or Bootcamp when it was still at Windows 7.

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SKasai
Contributor
Contributor

That is because Windows 7 Retail you have 3 activations and you are allowed to put it on different machines within the activation count.  If it was OEM, you don't have a choice.

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jim_gill
Expert
Expert

Yes, this is a change in the way Microsoft handles activation, and it is definitely linked to the free upgrade -- for this test I went Win7Pro -> Win10Pro.

(The problem didn't occur when I installed a retail copy of Win10Home into my Boot Camp partition; I activated it in native Boot Camp, started it as a VM under Fusion, and activated the VM, by phone, after installing VMware Tools. Activation is preserved across multiple switches between Boot Camp and the VM.)

I used the command "slui 4" to open the activation support window and called the number on the screen. The robot couldn't provide an activation ID -- it had when I installed Win7 Boot Camp -- and transferred me to a Microsoft representative.

I explained I was using VMware Fusion and Boot Camp but I don't think she was familiar with that. She did ask me for the error code (C004C003) and my Win7 product ID, then she verified that it was valid for activation. She then told me that the activation servers were very busy; if I waited a while my machine would activate automatically. Over on the Parallels forums there's a thread similar to this one, where people report that the reps told them the same thing, however one fellow has posted "Yep, I was told this several times by MS over the last 9-10 days, and I didn't believe them. However....... today it happened! The limbo period moved on to the validated period! BC and the VM both validated with the same key."

That hasn't happened to me yet, but I'm hoping. I'll post again on Monday, or sooner if I activate.

lsh08
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks for the explanation.     Did the rep do anything that will result in a fix or are you saying that she just said be patient?

I upgraded to 10 Pro from 8.1 Pro and my bootcamp install is activated.     But my virtual machine built on Bootcamp won't activate.    It's been about 10 days.   I'm not sure If I just need to wait or contact Microsoft to resolve.

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glutenenvy
Contributor
Contributor

Has this been addressed with Fusion 8?

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morts331
Contributor
Contributor

No.  Same problem with fusion 8.  I had to resort to a kms activator to get windows activated in both.

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0mshirtcliff0
Contributor
Contributor

The call i had open with VMware support has been closed for this issue. VMware are activly working onthe issue with Microsoft and hoping to release a future update to address this issue in Fusion 8. Additionally the release notes have been updated for Fusion 8 to include this as a known issue:

  • After upgrading to Windows 10 on a Boot Camp partition, Windows 10 cannot be reactivated when running as a virtual machine
    The following results are indicative of this issue:
    • You successfully upgrade an earlier version of Windows to Windows 10 on a Boot Camp partition.
    • You successfully activate the Windows 10 when running Boot Camp partition in native mode.
    • Windows 10 is unactivated when running as virtual machine and cannot be reactivated.

      Workaround: This is a Microsoft issue. Often, the issue corrects itself and Windows 10 eventually activates without any intervention, if you leave the virtual machine on.

It should be noted that in my testing the specified workaround does not work unless you remain (opt-in) in the insider preview program. This is not suitable for a production use system as you will receive incremental test builds of later updates that may introduce issues.

VMware Fusion 8.0 Release Notes

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Toweri
Contributor
Contributor

This is  to confirm, that the issue lies with the upgrade version of Windows 10. It cannot be dual-activated, as is required to run it under VM as well as "native" Boot Camp. You need a retail version - which will set you back 275 euros..

I had the same problem with Boot Camp and Parallels 11.

It was solved, after I purchased a retail version of Windows 10.

Under "native" Boot Camp, I replaced the upgrade-related key with the retail key, using the "Change product key" button on Win10 'Settings - Update & Security - Activation'

I then proceeded to launch "My Boot Camp" under Parallels. In Windows, I opened admin Command Prompt.

By entering "slui 4" a dialog opened to utilise the Microsoft Phone Activation, giving correct phone number via country selection.

The Phone activation proceeded succesfully - and Windows 10 is now activated both under Boot Camp as well as Parallels "My Boot Camp".

I am certain this is the case with VMware as well.

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morts331
Contributor
Contributor

I'm not sure if it's the upgrade version thats not allowing dual activation.  I think the version of windows 7 that you upgrade from determines that.  In my case I had windows 7 pro oem.  That is all I can get locally so that is what I went with at the time.  I did have to phone in to MS to get it activated in both physical boot and vm boot.  I then upgraded to windows 10.  I then did a clean install after.  Windows 10 refuses to activate in both.  Phoning the activation line does not work.

Now, if I had the retail version of windows 7 and upgraded, would that activate 2 times?  I'm thinking so.  With the oem version it's bound to 1 piece of hardware.  When that hardware dies or is replaced, the license is gone.  The retail version your allowed to move between machines.

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lsh08
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I had a similar situation to you.   I believe if you reinstall your Win7 & activate, then upgrade but do the clean install option you'll

at least be activated on bootcamp again.  That's what I did from my oem win 8 pro version.   I had a failed upgrade.   Tried to install clean but couldn't activate.   So started a fresh win8 pro install, activated, the upgraded using the fresh install option (not sure how that was worded). 

But I started with  a retail win8 pro system builder license that I think I did have to call to activate on VM too.   So I don't think the retail legacy is the problem.     Maybe any upgraded win10 has an issue?      It would be interesting to know if anyone that upgraded activated on both AND if everyone with retail WIN 10 activated on both.    Maybe a poll on macrumors would help sort out what works.

I am unable to activate both bootcamp and VM       I'm wondering what will happen to us as the 30 days approaches?

I do rarely boot into windows natively, so also wondering if I can deactivated bootcamp and activate in Vm?

i do need the option to boot natively in windows overall.

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KenV99
Contributor
Contributor

You can deactivate a key following the steps here: http://www.thewindowsclub.com/deactivate-uninstall-windows-product-key

As a full disclaimer, I haven't tried this with Windows 10, so YMMV.

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brianez21
Contributor
Contributor

Actually, this could be a VMware problem.

Look at the log file for the driver which VMware Tools installs to handle these activation issues:

C:\ProgramData\VMware\RawdskCompatibility\vmrawdsk.log

You'll see this:

Windows OS is earlier than Vista; driver exiting.

Even though you're on Windows 10.

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morts331
Contributor
Contributor

That could be part of the problem.  From what I have been reading the main problem is the FREE upgrade version of Windows 10 is bound to 1 machine only (hardware ID).  The thing that bothers me is that it doesn't matter if you upgraded from win 7 retail to win 10, you still can't activate more than once or transfer the license to a new computer.  There are a lot of people annoyed of that.  The retail version should be transferable to a new machine.

There is a work around posted in the original post, however I've had no luck with it working.  Maybe it did work at one point.  After reading the output of 'slgmgr /dlv' there is an "Installation ID".  I'm guessing MS is only allowing 1 hardware ID per installation ID which is why bootcamp and fusion can't seem to be activated at the same time; 2 hardware ids and 1 installation id.  This is the part that vmware tools should probably handle.

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Data2Go
Contributor
Contributor

I am seeing this issue, or something very much like it, with a clean retail (paid, no upgrade) install of Windows 10 Professional. It activated in Boot Camp and now will not activate in VMWare Fusion 8. I have not had an opportunity to call the provided phone number and wait.

The last time I had an activation issue, many years ago with an earlier version of Windows, MS was able to resolve the issue over the phone, so I am optimistic at the moment.

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