Product key "already in use"

[Guest]

I entered my product key for MS Windows Vista when I first installed the
software about a couple weeks ago, but today a message from the bottom right
of my taskbar tells me that my product key is already in use by someone else.
I paid $200 for my copy of Windows Vista Home Basic and so if someone else
is using a different copy with the same product key, they must have pirated
it, not me. So what should I do? Also, I want to note that I'm using it on
a Macintosh Intel processor-based laptop, in case that might have something
to do with it. Thanks!

 

[Tim]

The obvious first question to ask is...where did you purchase Vista Home
Basic?

It makes no difference if you are running on an Intel Mac.

Tim

 

[Guest]

I bought it at Best Buy. Should I take it back there and tell them what
happened?

Vikram

 

[Richard Urban]

Even though PC's have problems with hardware drivers causing a similar
problem, I would (were I you) post to a Mac help group, as Vista is totally
blind to any drivers Apple may provide.

It is up to the hardware manufacturer (in this case Apple) to make certain
that the drivers they supply, in allowing Vista to run on Apple computers,
are sufficient and do not cause any such problems.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Robert Moir]

Even though PC's have problems with hardware drivers causing a similar
problem, I would (were I you) post to a Mac help group, as Vista is
totally blind to any drivers Apple may provide.

It is up to the hardware manufacturer (in this case Apple) to make certain
that the drivers they supply, in allowing Vista to run on Apple computers,
are sufficient and do not cause any such problems.

If the user is running Windows Vista via Apple Bootcamp then they will have
installed using Apple provided drivers. I don't believe Apple have updated
the drivers they provide that recently.

Therefore, this is either not a driver issue at all or an issue with drivers
provided by Microsoft via Windows Update, and thus not especially likely to
be an Apple issue.

 

[Guest]

Actually, I know what the problem is now, but I'm not sure how to fix it.
What happened was, I installed Windows Vista using a virtual machine in
Parallels Desktop for Mac, and then I installed it again using Boot Camp.
Unfortunately, the virtual machine I used in Parallels Desktop has been
corrupted, so I have no way of deactivating Vista from that virtual machine.
What should I do?

Vikram

 

[DP]

Easiest solution, I'd think, would be to activate by phone and explain your
problem to the human who answers.

 

[Robert Moir]

Actually, I know what the problem is now, but I'm not sure how to fix it.
What happened was, I installed Windows Vista using a virtual machine in
Parallels Desktop for Mac, and then I installed it again using Boot Camp.
Unfortunately, the virtual machine I used in Parallels Desktop has been
corrupted, so I have no way of deactivating Vista from that virtual
machine.
What should I do?

I'd agree with DP.

The error message you're getting is absolutely correct. The product key is
in use in more than one place (one real computer, one virtual computer) and
that's the problem you are having. Phone and get it re-activated.

 

[McBeth]

I actually have more or less the same problem. I recently formated my
computer and it tells me that my code is in use. I find that rather wierd but
if someone can tell me how to magade that trouble I would be pleased.

 

[John Barnett MVP]

Try telephone activation. See this link from my website:
http://vistasupport.mvps.org/product_key_already_in_use.htm

--
--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
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reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[McBeth]

The thing is: I successfully installed Vista and now it says that my key is
in use(as I said before) and I have no idea where the first step of the
process you mentionned is.