Activating Windows XP Home running on Virtual PC 2004

[Helen B]

Hi

I have a new original Windows XP Home CD, which I havn't installed as my
main OS yet (currently win2000).

Instead, I have installed it on a Virtual PC on my machine.

When I start up my virtual pc, XP prompts me to Activate my copy of XP
Home.. I now only have 13 days before I have to activate it.

My question is, if I activate it on my Virtual PC, will I still be able to
install and activate it as my host OS later?

Or, if I install it as my host OS now, will I still be able to install it on
virtual pc's running on my machine.

I write software and use virtual pc's for testing.

Thanks

h

 

[Jeff]

at worst youll have to make a phone call to microsoft and
they will give you another CD key. its quite painless.

 

[D.Currie]

Unless of course you tell them that it's running on both virtual and real
PCs. If you read the info for Virtual PC it explains that you need separate
licenses for each OS you load.

 

[Jeff]

I was under the assumption that the Virtual PC
installation would be removed by this point, as she
explained she hasnt yet installed it as her main OS, and
seems to be testing it in the virual pc environment
first. at that point, there would be only one
installation.

 

[D.Currie]

I was under the assumption that the Virtual PC
installation would be removed by this point, as she
explained she hasnt yet installed it as her main OS, and
seems to be testing it in the virual pc environment
first. at that point, there would be only one
installation.

She asked, "Or, if I install it as my host OS now, will I still be able to
install it on virtual pc's running on my machine." which sounds like the
intention is to have it as the host AND one or more virtual PCs for testing.

Even though it's on the same machine, Virtual PC uses devices that are
different from the actual hardware in the computer, so at the least it's
going to require activation again because it's not going to "see" the same
hardware.

 

[Helen B]

Thanks, this makes sense to me. Looks like I need I need to re-think things
a bit.