Activation isn't "taking" (virtual machine problem?)

[Laurel]

I installed XP Professional on a virtual machine yesterday. It was a bit
confusing, since at some points I was told I needed updates, and had to
activate to get updates. I did get 90 updates when I shut it down - long
after I thought I was done.
I'm not sure of all that happened. What I am very
sure of is that I entered the 25 character code that was stuck to my CD case
at least twice - maybe 3 times. I don't recall an error - but I certainly
don't recall 3 errors. Anyway, I'm still getting "29 days left for
activation."
I could click on the btutton to activate, but I'm afraid I'm using up my
"times" with Microsoft. I'm
afraid the problem may be with my virtual machine, or something else about
my environment, and that Microsoft actually "got" my 25 digit code 2 or 3
times yesterday.

Also - I entered my MS access activation code more than once. It's not
something you imagine doing. And my Access installation on the virtual
machine says I need to activate and can only run it 39 more times.

I'll post that in a different newsgroup, but am mentioning it because it
might be relevant.

Does this ring any bells with anyone?

tia
las

 

[Malke]

I installed XP Professional on a virtual machine yesterday. It was a bit
confusing, since at some points I was told I needed updates, and had to
activate to get updates. I did get 90 updates when I shut it down - long
after I thought I was done.
I'm not sure of all that happened. What I am very
sure of is that I entered the 25 character code that was stuck to my CD
case
at least twice - maybe 3 times. I don't recall an error - but I certainly
don't recall 3 errors. Anyway, I'm still getting "29 days left for
activation."
I could click on the btutton to activate, but I'm afraid I'm using up my
"times" with Microsoft. I'm
afraid the problem may be with my virtual machine, or something else about
my environment, and that Microsoft actually "got" my 25 digit code 2 or 3
times yesterday.

Also - I entered my MS access activation code more than once. It's not
something you imagine doing. And my Access installation on the virtual
machine says I need to activate and can only run it 39 more times.

I'll post that in a different newsgroup, but am mentioning it because it
might be relevant.

Is this copy of XP installed on anything else? If not, go ahead and click on
the Activate button. You will not use up any "times". If this copy of XP is
not installed anywhere else but you aren't able to activate over the
Internet, simply use the telephone method instead. If the telephone method
doesn't work, hold on the line and a human will come on to activate you.


Malke

 

[C.Joseph S. Drayton]

I installed XP Professional on a virtual machine yesterday. It was
a bit confusing, since at some points I was told I needed updates,
and had to activate to get updates. I did get 90 updates when I shut
it down - long after I thought I was done. I'm not sure of all that
happened. What I am very sure of is that I entered the 25 character
code that was stuck to my CD case at least twice - maybe 3 times. I
don't recall an error - but I certainly don't recall 3 errors.
Anyway, I'm still getting "29 days left for activation." I could
click on the btutton to activate, but I'm afraid I'm using up my
"times" with Microsoft. I'm afraid the problem may be with my
virtual machine, or something else about my environment, and that
Microsoft actually "got" my 25 digit code 2 or 3 times yesterday.

Also - I entered my MS access activation code more than once. It's
not something you imagine doing. And my Access installation on the
virtual machine says I need to activate and can only run it 39 more
times.

I'll post that in a different newsgroup, but am mentioning it because
it might be relevant.

Does this ring any bells with anyone?

tia
las

Hi Las,

Is your WindowsXP disk a 'retail' or 'OEM' disk. If it came with the
computer, it could very well be an OEM disk.

If it is an OEM disk, then your problem is that it is tied to the
hardware of the machine it came with. If you are running VirtualPC,
VirtualBox or VMPlayer, the BIOS of the virtual machine will not be the
same as the BIOS of the 'host' computer.

--

Sincerely,
C.Joseph Drayton, Ph.D. AS&T

CSD Computer Services

Please excuse the TEMPORARY web site

Web site: http://csdcs.itgo.com/
E-mail: (e-mail address removed)

 

[Laurel]

Well, that's interesting. I got it on the internet, and it was sold as OEM.
But I just got the disk, not with a computer. I called to ask about OEM,
and the person assured me it came with a key (I assumed it would be a
working key!!) but that it didn't come with support, and that's why it was
less expensive. Was it illegal for them to sell it that way?

 

[Bob I]

Info at this link,
http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/default.aspx

 

[Laurel]

Well, I have a COA sticker, but it says OEM on it. The examples at the web
site below are only "RETAIL." The site doesn't say anything about OEM that
I can find.

 

[Bob I]

Bottom half of this page.
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/content.aspx?displaylang=en&pg=faq

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

If the online retailer was one like NewEgg then you have a system builder
copy of XP and it is legitimate, but only on the first computer installed
on, virtual or real. I would not use an OEM cd in a virtual machine. I use
only retail copies because they are transferrable as long as the license is
only in use on one machine at a time.

If the OEM cd you purchased originally came with a computer system and the
seller has sold the original cd because he moved on to some other version of
Windows, then you are probably out of luck.

 

[Laurel]

Well, I decided to go ahead and click "activate," expecting to enter my key
for a 3rd or 4th time, but, to my surprise, it didn't ask for the key at
all - simply told me activation was successful. So I guess entering the key
in those other contexts saved it somewhere for activation to use???? It is
an OEM disk, but I guess the bios number wasn't important in this context.