Repeated requests for WinXP activation

[PaulFXH]

I have a completely legitimate OEM copy of Windows XP which I had used
for a number of years.
For about a year now I have been dual booting WinXP and Linux
(Ubuntu). But because of the annoyance of having to restart the
computer to switch OSes, I experimented with VMware (virtual
machines).
I can now readily switch from Ubuntu to WinXP without a reboot which
is potentially great.
However, there's a problem.

I have had to assign different hardware profiles to the physical WinXP
and to the virtual WinXP (although for all intents and purposes they
are exactly the same).
When I first launched the virtual WinXP, I was asked to activate the
OS which I did.
Then when I booted to the physical WinXP I was asked to activate again
because a major hardware change in the computer had been noticed
(presumably because of the use of different hardware profiles).
It has now got to the stage where my original CoA is no longer
accepted because the maximum number of activations has been exceeded.
Therefore each time I boot to a WinXP by a mode different from the
last time (either virtual or physical), I have to phone Microsoft to
get a new activation key which takes about 10 minutes.

Is there a limit to the number of activations I am allowed to make via
Microsofts phone service or will this too come to an end soon?
Given that I am using a completely legitimate copy of Windows XP on
the same machine but in different formats (physical or virtual), is
there anything in this that can be even remotely considered illegal by
Microsoft?

Thanks
Paul

 

[cornedbeef007-groups]

I have a completely legitimate OEM copy of Windows XP which I had used
for a number of years.
For about a year now I have been dual booting WinXP and Linux
(Ubuntu). But because of the annoyance of having to restart the
computer to switch OSes, I experimented with VMware (virtual
machines).
I can now readily switch from Ubuntu to WinXP without a reboot which
is potentially great.
However, there's a problem.

I have had to assign different hardware profiles to the physical WinXP
and to the virtual WinXP (although for all intents and purposes they
are exactly the same).
When I first launched the virtual WinXP, I was asked to activate the
OS which I did.
Then when I booted to the physical WinXP I was asked to activate again
because a major hardware change in the computer had been noticed
(presumably because of the use of different hardware profiles).
It has now got to the stage where my original CoA is no longer
accepted because the maximum number of activations has been exceeded.
Therefore each time I boot to a WinXP by a mode different from the
last time (either virtual or physical), I have to phone Microsoft to
get a new activation key which takes about 10 minutes.

Is there a limit to the number of activations I am allowed to make via
Microsofts phone service or will this too come to an end soon?
Given that I am using a completely legitimate copy of Windows XP on
the same machine but in different formats (physical or virtual), is
there anything in this that can be even remotely considered illegal by
Microsoft?

Thanks
Paul

You need a separate license for the virtual WinXP. Your OEM license is
tied to the REAL hardware machine.
You'll need a full retail license for the virual machine.

Good Luck.
BarryG

 

[PaulFXH]

You need a separate license for the virtual WinXP. Your OEM license is
tied to the REAL hardware machine.
You'll need a full retail license for the virual machine.

Thanks for your reply.
Although this wasn't what I was hoping to hear, I've gone past being
surprised at anything that comes out of Redmond.
Nevertheless, it does strike me as bizarre that accessing the very
same copy of WinXP on the very same partition on the very same
computer is unacceptable to Microsoft.
All the same, Microsoft have still allowed my WinXP to be re-activated
a further twice after having deemed my original CoA product key had
been "over-activated".
Furthermore, if I decided to avoid booting to the real physical WinXP,
I presume I could happily continue booting up my virtual WinXP without
ever having the need to activate it again in which case everybody
would be happy.
In this context, perhaps I can ask my original question again: how
many more times will Microsoft go on allowing me to re-activate my
WinXP over the phone? Is there a limit to this? Note that nothing in
regard to a limit or illegality was mentioned during the phone
"conversation".
Thanks
Paul

 

[Ghostrider]

Thanks for your reply.
Although this wasn't what I was hoping to hear, I've gone past being
surprised at anything that comes out of Redmond.
Nevertheless, it does strike me as bizarre that accessing the very
same copy of WinXP on the very same partition on the very same
computer is unacceptable to Microsoft.
All the same, Microsoft have still allowed my WinXP to be re-activated
a further twice after having deemed my original CoA product key had
been "over-activated".
Furthermore, if I decided to avoid booting to the real physical WinXP,
I presume I could happily continue booting up my virtual WinXP without
ever having the need to activate it again in which case everybody
would be happy.
In this context, perhaps I can ask my original question again: how
many more times will Microsoft go on allowing me to re-activate my
WinXP over the phone? Is there a limit to this? Note that nothing in
regard to a limit or illegality was mentioned during the phone
"conversation".
Thanks
Paul

The answer to the question is that Windows XP can be activated any
number of times. However, keep in mind that there is a statistical
realm above which the activation process will question the validity
or the legitimacy of the Product Key being used vs. the Product ID
that has been generated in combination with the machine's hash. No
one really know what this limit is although one can be assured of the
fact that there is an insufficient number of unique ID's to satisfy all
of the Microsoft products requiring Product Activation that has been
sold, even for a 120-day Activation cycle.

 

[cornedbeef007-groups]

Nevertheless, it does strike me as bizarre that accessing the very

same copy of WinXP on the very same partition on the very same
computer is unacceptable to Microsoft.

Unfortunately, the Virtual machine is not the same computer as the
real machine.
The hardware emulated in VMware is different "hardware" from the real
machine, and produces a different hardware hash used for activation.

Good luck
BarryG