VMware Windows Licencing Activation

[whussain6]

Hi Guys,

I have converted a Windows XP Pro to a virtual machine for to be used on VMware.

I have got those files and can open and start that Window XP on other system using VMware. It starts windows OK But then it asks for Microsoft Windows Activation, which fails.

I wonder If I need to uninstall the original window from other PC to use it as Virtual window and activate??

 

[rguimond]

I've seen this before. I think the solution was to copy the file to a new location and try to start it from there. Choose "I copied it" when it asks.

 

[Robobob]

NO choose "I moved it" If you choose I copied it VMware will change all of the serial numbers in the VM triggering the Windows activation check. If you choose "I moved it", all of the important serials do not get changed.

 

[The Plc Kid]

Post #2 and #3 only work when the machine has been moved, copied or cloned.

What the OP has is windows activation being triggered because of the hardware change. The OP went from having an activation against physical hardware to virtual hardware.

When doing a P2V physical to virtual conversion this does not always happen. it just depends on how close your physical hardware matches the virtual hardware setup.

Doing things like giving the VM more Hard drive space or more memory than the physical machine will trigger it almost every time.

When you do a P2V conversion that the OS was using an OEM key you are in violation of the EULA if you use that OEM key on any other hardware other than what it was came on.

OEM keys are tied to the hardware for life and are disposed of with the hardware. Only Retail box and volume keys can be transfered to new hardware.

If it has not been activated in a long time then you may be able to reactivate it against the virtual hardware but this is a hack. If your company is ever audited for license compliance and you have an OEM key on a VM you will have issues as your are in violation of the EULA.

 

[JoanM]

That counts like a new installation, if you own your disks and it is not a OEM installation you can call Microsoft to ask for the phone activation and reactivate the operating system legally (of course after removing it from the old machine where it was installed).

If it is from an OEM the only solution would be to buy a new one and install it.

If you need to do this often then take a look at the MSDN subscriptions which have special prices.

That's what you can do legally.

 

[whussain6]

Thanks all, I will try these suggestions and post which ever works. Thanks again

 

[Manglemender]

I seem to remember that the company I used to work for got around this by buying volume licences.

Nick

 

[whussain6]

It is not OEM, it is windows XP from my Old laptop. I converted it to Virtual machine and saved files on server. Than using VMware on another laptop I opened those files which shows my Windows XP desktop but than asks for activation. I tried to activate MS windows XP on phone but failed.

 

[Operaghost]

OEM is not a version of Windows XP. You might still have Windows XP Pro. OEM is the license you get for that copy of Windows on your laptop.

An OEM license is typical when you buy a computer from a smaller company. The vendor supplying the laptop to you is the OEM. They buy OEM licenses at a reduced cost. That OEM license is for THAT specific hardware and is not transferrable to another machine (physical or virtual). That would explain the failed phone activation.

OG

 

[The Plc Kid]

It is not OEM, it is windows XP from my Old laptop. I converted it to Virtual machine and saved files on server. Than using VMware on another laptop I opened those files which shows my Windows XP desktop but than asks for activation. I tried to activate MS windows XP on phone but failed.

If the xp license came on your laptop from the factory be it Dell,HP,toshiba,etc then it's an OEM license and can't be used in a VM.

If it's a volume license that maybe your IT dept reimaged the laptop with their standard image and you have enough volume keys you can use it in a VM but as far as MS is concerned it's a license usage on this type of setup they look at a VM the same as a physical machine.

Becareful even if it's a volume license because many organizations will by pc's from Dell,HP,etc and reimage them with their standard image and volume key while only having 1-4 seats for the volume key because you can reimage machine with a single volume key if they already have a valid OEM key and you are still operating in the rights of the EULA.

 

[Oliver Broad]

Sorry if I'm stating the obvious but generally OEM licenses are the ones where the license label is physically attached to the computer on a tamper-resistant label. As far as I'm aware retail-packed versions have a separate certificate.

I seem to recall that Pro-level (but not Home) licenses for later OS versions could be used to authorise/activate earlier versions but I don't know the specifics.

 

[The Plc Kid]

Sorry if I'm stating the obvious but generally OEM licenses are the ones where the license label is physically attached to the computer on a tamper-resistant label. As far as I'm aware retail-packed versions have a separate certificate.

I seem to recall that Pro-level (but not Home) licenses for later OS versions could be used to authorise/activate earlier versions but I don't know the specifics.

This is incorrect. If you get an OS from a vendor like Dell,HP,etc.then you have an OEM key period.The version does not matter

It comes in many forms. Sometimes there is a sticker with a key on the machine some times on a certificate and sometimes both.

With newer operating systems like windows 8 you get nothing as each vendor has 1 key meaning if they ship 100,000 machines this year the windows 8 key is the same and you don't have access to it as they are now being encoded into the BIOS and you are forced to use the recovery partition to use the OEM OS.