Solutions: Bootcamp Install, Hard Drive Startup Error, and Windows License Quandry

Solutions: Bootcamp Install, Hard Drive Startup Error, and Windows XP License Quandry

I was going to answer all the threads that seemed to relate to some of what I've learned, but the multiple threads were bewildering. Here are some things I've learned for anyone having trouble. Hope it helps someone.

1. After installing Bootcamp and then setting up a Parallels to use my Bootcamp installation, I had to use my keyboard (the mouse wouldn't work) to get to Windows to finish loading up so that the Parallels tools could finish installing. This means selecting your Windows XP user and hitting enter, entering Windows password, etc. The keyboard worked, the mouse didn't. After getting to the Windows desktop, the Parallels tools were able to complete installing. I think the folks who wrote the Parallels user manual assumed XP Home or some version of Windows without a user login?

2. There is a bug in the Configure window of Parallels that can cause a formerly working Virtual Machine to fail with a Hard Drive error.

If you open the "Configure..." window, also known as "Virtual Machine Configuration" window, and change settings (or just look around, actually) and click "OK", sometimes it will reset the <SystemName> of the <Hdd> in the config.pvs file inside your virtual machine. This will produce the permissions/HD 1 error when you try to start your virtual machine.

The Knowledge Base at Parallels still thinks the error occurs because of problems in the update (3.0-->4.0) process or file permissions. Maybe so, but it ALSO can happen when a fresh installed user simply opens and changes a configuration setting. Maybe only Bootcamp folk are prone to this problem, I don't know.

How do you fix the problem? You can edit <SystemName> in <Hdd> so it points back to the actual .hdd file inside the package contents of your virtual machine. Or apparently you can just open the Configure window and flip the Hard Drive settings to Image and then back to partition and that will fool it. I vote for neither of these solutions. Instead: complain to Parallels and get an updated version. It should take a developer 11 seconds to fix this problem, IMHO. (Just kidding. I love developers. They work very hard.)

3. Windows XP Licensing between Bootcamp and Parallels: This is an odd issue, but understandable. Windows XP DRM wants to make sure you don't install the same version of Windows on two machines. Set up Bootcamp, then do Parallels, then reactivate Windows. You won't be allowed to! Oh no!

So, click the "Telephone" option, let Windows generate a support number, call the phone number the window tells you to, assure the computerized operator that you are installing Windows XP on ONE machine, and voila... you'll be given a code to enter and you'll be all set.

Hope some of this helps some of you guys... there are probably other bugs out there, especially with the 3.0-->4.0 update crowd.

 

The licensing issue people are having isn't this easy. The problem is that the licensing service is not running and can't run under PD (at least if Vista). It isn't a matter of getting a new activation, it is that it can't activate.

 

Aha! The Vista/XP differences were unknown to me.
I have edited my post so folks with the Vista problem are less likely to click it. Activation under XP, at least, seems to follow the rules I describe.

Best wishes!
-d