XP activation, Parallels, and boot camp

I apologize in advance if this has already been asked; I searched the forums and didn’t find an obvious answer.

I have Windows XP installed in a boot camp partition, and have activated it. Now that I’m using Parallels (RC2 – 3120), I’m being prompted by Windows to re-activate. If I do that, will this effect Windows when booting through boot camp? Can I actually have Windows activated when running via Parallels AND when dual booting to XP via boot camp? I guess I’m worried that if I activate in Parallels, Windows will decide it needs activated again when I boot through boot camp… (Lather, rinse, and repeat)

Thanks

 

Hi,
I've done what your asking and after activating in bootcamp and then in parallels I haven't been asked to do it again whichever form of running XP I choose.
For Office 2007 however I have been asked again to reactivate under bootcamp.

 

parallels +boot camp = 2 different XP keys reqd= 2 validations req'd for office, etc.

i'm having the same problem and been scouring the internet for info.

it seems that even if microsoft will give you a new key for free, it's impossible to have the same activation key for both your boot camp installation and your boot camp-based parallels VM.

the big issue with this is that all software you want to run on XP that validates against your unique windows CD-key (or whatever) will need to be validated twice--for two separate instances of XP. (eg. this seems to affect Microsoft Office XP, macdrive, many of my programs. . .)

this, in turn, means many more calls to software companies to explain the situation and hoping they'll give you more activation credits.

does anyone know if i'm wrong? i'd love to be wrong. or any suggestions?

Parallels is great, it's just too bad that XP seems to force this situation to exist.

 

Basically, you are right. Any software with software activation (which is tied to the computer hardware) will have such problems if you want to run it under Windows in Boot Camp or in Parallels, including for example Windows XP, Windows Vista, Office XP/2003/2007, Adobe CS2, Dreamweaver, Norton AntiVirus. You will be required to reactivate when you run your program under a different environment (e.g. load once in Boot Camp and then in Parallels), and you will eventually be denied reactivation by the software company.

This is why I avoid software with activation as far as possible. I use a Corporate version of Windows XP and Office 2000 with Parallels, both of which do not require activation.

 

I have been succesful activating with the manufacturer under both so far... I just tell them that it is the same machine when they ask...