Windows Activation... AGAIN!!

Hello,
I have installed Windows Visa in Bootcamp partition and it works fine. I then installed Parallels 4 and installed exact same Windows Visa in the virtual machine. When I boot using virtual machine Windows asks for activation code - I enter the code I used for Bootcamp and it does not accept it saying "This code is already in use on another machine."
Searched the forums and found earlier threads claiming that people were able to call Microsoft and received a new product activation key.
Well, no luck in Canada. Just spoke to Jan and he confirmed that the only way for me to get the new key is to purchase a new copy of Windows - at full retail price.
Why do I need to purchase Windows TWICE?? Is there any way around it?

 

rick7,

This is happening because Windows detects hardware change (from real hardware to virtual). It is by design in Windows. Reactivation is a must here, and Microsoft should be contacted for help with it.

 

contacted already

thank you for response
I did speak to a Microsoft rep in Canada on the phone and he would budge - he told me this counts as a second installation so I need to buy another product key (i.e. full retail price).
The funny thing is when you read Microsoft user agreement it says very clearly - the product key is PER MACHINE and NOT per installation. I tried real hard to explain this on the phone - but to no avail.

 

This sucks. I'm having trouble accessing my hard drive with parallels (it cannot see it). The fix is to reboot in windows bootcamp. MS says I've too many activations and can't even boot into bootcamp without a new number. Now to reboot into VM if I can, I'll have to reactivate again? Every time I started VM it came up with some message about a reactivation would be necessary. I'm going to have to reactivate about 5 times to fix this problem!!!!

 

You have 3 days to reactivate, use them, this means you can use your computer, fix the problem, reboot before reactivating, and only when things are done and stable should you reactivate.