windows xp activation

C

cliff walling

Bit poster
Just installed parallels, great product if I can get xp to work! Installed xp from a sealed oem pack. everything worked fine. I activated over the net, xp said product acvtivated. Immediatly logged me out, tried to get back in, need to activate:( Net activation failed so I used the phone it worked:) Logged me out. Logged in still requires activation:((

What is this? Anyone else have this problem? Thanks
 
Hello cliff,

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. OEM software is distributed only when it is sold with a computer. The best example of OEM software is a copy of Windows that comes pre-installed when you buy a new computer. Installing OEM software on any other machine usually violates the software’s license agreement and may not work with Parallels Desktop for Mac.
 
similar problem with XP migration

I have migrated my old Dell machine which has XP using Transporter. The migration seems to have worked, but when the virtual machine initializes, about a third of the way through, it says i need to manually continue.

Then i find that Windows XP wants me to activate XP with Microsoft.

I thought migration was supposed to re-create my old machine and not require me to go through all this again. My XP is a legal copy.

So it seems you are saying that although Parallels says i can migrate an existing PC, I really can't afterall. Or is there a solution?
 
Activation is a Microsoft feature and requirement. It's something their software requires.
Parallels is making a real copy of your Windows machine, and it's Microsoft's threshold for 'when do you need to re-activate' that's causing you trouble.
Whenever you significantly change the hardware in a Windows machine (by replacing too many components, let's say), Windows will force you to reactivate. More or less coincidentally, the way Windows will 'see' your hardware through the filter of Parallels will show you to have completely different hardware (RAM, storage, CPU id, etc etc etc)... so even a faithful copy would require reactivation, all other issues aside, if you move from machine to machine.
--
Paul
 
Probably explains why my XP Guest OS has been mainly trouble-free.

Perhaps a suggestion to the Parallels team is in order to improve Transporter - have the user indicate what type of XP install they are transferring based on the disc they have on hand - retail (hologrammed disc) or OEM (disc with PC manufacturer logo on it). If OEM is selected, indicate which manufacturer it is - then lift the necessary "fingerprint" from the system if possible - or dare I say, use the information to target files or keys used to lock that copy of XP to that hardware platform for replacement with the retail versions...
 
So what is the "fix"

I also am in the same boat. Transfered my Dell with Windows XP Profession to my new iMAC. Now Windows XP is asking for an activation code. So it the fix that I need to purchase a copy of Windows XP Professions SP2 and then just type in that activation code? Will that then work?
 
XP website activation problems

I have been unable to activate my copy on the Microsoft website. Can't get a place to even type my activation code. I have fiddled with the Active X controls, which the website directs you to do, I've used different browsers, nothing is working--I am about ready to do a clean reinstall of the original operating system (no different computers) but I can't find information on how to do that either. Anybody got any ideas on how to validate my copy? Phone number? Anything? All help is appreciated.
 
I used the transporter cable and everything worked fine. When I start Parallels, it will state I need to finish the update manually. It will then ask for the Microsoft activation code. I enter the code from the sticker off my software. Microsoft activation tells me I need to activate by calling a 1-800 number.


In the post above from Johnpaul, can anyone answer his question? Does this mean I have to purchase a new Windows XP Professional, and then enter that activation code to make this work? Will Microsoft reset my activation because I have up graded my PC. I am not trying to use Windows XP Professional on my old PC anymore.
 
My problem goes further than that. The box for activating pops up, but it's got nothing in it. Just two small icons, one in each top corner, that I suspect represent the form it can't open because of what I don't know. I can't validate on the website because I can't activate and it's a viscious cycle. I'm to the point of doing a clean reinstall with my original disc but I'm not sure how to proceed. I've backed up my programs that I run on Windows. But, do I delete the "broken" version and it's backup first and then do an install with Parallels?
 
My Windows Activation problem is still not solved. The screen box that opens during the start up process of Windows shows a box, labeled Windows Activation with keys in the title bar. The form is blank with two inactive boxes in each top corner. Website unresponsive as well. I am left with the only option of reinstalling from scratch. How do I do that? Is there an uninstall command in Parallels 4. Do I simply grab the files and throw them in the trash? Do I reinstall over the current copy? What oh what do I do now? I have backed up on thumb drives and Mac desktop any programs I want to try and rescue and the few itinerant files I want to make sure not to lose. Just a little guidance, please?
 
This is not a Parallels issue. This is a Microsoft licensing issue.

In the "good old days" any Windows license sticker was acceptable. These days, MS has changed their terms with OEM providers (which most OEMs were not happy about), and they also changed the End Use agreement.

In short, a copy of Windows that comes with a Dell is only licensed to be used on a Dell computer. Migrating that license violates Dells agreement with MS and the EULA you implicitly agreed to when you used the machine.

Having said that, my experience with refurbishing machines for charity (old machine discarded by companies) is that if you call in to MS, and he license number is not already in use by 100's of other machines (ie.: not pirated) then they are happy to re-activate it. I have been telling them that the reason for the re-activation was a replacement of hardware - without getting into details. Sometimes too much information is a bad thing.

Of course, this means that most of these machines are not legally licensed. Even the ones that were Dells, because I typically install from a generic OEM CD I created that has SP3 and other goodies preconfigured, and the license agreement likely specifies Dell's OEM version. I'm not too worried because historically, the anti spyware "righteous cause" seems to only go after people or companies with lots and lots of money they can settle for out of court.....

You might be happy to know that there are companies out there salvaging license stickers from old machines. Heck, from the thousands of machines destined to have SP but were hastily refurbed with Vista - they did not bother to remove the XP license stickers. So there are lots floating around. In Toronto, the going rate is around $80 for a pristine Retail copy, and around $50 for a good OEM likely used one. I bought stickers for all the MACS I have running Parallels. Although these prices will go up as supply drops.....
 
I ended up logging on to the Microsoft website and going to the Online area. I ended up sending them an e-mail telling them that I purchased a new iMAC and that I had transfered my old Dell Windows XP to the MAC. I sent them my old windows activation number. They responded and gave me "(888) 571-2048. They are available 24 hours a day."

Actually it took me a couple days before I had a chance to try to work with this again, and before calling, I just tried starting up Parallels Desk top again, the system said I needed to finsh with manual install. It told me I needed to do a windows activation and this time I stated I wanted to register and activate my Windows XP Professional. It took my registration and activation. I have no idea if my info was passed on to the Microsoft activation team, but everything has been working like a charm since then.

I have since then tried out my office VPN, and even working with Citrix via Parallels. I also have connected to my Tradestation platform. I had to learn how to do a "right click" with the MAC mouse, but other than that everything is working out great. Good luck - I hope you are successful.
 
Your info went into a database. What they do with, beyond spotting abuse, they have not said...

To do a definitive test, start Windows Update, click on the CUSTOM button. If you see items in the "Software, Optional" area then your Windows is activated. Otherwise, they would only show you items in the "High priority" area.

The best test is to perform the updates, sooner or later, it will update your activation or Genuine Advantage check. If you pass that, then your Golden.
 
Heh, I've always said "If you don't have to re-install Windoze 3 or 4 times your not doing it right!"


The messed up dialog box could be caused by a file permissions problem. There are so many variables - and I hope your not messing with the Policy system, or on a network that uses it - that it could take hours or days to sort it out.

A fresh re-install is the fastest way. You can leave the broken machine there, just re-name it to have "suspect" in its name so it does not interfere with your fresh install - or choose a new install name for the second attempt.

Newer versions of Parallels can mount the virtual drive in OSX so you can pull you data out. Personally, I would do that and erase the broken version. The odds of fixing it are slim. Better to move forward.

Of course, if the second install suffers the same fate as the first, then you have a larger issue.
 
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