Help! XP Activation Issues with Boot Camp / Parallels -- ARGH!!!

theman · Nov 28, 2007, 07:12 PM

I have windows XP Pro installed on my boot camp partition. I just got Parallels to try it out and get faster access to windows. I installed parallels and selected it to run from my BC partition. Worked fine, a bit slow, but it works. Next I restart to boot into Win XP, and I get this message that says "Your Hardware has changed significantly, activate in 3 days or we will lock your account" Ok, so I press activate, and it works. Now I go back to parallels and the same message comes up. Only this this time it asks for my CDKey and then says the Key is used up (or something) and that I need to buy windows again! Ok, so I choose phone activation, and go through that ANNOYING thing, and it activates. ok, but a few more cycles of going from bootcamp to parallels, and the message pops up again!

Am I not allowed to run windows xp, and a virtual machine (OF THE SAME INSTALLATION) on the same computer????

If not, why is it still letting me activate????

Help me, this is so annoying! What number can I call at microsoft to talk to them (gulp...). Just the number for the phone activation???

Please, if you have had this experience help me out, it's so frustrating.

DeaconGraves · Nov 28, 2007, 07:32 PM

The problem is that Boot Camp uses the full resources of your mac, while Parallels assigns only a fraction of them (so the rest can continue to run OS X.) XP unfortunately interprets it to suddenly be on an entirely new PC and freaks. As far as I know, there's no way around it (though I believe, unfortunately, that the problem was fixed in Vista).

webgoat · Nov 28, 2007, 07:48 PM

activate in boot camp... run in parallels and install tools... activate by phone in parallels... make sure and say it is installed on only 1 computer and the reason you aren't able to activate by internet again is that you put in a new hard drive and did a clean install of the os and they will give you a new number

theman · Nov 28, 2007, 08:01 PM

yeah, i did all that, but it's like there's a 50% chance of the message coming back up when I go between the two... wth...

webgoat · Nov 28, 2007, 08:49 PM

i use vmware fusion myself and vmware tools takes care of the activation issues... never used parallels so i'm not sure i can help

theman · Nov 28, 2007, 10:42 PM

well, actually, that is a funny story. I'm sorry guys, I have to admit, I kind of lied.

I was trying to simplify it a little i guess...

I was actually using VMWare Fusion at first, and just switched to Parallels today hoping it would sort of fix the problem (actually I found Fusion to be annoying, slow and glitchy, Parallels is only slightly better).

so, no VMWare did not fix the activation issues.

Nov 28, 2007, 07:12 PM	#1
theman macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2007	Help! XP Activation Issues with Boot Camp / Parallels -- ARGH!!! I have windows XP Pro installed on my boot camp partition. I just got Parallels to try it out and get faster access to windows. I installed parallels and selected it to run from my BC partition. Worked fine, a bit slow, but it works. Next I restart to boot into Win XP, and I get this message that says "Your Hardware has changed significantly, activate in 3 days or we will lock your account" Ok, so I press activate, and it works. Now I go back to parallels and the same message comes up. Only this this time it asks for my CDKey and then says the Key is used up (or something) and that I need to buy windows again! Ok, so I choose phone activation, and go through that ANNOYING thing, and it activates. ok, but a few more cycles of going from bootcamp to parallels, and the message pops up again! Am I not allowed to run windows xp, and a virtual machine (OF THE SAME INSTALLATION) on the same computer???? If not, why is it still letting me activate???? Help me, this is so annoying! What number can I call at microsoft to talk to them (gulp...). Just the number for the phone activation??? Please, if you have had this experience help me out, it's so frustrating.

Nov 28, 2007, 07:32 PM	#2
DeaconGraves macrumors 6502a Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Austin, TX	The problem is that Boot Camp uses the full resources of your mac, while Parallels assigns only a fraction of them (so the rest can continue to run OS X.) XP unfortunately interprets it to suddenly be on an entirely new PC and freaks. As far as I know, there's no way around it (though I believe, unfortunately, that the problem was fixed in Vista). __________________ MacBook Pro C2D 2.2 Ghz, 120 GB HD, 2 GB RAM 60 GB iPod 5G 4 GB project (RED) iPod Nano 2G 16 GB iPhone 3G (white)

Nov 28, 2007, 07:48 PM	#3
webgoat macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Austin, TX	activate in boot camp... run in parallels and install tools... activate by phone in parallels... make sure and say it is installed on only 1 computer and the reason you aren't able to activate by internet again is that you put in a new hard drive and did a clean install of the os and they will give you a new number __________________ 15.4" SR MBP 2.2, 4 GB RAM, 320GB 7200RPM iPhone 3G S⃣ 16 GB Black Apple Certified Macintosh Technician

Nov 28, 2007, 08:49 PM	#5
webgoat macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Austin, TX	i use vmware fusion myself and vmware tools takes care of the activation issues... never used parallels so i'm not sure i can help __________________ 15.4" SR MBP 2.2, 4 GB RAM, 320GB 7200RPM iPhone 3G S⃣ 16 GB Black Apple Certified Macintosh Technician

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Nov 28, 2007, 08:01 PM	#4
theman Thread Starter macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2007	yeah, i did all that, but it's like there's a 50% chance of the message coming back up when I go between the two... wth...

Nov 28, 2007, 10:42 PM	#6
theman Thread Starter macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2007	well, actually, that is a funny story. I'm sorry guys, I have to admit, I kind of lied. I was trying to simplify it a little i guess... I was actually using VMWare Fusion at first, and just switched to Parallels today hoping it would sort of fix the problem (actually I found Fusion to be annoying, slow and glitchy, Parallels is only slightly better). so, no VMWare did not fix the activation issues.