VMWARE Vista Validation Problem!!

[Particular]

I have Windows Vista Ultimate installed via Bootcamp and have began the trial for VMWARE Fusion for OSX (I use 10.5.2). It won't let me login via VMWARE because it asks me to validate my Vista Ultimate Full version (which I have already done in bootcamp) and when I click to activate/validate it says this key is already in use (which it is, I used it on my bootcamp partition which is the same partition I boot VMWARE from)

How do I solve this problem? I am not going to buy ANOTHER vista full key just to use fusion that is ridiculous

 

[sidharth80]

Call the microsoft windows customer care and they will provide you with a new validation number. Explain them that you are installing windows on the same machine.

I faced the same problem and calling the customer care did the trick...

 

[Particular]

but it still works perfectly on bootcamp? and it worked perfectly for several boots on VMWARE but now all of a sudden it is having a whine? Maybe its not the key and its something to do with how VMWARE emulates Vista that causes the problem?


Also wtf is with the 1 user restriction? With my Win XP license we could use it on two personal computers (for example if you own a desktop and a laptop)... is that no more in Vista!!??

 

[Neil321]

To make sure you get over the authorise stuff

1)authorise in bootcamp
2)install fusion
3)install tools
4)authorise again

 

[pokrface]

neil321 got it.

The reason why Vista freaks out is because Windows activation is tied to your hardware, and if Vista detects too many hardware changes, it thinks it's been installed on a new computer and deactivates. Running Vista virtualized obviously presents a lot of different (emulated) hardware to the OS, and so Vista thinks it's on new hardware and de-activates. The solution is to re-activate, and if you can't automatically, then call MS and tell them you're re-installing and they'll give you a code.

After you re-activate, install VMware Tools. VMware tools will handle the hardware changes and make it so that Vista stays activated between booting between Boot Camp and running virtualized.

 

[Particular]

But even though I can't log into Vista with VMWARE Fusion it is still perfectly accessible through Bootcamp. I only get the annoying validation message when I boot up with Fusion. So what you guys are saying is that I should simply just call Microsoft get a new code, enter it into the Fusion boot and everything should be ok? It won't now screw with my bootcamp boot will it?

 

[pokrface]

But even though I can't log into Vista with VMWARE Fusion it is still perfectly accessible through Bootcamp. I only get the annoying validation message when I boot up with Fusion.

Yes. Because that's when Windows detects that its hardware has changed.

So what you guys are saying is that I should simply just call Microsoft get a new code, enter it into the Fusion boot and everything should be ok?

No. That is only part of the solution.

You must boot with Fusion, re-activate (either over the internet or by calling Microsoft), and then install the VMware Tools package. Then, and only then, will Windows stop deactivating itself. You will be able to boot to either Boot Camp or within VMware without any problems.

 

[red5dsd]

Yes. Because that's when Windows detects that its hardware has changed.


No. That is only part of the solution.

You must boot with Fusion, re-activate (either over the internet or by calling Microsoft), and then install the VMware Tools package. Then, and only then, will Windows stop deactivating itself. You will be able to boot to either Boot Camp or within VMware without any problems.

Pokrface is right on with this advice, I just thought it worth mentioning that I used the telephonic re-activation procedure instead of Internet. When using Internet, I was receiving a "...product key has already been used to activate, please try a new one...(sic)" error.

It may also be worth mentioning that the VMware Tools Package can be installed by selecting it from the Virtual Machine pull-down menu in VMware.