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Windows 10 Upgrade Thread
- Thread starter giodelgado
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Upgrading to windows 10 was a nightmare because it only allows for a single activation and I wanted to use Parallels too. So in order to get around this issue I had to install Windows 10 via bootcamp and install it as a VM activate both, then move the VM to the bootcamp partition. Pain in the A$$. Thanks MS.
If you are sharing your BootCamp installation also as your Parallels VM, you shouldn't have a problem, although it may take several attempts to get both activated. Although I am running VMware Fusion as my VM, it happily shares the BootCamp installation and both access methods are fully activated with the Microsoft activation server.
I haven't tried a standalone VM with Windows 10 yet to see if it will share the activation. It might, depending on what hardware characteristics Microsoft uses to determine your "system fingerprint" on the activation servers.
Windows 10 can only be activated once, so if you install it in bootcamp and activate it you cannot activate it again in Parallels. Now maybe VMware wont need windows to be reactivated but Parallels does (as you stated). Believe me when I say this because I have done it and went round and round with MS. The other issue is windows 7, 8 and 10 now have a 7 time activation limit. That is it can only be activated 7 times then you can just throw your key in the trash can. I know some are thinking I can just call and activate it, well you can't 7 times that's it. I got very bitchy with the MS people over this, in the past it didn't really have a limit. It no longer relies on hardware its the number of times the key was activated. So if you reinstall windows on the same machine you've used 2 activation's.
Once your Windows 10 machine is "activated" on the Microsoft Activation Servers, you can re-install Windows 10 on that same machine with no issues ... I have done it on several of my computers ... it usually reactivates immediately, or after a few attempts (busy server???). My VMware Fusion Windows VM using the bootable installation of Windows 10 also requires activation, but apparently whatever Microsoft monitors to identify a specific computer's hardware also passes from the VM ... again it sometimes takes a few tries. Occasionally I have noticed that Windows 10 is no longer activated ... but that is easily rectified by visiting the "activation screen" and pressing the 'Activate' button a time or two (again ... possibly caused by over-burdened MS servers), or waiting a few minutes and trying again. So far, on my 5 dual-boot Mac computers, each running their own registered upgraded copy of Windows 10, this has not been a problem with either the bootable or VM access.
It has been restored. They said some people had their prefs being reset.
It's the serial number in the CPU. If you change the CPU you are asked to reactivate.
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Well it must just be a Parallels issue then. If I install on Bootcamp and upgrade to windows 10 it will not activate in Parallels. In order to activate I have to then install windows 7 in Parallels which BTW uses another license key because MS sees it as a different PC, then upgrade to window 10 (activate it) then set Parallels to use the Bootcamp partition. Then if for some reason I need to reinstall bootcamp windows 7 wont activate because it was activated in Parallels so you will need two more keys to setup the machine again. Maybe I should switch to VMware next time around.
You might find this site of interest:
https://forum.parallels.com/threads/windows-10-bootcamp-vm-cant-validate.328996/page-7
Hope you find a solution to this issue ... good luck.
Just updated my Mac Pro 5,1 to the new windows 10 build 1511. It showed up in windows update yesterday, but was a huge download. It turns out its a complete reinstall of the OS. I used the microsoft disk maker app to download a fresh .iso from their site and make a install dvd. The new setup has win10 normal and pro, on one disk, it seems to choose which to install based on your license key, or previous version.
The install went smoothly, I put the dvd in, started the installer while booted into win10, and it went from there. No problems, device manager is good, and bootcamp control panel seems fine. New rules for the version 1511 of win10 is you can install it using any valid key from win7/8/8.1. No more required upgrade on the old OS, then activate, then format and reinstall. Now you can do it clean from the start, just use your existing key.
Once you complete an upgrade from older versions, it creates what they call a "digital entitlement" license. No key is needed again on that system, as the MS registration servers track your comp based on hardware ID, probably cpu and motherboard serial numbers. So, you install it, skip the windows where it asks for a key, once online, it checks the servers and your activated.
Nice improvements, good job Microsoft.
One disk for normal or pro, and easy clean installs using previous OS keys.
The install went smoothly, I put the dvd in, started the installer while booted into win10, and it went from there. No problems, device manager is good, and bootcamp control panel seems fine. New rules for the version 1511 of win10 is you can install it using any valid key from win7/8/8.1. No more required upgrade on the old OS, then activate, then format and reinstall. Now you can do it clean from the start, just use your existing key.
Once you complete an upgrade from older versions, it creates what they call a "digital entitlement" license. No key is needed again on that system, as the MS registration servers track your comp based on hardware ID, probably cpu and motherboard serial numbers. So, you install it, skip the windows where it asks for a key, once online, it checks the servers and your activated.
Nice improvements, good job Microsoft.
One disk for normal or pro, and easy clean installs using previous OS keys.