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Windows 7 on Mac Pro - Parallels + Boot Cam - Same License?

Dadioh

Dadioh

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 3, 2010
1,123
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Canada Eh?
I have a Windows 7 Professional 64bit key that I am using under Parallels on my Mac Pro 1,1. I understand that installing 64bit under bootcamp is not supported on my model but it is an arbitrary restriction by Apple and there are ways around it.

My question is... Can I use the same license key to install both under Parallels and under Boot Camp? Seems to me I can since it is the same hunk of hardware but not sure if it would mess up the activation process?
 
As you will have to enter the license key with the new installation, your problem may be with Microsoft. Try and install and if you have problems contact them.
 
eawmp1 said:
As you will have to enter the license key with the new installation, your problem may be with Microsoft. Try and install and if you have problems contact them.
Click to expand...

I haven't installed it on boot camp yet so I don't know if there is a problem. Just trying to see if I will create a problem with activation if Microsoft sees the same license being used on two machines. Parallels is a virtual machine so the hardware would appear different than the actual hardware under boot camp.
 
Just install Windows via Bootcamp and then use your Bootcamp partition with Parallels for virtualization. That way you also don't need to install Windows twice.

Case solved ;)
 
Pressure said:
Just install Windows via Bootcamp and then use your Bootcamp partition with Parallels for virtualization.
Click to expand...
In theory, that should work. In actuality, Parallels presents a very different environment than Bootcamp does. I wonder if that will be too "different" and Windows will complain and want to activate itself again...
 
I'm pretty sure on VMware Fusion, when you launch your boot camp virtually in OS X, it wants to activate again.
 
Zimmy68 said:
I'm pretty sure on VMware Fusion, when you launch your boot camp virtually in OS X, it wants to activate again.
Click to expand...

Same with Parallels. But hey, it's one click and takes 10 seconds. Once you've done this, Microsoft recognises both hardware configs (BC and virtualised) and won't bother you again.
 
Wow. Didn't know parallels could access the bootcamp partition that way. Guess I should RTFM :)

If it works that sounds like the best solution.
 
Install with Bootcamp and then run it with Parallels. Parallels uses some voodoo technical trickery so you don't have to buy a new license. Same with Fusion.
 
aarond12 said:
In theory, that should work. In actuality, Parallels presents a very different environment than Bootcamp does. I wonder if that will be too "different" and Windows will complain and want to activate itself again...
Click to expand...

I think to run OS X and WIN 7 parallel will slow down the computer I like to run them one at the time useing OS X and fusion will bring up Win 7 when I need it then shut it down
 
I tried this last year and each time i loaded my boot camp partition from parallels or fusion I would get an activation warning because of how much hardware changed.

One serial is tied to one machine. Your Boot Camp is one machine, parallels accessing it is another and VMware accessing it is three.

Maybe something has changed in the last year?
 
lewdvig said:
I tried this last year and each time i loaded my boot camp partition from parallels or fusion I would get an activation warning because of how much hardware changed.

One serial is tied to one machine. Your Boot Camp is one machine, parallels accessing it is another and VMware accessing it is three.

Maybe something has changed in the last year?
Click to expand...

Odd that Windows asked each time for an activation.
Both Fusion and Parallels asked me only once.

Anyway, the serial is not tied to one machine. You can use it as often as you want with different machines, just not concurrently. It would be a complete rip off if you'd have to buy a new copy of Windows every time you change your hardware.
The activation processes I had to do worked perfectly fine. I now have three different machines (BC, Fusion, Parallels), if you will, and neither does complain about re-activation or stuff like that.
 
Transporteur said:
Odd that Windows asked each time for an activation.
Both Fusion and Parallels asked me only once.

Anyway, the serial is not tied to one machine. You can use it as often as you want with different machines, just not concurrently. It would be a complete rip off if you'd have to buy a new copy of Windows every time you change your hardware.
The activation processes I had to do worked perfectly fine. I now have three different machines (BC, Fusion, Parallels), if you will, and neither does complain about re-activation or stuff like that.
Click to expand...

that's not exactly true. if you have an OEM copy it has to stay with the machine. you can't reinstall it on another machine. that's what the retail version is for, so you can move it between machines
 
Anytime I've done Windows Bootcamp and VMWare Fusion, I have had to reactivate under both environments. Then, once things are done, the VMWare tools manage keeping windows happy somehow.

When I transferred my Windows 7 Retail version of Windows from my old laptop (which I downgraded back to it's OEM XP install so I was legal), it installed and activated fine under Bootcamp. I guess the install under VMWare was too quick, since I had to call and talk to a Microsoft representative.

If it wasn't for the rare case where I might have to boot into Windows directly, I wouldn't bother with the bootcamp approach. You lose some flexibility, at least with VMWare, when you run the bootcamp version. Mainly, snapshotting your Windows install.
 
My activation problems occurred when I was doing a shootout article between the Parallels and Fusion. It was an OEM copy - $90 at the local PC store.

Now I only use Windows for playing games, so Boot Camp is all I need. I have not used VM solutions in a while and was not sure if the activation hassle was fixed.
 
Well it worked. I installed my Windows 7 Professional 64 bit under bootcamp and then used Parallels to point to the bootcamp partition. Parallels warned me that I would need to reactivate Windows which I did and now everything seems happy. I did all the Windows updates under Parallels and just to check it out rebooted in Bootcamp and the Windows 7 installation was all updated there as well.

Whatever Parallels does it seems to take care of not requiring a reactivation. They did give a little warning blurb about changing settings too much in the VM or it would reset the activation again.

I think that 99.9% of the time I will just be running under Parallels but if I ever need a fully HW boot of Windows I can always reboot.

Thanks for the suggestions. Problem solved.
 
karsten said:
that's not exactly true. if you have an OEM copy it has to stay with the machine. you can't reinstall it on another machine. that's what the retail version is for, so you can move it between machines
Click to expand...

I thought we're talking retail here. I wouldn't even know where to get an OEM version instead of buying a PC that ships with it.
 
OEM/MSDN will only allow one registered piece of hardware at a time, where-as retail will allow it to be used over and over without restriction.

As I get two 32 and two 64 bit licenses through uni and both my MBP and MP require the 64 bit version (8 and 12gb ram respectively) I used both 64 bit codes.

Absolute pain in the backside, not a chance im going to buy two copies of retail to fix the problem.

(Using two MSDN codes on one installation doesn't work either for some reason, so i'd need two retail copies for it to work properly.)

Not a chance in hell M$.

Found a way round it on youtube of all places!

I have four legal licenses (2 32 and 2 64) but due to the above issue of not being able to use two MSDN licenses on one installation I can't do that!
 
Concorde Rules said:
I have four legal licenses (2 32 and 2 64) but due to the above issue of not being able to use two MSDN licenses on one installation I can't do that!
Click to expand...

:confused:

I've got one 64 bit Licence from MSDN and this allows me to have three different hardware configurations on my Pro (VMWare, Parallels, BC).
The initial installation has been done on BC. Apparently, all three installations required an registration, but it always worked (and still works) flawlessly. I always entered the same code.
I can't really comprehend your problem.
 
Transporteur said:
:confused:

I've got one 64 bit Licence from MSDN and this allows me to have three different hardware configurations on my Pro (VMWare, Parallels, BC).
The initial installation has been done on BC. Apparently, all three installations required an registration, but it always worked (and still works) flawlessly. I always entered the same code.
I can't really comprehend your problem.
Click to expand...

*shrug*

Does it on my Mac Pro and MacBook Pro from fresh installs.

Install Windows x64 bootcamp, update it, activate it - everything is happy.
Install VMWare, VMWare Tools and bam, it un-activates after restart, both machines. Like clockwork when switching. Activate it in VMWare after phoning MS - everything is happy in VMWare. Boot into Bootcamp - un-activated again.
 
You said you're using the activation via phone.
Have you tried the online activation? That's what I did and that's the only difference to your process.
Maybe it works like this, you never know with Windows. ;)

I wouldn't know any other reason why it doesn't work with your machines. The MSDN versions very likely don't differ from each other and the serials should be of the same kind as well.
 
Transporteur said:
You said you're using the activation via phone.
Have you tried the online activation? That's what I did and that's the only difference to your process.
Maybe it works like this, you never know with Windows. ;)

I wouldn't know any other reason why it doesn't work with your machines. The MSDN versions very likely don't differ from each other and the serials should be of the same kind as well.
Click to expand...

You don't quite get what I mean :p

I online activate in bootcamp once first installed - then in VMWare when it unactivates itself it won't allow you to activate online, hence the phoning MS.

Probably MSDN:AA uses OEM keys where-as proper MSDN uses Retail keys?
 
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