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WinXP op system won't install w. Parallels5

D

DonnaMarilyn

macrumors member
Original poster
May 10, 2010
35
2
I recently bought an iMac, and have just successfully installed the trial version of Parallels5. I have my Windows XP product key from the Dell PC on which WinXP was installed circa 5-6 years ago. It seems to work fine, as the little Windows XP Virtual Machine box shows up all right. No mention of the key being invalid or out of date.

However, when I try to activate WinXP I continually get the message that no operating system has been installed, even though I went through the steps in the instruction document, both by inserting the XP Service Pack 3 DVD or trying the networking option. Several attempts to get XP running have failed.

Wondering whether I should uninstall P5 (and whatever WinXP data might be lurking) and reinstall everything (including another attempt at WinXP), or is it a bitter fact that I'd need a new copy of WinXP in order to work with Parallels5 on my iMac? (I mainly want to be able to work with Band-in-a-Box, which I bought last year for use on my PC.)

Any advice/tips much appreciated. (-:

Donna
 
Thanks for responding, Frosties. It was a clean install. For some reason the CD isn't being "picked up". I keep getting the same message, 'no operating sysem installed'. I've uninstalled and reinstalled Parallels three times now, and have tried going through the create-a-virtual-machine process several more. Am about to simply bite the bullet and just pay for the BIAB crossgrade to Mac. :rolleyes:

Looking quickly at the transporter guide, however, I wonder if I'd be able to pick up BIAB from my PC and load it on to my iMac using an external storage device. Could it really be that simple?

Donna
 
DonnaMarilyn, does XP install okay but refuse to activate? If that's the case, and it's because you're migrating an existing system to the Parallels environment, you might find the Parallels Transporter tool to be helpful. Give it a try.
 
wrldwzrd89, no, xp doesn't seem to install at all. I tried several times with the CD and also with the dmg version. Something just isn't connecting.

I might have a look at the whole Parallels Desktop for Mac package.
 
Indeed I have, balamw, and may well do so if it comes to the crunch (the cost would be about twice as much as Parallels).

The problem is that some functions in the Windows version don't work on a Mac. For instance, the notation features are different, and there's no lead sheet window. You also can't enter note-based lyrics and can't record audio directly in BIAB. Hence, I'd like first to see whether I could go the Parallels route.

Donna
 
If the PC in question still exists, I would defeinitely consider using Parallels Transporter/VMWare Converter to turn it into a VM over trying to install fresh.

FWIW the validity (w.r.t. the EULA) of such an install is questionable at best. Dell provides an OEM/System Builder's version preinstalled which does not include any rights to transfer to another computer, virtual or not.

This is one reason that a fresh install of a Dell provided XP on non-Dell hardware may not work. Another, is that they used to heavily customize their install discs for the hardware.

Doesn't mean it won't work, just means you are outside the license.

Let us know how you progress.

B
 
Dell indeed customizes their restore disks for the particular machine, and they include the usual bloatware, free trials, and other crap. Usually it's very difficult or impossible to install on a non-Dell computer.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A306 Safari/6531.22.7)

Now they are generic again, but many Dell XP discs are unrecognizable.

B
 
Thank you both for the additional information with regard to Dell and WinXP. I suspect that may well be the problem.

Have just seen to my horror that Parallels Desktop 5.0 for the Mac costs €319,95 here in the Netherlands! :eek:

I'll look into the Transporter possibility.

Donna
 
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