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Can't activate Win7 on Virtualbox

Posted: 16. Apr 2010, 23:03
by generalgeorge
I have a HP Pavilion Slimline pc runing Windows 7 and Virtualbox 3.1.6. I installed Winxp Media in the Virtualbox and everything works good except when I try to activate (register) winxp with Microsoft I get an "Error code 0x80004005. A problem is preventing windows from accurately checking the license for this computer." Is this a windows problem or a Virtualbox problem and what can I do to resolve it. Thanks for the help.

Re: Can't activate Win7 on Virtualbox

Posted: 16. Apr 2010, 23:32
by dmcgraw
Is this a retail version of Windows XP or an OEM version?

Re: Can't activate Win7 on Virtualbox

Posted: 17. Apr 2010, 00:49
by generalgeorge
It's a retail version in that I have the disks.

Re: Can't activate Win7 on Virtualbox

Posted: 17. Apr 2010, 01:56
by Perryg
That's not what he was getting at. Just because you have the disks does not mean that you can install them if they were intended as an OEM for a specific product.
If say they are licensed to an HP pc they will more then likely not work because the license will not be able to be activated unless it was installed on the exact same type/model machine.

If however you have a retail copy and it does not work then look at this. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306081
Your only other recourse is to activate it using the toll free number and let Microsoft tell you the correct keys to enter.

Re: Can't activate Win7 on Virtualbox

Posted: 17. Apr 2010, 18:43
by generalgeorge
Aww I see. I looked at the disk and it said " For distribution with a new pc". So I guess this is a OEM disk set. Is there a way to tell which make of pc's it will work with.

Re: Can't activate Win7 on Virtualbox

Posted: 17. Apr 2010, 20:15
by dmcgraw
Where did you get them from?

Re: Can't activate Win7 on Virtualbox

Posted: 18. Apr 2010, 20:45
by generalgeorge
bought the program from a guy who upgraded to vista

Re: Can't activate Win7 on Virtualbox

Posted: 18. Apr 2010, 22:37
by dmcgraw
You may have gotten ripped off.

Re: Can't activate Win7 on Virtualbox

Posted: 19. Apr 2010, 07:34
by jorgensen
Try activate with bridged networking.

Re: Can't activate Win7 on Virtualbox

Posted: 24. Apr 2010, 02:23
by Pontiac
To the OP:

You purchased the software illegally basically. The difference between a generic OEM and a specific build for OEM machines is that the CD contains additional drivers for the machines. If you're receiving an error during activation, something may have been not installed properly. To tell what kind of CD it is, you'd have to know what machine the CD was built for. The other reason it was an illegal sale is because OEM licences belong to the motherboard they were first installed and activated on. The license agreement does not allow transfer of the license to another motherboard.

That all said, if it was a built machine (IE: A machine that was built piece by piece, with components that did NOT come from a company like Dell or Compaq) and you received an OEM CD, then chances are then it is a generic OEM CD 'directly' from Microsoft. You don't get Norton AV, or McAfee or any additional 3rd party software with those CDs. If you received a CD for a specific brand of machine, you'll get a tonne of additional crap on install. (I HATE how they do that! - Which is why I just rebuilt OS's via a generic CD and downloaded drivers - The licences do work from OEM CD to OEM CD usually - Limitation seems to be on just what SP of CD was installed)

A quick search on the interwebz gave me this:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306081

Try following the instructions at the bottom. Also make sure your system clock is relatively close to the current time.

Re: Can't activate Win7 on Virtualbox

Posted: 24. Apr 2010, 03:53
by plus2plus
Activate Win7 on Virtualbox

1. If you haven’t already installed VirtualBox. Then go and download latest VirtualBox application at http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads (Latest version is 2.1.0 at the time of writing). It’s a 34.3 MB deb file. (Make sure you don’t have any previous version already installed. Else uninstall that first.)
The one available in Synaptic is old, so please don’t install it.
2. Double click the downloaded file and install the package.
3. Follow the on screen prompts (if any.) That should go smooth.
4. As soon as you have installed the application, reload the session. (Not a necessary step, but to be on the safer side I recommend.) A simple CTRL+ALT+Backspace should be OK.
5. Go to Applications > System tools > Sun xVM VirtualBox to open the application for use.