DWade wrote:Let get real.
Some times the explanation seem to be plain and simple; but they are not.
What is needed are those steps done like this:
Step One -- Do this
Step two -- do that. Short or Long way.
For instance I hadn't played with a Mac for awhile and there were all kinds of post about redoing permissions..... What is that??
Oh you go to the Disk Utlity an reapply permission. Ok, what is the disk utlilty? ..
Ok .. i.e. GA ?? oh Guest Additions....
Good point.
Let me type the instructions for what worked for us.
Our goal was to clone Windows 7 hard drives without triggering reactivation. Obviously you should have the Windows licenses necessary for this, we just didn't want the pain of reactivating.
Step 1 - Make the vbox file you want to use to install Windows 7. Don't install Windows 7 yet.
Step 2 - Edit the vbox file to add a hardware uuid. Make note of it, this will never change. If you don't see a hardware uuid prior to adding it don't worry, that is normal, but you can still add it. I've added it with modifyvm, but I am guessing it can be done by hand too.
Step 3 - Install Windows 7 and activate.
Step 4 - Clone your hard drive.
Step 5 - Make new vbox file that uses the new hard drive clone. Keep in mind the new clone has a new uuid and a new filename and possibly path. Don't start the VM yet.
Step 6 - Add the same hardware uuid you had before in step 2.
Step 7 - Start the new VM, no reactivation should be needed.
If you want to trigger reactivation, just change the hardware uuid. Also keep in mind the two VMs will have different machine uuids but Windows 7 isn't using it because you now have a hardware ID.
Hope that helps.