IE Application Compatibility VPC Image + Activation Issues

[kmiyashiro]

I'm also seeing this issue. Even if I do use it for more than 3 days, will I still be able to use the images or will it force me to shutdown?

[shapeshed]

I've contacted IEBlog via their contact form to see if I can get any response on this issue. I hoping this was an error in the creation of the images!

[thefsb]

I'm also seeing this issue. Even if I do use it for more than 3 days, will I still be able to use the images or will it force me to shutdown?

I guess it will force you to the logon screen which has the additional option to go to the activation "wizard".

[thefsb]

I've contacted IEBlog via their contact form to see if I can get any response on this issue. I hoping this was an error in the creation of the images!

Good luck!

Among other things, VPC_EULA.txt says:

"*You may install and use one copy of the software on your device of which you are running a validly licensed copy of Microsoft Virtual PC or Microsoft Virtual Server. You may not change or convert the virtual hard disk image from the VHD format."

And the pessimist in me guesses that MS noticed all the blog and howto pages on using the images in Vbox etc. and some Blue Meanie decided that these horrors must be bonked, so here we are discussing the bonked images, not knowing what's going on or what changed, while the Blue Meanie's grin just gets broader as he watches over us.

[shapeshed]

I've received a response from the IE Blog team. Seems promising:

From a license point-of-view, I'm not entirely sure what we allow.
However, the Activation requirement is not intentional and is being investigated

[SNP]

I'm having the exact same problem :<

[drinkingcoffee]

While downloading the latest files, I was just thinking how nice and logical it is of MSFT to provide these VMs for developers to test with (especially seeing how difficult it is to install all 3 currently-used versions of IE at once). So unlike them to be so accommodating. Then I came across this thread -- I actually swore out loud and smacked my forehead. What nonsense.

Hopefully we will hear something good from the IE Blog team.

[pollofrito]

I've received a response from the IE Blog team. Seems promising:

From a license point-of-view, I'm not entirely sure what we allow.
However, the Activation requirement is not intentional and is being investigated

Looks hopeful - I must admit, I had written off being able to use these images anymore on my vmfusion powered mac host, will continue to follow this thread with interest then

come on M$, put all our assumptions to bed and show us that once in a while you actually can act with common sense!

[quant]

i'm having this problem, too! looking forward to seeing the solution, thanks pollofrito for chasing this up. :)

[pollofrito]

i'm having this problem, too! looking forward to seeing the solution, thanks pollofrito for chasing this up.

Thanks for the thanks but shapeshed has to take credit for chasing it with the IEBlog team - I just quoted him

[ripla]

Yes, seems very promising. Thumbs up! The test images from Microsoft are the best way of testing web-sites with IE. And god knows how much testing is done on web-applications with IE6...

[quant]

i'm having this problem, too! looking forward to seeing the solution, thanks pollofrito for chasing this up. :)

Thanks for the thanks but shapeshed has to take credit for chasing it with the IEBlog team - I just quoted him :wink:

oh, oops! thanks shapeshed! :)

[thefsb]

Looks hopeful - I must admit, I had written off being able to use these images anymore on my vmfusion powered mac host, will continue to follow this thread with interest then

pollofrito: are you confirming that the new images are as useless in vmware fusion as they are in vbox?

i ask because i need to get some testing done soon and will pay if i really need to. and virtualization is preferable to for me for convenience reasons.

so i'm interested: do the IE App Compat images work in vmware or parallels? or do i need to find some other solution altogether?

e.g. buy a windows license and run it in vbox and use the Internet Explorer Collection?

or can i run the app compat images in vpc running on the bought windows in vbox on my mac? (a metavirtualization that would entertain only certain types of nerd).

[pollofrito]

pollofrito: are you confirming that the new images are as useless in vmware fusion as they are in vbox?

Yes the images are useless in vmfusion aswell.

or can i run the app compat images in vpc running on the bought windows in vbox on my mac? (a metavirtualization that would entertain only certain types of nerd).

I wouldn't recommend that to be honest unless you've got a REALLY high spec host - the sharing of processors and ram could become an issue.

If you need to get done in a hurry and are prepared to pay I would suggest the following solution:

1) buy a copy of windows
2) install into a virtual machine in vmfusion and leave with a default installation of IE6
3) clone the vm for ie7 and ie8 if needed and upgrade each instance appropriately.

As you're only running one instance of the OS at once, the license should (by my understanding) be perfectly fine - I may be wrong on this though and I am not condoning illegal copies (already learnt my lesson about that one on this forum

Hope that helps

[Sasquatch]

If you happen to have a Windows machine nearby, or get the result on some other way, slipstream SP3 for XP in the XP install disc with nLite. Since SP3, you don't need a key for installation. MS added that feature from Vista, which you can install without the need of a license either. You have 14 days IIRC until you have to enter a valid key. You should be able to get IE7 and IE8 on it, or, as I described earlier, use nLite to add them as an addon. I've noted this method some posts back in this topic. Should be completely legal.