DMI flags don't work for Windows auto activation

[romut]

Hi all,
I don't use other VB than the 3.1.4 Beta, and so, I don't know if this issue should be reported here or in the "Windows guest" category.

I run VB on a Dell Computer, OptiPlex 755, which runs XP Pro SP3. I created a XP Pro SP3 VM, set the DMI flags following this thread. Here are the flags, I got them while booting with a Ubuntu LiveCD and running "sudo dmidecode -t0" and "-t1":

Code: Select all

Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiBIOSFirmwareMajor, Value: 3
Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiBIOSFirmwareMinor, Value: 4
Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiBIOSReleaseDate, Value: 01/20/2010
Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiBIOSReleaseMajor, Value: 17
Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiBIOSReleaseMinor, Value: 0
Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiBIOSVendor, Value: Dell Inc.
Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiBIOSVersion, Value: A16
Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiSystemFamily, Value: X86-based PC
Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiSystemProduct, Value: OptiPlex 755
Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiSystemSerial, Value: 3GPCS3J
Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiSystemUuid, Value: 44454C4C-4700-1050-8043-B3C04F53334A
Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiSystemVendor, Value: Dell Inc.
Key: VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiSystemVersion, Value: Not Specified

My problem is the virtualised XP (installed from a Dell CD) is still requiring for an activation. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[Perryg]

My problem is the virtualised XP (installed from a Dell CD) is still requiring for an activation. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

A new install will always ask for activation.

[MarkCranness]

A new install will always ask for activation.

Yes.

@ romut: Only SLP pre-activated (Windows installed by the manufacturer) do not need activation. A user OEM install always needs activation.
Take a snaphot and see if it activates.

[romut]

Hi guys and thanks for your answers.

I do Windows fresh installations almost every week, with our Dell computers, and with Dell CD/DVD, and I NEVER need to activate. Also, please explain why I don't need to activate when I install VMs withtin Virtual Server (still on Dell computers using Dell CD/DVD) ?

And the thread I gave as link above does describe the DMI Bios flags to allow an activation free fresh installation while using Dell computes and media.

Thanks.

[frank]

I think you misunderstood that thread. The DMI information is necessary to prevent Windows from re-activation if you start the Windows version which runs at your host inside a VirtualBox VM. If the DMI information does not change, Windows will not ask for re-activation because Windows was already activated (bound to your host hardware). So if you re-install Windows, even an OEM version, then you always need to re-activate Windows, even if you fake the DMI information.

This is cleanly not a Beta bug, I will move this thread to the Windows guest section.

[romut]

Thanks Frank for your answer and for having moved the thread to the right section.

But this doens't explain why I need to activate when I run a VB VM and why I don't need with VirtualServer. That's a big difference between the 2 virtualization platforms.