virtualbox.org

I bought a new laptop which came with a win8 OEM DVD.

I formatted the existing setup and installed Linux on it.

I then installed VirtualBox, and then tried to install win8 with the OEM DVD. However, it prompts for product key because apparently it has to draw from the BIOS.

I tried some of the documentation in terms of setting things with vboxmanage but to no avail, it continues to prompt for product key.

Is there something I can do?

Probably not. An OEM version is tied to the physical hardware on which it is installed. Installing it in a vm is not the same thing as installing it directly on the physical machine.

The Windows Product Key is usually found on a "Microsoft" label on the bottom of the laptop.
At least that's the way it is on the 4 HP laptops I have here.

A lot of new laptops, particularly win 8 ones, don't have a sticker there anymore:(

Could you re-install Windows from the DVD and then read the product key using something like Keyfinder? After that you could start the process over again.

Tedious, I know, but it might work.

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33642_7-57 ... duct-keys/

Or in german: http://www.chip.de/news/Windows-8-Key-i ... 62600.html

Maybe that is a approach to make such illegal tools like Windows Loaders unfunctional.

On Vista/7 Laptops there were 2 keys: One comes with preinstalled windows, same all models. The other was on the back side, invidual for making a fresh installation with a cd/dvd.

Tedious, I am thinking of doing that. Unfortunately I have an lvm2 partition where linux is installed so I have to figure out how to resize that easily.

Windows Vista/7 OEM is no problem in VirtualBox since 4.2.x.
But Windows 8 OEM currently (and maybe for a long time) cannot be activated inside a VM, because of the new OA3.0 mechanism. Even if you can read the key out of the MSDM table in your BIOS it is useless, because it will be checked online against your (virtual) hardware and fail. Setting some BIOS strings and/or inserting a custom table into the BIOS does not do the trick here.
You should ask your manufacturer for a replacement key. I think at least in EU countries it is prohibited to lock software to a specific hardware, so you may have a chance.

PS: The old Windows 7 method seems to work still (only) for Windows Server 2012 OEM

Thanks for the reply. I do not think that is the law in the U.S., because otherwise, this whole licensing scheme would not work, it seems(OA 3.0).

In any case I don't think the statement about EU law is correct. I believe the court decision was that you can't prohibit resale of something which the customer has bought (hence, someone can sell the OEM license that came with his old PC). I don't believe there is any requirement that the thing you sold has to work on the buyers hardware. Caveat Emptor.

The product (Windows 8, no matter if OEM or not) works on any modern PC, so there must be a way for licensing, I think.
But I will ask our HP distributor, maybe he knows more details.

Royalty branded OEM editions (e.g. Dell, HP etc) do not always come with all the drivers needed to run on all modern hardware, because they are only intended to run on particular hardware. Only the retail or generic OEM setup disks can be assumed to work on any hardware that fits the general requirements.

Yes, not always but at least all HP business desktops (d, dc, dx and pro series) came with such "generic OEM setup disks".
You had the choice to install a clean windows or to install with the Restore Plus! DVD.
On the other hand, if you clone a OEM installation to a harddisk on another PC you may get the popular STOP 0x0000007B error, but this fixable, because in Windows Vista/7/8 a generic SATA driver ist always included.
The other drivers can be installed after first boot.

Anyone had luck with this.
Would replacing the harddisk with an old small one, installing OEM, capturing the raw disk to VMDK or VDI work?

I guess it boils down to how much time you are prepared to waste to get a free OS install.