virtualbox.org

Hi there,

I am running a virtualbox machine using XP SP3, it has expired and requesting that I activate it.

I do not know much about virtualization.

I am have made special changes to this machine that I wish to preserve.

I am wondering whether I could simply "reinstall" the virtual machine and just reopen the saved Snapshots that I have?

Or is using Windows Loader an option?

It requested a product key, I entered one...but it said it couldnt connect to the internet!

I need this for work, please help!

Activation doesn't expire, unless it's the 30 days given at the start of the installation. Major changes to the guest "recipe" in the Virtualbox GUI can cause a reactivation request, since the "hardware" changes. The internet has plenty to say on what changes to an XP PC could cause reactivation.

Windows Loader is a crack, I believe; best not to mention that here again, Virtualbox can't help with that: we'll get in trouble.

You need a network connection to your guest for the OS to connect to the internet. Virtualbox's NAT network is easiest to set up so your guest can get on the web.

Or you can phone Microsoft and ask for an activation.

Regarding the snapshots, I don't use them, but I believe that if you do revert to an earlier snapshot the guest would reactivate itself. But the guest will be back to the state the snapshot has stored.

The forum gurus don't like snapshots. Snapshots make a guest more delicate and do not work as backups. They should only be used on guests you're experimenting with and with data you wouldn't mind losing. (The forums are replete with users destroying their important data because they did something wrong with a snapshot.)

Before you do anything with the snapshots, make a backup of the guest. See this tutorial Moving a VM and re-interpret it as "Backing Up a VM".

scottgus1 wrote:Activation doesn't expire, unless it's the 30 days given at the start of the installation. Major changes to the guest "recipe" in the Virtualbox GUI can cause a reactivation request, since the "hardware" changes. The internet has plenty to say on what changes to an XP PC could cause reactivation.

Windows Loader is a crack, I believe; best not to mention that here again, Virtualbox can't help with that: we'll get in trouble.

You need a network connection to your guest for the OS to connect to the internet. Virtualbox's NAT network is easiest to set up so your guest can get on the web.

Or you can phone Microsoft and ask for an activation.

Regarding the snapshots, I don't use them, but I believe that if you do revert to an earlier snapshot the guest would reactivate itself. But the guest will be back to the state the snapshot has stored.

The forum gurus don't like snapshots. Snapshots make a guest more delicate and do not work as backups. They should only be used on guests you're experimenting with and with data you wouldn't mind losing. (The forums are replete with users destroying their important data because they did something wrong with a snapshot.)

Before you do anything with the snapshots, make a backup of the guest. See this tutorial Moving a VM and re-interpret it as "Backing Up a VM".

Thank You.

Ok could I create a new virtual machine and then simply restore with a snapshot? (thus allowing me another 30 days?)

I attempted to enter the serial, but it says it cannot connect to the internet which is strange since I have no problem accessing google in the browser...

create a new virtual machine and then simply restore with a snapshot, thus allowing me another 30 days

Sounds like you're trying to use the XP without activating it. The clock on the guest determines when the 30 days is up. When you restore the snapshot the disk contents will reset but the guest time will still be up to date, and the OS will time out, so no, a snapshot is not going to work.

Best bet is to activate it. You can back it up after you activate it so if you are always re-making it due to experiments you won't need to constantly reactivate. See Moving a VM and re-interpret it as "Backing Up a VM".

MS has something like a 120-day timeout for previous activations, so if this OS came from an old generic PC you've had for years and don't use anymore, it's very likely it will reactivate just fine. (Note that Dell & HP PC versions of XP probably won't reactivate, they're locked to the Dell/HP bios.)

You may also be able to find a good XP install CD on EBay.

cannot connect to the internet

Perhaps Microsoft's servers have changed?

Choosing NAT networking in the VM settings is the easiest way to give the VM a working internet connection.