How to get (XP) OEM SLP working in VirtualBox? (1.6.4 bug?)

[XIII]

I have an Hewlett-Packard system that runs an (HP) OEM System Locked Pre-Install (SLP) version of Windows XP Professional 32-bit. I would like to run this version of XP in a virtual box on the same system, to test some applications before installing them on the real system.

I have read quite a lot about SLP (1.0) and understand that those OEM (royalty) versions of Windows XP are tied to the BIOS of your PC. XP looks for some strings in it (probably "HP Pavilion" and/or "Hewlett-Packard" in my case). Some say it uses the DMI settings for that (if I run dmidecode I indeed see that "Hewlett-Packard" is listed there as the system manufacturer). Using the VBoxManage setextradata command I've set the DMI data of the virtual box to the exact same values as the real machine (except for SKU which does not seem to be settable in VirtualBox?). The dmidecode program now lists exactly the same values in the virtual box as in the real system (except SKU of course). Unfortunately, XP in the virtual box states that it is not activated and this needs to be done so within 30 days; thus the strings in BIOS/DMI are not found?

Did I do something wrong? Is there a bug in VirtualBox 1.6.4? Or does XP look at other places than the DMI data for SLP and is it not possible to run my XP pre-activated in VirtualBox because the VirtualBox BIOS is no HP BIOS?

Any help/info is appreciated!

[Sasquatch]

Well, it seems from your experience, SKU is used for direct activation. It's also possible that the 'recovery' uses the hidden partition on your system disk and activate through that (info provided on there). If you just want to test things in a VM to see how it works on a real machine, I wouldn't mind having to reinstall the system every month. After all, after some time the system will be overloaded with unused system files because of install and uninstall of software. Using a VM is a perfect way to avoid this on your Host system. However, the VM will get the same result, growing slow. It's also possible that two programs conflict with each other, even though one of them is removed.

What you want to do is either not yet implemented, or not done because of this 'breach' in the licence agreement. OEM means you may install it on only ONE system, bound by it's hardware. And there is another option that's possible. Looking for specific hardware and if it's not found, no valid activation.

[XIII]

Many options, but which one applies?

For educational purposes I might try VMware with SMBIOS.reflectHost = TRUE and see what happens then.

[Sasquatch]

You know that VMWare ESX is not the same as VB, VPC and VMWare Workstation/Server?

[XIII]

You know that VMWare ESX is not the same as VB, VPC and VMWare Workstation/Server?

No, I did not, but I tried the most recent VMWare Player/Workstation (evaluation version) without success. The new VirtualBox 2.0.0 also fails.

For educational purposes I tried Microsoft VirtualPC 2007 SP1. If I modify its BIOS to change the default system manufacturer string to the one of the (real) PC, that appears to be enough to recognize the virtual PC as an HP system and Windows XP says that it is already activated! So, SLP is working, and it apparently only needs the system manufacturer string (and the HP specific install disc of course).

Too bad that changing the same DMI string is not enough in VirtualBox (2.0.0).

Any ideas why? (I'd rather use VirtualBox then VirtualPC)

[XIII]

Using a similar procedure, I did not only get it to work using VirtualPC, but also on VMWare.

This is really annoying; I'm technically able to get what I want on commercial proprietary software (doing some advanced stuff), but not yet on free and open software... (where I can even have a look at the sources)

[Sasquatch]

For the sources, see the website. On the Downloads page you see a link to the SVN repo and the source download.

Do note that the source is not the same source used for the PUEL version, there are some modules missing there (like USB).