[Invalid] Having trouble activating window home basic in virtual box

[Ian21]

I am have after same help with activating window vista home basic when install in virtual box.

Here is my problem I have a CD and key, I and press new in virtual box and go through the steps and in storage point it to D drive that's the CD is in, then it start, installs window visa, then it came to put in the key number, (this is were my trouble is) I have an option (1) to enter it and activate it online while finish installing visa, the other option 2 is to take the tick off.

if I do number (1) and put in the key and it carries install which is great, but it must not go online, but remembers the key number and in control panel system it still says that I have to 2 days until automatic activation activate window now. if I press change product key and I put the one that came with CD. it wont except, I have to buy another key to activate it so why do I have to do that since I have a key anyway.

if I do number (2) option and goes through the steps have I have to select another window vista home basic on there list but the key with my CD won't work with it any way, and still have to buy another key.

So I am hoping same one can help me with my activation problem

Thank You
Ian

[BillG]

This really has nothing to do with VirtualBox. Windows activation is the same for physical or virtual machines.

Has this CD/DVD been used before to install and activate a physical machine? If it has, you will need a new key to activate it again in a vm. If it has never been used before, the product key which came with the CD/DVD should activate fine in a vm. Mine did.

Vista.PNG

[Ian21]

No it has not been installed in physical machine. I installed twice on virtual machines, installed it once I cannot remember if the key worked or not, removed it from virtual machines, them later installed it again, second time it didn't work like your snap shot.

I thought as it was installed on the same virtual machines it would work again but didn't.

and I really wasn't trying to say any thing was do with VirtualBox, just try to say where I was doing it.

and i seems strange to me that when i installed the second time and it asked for key and it worked fine but when I finished to your snap shot is, it said it wasn't activated, for me to get another key.

Thank you for your reply

Ian21

[mpack]

Are you saying that you used multiple VMs with the same key? That is just as bad as using the same key on physical machines and on VMs.

The point is that the Windows activation servers only allow one PC (whether physical or VM) to be activated with one key (unless the terms of the license you bought say otherwise). If you try to abuse this then you may find that all instances of Windows are deactivated and you have to phone a Microsoft helpline to explain what you were doing.

[Ian21]

Thank you for your reply, but I am used multiple VMs with the same key and not on physical machines, only 1vms insert I installed a copy in virtual machine removed it from virtual machines menu and installed it again in virtual machines so it now back to 1 virtual machines no physical machine.

I am not trying to abuse anything just trying to activate with the key that came with cd, so I suppose I should ring phone a Microsoft, explain what I am up to.

[socratis]

so I suppose I should ring phone a Microsoft, explain what I am up to.

Good, because this is not a VirtualBox issue at all. Just because an OS/program that runs in the context of VirtualBox has a problem, it doesn't make it a VirtualBox problem necessarily. You're having an issue that has nothing to do with VirtualBox, so my suggestion would be to treat it as such, as a native problem with the OS.

[Ian21]

Thank you for your reply and suggestion, I never assume it was VirtualBox issue, and it is the OS program.
just thought same one in VirtualBox might be able to help me, so I move to Microsoft forum for help.

again thank you, and have a nice day

[socratis]

Hope you find the "license" you're looking for...
(paraphrased from a very well known movie, but Obi-Wan was referring to drones )

Hate to do that, but I have to mark this as [Invalid].