Activate Windows Xp Virtualbox
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I downloaded Windows XP mode and extracted a virtual hard drive and installed it into Virtualbox as a virtual machine as per a prior Makeuseof article Forget the End of Life Woes: Windows 8 Has an XP Mode Forget the End of Life Woes: Windows 8 Has an XP Mode Windows XP mode is restricted to Professional versions of Windows 7. But there's a way to get Windows XP Mode running on Windows 8 anyway.
As a guest, you can browse and view the various discussions in the forums, but can not create a new topic or reply to an existing one unless you are logged in. Other benefits of registering an account are subscribing to topics and forums, creating a blog, and having no ads shown anywhere on the site.or read our to learn how to use this site. Edit: This topic split off from. The current content did not match original intent. New topic title reflects content and intent of subject AnimalI feel like I need to bump this thread.I have read that someone successfully used an OEM key to activate windows XP on a virtual machine by using Belarc Advisor, but I thought the key found on the COA sticker for OEM windows XP PC's are supposed to be tied to the motherboard?Let's take this situation here. I have 2 PC's.
One is an 8 year old desktop that runs windows XP, one is a half a year old laptop that runs windows 8. Both PC's have OEM windows, that is, both PC's came with windows preinstalled, so a retail copy of windows is not even part of this discussion.8 year old desktop motherboard died. Hard drive and its data is still intact.
Recovery discs were made 8 years ago. This version of XP is Windows XP professional media center edition.Laptop has virtualbox installed. I got a copy of windows XP by downloading the XP mode installer file from Microsoft, which has the.vhd file that allows me to use XP in virtualbox. That version of XP is windows XP professional.When I boot up XP mode via virtualbox in my windows 8 machine, it asks for an activation key, or else I only get to use it for 30 days, unless I delete the virtual hard drive, and start over again. I heard that nobody can use the same product activation key from an OEM PC, that is, theoretically, I couldn't use the same product key found on the COA sticker of the 8 year old desktop, but I have read that someone in these forums somehow used an already activated key from an old PC (both his old PC and my 8 year old PC have dead motherboards), to activate windows XP installed on a virtual machine on a totally different machine by using hard drive caddies, and Belarc Advisor. How is that even possible?
Note that for him, he found his product key using Belarc Advisor. I could technically still use Belarc Advisor to find the product key by inserting the HDD into a caddy, and plugging it into my laptop, but I do still have the COA sticker, so Belarc Advisor and HDD + caddy isn't necessary.What I am asking is, how does Belarc Advisor, an HDD, with its data still intact, that came from an 8 year old desktop with a dead motherboard and a caddy help me activate windows XP on a virtual machine running on a half a year old windows 8 laptop by using the same activation key found on the COA sticker from the 8 year old desktop? Can recovery discs technically 'install' windows XP professional media center edition with the help of Belarc Advisor and the old HDD and caddy attached to the new laptop?Is it even possible to reuse a product key found on a COA sticker from an old PC and activating windows XP, vista, or 7 on a virtual machine running in a different PC by using Belarc Advisor?Edited by Al1000, 05 February 2017 - 01:36 PM.Moved from Web Browsing/Email and Other Internet Applications.
Activate Windows Xp Virtualbox 64
I found out how to get windows XP mode working on windows 8 by looking at a post you made, but I can only use it for 30 days, and after the 30 days, I have to delete and 'reinstall' windows XP, so I mainly use it to run the programs I want to run while I put the program files on a shared folder.I don't really care if I can re-use my old product key from a PC with a dead motherboard at this point, but I want some clarification on what wizardfromoz is trying to tell me on this thread, and I already tried to get clarification from him. I just want to see if someone else could understand what wizardfromoz is trying to say.So can I use recovery discs from the 8 year old desktop to install windows XP onto a virtual machine on my windows 8 PC?
Can I then use that OEM product key I found on the side of my old PC to activate that windows XP that I installed on a virtual machine on my windows 8 PC using those old recovery discs? From what wizardfromoz said in that thread I linked above, and from my interpretation, he achieved that feat by using his Dell reinstallation disc to install windows XP into a virtual machine on a totally different PC, and using the same activation key found on the COA sticker of his old PC.
That is what I interpret what he is trying to say. My responses are more like 'That's impossible', or' I don't believe you' kind of posts, because from many sources, I hear that the key found on the COA sticker of a PC is tied to the motherboard of that PC only.Now about Belarc Advisor, what does it really do? Is all it does is find out your PC specs and all the activation keys and product keys stored inside your computer?
Apparently, wizardfromoz made a suggestion to use Belarc Advisor, with the help of a hard drive and a caddy (note that my 8 year old PC has a dead motherboard at this point), to be able to install the exact same copy of windows XP, that I used on my 8 year old PC, onto a virtual machine running on a windows 8 laptop. Basically saying, from what I interpret from his posts, he is saying that the old product key that was on my 8 year old PC is salvagable, even though the PC itself won't turn on anymore. Belarc Advisor will probably show me the same product key that is found on the COA sticker on the side of my computer, so I have a hard time believing that that activation key will suddenly work in a virtual machine running on a different computer just because I used Belarc Advisor to find out what that key is as opposed to just simply looking at the COA sticker.Edited by signofzeta, 02 November 2014 - 10:50 AM. So can I use recovery discs from the 8 year old desktop to install windows XP onto a virtual machine on my windows 8 PC? I basically want your interpretation of what wizardfromoz is suggesting to me in this thread, although I am probably not going to follow his suggestion anyway.I am pretty sure that all Belarc Advisor does is find out what the product key for windows XP is that happens to be stored on my still intact hard drive that I could attach to a different PC with a caddy, and it does nothing else, even though I haven't tried using Belarc Advisor yet. If you wish to discuss Belarc Advisor, cool.
Install Windows Xp Virtualbox
I used the tool to ensure my Windows 7 & MS Office keys matched up with those I had on record, so that I wouldn't be running into snags during activation (or re-activation). One required a call to the Windows Activation Center anyway, but after I stated it had just been on that computer, all was OK. The automated assistant had me to read the numbers across the activation window, and I keyed in each group at a time, when requested. Then, the assistant said 'Great!' I then had to enter a string of keys one box at a time in all of those blocks, and after they were entered, it was about 10-15 seconds, Windows 7 Pro was activated. No big deal, and I never spoke with a human during the call.Note that the keys generated by Belarc won't necessarily be the one on the COA sticker, in fact it likely won't be. Some brands of OS's won't accept the one on the COA attached to the computer for a clean install, and I know that HP is this way, because I had a new one in 2009.
I wanted to clean install to not have the junk software installed, and the key generated by Belarc worked, whereas the one on the sticker wouldn't even be accepted by the Windows 7 place to enter the key.So, Belarc is a good tool, however as I noted earlier in this Topic, this program does a lot more than find software keys, it can be a part of one's overall security plan, making sure that updates are installed, giving the user a list of the software on the computer & when last used. Letting the user (or Administrator) know if portable Flash drives & other USB devices has been inserted to the machine & when. List of networks it has been connected to.Belarc Advisor is a system management tool, a personal auditor, so to speak, not just a key finder. For example, let's say you have children and the computer is the only one in the house. You instructed your child not to be on the computer, or after a certain time.
Belarc plays the role of watch dog, if the report says someone was on the computer, on a certain account between the times of 9:45 to 10:35PM on that date, then rest assured the report is correct, because it's it's job, to monitor your computer by auditing usage.There are other products that can also find the keys on a computer, but that's beyond the scope of this Topic.Nor am I going to get in the midst of an issue between two or more members over it. I'm just stating part of the capabilities of the software, and it has worked for me. However, beginning with Windows 8, this will not work if it's an OEM computer.
The key is in the UEFI chip, and there's been posted ways to find that code. I have no idea if these works, because I've not needed to use any of these types of product key finder software.If you wish to use the software, fine, if not, that's OK by me also.What you do with the software is your business.CatEdited by cat1092, 02 November 2014 - 11:50 PM.
I just used Belarc Advisor, and it is as I thought. All it does is display the specs, product keys, and security stuff for your computer, and it does nothing else when it comes to trying to salvage and reuse my product key tied to a dead motherboard.I am wondering. A product key is supposed to be 25 characters separated by a hyphen in five groups of five right? When I use Belarc Advisor, I see a string of characters in in 4 groups of five, and I wonder what that is supposed to be?It goes something like this:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-AAOEM (Key: xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx)Also, what exactly is Microsoft Powershell? The key comes in the form of xxxxx-xxx-xxxxxxx-xxxxxWhere 'x' is any alphanumeric character.I also want to know your thoughts on why a company like HP would not allow the consumer to use the same product key to reinstall or recover windows?
The 8 year old PC was an HP, so based on what you said, the product key, which is a string of 25 characters, found by Belarc Advisor might have a chance that it may be different from what it says on the COA sticker?I also want to know one thing.I have a PC with a dead motherboard. PC won't power on. Motherboard is beyond repair, well repairable, but it isn't something I could do myself. (I don't have cap replacement skills nor do I have the cash to get someone to do it). Let's take a hypothetical scenario here.Let's say I have a product key that I want to retrieve, and that I don't have any physical paper copies, or that I haven't written it down somewhere. I installed this product and therefore the product key is installed on an old PC with an OEM license of windows, but the motherboard is dead, so the PC cannot boot, much less power on. Hard drive and its contents, including the OS, is fine.
Belarc Advisor has not been run on that PC while it was still alive.Is Belarc Advisor useful in retrieving product key in the scenario above, provided I have another PC and a means to attach that hard drive externally or internally as a second hard drive?I see two obstacles. I heard that Belarc Advisor only displays information from the boot drive, or at least that is what Google search tells me.The second obstacle is an OEM license of windows cannot boot onto another computer, so I can't boot the OS in order to run Belarc Advisor on it.Are these 2 obstacles true? I know that the fact that I can't boot an OEM OS on a totally different computer is true, but is the fact that Belarc Advisor only works on the boot drive true, or does it also scan stuff in external drives?Edited by signofzeta, 03 November 2014 - 05:19 PM. Cmptrgy, glad you found some resources!I suppose you have seen that beginning with Windows 8, the Belarc keys aren't the actual one to use when installing. Though for optional software, such as Microsoft Office, the correct one will be displayed.With Windows 8 or 8.1, the procedure to recover the computer may vary.
If it shipped with Windows 8, and 8.1 cannot be fixed, then 8 will have to be re-installed, and upgraded to 8.1. I have one of these systems & the OEM recovery DVD, so no COA has to be entered. It's the same if 8.1 were installed & cannot be fixed, I'd have to re-install Windows 8 & upgrade to 8.1.If the computer shipped with 8.1, then the proper media will be needed (a Windows 8.1 DVD of the correct bit version). These has both the Core (that many calls 'Home') & Pro versions built into the media, the key will be found in the UEFI for the install of the proper version & manual entry won't be needed, nor prompted for, as long as the proper media is booted from. Same as with Windows 8.However, if the computer shipped with another OS, that's another matter altogether.
In my case, I kept a paper copy of the email with the keys, plus it's still in my email, in a folder named 'Software Keys' for fast find when needed. As of yet, haven't had to use any product key finders with this OS & hopefully won't have to.
Though I checked these when reinstalling MS Office & that one matches up, the one by Belarc for Windows 8 Pro shown different than the key that I manually entered for activation & Speccy showed an entirely different one, before the upgrade to 8.1.That one defied logic to me, why would two separate utilities show different keys to a clean installed OS, both different from the one I typed in, yet Office Pro Plus 2010 shown perfectly as installed? It was certainly a good thing that I kept my emails on these. Many loses or misplaces these (or their boxed version), and have deleted the purchase email. That can make it difficult to recover.Hopefully the issue you're working with has been solved by now.Cat. Hi spignofzeta, excellent summary'Back to that discussion I had with wizardfromoz, can anyone here tell me the difference between the product key and license number'See if this helps:- The product key is a 25 character alphanumeric code shown in five groups of five characters each (for example, BCDFG-12345-HJKLM-67890-NPQRS). Keep the product key in a safe location and do not share it with others. This product key forms the basis for your ability to install and use Windows- The product key also forms the basis for the product ID that is created when Windows XP is installed.
Each licensed instance of Windows XP has a unique Product ID. The Product ID has 20 characters arranged like this: 12345-1-12345- So the product key is used to install Windows, Office suites etc. The product key ensures the system product.
Together if's to ensure a product is legally installed onto a system in accordance to EULA'sCat, another excellent explanation again. What gets me is for something so important it's such a hassle for so many computer users. It's something like a cars VIN, usually not known, but easily determined from the owners registration. Even if it isn't understood, at least it's easily available. 'I mainly use XP to run certain programs that do not run properly on Vista or newer'Although this technically isn't a fix but could be a possible solution for you to continue using XP- Look around for anyone who's willing to let their XP goOne of my friends had a similar situation; one day when she was talking to some of her friends, one of them had an XP that still ran excellently but that person had bought a new computer and was more than willing to let the XP computer go for free.
So my friend took the computer, installed whatever she was interested to continue using in XP and is very happy to be doing soPersonally though I hesitate to promote using XP on the Internet. Why just not find a cheap XP computer on eBay?
I found a very nice one for $29, though it had a Vista Business COA, and the drive was wiped. The machine had been cleaned very well inside out, and except for the RAM upgrade & $10 for a used CPU on eBay, it was a great find. I was able to re-install Vista through the COA with a retail DVD & had to phone activate, but never had to speak with anyone.There are many XP computers listed, and this is a buyer's market. Computers that were $400 in 2009 are more like $50 now, and you have both eBay & PayPal protection on the purchase. Here's a clean HP w/COA, all you need is install media.From the same seller where I got this one from.These are good computers, especially if you have some components to reuse. I had lots of components laying around, look at the WEI of the RAM, & both graphic scores.Here it was, running the Windows Technical Preview, before adding anything except the graphics card.If you're using it for gaming, these are going to preform much better on a physical machine, and you won't have to deal with activation issues.
As long as you get the one that matches the COA on the computer, or get one with XP already installed. VM's aren't good for gaming. If you have a older HP desktop, you may have some RAM to add already.Cat.
I am planning to buy a Windows 10 Professional computer, and wish to set up a virtual drive on it so that I can install a copy of Windows XP. This is so that I can run old software which I know will not work on Windows 10.If I buy a full legal retail copy of Windows XP (not an upgrade or backup disk for an old PC), and I install this using VirtualBox or some other virtual drive system, will I be able to get the Windows XP installation activated by Microsoft? Is this servicestill offered by the company?If yes, will it be possible to get the activation done by phone (which I believe was once an option) or in some other way, rather than doing it online? I only ask this question in case it proves difficult to connect the virtual installation of XP to theinternet.I am a reasonably competent (very) long-standing PC user, but not a sleeves-rolled-up tecchie!Thanks for any help.
Copy of Windows XP is no longer being sold.May be you should consider run those applications on compatibility view.Also if you have access to Windows 10 PC, report compatibility issue through Feedback Hub app.In some cases, activation might still work but your Windows XP will be at risk because support is already ended.Thank you for your useful reply.I know that Windows XP is no longer being sold officially. However, original unused 'brand new' retail copies are still available to buy, and I assume that in principle, buying such a copy would be the same as it would have been to buy one in a shop a fewyears ago.I have tried running my old software on Windows 7 in compatibility mode, and this did not work. I am talking about very old applications such as Acccess 97 and Access 2, along with my own bespoke applications. I am resigned to the idea that I need an olderversion of Windows (i.e. XP) to run them satisfactorily.All I need to know is whether the XP activation process would work if I did buy an unused retail version of Windows XP. You say activation 'might still work', but it would be reassuring if you (or someone) could be slightly more definite, and say categoricallythat it would work (or wouldn't). And if it did work, as per my original question, could I activate by phone or email, or would online activation be the only workable route?Again, many thanks!
Microsoft still has this up online, but a lot of posters with Vista which is now also unsupported state that the outsourced support contractors are referring them back to this Community when they contact them for phone activation.That is ridiculous as we have nothing to do with saying yay or nay to activation (that is part of their job) as we don't work for Microsoft.; we are users just like you here.Cheers. Bill Smithers - Microsoft MVP July 2013 - June 2019. Microsoft still has this up online, but a lot of posters with Vista which is now also unsupported state that the outsourced support contractors are referring them back to this Community when they contact them for phone activation.That is ridiculous as we have nothing to do with saying yay or nay to activation (that is part of their job) as we don't work for Microsoft.; we are users just like you here.Cheers.Hi BillMany thanks for this very useful advice. Your link to Microsoft's activation advice page looks as if it says everything. I should have looked harder and found it myself. I only hope that if I need to use phone activation, the phone number which comes upin the activation wizard remains valid after sitting in a shrink-wrapped box for many years!
But seriously, you have given me the confidence that it's still worth investing in a genuine copy of XP, so I'm very grateful. (I do also look forward to moving onto Windows 10.). Microsoft still has this up online, but a lot of posters with Vista which is now also unsupported state that the outsourced support contractors are referring them back to this Community when they contact them for phone activation.That is ridiculous as we have nothing to do with saying yay or nay to activation (that is part of their job) as we don't work for Microsoft.; we are users just like you here.Cheers.As of june 2018, the page only show windows 7 & 8https://support.microsoft.com/en-sg/help/15083/windows-how-to-activate.
Hi AndreMitchellThanks for this further helpful information - though it's not encouraging! I'm still hoping to get a copy of Windows XP working, and wondering how to do it.
This might sound a naive question, but since Microsoft itself is still directing people to its phonesupport contractors via its own web site, does anyone know how I could contact Microsoft to ask how else to perform the activation?I think your best bet is to call them up.Thanks for taking the trouble to reply again. I hope you don't mind me following up, but I had the impression that it's very difficult to speak to Microsoft - hence the confusion about this issue. Are you saying I really can call them up, or is your replya tongue-in-cheek way of telling me it's a lost cause? If you're serious, what is the route to making a call to Microsoft that would actually reach someone who could conceivably deal with this question? Thanks again, and sorry if I'm failing to pick up thespirit of your response!