Virtualisation issue

Morbius · 18 Jul 2011 at 10:38

I'm trying to create a basic virtualisation setup for a friend's company. I installed VMware server on a machine so that they could get their feet wet without any outlay.

They have a volume licence for xp. A legit licence I hasten to add! When trying to install xp on a VM using this licence along with the correct CD, the installer told me that the cd key was invalid. Now, I know that this CD and key work normally. I've installed XP on computers before using this CD and key so I'm baffled.

Any suggestions?

Morbius · 18 Jul 2011 at 11:05

Skidilliplop said:
Have you created the VM from an image or P2V'd it? Sometimes license activation doesn't like this, but with VLKs it's usually fine.
They definitely have the correct VLK install media and adequate activations left on the License?

For your info, I'm not really all that knowledgable about VMs, but I have got some limited experience. I'll have to get a book on it one of these days.

I've created the VM from scratch. It was during the Windows installer when it asked for the product key that it said the key was invalid. It wasn't anywhere near activation.

The media is a copy of the original media, but apart from that it should be fine.

Morbius · 18 Jul 2011 at 14:20

Skidilliplop said:
That's bizarre. What version of XP is the Media? There are certain versions that don't work with certain types of keys. For instance SP2c Media doesn't work with standard or SP2 keys.
Usually if it won't accept the key as valid at all it's because the key is for a different edition. If you have any other versions it may be worth trying that.

I've got another CD so I'll try that. What I don't understand is why it accepts the key when you install it on a physical machine, but not on a virtual machine. :confused:

Morbius · 19 Jul 2011 at 21:33

It's a normal VLK copy, so it's rather weird.

I've been told that there's a bug in some of the older media that sometimes results in the installer not being able to validate the key. What I may have to do is try and slipstream SP3 onto the disc so I can install Windows and then enter the key later. I'm currently trying a different tactic however of using a different key that I know works with the intent of changing it to the intended one when I get into XP. Hopefully this will work - if not I'll go for the slipstreaming option.

Morbius · 1 Aug 2011 at 13:27

Right, I've finally got to the bottom of this. When I'd installed XP with this disc and key previously, the key was on a sheet of paper with all the other volume licencing keys. Since then, someone made a dymo label of the XP cd key and stuck it on the disc. Unfortunately, whoever made the label got one of the letters wrong. :mad:

I'd asked if they were certain that the key on the disc was correct, but they said yes so I continued. Only after all the problems did I insist we check the key against the one that Microsoft had provided. Magically, a "B" had turned into an "8". :rolleyes:

*hits head against wall*

Cheers guys for all your suggestions. I appreciate that you took the time to come up with ideas, even though the problem was something stupid like this. In hindsight, I should have double checked the key sooner.