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Vista Activation
I have had a Dell Inspiron 1545 laptop with Windows Vista for some 8 months or so and a couple of months ago decided to swap to Linux.
I created a new partition and installed Ubuntu. Because I still needed to use Vista to run my banking and web management software I installed a virtual machine in Ubuntu and using my reinstallation disc I installed Vista on the VM. I reduced the partition size of the original Vista to a minimum as I have no need of it - I will probably delete it shortly.
All was fine with the VM Vista until a few days ago when I got a message up saying I needed to activate it. I input the MS serial from the original but that was not accepted. I now get a massage every time I load the VM Vista saying it is not a genuine version.
I am quite happy to delete the original OEM version so I only have one version (for which I've paid) but will MS accept this - any advice would be gratefully received including where in MS I contact to sort this out.
Thank you
RoHe
10 Elder
10 Elder
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May 9th, 2010 15:00
Where are you getting the Vista product key? Is it from a sitcker that Dell put somewhere on the laptop?
Are you reading it correctly? It's easy to mis-read zero as letter " O "; number " 1 " as letter " l " or as letter " i ", " V " as " Y ", and vice versa...
Ron
jackshack
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May 10th, 2010 21:00
If you are using the Dell Vista DVD to install into the virtual machine I can see why there might be a problem. The setup program needs to see the real hardware so that it can check the signature in BIOS in order to perform the self activation that these disks are designed to do. If it can't see the BIOS because it is running on a virtual computer, it can't self activate.
If you have purchased a commercial full installation version of Vista you should have a product code on the packaging that should work. I do know of one user who was installing into a virtual machine who was able to persuade Microsoft to issue a key. He had to assure the Microsoft rep over the phone that he was using the OEM installation DVD on the same Dell it shipped with. This is on a case by case basis, however, and I would not assume that Microsoft will always be so kind.