On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 9:22 PM, Fernando Cassia <fcas...@gmail.com> wrote: > This is strange... > > I am running WinXP SP2 here (the XP Home that came pre-installed in my > Gateway 7422 notebook). > > I was in a rush to install another XP virtualized to run some > "password cracker" downloaded from one of those "security sites" with > unknown reputation. So instead of risking to infect my host OS with > some trojan, I created a Virtualbox VM. I used a XP Pro CD I had lying > around, but since I didn´t want the legit cd-key invaldated due to > the additional installation, I googled for a XP cd-key and entered it > in the XP install screens. > > At some point during the install (i don´t remember if during the > install or right after the first boot) it warned that the serial > number or cd was was not valid -or known pirated number I really don´t > remember- and that activation was needed. So it put the XP guest in a > 21-day countdown. > > I ran the "password cracker" on the VM, then closed the VM and erased it. > > When I rebooted the host system, my copy of XP became "de-activated". > I had to go through the WPA activation over the phone with Microsoft´s > local branch. Luckily, it all worked, and my system was active 30 > minutes later. > > Now the questions that come to mind are: > > 1. could it be possible that some service in the host OS was contacted > from Microsoft.com and the host OS "de-activated" because of what > happened in the guest OS?.
I think this is impossible. > 2. Is there a way to pass the host OS activation to the guest OS? No. Long Answer: No, but there is a way to fake the DMI, to fake guest look closer to host, so advanced users may try this. > 3. If I use a legit XP cd-key (that I have but never installed it in a > VM) would that invalidate my legit XP installation?. Yes. Validation thinks about virtualized hardware as 2nd PC. > 4. What is Microsoft´s position with regards to this? Do they allow > running the same Windows license in a VM? Or is one supposed to > purchase an additional license just to run virtualized?. Windows XP License says that XP can run on one PC with one user at the same time. XP license says nothing about limited number of instances that can be run on one PC :) I read it as: As long as one physical PC is used and one user uses it, sure you can run it. From legal standpoint of view, it looks fine to run one copy of XP on both real and virtual hardware at the same time (for me). > 5. Doesn´t Microsoft offer any ready-to-run XP appliance (even if with > a time limit) that we could import into XP?. > It allows for "XP mode" on Windows 7 hosts. Basically Windows 7 Pro buyers get a free XP license. There may be other exceptions as well, such as "academic" or "MSDN" licenses. -- -Alexey Eromenko "Technologov" _______________________________________________ vbox-users mailing list vbox-users@virtualbox.org http://vbox.innotek.de/mailman/listinfo/vbox-users
