Virtual XP Machine Activation Issues

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Maiqr

PCHF Member
Jul 14, 2019
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Hello,

I have an old Dell laptop running Win Xp Pro which I made a virtual image of using VMWare, Version 12 I believe. I did this to have a backup because the laptop chugs and I have old industrial programming software that only runs on XP and it would be very bad for the laptop to die without a backup. Regardless, I have the image and go to use it; I then am prompted to activate Windows XP Pro. I have the key using Keyfinder on the old laptop, but it won't activate. I've tried a few workarounds, but when I go to "activate over internet", it never goes through. I made sure I have network connectivity on the PC with the VM software running. *I did also try the over the phone method and it won't recognize me either.

What could I be missing?

Thanks
 
"over the phone method won't recognise me either"?
so you rang the MS activation number and followed the robots prompts and when you types in your Product Key did it tell you it is invalid.

which Product Key are you using, you need to use the Key that came with the XP Pro you have imaged NOT the Key that came with the PC you have put the image on.

if the MS activation robot can't help, she normally passes you off to a real person for assistance.
I've never had them not be able to assist. I'll give them credit there.

also, with the Forum Rules, can we even assist with this matter much?
 
Thank you all for the help.

I was prompted over the phone to use the web portal MS texted me. I entered their 9 segmented long number and it said that it could not help me.

If I cannot use the key the original PC uses, where can I get a legitimate Windows XP Professional product key? I have no problem paying for it, but second hand like Ebay seems sketchy....
 
2nd hand eBay ones are dodgy as all hell.
what's wrong with leaving it inactivated?
your software should still function fine, it'll just be MS apps like Office that will give you grief and you'll be warning everytime you log in that it needs activating and there will always a watermark in the lower right of screen probably too.
you also won't get updates, but again, who cares.
 
Bruce said:
2nd hand eBay ones are dodgy as all hell.
what's wrong with leaving it inactivated?
your software should still function fine, it'll just be MS apps like Office that will give you grief and you'll be warning everytime you log in that it needs activating and there will always a watermark in the lower right of screen probably too.
you also won't get updates, but again, who cares.
Click to expand...


Bruce,

When I go to use the VM it prompts me to verify my product key. If I say no or it fails I get kicked back to the login screen.
 
Just to confirm, is it the VM software asking for the key or once into the VM, then it’s Windows asking?
 
Bruce said:
and the key you type in was the3 key originally used to activate XP of the physical machine XP used to be on?
Click to expand...
I don't know if it's the original as I inherited this old PC that I am trying to make a VM of. The key I have was from using the keyfinder program on that old PC.
 
I've not had any luck with those keyfinder type of programs.
the key they show me is not the key I used to activate Windows.
 
Never got the original key, and no matter what I try with this info I don't get anywhere. Can someone point me in the right direction to purchase a proper Windows XP Professional product key?

I'm not sure otherwise how to get this corrected.
 
Bruce said:
if the MS activation robot can't help, she normally passes you off to a real person for assistance.
Click to expand...
As far as I am aware there has been no human assistance offered for XP since back in 2014.

Bruce said:
and the key you type in was the3 key originally used to activate XP of the physical machine XP used to be on?
Click to expand...
Maiqr said:
I don't know if it's the original as I inherited this old PC that I am trying to make a VM of. The key I have was from using the keyfinder program on that old PC.
Click to expand...
Being a notebook a volume licence key will have been used and that is what MS will be looking for, commonly found on the base of the notebook or on occasion the same type of product key sticker was in the main battery compartment.

It is most unlikely that you will find an unused XP Pro product key on its own and I`m afraid that the only way forward that I can see for this is if you purchase a product key that has an accompanying HDD that has been pulled from a computer on which the OS/Product key was never activated, whichever way you go you are likely to need to do a clean install of Windows.
 
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