Do I have to buy a second copy of Windows XP?

[Thorn693]

Hi,

I am currently running parallels on my mac book pro. I bought one copy of windows xp so I could run windows via Parallels, but now I would like to run windows using Boot Camp. Will i have to buy a second copy of XP to run windows on Boot Camp? Or can i use the same registration code that i used when i installed XP on Parallels?

 

[Moof1904]

You don't need a second serial number but you need to do the install in a certain way so that Windows doesn't get grumpy. Parallels should have tech note on it somewhere and others have written about it here as well. Do it that way and you'll be fine.

 

[waw74]

You can run your boot camp partition in parallels, but not the other way around.

So to get it all down to one install (so that you have the same programs and documents in parallels and boot camp) You'll have to do a fresh install in BC. Plus having 2 installs eats twice as much hard drive (minimum 5GB per install)

You can leave your current parallels install on the drive when you do the BC setup, and then back up your windows documents to the mac, and then copy them into the new install using parallels. and once you get everything setup, and are happy you've got everything you need, you can delete the old install.

Looking around quickly online and with my non-existent legal background, it would appear that technically if you kept both versions, it would constitute 2 installs, meaning you technically would need a second key, but it's up to you as to how you do it.

 

[Thorn693]

Thanks for the help guys! You've both been very helpful.

 

[ruskiwi]

You don't need a second copy of Windows or a second key. Installing Windows via bootcamp will be like installing on a generic PC, and you'll be able to startup your Mac into Windows just fine with the same key without any conflict since your other Windows install is inside a Parallels-specific virtual machine file on a Mac partition (in other words, Windows will not even be aware that your Parallels install even exists). Why don't you try and see for yourself?