Trouble with VMware fusion/bootcamp

[skycharacter31]

Hey,

I installed boot camp and everything works fine. I recently installed VMware fusion, and I got into it and installed VMware tools. I rebooted Vmware, and then rebooted the computer into boot camp. The instruction manuel said that I would have to re-authorize Windows in boot camp, so I did. I later rebooted into mac, opened up VMware fusion, and it asked me to re-authorize Windows. It kept saying that I already had the CD Key used, so it wouldn't let me in like it did earlier.

Why is this happening? Do I have to reinstall VMware? Can I not use boot camp anymore after I use VMware?

Black Macbook, 2.16 GHz, 2GB RAM, Leopard, etc.

 

[Queso]

There's a very strict order that you have to use to authorise Windows in a VMWare/BootCamp environment. You have to authorise in Boot Camp before you install VMWare, then install VMWare tools and authorise again. Any other order and you'll get one or the other complaining that it isn't authorised due to the difference in hardware that Windows sees.

In the end I gave up and just authorised the VMWare side. The XP in my Boot Camp still works but I can only update it via VMWare, which isn't really a problem. Vista SP1 is supposed to be going back to the XP way of doing things.

 

[skycharacter31]

Trouble with VMware Fusion/bootcamp

Thanks for the response, but just to make sure. Installing Vmware Fusion pretty much disables boot camp by itself? Or can I freely use both without re-authorizing each?

 

[Queso]

You can use both providing you're running XP. On Vista there's a different authorisation mechanism which actually stops non-authorised copies working after a set period. Not sure how that will work, since I have XP on mine.

 

[skycharacter31]

Vmware authorization

Sorry, one more question...

When I do use Vmware fusion, and enter the Windows code, it says that it is already being used. It does this even after VMware tools is installed.

Do you know what's wrong?

 

[Queso]

Sorry, one more question...

When I do use Vmware fusion, and enter the Windows code, it says that it is already being used. It does this even after VMware tools is installed.

Do you know what's wrong?

It's querying Microsoft's database and seeing the license key as already used. Call the number it gives you in the dialog box. 9 times out of 10 you'll get an automated system where you just key in a number and it'll give you a long code to type back into your computer. Even if you get through to a human being, just explain it's a Boot Camp/Fusion install on a Mac and they'll give you a code.

 

[skycharacter31]

Vmware help

Thanks so much!! It worked!

 

[ssslithe]

I have Windows XP Home installed on my Boot Camp partition, and just installed VMware Fusion today. As other people have found, I can't get in to my Boot Camp Windows without registering again by phone.

I called Microsoft and they told me they wouldn't help me, since my Windows copy is an OEM disc. Is there some way around this? It's very annoying that even when you legally purchase a Microsoft product they still find ways to make life difficult.

How can I get this running with VMware Fusion (or even Parallels, if necessary)?

 

[Delameko]

I have Windows XP Home installed on my Boot Camp partition, and just installed VMware Fusion today. As other people have found, I can't get in to my Boot Camp Windows without registering again by phone.

I called Microsoft and they told me they wouldn't help me, since my Windows copy is an OEM disc. Is there some way around this? It's very annoying that even when you legally purchase a Microsoft product they still find ways to make life difficult.

How can I get this running with VMware Fusion (or even Parallels, if necessary)?

When you say you called Microsoft, did you just call their support line? Or did you authorize by telephone and get a person?

Try doing the telephone authorization again and hopefully you'll get the automated system and then you should be all sorted.

When I can buy an OEM version for £80, but a regular copy is £250, you can see why they don't like to support it...

 

[HastaLaVista]

I called Microsoft and they told me they wouldn't help me, since my Windows copy is an OEM disc. Is there some way around this? It's very annoying that even when you legally purchase a Microsoft product they still find ways to make life difficult.

How can I get this running with VMware Fusion (or even Parallels, if necessary)?

They can't help you if you are using the wrong license. If you have an OEM disc/product code, then you didn't purchase XP separately, you are trying to install XP on a new computer which is against the Microsoft EULA. That OEM license is tied to the hardware that it was installed on. You'd have the same problem if you tried to install that copy of XP onto a different (new) system.

 

[ssslithe]

When you say you called Microsoft, did you just call their support line? Or did you authorize by telephone and get a person?

Try doing the telephone authorization again and hopefully you'll get the automated system and then you should be all sorted.

When I can buy an OEM version for £80, but a regular copy is £250, you can see why they don't like to support it...

I called the authorisation line. The trouble is, the automated system (and later the real human being) asks you to enter a serial code that supposedly is displayed on the telephone authorisation screen on Windows (they said it starts with six numbers). But for some reason that code does not show up on my screen. Maybe that's to do with the VM?

Is there not some clever way to set the VM to tell Windows it's on the same machine as before? I vaguely recall reading something about setting a MAC address in an article related to Parallels. I'm not that computer savvy...

HastaLaVista: I bought the OEM disc and license in good faith, and not with any hardware. As far as I know it's a legal and legit copy of the OS. If Microsoft don't like it they should shut down the hundreds of vendors selling it on eBay.

 

[Delameko]

I called the authorisation line. The trouble is, the automated system (and later the real human being) asks you to enter a serial code that supposedly is displayed on the telephone authorisation screen on Windows (they said it starts with six numbers). But for some reason that code does not show up on my screen. Maybe that's to do with the VM?

Unfortunately I don't have an XP awaiting authorisation so I can't check. But it should ask you to authorise, you click authorise by phone, then it takes you to a page with the code and the phone number..? I'm not sure why it wouldn't appear, I don't think the VM would have an affect on the authorisation screens.