Windows XP Mode in Virtualbox

Dartz

Here's something I'm trying to do, mostly because MS VirtualPC is a heap of crap. Virtualbox gives better performance, and I have other stuff I like to run in VB, and VirtualPC doesn't like running when I have that on.

So, I'm trying to get VB to play Windows XP Mode.

Now then,.... this isn't forbidden by the EULA. I actually specifically checked this.

Virtual machine (“virtualization”) software is required to use the Software.

Installation and use. You may install, use, access, display and run one copy of the Software in a single virtual machine on a single computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other device (“Workstation Computer”), that contains a licensed copy of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise or Ultimate edition. Virtualization software is required to use the Software on the Workstation Computer. The Software may not be used by more than two (2) processors at any one time on any single Workstation Computer.

1.2 Activation. If you are using the Software with a properly licensed copy of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise or Ultimate, activation of the Software is not required.

There's a bit more, but those are the relevant bits. There's nothing in there that says the virtualisation software has to be VirtualPC, or an MS product.

So then... XPMode works by having a differencing hardisk, and a base hardisk image, so that you can't completely and royally **** it up. The differencing image is only created after you run it once in VirtualPC.... which is annoying. But it created the image.

I mount 'em in Virtualbox, and it boots like it's booting to a fresh install of XP. I go through the usual motions, and all is well, right up until it asks to active.

I use the XPMode product key that came.... it tells me the key is unauthorised. (Like a pirate)

I use my PC's Windows 7 Professional 64-bit key on a guess... it tells me there's a mistake in the key.

Google turns up nothing but a few remarks on how unhelpful MS support are about this....

VMLite runs on top of a rebuild of Virtualbox and seems to do it.... but without USB support. Hmmm.

So, long story short, how do I activate Windows XP Mode to run it in virtualbox? Am I missing a trick here? I'm almost certain it's not against any EULA waffle to do this.... it's just being a bugger about it.

It's possible the VPC image is an OEM image, with the 'PC' it's for being whatever hardware VirtualPC emulates. That's kind of annoying....

My guess is that they use the OEM SLP method to activate the XP Mode image but I haven't checked for certain. This would tie it to the Virtual PC BIOS by using a specialised string.

Dartz

Yeah, I guess you're right.

I've been poking at it all night, to the point where I boot the image in VPC and it's happy. It's activated, and it identifies itself as valid windows. I even installed Microsoft security essentials happily on it.

I take the exact same image.... not copied.... the same 'active' image, and boot it in Virtualbox, and it asks to be activated, and validation fails.

Btw.. I managed to get this to work by installing the virtualbox guest additions from within MS Virtual PC, so it has the drivers for both sets of hardware.

What I'm doing is not forbidden by the EULA... I made bloody sure of that before posting here because I know people here can get snitty about that.

I wonder if the activation counter resets every time I boot it in VPC? If it does, then that's handy-dandy, because then I just have to boot it that way if I need to do WGA/Activation stuffs... and not install WGA itself.

EDIT: okay, it seems that VirtualPC might be passing the original System BIOS through... since I was able to load an OEM install disk of Vista to this same machine and have it pass validation. Either that, or whatever BIOS that's on it is close to an XPS M1530's BIOS.

Capt'n Midnight

you can change the UUID of the virtualbox and the mac on the virtual nic but other "components" could trigger re-activation