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Windows activation prompt loop - Win SP2, VMware Player

Started by dev00790 , Aug 08 2012 12:23 PM

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15 replies to this topic

#1 dev00790

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Posted 08 August 2012 - 12:23 PM

Hi

I have installed Windows XP SP2 from Windows CD on VMware player. VMware player is installed on Win 7 Ultimate SP1 x86.

I activated Windows by telephone, as part of the install process successfully.

When I then got back to the login screen to windows, with the Administrator account option showing to login with, after clicking the Administrator icon to logon using that account a prompt appears saying:

"This copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can log on. Do you want to activate windows now?"

- Clicking "no" to the prompt causes login screen to stay.
- Clicking "yes" gives a GUI saying "Windows has already been activated.", then I click on "Ok" biutton, and it goes back to the login screen.

I have followed the instructions - Method 1 (in safe mode via usb), and Method 2 on link, however these don't solve the problem:

When using Method 1, with the tool on the Win SP2 desktop in safe mode, running it give the error: "Class already exists" with a white X in a red circle.
When using Method 2, I run through the process successfully, but still have same problem when booting the Guest Win XP SP2 normally.

Will continue researching, meanwhile any assistance on how to solve this would be great.

Thank you.

edit: Adding further info

Edited by Al1000, 05 February 2017 - 12:03 PM.
Moved from Windows XP

Regards, dev00790

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#2 James Litten

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Posted 08 August 2012 - 03:48 PM

Have you tried importing Windows XP mode into VMware or do you need something that would not provide (like if you need to run SP2 instead of SP3)?

James

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#3 dev00790

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Posted 08 August 2012 - 04:03 PM

I need to familiarise myself with the original Win SP2 or Win SP3 - this is since Win XP mode has different folders. - For example: Win XP mode has C:\Windows\WinSxS, however original Win SP3 has C:\Windows\SxS.

Regards, dev00790

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Marge: "Homer, the plant called. They said if you don't show up tomorrow don't bother showing up on Monday." Homer: "Woo-hoo! Four-day weekend!"I do not reply to Private Messages (PMs) asking for assistance - please use the forums instead. If I have been helping you, and I have not replied to your latest post in 48 hours please send me a PM. My Blog

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#4 Elise

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Posted 12 August 2012 - 06:42 AM

You can only do this (compare the different folders) if you install XP normally using a normal XP installation disk dev, not something you can accomplish with the XP mode vhd.

regards, Elise

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#5 dev00790

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Posted 12 August 2012 - 07:50 AM

not something you can accomplish with the XP mode vhd.

Sorry, I'm not tring to install XP mode on VMware player -rather it's Win SP2 from CD on VMware.

edit: clarification

Edited by dev00790, 12 August 2012 - 11:10 AM.

Regards, dev00790

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Marge: "Homer, the plant called. They said if you don't show up tomorrow don't bother showing up on Monday." Homer: "Woo-hoo! Four-day weekend!"I do not reply to Private Messages (PMs) asking for assistance - please use the forums instead. If I have been helping you, and I have not replied to your latest post in 48 hours please send me a PM. My Blog

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#6 Elise

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Posted 12 August 2012 - 09:29 AM

Ah, sorry for the mix-up (I now see its in the first line of your original post). You could try a repair installation of Windows, which might reset the activation, then activate once you're in windows (after installation).

regards, Elise

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

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#7 dev00790

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Posted 12 August 2012 - 11:25 AM

I've edited my previous post.

Ok I'll try that soon. Thanks.

Regards, dev00790

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Marge: "Homer, the plant called. They said if you don't show up tomorrow don't bother showing up on Monday." Homer: "Woo-hoo! Four-day weekend!"I do not reply to Private Messages (PMs) asking for assistance - please use the forums instead. If I have been helping you, and I have not replied to your latest post in 48 hours please send me a PM. My Blog

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#8 dev00790

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Posted 17 August 2012 - 02:24 PM

Hi Elise,

I can't do a repair install since I don't have access to the BIOS in VMware player to change the boot order to CD, to make it boot off the SP2 CD.

I've tried following suggestions in links like below also, but am not getting past the infinite activation loop.

link1

link2

I am using an OEM CD. - I've come across a few sites where they indicate that an OEM CD cannot be used (if used before) when installing Windows on new hardware. - Surely a VM is different since it's not a physical PC - just a guest OS on a host OS?

Regards, dev00790

---------------------------------------

Marge: "Homer, the plant called. They said if you don't show up tomorrow don't bother showing up on Monday." Homer: "Woo-hoo! Four-day weekend!"I do not reply to Private Messages (PMs) asking for assistance - please use the forums instead. If I have been helping you, and I have not replied to your latest post in 48 hours please send me a PM. My Blog

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#9 Elise

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Posted 17 August 2012 - 02:44 PM

I think its indeed caused by the fact that the CD is OEM as that means it is machine-dependent. Sure a VM is not an actual computer, but for windows that doesn't matter; its installed on hardware whether or not that is virtualized.

regards, Elise

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#10 M...

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Posted 17 August 2012 - 03:11 PM

Hello dev00790

To allow you to predictably and reliably enter BIOS when starting a VMware Player virtual machine, add a line similar to the following to the ".vmx" file (virtual machine configuration file) for that virtual machine:

bios.bootDelay = "9000"

The above will induce a 9-second delay (9000 milliseconds) when starting up the virtual machine and it will display a 9-second countdown timer on the initial screen. This will give you enough time to press F2 to enter the BIOS setup to change the boot order so that you can then boot the virtual machine from the optical disc first.

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#11 Elise

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Posted 17 August 2012 - 03:30 PM

Thank you M, that is definitely very helpful! Going to use it myself as well, as the default set up is a pain if you want to boot from a CD.

regards, Elise

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#12 dev00790

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Posted 17 August 2012 - 04:05 PM

Hi

In VMware Player, where do you go to add the bios.bootDelay = "9000" line?

I've had a quick look, but couldn't see a relevant option.

Edited by dev00790, 17 August 2012 - 04:05 PM.

Regards, dev00790

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Marge: "Homer, the plant called. They said if you don't show up tomorrow don't bother showing up on Monday." Homer: "Woo-hoo! Four-day weekend!"I do not reply to Private Messages (PMs) asking for assistance - please use the forums instead. If I have been helping you, and I have not replied to your latest post in 48 hours please send me a PM. My Blog

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#13 M...

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Posted 17 August 2012 - 04:58 PM

Look in the folder C:\Users\<user>\My Documents\Virtual Machines\<virtual machine name>\ for the ".vmx" file and edit that file in Notepad.

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#14 dev00790

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Posted 17 August 2012 - 06:09 PM

Brill thanks :thumbup2:

Regards, dev00790

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Marge: "Homer, the plant called. They said if you don't show up tomorrow don't bother showing up on Monday." Homer: "Woo-hoo! Four-day weekend!"I do not reply to Private Messages (PMs) asking for assistance - please use the forums instead. If I have been helping you, and I have not replied to your latest post in 48 hours please send me a PM. My Blog

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#15 M...

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Posted 17 August 2012 - 06:21 PM

The following post explains the "bios.bootDelay" better, and in more detail (with annotated screenshots):

http://www.sevenforums.com/virtualization/138048-bios.html#post1186612