windows xp mode in 7

[serpretetsky]

so i was curious with xp mode and wanted to try it, but unfortantely i can't install virtual pc because i'm running RC1 still. Either way, the xp mode file installed fine and extracted everything, so i was even more curious and decided to mount the .vhd file it supplied into virtual box.

After some read only issues (me realizing the file was not readily accessible to vbox while it was in program files directory...) in finally took in the vhd file.

Virtual box immediately BSOD'd. I assumed because of incorrect hard drive controller, and decided to turn off every device in virtual box except the virtual hard drive controller and change the settings on that. I wasn't really expecting much, but it suddenly decided to boot with PIIx4 controller selected and no additional sata controllers.

I was pretty stoked, but windows came up with a request for a cd key. Luckily one of the files extracted from the xp mode installation appeared to have a key, however, during activation it rejects this key and tells me its invalid.

So, as well as show and tell, i also wanted to ask if any of you "legit" installers of xp mode have found that it has asked you for cd-key, or if it came pre-activated automatically, and also if you have the tools, can you tell if its activated with the same key located in c:\program files\windows xp mode\key.txt (the directory isn't exact, i actually uninstalled and don't remember the exact pathname or files)

 

[sub.genius]

Shouldn't ask for a key, that's a new one on me and I've installed Virtual PC and XP Mode over 300 times in the past few months, both the RC and now the final products (Virtual PC and XP Mode were finalized just a few days before Windows 7 was released on Oct 22nd). The versions you download now are those finalized ones.

Why not go get the Windows 7 Enterprise 90 day trial and use that for a bit instead of the RC, if you're so inclined. As long as your CPU supports VT-x you can install Virtual PC and XP Mode and it shouldn't give you any issues.

XP Mode is licensed for Windows Virtual PC only - and that could be the very reason you're having issues. You can't really use the VHD in anything else because it's locked to Virtual PC's virtual hardware platform, hence it's asking you for a key.

The principle is the same as if you took the installation DVD from a Dell machine and tried to install it on a Gateway: it wouldn't ask for a key if you install it on a Dell, but when you're trying to "transport" the installer to a platform it's not locked into (the Dell BIOS/SLIC stuff), it'll realize this when it checks the platform and then it'll require you to use a key.

XP Mode does have an embedded key, just as OEM distributions do (i.e. that Dell installation media, or Gateway, HP, IBM, Sony, Toshiba, etc - the same concept). But since you're technically trying to "install and use" XP Mode's VHD with a virtual machine client it's not coded/written for (VirtualBox), you're going to have problems. As stated, it's not licensed for anything but Virtual PC so if you try and transport it to another VM platform you're going to encounter roadblocks - if they don't do that, then people would just grab XP Mode left and right and use it as they please.

Pretty sure that's what's happening here. If your machine is capable of running VirtualBox fairly well, there's no reason you can't use Virtual PC and XP Mode properly.

I may be misunderstanding what you say with "RC" - do you mean Virtual PC and XP Mode release candidates, or the Windows 7 release candidate? If the host OS is the RC for Windows 7, you should give the Enterprise trial a go and reinstall as required. At least this way you'd be able to use Virtual PC and XP Mode "properly" for a period of time.

Good luck...