license for Windows XP in Virtual PC for MAC

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westaarons@gmail.com - 02 Nov 2006 04:28 GMT

I purchased a copy of Virtual PC 6.1 that includes Windows XP Pro. I
want to use my copy of XP Pro on my intel based Mac (boot camp) but I
can't figure out how retrieve the product key for the software. Is
there a way to do this? I have registered the copy of windows
previously on my old powerpc mac.

AWest

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Steve Jain - 02 Nov 2006 04:54 GMT

>I purchased a copy of Virtual PC 6.1 that includes Windows XP Pro. I
>want to use my copy of XP Pro on my intel based Mac (boot camp) but I
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
>AWest

If you bought XP with VPC, you can't legally use the license with
anything but VPC. It is an OEM license, and as such is cheaper to buy
than a retail license but is locked to the "hardware" it is sold
with...in this case VPC's virtual hardware.

Signature

Cheers,
Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
http://vpc.essjae.com/
I do not work for Microsoft.

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Helpful Harry - 02 Nov 2006 06:25 GMT

> >I purchased a copy of Virtual PC 6.1 that includes Windows XP Pro. I
> >want to use my copy of XP Pro on my intel based Mac (boot camp) but I
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> than a retail license but is locked to the "hardware" it is sold
> with...in this case VPC's virtual hardware.

I can see that this question is now going to replace "why won't my game
work in VirtualPC" as the most annoying continually posted question.

:o\

Helpful Harry
Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)

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Colin Barnhorst - 17 Nov 2006 22:21 GMT

For sure.

The issue of using OEM media or the same media as the host OS has also been
a regular question in the VPC for Windows ng as well. It always leads to a
series of "but what if?" replies (which go nowhere). It also usually leads
to all kinds of redefinitions of what a computer is, also leading nowhere
since we don't get to redefine the terminology used in the EULA to suit
ourselves.

>> >I purchased a copy of Virtual PC 6.1 that includes Windows XP Pro. I
>> >want to use my copy of XP Pro on my intel based Mac (boot camp) but I
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> Helpful Harry
> Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)

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westaarons@gmail.com - 02 Nov 2006 19:35 GMT

ok. rats, thanks,

> >I purchased a copy of Virtual PC 6.1 that includes Windows XP Pro. I
> >want to use my copy of XP Pro on my intel based Mac (boot camp) but I
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> http://vpc.essjae.com/
> I do not work for Microsoft.

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Richard Cardona - 02 Nov 2006 12:32 GMT

> I purchased a copy of Virtual PC 6.1 that includes Windows XP Pro. I
> want to use my copy of XP Pro on my intel based Mac (boot camp) but I
> can't figure out how retrieve the product key for the software. Is
> there a way to do this? I have registered the copy of windows
> previously on my old powerpc mac.

You are in the same situation if you had written:

"I purchased a (one of HP, Dell, Gateway, Lenovo, ...} PCs) that
includes an OEM copy of Windows XP Pro. I want to use my copy of of XP
Pro on my intel based Mac (boot camp)..."

While your OS key is affixed on the physical box, a vendor's OS restore
software or the OEM copy of Windows may check the machine BIOS to make
sure you are installing properly on the vendor's original equipment.

As Steve has indicated, as part of the transaction of purchasing VPC,
you paid substantially less for XP than the full-retail price.
Unfortunately this wasn't a discount, it was for license-restricting XP
to VirtualPC.

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Mac Forum / Applications / Virtual PC / November 2006

license for Windows XP in Virtual PC for MAC