Activation - Windows 8

andrewandy

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My downloaded copy of Win 8 pro using the key i was given works fine and installs fine and activates on a dual boot or also just on a single boot etc. I tried it also in a virtual programe but in this Win 8 needs to be activated and will not on the same key. Is this because it thinks the virtual machine is a different computer? :sarc:

Also i have had to re-install windows quite a few times on my computer and have had no trouble with doing this and i was wondering How does it know my computer is the same one as i re-formated my drive before re-installing, As Windows 8 activation always seems to activate ok

Hope this makes sense
Thank You :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8 Release Preview
Are you trying to run Windows 8 from within Windows 8? It would seem to me, that you would have to use a VHD of Win 8 MADE by MS for Virtualization, it would have it's own "activation" -But if you are using Windows 8 from within Windows 8 and trying to use the same Prod Key for Both - THAT will not work, One or the other will be de-activated. You can't have two Windows 8 on the same network using the same product key using the same Microsoft/Skydrive Login - Both will become deactivated, it's a licensing conflict.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
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    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
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    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
My downloaded copy of Win 8 pro using the key i was given works fine and installs fine and activates on a dual boot or also just on a single boot etc. I tried it also in a virtual programe but in this Win 8 needs to be activated and will not on the same key. Is this because it thinks the virtual machine is a different computer? :sarc:

Yes, the VM will be seen as a different computer because it emulates hardware, but not the same hardware that you had. Technically, VM's have to be licensed, just like real computers.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
Hi there
the problem with W8 and VM's is that you have to enter a serial number and activate windows at install time.
With W7 (and earlier OS'es like XP) you had 30 days before activation was required so if you were just testing VM's then usually 30 days was long enough.

What you could do is download the FREE trial of Windows 8 enterprise -- this gives 90 days and doesn't need activation or a serial number.

That should be long enough to play around with VM's for testing. Note though W8 enterprise has some extra features which won't be found in the normal Home versions of W8 so remember that when testing.

Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Centos 7, W8.1, W7, W2K3 Server W10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 X LG 40 inch TV
    Hard Drives
    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
    Internet Speed
    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
What you could do is download the FREE trial of Windows 8 enterprise -- this gives 90 days and doesn't need activation or a serial number.

Not quite true :)
The Enterprise Trial has an embedded Key, and self-activates in much the same way as an OEM one does - except that it is time-bombed to expire, rather than re-activate at every boot.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win7 64-bit and Win8 32-bit in VM (+ others in VM)
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus K52F
    CPU
    i3
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    it's an i3 :)
    Sound Card
    Conexant (rubbish - or it may be the speakers)
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Internet Speed
    whatever I can get - G3
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