Vista Re-License/Activation Problems

after installing and setting up parallels on macbook, created desktop using bootcamp's vista business install...upon starting the parallels desktop i just created, vista told me i had to reactivate, which I couldn't do online but on phone. After doing so successfully (took about 10 minutes, not fun), I'm no longer able to boot down into windows boot camp, as vista reports "unauthorized change in O/S" and cannot authorize.

So, my desktop works fine, but if i need to boot down into bootcamp, I'm hosed...Is this normal??

 

This is not normal. You can usually switch between Boot Camp and Parallels with no activation issue.

Did you install Parallels Tools in the virtual machine?

Use Google and search for:
"unauthorized change was made to windows" vista site:microsoft.com

I think they mention a diagnostic report. One example result: http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en/genuinevista/thread/34f97cd6-939a-4d0a-b9ec-89c7ffccb6f7

Maybe a repair will help: http://kb.parallels.com/en/5223

 

I checked google and the stuff I saw points to some system file within Vista getting changed such that it fails some validation check...I'd have to assume that the culprit is Parallels changing something.

The point is moot now I think...I got a copy of Windows 7 and have it running in a virtual environment and may do away with BootCamp altogether...On this machine (laptop) I don't think I'll need to "boot down" into Windows for anything.

My install on the home computer (Mac Pro) has a similar problem where MS Office cries about validation failure...Each time I re-validate (not especially entertaining), but then without fail, if I boot down to boot camp, it wacks out the MS Office install again.

At this point I have "technology fatigue" and am sick of wasting time troubleshooting something that should work...

Thanks for the input joevt.

 

useful info, thanks