I'm about to make "the switch" - have a Mac Pro on order. I need to keep WinXP available to ensure spousal happiness, at least during the transition. My inclination is to set up WinXP via Boot Camp, then activate that partition from Parallels. I can see occasionally needing to use Windows via Boot Camp, though primarily will access via Parallels. I'm concerned that this isn't a supportable configuration, however. As I understand it when I install via Boot Camp I'll activate WinXP. Then when I launch via Parallels it'll ask for reactivation since it'll think my hardware changed. I'm afraid that the next time I boot via Boot Camp I'll have to reactivate, since the hardware will have changed once again, and since I'm running both installs from a single partition each time I activate it'll overwrite the "other" activation. Is this the case? If so is the only way to keep WinXP activated via both Boot Camp and Parallels to install it twice in separate partitions? Thanks! Bill
You'd have to activate Windows only twice with the latest PD version: First time when you start it in Bootcamp. Second time when you start it in VM. Then it shouldn't ask for re-activation again regardless how many times you switch between VM and Bootcamp, excluding some special cases like changing Parallels VM network card MAC address (Windows re-activation is quite sensitive to such things ).
spectre is pretty much correct! Reactivation will not hurt or change anything - so other then being a PIA it is harmless. TYPICAL Worst case: Activate BC; activate Parallels; activate BC; done!!! ajm
I was afraid that since both are installed to the same physical partition activating BC would "unactivate" Parallels and vice versa. Good to know this isn't the case... Thanks!
When I tried to open XP on my Boot Camp partition for the first time, it ask me to activate XP but it locks up. It won't let me do anything. What should I do?
When you first start XP in boot camp, it is good to say NO to activation. Complete the installation of the Apple drivers, and restart. Maybe even restart once more to be sure that all "new hardware" setups are complete. Then when all is stable, say yes to activation. Usually that activation will go through online with no problem, assuming you are using a fresh copy of Windows. When you then start that same partition in Parallels, you will be asked to activate again. Online activation will probably fail, but when you call Microsoft you should be given an activation key with no problem. From then on, no more activations are needed unless there is a major hardware change. I had to reactivate once after replacing my hard drive, but had no problems with it.
Actually, in the case of BC, they are on the same physical disk but the partitions are completely separate! ajm
I thought when you point Parallels to an existing Boot Camp partition it uses that one. Are you saying it copies that to a new spot on the disc (meaning any updates to the Parallels installation won't update the BC installation)?
My mouse and keyboard was locked and I couldn't continue. When I started XP in Safe Mode it was still locked so I did a Repair and uninstalled Parallels.
