Windows 10 Bootcamp VM can't validate!

I've scoured the internet and it seems there is no solution to this issue STILL... Similar to many others, I have Windows 10 activated on my Boot Camp partition and a failed activation on my Parallels 11 Boot Camp VM.

On Windows 8.1, I was able to activate both by calling the activation line but that's no a possibility with the whole "digital entitlement" scheme. I really only need Windows for SolidWorks at this point so I may attempt to see if I can go back to 8.1 and still activate.

My question is: Can I just leave my Windows 10 Boot Camp VM deactivated and use SolidWorks with Parallels? I know I won't be able to install updates after 30 days, but I can always reboot in to native Boot Camp to do so, right?

Thanks for advice in advance!
 
Had the same problem and decided to contact Microsoft assistance.
I did the phone activation and now it's activated with Bootcamp AND with parallels ! :-)

Note:

To launch the phone activation, open a command prompt (<cmd> + <r>), and then type slui 4 , then <enter>

Follow the instructions on the phone (When you are asked how many computers are using your key, you have to answer 1 !!!) and it will work !
 
I tried that (I've tried before) once again, and after entering all the digits, it said "I'm sorry, I could not activate your Windows". Then it transferred me to a human support person where I spent another hour on the phone being sent back and forth to different representatives. Really sad, but I think I'll just stick to Boot Camp native and stop using Parallels :/
 
FredericC said:
Had the same problem and decided to contact Microsoft assistance.
I did the phone activation and now it's activated with Bootcamp AND with parallels ! :)

Note:

To launch the phone activation, open a command prompt (<cmd> + <r>), and then type slui 4 , then <enter>

Follow the instructions on the phone (When you are asked how many computers are using your key, you have to answer 1 !!!) and it will work !
Click to expand...

You are using Windows 10 (as a digital entitlement update from Windows 7 or 8.1)?
 
I had this same problem and it took me a few days to think of trying a Command Prompt method. I had Windows 7 on my Parallels VM and I upgraded to Windows 10 Enterprise with an install disk. My settings kept freezing when I tried to change the product key the usual way as everyone here has described. It is frustrating that Parallels Support couldn't come up with an alternative solution like this when this issue has gone on for almost a year now. I hope my method works for all of you as well.

This method worked for me. Find "Command Prompt" on your Windows 10 virtual machine and right-click on it. Then select "Run as Administrator".
now simply type "slmgr /ipk ABC12-DEF34-GHI56-JKL89-MNO12" the press enter. (Enter everything inside of the quotation marks and replace my made-up Windows 10 key with your own valid license key. You can copy and paste it into command prompt just fine.)

You should get a little pop-up window that confirms that you have activated your Windows 10. The text on the bottom right corner of your screen saying you need to activate your windows should disappear shortly. If it doesn't try restarting your computer. It is always a good idea to restart your computer anyways after making system changes.
 
imacken said:
OK, so, I had a Windows 7 Bootcamp VM working OK. today, I updated to Windows 10, and my Bootcamp install is validated.
Now, my Parallels VM boots up OK and Parallels Tools installs OK, but... Windows 10 keeps saying it's not validated!
If I go to try and validate, it won't allow me to change product key (just hangs) nor does it give me the old option of being able to call Microsoft and validate that way!
Any help here?
Click to expand...
I had a similar problem. I ended up calling Microsoft Support and did a chat. Microsoft got online and corrected the problem. Your success may depend on whoever you get to help. For other reasons, I later got rid of the Boot Camp partition and just use the Virtual Machine, but not because of the validation issue. It is worth a try.
 
JustinE1 said:
I had this same problem and it took me a few days to think of trying a Command Prompt method. I had Windows 7 on my Parallels VM and I upgraded to Windows 10 Enterprise with an install disk. My settings kept freezing when I tried to change the product key the usual way as everyone here has described. It is frustrating that Parallels Support couldn't come up with an alternative solution like this when this issue has gone on for almost a year now. I hope my method works for all of you as well.

This method worked for me. Find "Command Prompt" on your Windows 10 virtual machine and right-click on it. Then select "Run as Administrator".
now simply type "slmgr /ipk ABC12-DEF34-GHI56-JKL89-MNO12" the press enter. (Enter everything inside of the quotation marks and replace my made-up Windows 10 key with your own valid license key. You can copy and paste it into command prompt just fine.)

You should get a little pop-up window that confirms that you have activated your Windows 10. The text on the bottom right corner of your screen saying you need to activate your windows should disappear shortly. If it doesn't try restarting your computer. It is always a good idea to restart your computer anyways after making system changes.
Click to expand...

Thanks Justin, sounds very interesting....but you don't mention Bootcamp.

Are you saying that you now have your Windows 10 Bootcamp (free upgrade from Win7) activated at the same time as the VM based on the Bootcamp installation.

I have not had any trouble activating a standalone Windows 10 VM, only when it is based on Bootcamp, which is the problem the thread is about.
 
Yes I forgot to specify that. I do have Windows 10 on my BootCamp partition. Mainly for personal use and gaming. Windows 10 on my parallels is my work machine. Regardless the method I used as previously mentioned solved my problem. Which was the same problem most people here had.
 
Sorry to labour this !

Is your Windows 10 Parallels VM the same installation as your Bootcamp Windows 10? activated with the same product key?

(Some of the things you said gave me the impression they were different).

Thanks
 
So i've been running windows 10 as a free upgrade from 8.1 under bootcamp for a while now with no probs. I recently bought Parallels and the migration was very smooth and all was good until i suffered the same issue as detailed here i.e. i needed to activate Windows and unable to change the product key, settings window freezing etc.
I've just fixed it by following the Microsoft forums suggestions... these were to try (from windows command prompt with admin rights)....
C:\WINDOWS\system32>SLUI 4
This opens a window which asks you to phone the automated system and type in a verification code (shown in the opened window).
This code failed so i was transferred to a real person.
Long story short, she asked me to type C:\WINDOWS\system32>SLUI 3 which opened a window into which i could type my product key (the one i had with the 8.1 CD), which failed.
She then authenticated me and the product key verbally and provided me with a new product key specifically for Win 10. Entered this and it worked.

Probably worth mentioning that i did try the method Justin suggested without success. Seems there's something in the move from 8.1 to 10 which requires a new key.
 
I have a solution. I downloaded an app called Produkey from Nirsoft.net. It display the product key from internet explorer. I copier it down and entered it when it asked for the product key. And it activated. Hope this works for anyone looking to activated Bootcamp on Parallels.
 
StevenL1 said:
I have a solution. I downloaded an app called Produkey from Nirsoft.net. It display the product key from internet explorer. I copier it down and entered it when it asked for the product key. And it activated. Hope this works for anyone looking to activated Bootcamp on Parallels.
Click to expand...
The problem is not getting the product key, the problem is that Windows sees BC and Parallels as 2 separate installs. So, if a key is validated on one, then the other complains!
 
Mike Boreham said:
Sorry to labour this !

Is your Windows 10 Parallels VM the same installation as your Bootcamp Windows 10? activated with the same product key?

(Some of the things you said gave me the impression they were different).

Thanks
Click to expand...

Sorry for the long delay. Yes my Bootcamp and Parallels are using the same license key.
 
Lastly I think I should add this information as well. I'm using a Windows 10 Enterprise license for our business. We have 50 licenses but they allow us to use the same license key for all 50. Each license can be used on 1 work machine and 1 home machine. They didn't provide us with 50 unique licenses Maybe a different type of Windows 10 has unique licenses only so if it is used on one machine it can't be used again. I'm not 100% sure if that is the case, but that is definitely a possibility if people still have this problem and my solution above didn't work for them.
 
FWIW, I access my Bootcamp W10 partition from Parallels and both are successfully activated, but I only managed that by using 2 separate Win 10 Home product keys. I managed to obtain the second product key from Microsoft by explaining very politely what I thought the problem was and was put through to a supervisor who gave me a new key.
 
Does Parallels 12 resolve this issue with Windows 10 Activation with Bootcamp ? I feel unwilling to pay £35 to upgrade to it if I am to experience the same problems. Microsoft seem to give a wide variety of reaction and levels of support when we users individually refer to them. Can Parallels not agree a standard process with Microsoft ?
 
JohnB13, I know it's not the answer you want, but I just bit the bullet and bought another licence for Windows 10. Pretty cheap on eBay and the grief disappears with Bootcamp/Parallels activation.
 
I validated my bootcamp windows 10 licence in parallels with a windows 8 licence key if this helps anybody. It appears that, at the moment, you can do this. Unfortunately I can't remember if that is the licence key that I used initially before I upgraded to Windows 10!
I now have Bootcamp validated when I boot into it on its own and when I boot into it through parallels.
 
I bought Microsoft Windows 10 Home PL 32/64bit BOX USB. I've downloaded the Windows 10 ISO from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO and installed it via Boot Camp using the key they sent with the USB stick. Afterwards, I connected this machine to Parallels and I'm seeing the same message about missing activation as you all do.

I can't apply any workarounds using upgrades from Windows 7/8 - I only have this one Windows 10 license.

I'm really disappointed with responses from Parallels in this thread. Connecting Boot Camp machines to Parallels is an advertised feature, Parallels should do everything in their power to resolve this issue as soon as possible with Microsoft.

Do I need to call Microsoft with the problem? Is that going to help without requiring endless hours on my part?
 
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I opened https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Windows-10-Home/productID.319937100 and clicked "Talk to an expert" on the right side. I booted into Parallels while starting a chat with the representative. He connected to my machine remotely and changed my Windows license from Home to Pro. :) My Parallels VM is activated now and I'm told it should continue to work when I reboot into Boot Camp (I haven't checked that yet). Interesting turn of events!
 
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