Bundled OS in a virtualbox

[Steve]

Hi guys,

I just got a new Toshiba laptop. I have bunged Ubuntu on it and have tried using the restore disk to restore Win 7 into a virtualbox within Ubuntu. Aside from some failed automatic driver installs (naturally) it was going well, up until the point where it said windows wasn't genuine.

What should I do now? As far as I'm concerned I'm still running it on the same machine, regardless of whether it's in an supported setup. Tech support != adequate license, so I think I'm entitled to it working.

So who do I bitch at?

Cheers,
Steve.

[aidanjt]

I assume it's one of those OEM discs with the OEM key and preactivation jazz, which requires the machines BIOS to be the same as the manufacturer who provided the disc, VBox has it's own BIOS.

If the copy of Windows is Professional or higher, then I'd bitch at the manufacturer of the machine, first. Although I doubt you'll get anywhere, they'll argue that Microsoft's OEM license is tied to the bare-metal machine, and no amount of logic will override their lawyers decrees.

[Steve]

Indeed it is one of those jazzy jobs. It's W7 Home Premium x64.

I think I'll read the license carefully before ringing them.

I don't particularly want to dual boot, particularly as the recovery software insists upon flattening the disk.

Does anybody know what mechanism(s) OEM preinstalls use to identify the system?

[Steve]

I've just started reading the license (selected "pre installed" windows 7 home premium on the MS website) and on page two it says:

Use with Virtualization Technologies. Instead of using the software directly on the licensed computer, you may install and use the software within only one virtual (or otherwise emulated) hardware system on the licensed computer.

So unless Tosh have something that supercedes this clause, I'm onto something.

[Agent]

You are missing two parts inside the VM for it to auth with the SLP Key:

1) The BIOS information (The SLIC table)
2) The digital certificate in the OS

Number two is easy. Number one is going to be difficult, as AFAIK, the BIOS for a VM is locked and not easily editable.

If the key on the sticker is a unique, non-SLP one, you can then still auth it, but you must do it by phone - Internet activation will always fail.

I covered the SLP stuff if you have not come across it over here: http://forums.hexus.net/operating-sy...-question.html

[.walls]

I've just started reading the license (selected "pre installed" windows 7 home premium on the MS website) and on page two it says:
So unless Tosh have something that supercedes this clause, I'm onto something.

You're absolutely right with the Windows license, although because the activation mechanisms are checking for specific values in the BIOS (comparing it to the oem key that is installed), you won't be able to use that key (well, not without some fiddling which will definitely be in breach of the EULA). Toshiba may tell you to **** off, but it certainly cannot hurt and I'd be very interested to hear their response.

Slightly off topic, but the licensing agreement for server 2008 Standard is very similar - it can be run bare metal or in a VM, but not both at the same time using the same license, EE allows three or five VMs (can't remember) and DCE allows as many as you want. The license is tied to one particular piece of hardware, although (for Server 2k8) it is transferable once every six months.

[Steve]

You are missing two parts inside the VM for it to auth with the SLP Key:

1) The BIOS information (The SLIC table)
2) The digital certificate in the OS

Number two is easy. Number one is going to be difficult, as AFAIK, the BIOS for a VM is locked and not easily editable.

If the key on the sticker is a unique, non-SLP one, you can then still auth it, but you must do it by phone - Internet activation will always fail.

I covered the SLP stuff if you have not come across it over here: http://forums.hexus.net/operating-sy...-question.html

Cheers fella.

I'm not sure I can be bothered messing around with the SLIC, but I guess I could try the key/phone combo, provided it'll give me the option; as so far it tells me "This copy of windows is not genuine" rathern than "This copy may not be genuine". Presumptuous gits.

[this_is_gav]

If the key on the sticker is a unique, non-SLP one, you can then still auth it, but you must do it by phone - Internet activation will always fail.

Indeed - I can't comment specifically about Toshiba, but all the Win7 laptops I've tried to activate have failed over the internet, but work with the automated telephone system - no need to talk to a human or anything.

[aidanjt]

Indeed - I can't comment specifically about Toshiba, but all the Win7 laptops I've tried to activate have failed over the internet, but work with the automated telephone system - no need to talk to a human or anything.

Tis a bit absurd (and telling) that you need to phone a computer to input a number and get an output in this day and age.

[Steve]

A little update for people. I re-entered the key (well, I say re-entered, I mean entered, as it was pre-validated, I'm guessing) and it automagically activated after a couple of minutes.

So perhaps enough of the underlying metal was exposed to the guest OS that it decided it was installed on the right system.

Hooray.

[blueball]

I was going to suggest to run Win 7 as the OS and put Ubuntu in the VM if you couldn't get it working but glad to see you're fixed.

[Agent]

I actually had a look around and it turns out you can get the SLIC table working (in a fashion) for the VM. It involves some DLL messing and it looks like there is only a HP table out there (not that it matters, they are all the same and validate with each others keys).

Glad you got it working with the non-SLP key though

[chrestomanci]

I did a similar thing with a Dell laptop recently (Installed Windows 7 OEM inside a Virtual Box VM, while running Ubuntu). The Windows install activated and worked fine, though as I only used it for a week or so, it is possible that it was just giving me a grace period before activation became mandatory.

Before the install "just worked", I did do some research about activating OEM copies of windows inside a Virtual Machine. Apparently there are some obscure incantations that you can give to Virtual Box to tell it the BIOS codes for it's emulated BIOS, i.e. You can make the BIOS appear to be a Toshiba one. Obviously you need to know what the correct BIOS codes are, but there are linux commands to read the necessary codes from your real BIOS.

I am afraid that I don't remember any more details, as it was not necessary for what I was doing, but I am fairly sure it is possible, but not that easy. Google will be your friend in this case. (A long term friend). I would start with the Virtual Box docs on their website, and their forums.

[Agent]

Passing the BIOS strings for that kinda thing is quite easy (so XP validation is no problem), it's the bloody SLIC table that's a nightmare, which means dealing with it on Vista/W7 is much harder

[Jeff_59]

Hello,

Would anyone be kind enough to compile a patched BIOS for virtualbox containing the SLP string "HP PAVILION" at F000 so that my windows XP Home virtual machine can run? The operating system of the host being MacOS10.6.8 ?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Best regards,

Jeff_59

P.S.: Btw is it possible to send PM to members?