Boot Camp, Parallels and MS Office

K

knet

Registered
Hello

I have a Macbook running OS X 10.4.10, Boot Camp 1.4 and Parallels 3.0 with Windows XP. I've installed and activated MS Office 2002 under Parallels some time ago. Since then I've always used it in Parallels without problems. A few days ago I booted Windows directly, since I planed a longer Word session. Unfortunately I could not use Word. Office displayed a message about a major change in the hardware and I should reactivate my Office. In Parallels everything still runs perfectly. Any suggestions, how to solve this problem?
Will the reactivated installation run on both Parallels and Boot Camp?

Thank you
knet
 
You have - in effect - two separate Windows installations (and two computers). One for Parallels, and the other as a complete reboot - which most people refer to as a Boot Camp installation.
Each must be activated individually, and you will have to call Microsoft for help with that. Explain that you are using the same partition for a virtualized environment through Parallels Diesktop, and that you also use Windows by booting to that Windows partition for a 'real' boot. They will give you a different activation code to use for the separate partition.
 
Thank you for your reply. Just another question. Will the "Boot Camp" and Parallels MW Office installations coexist? Are both of them runnable?
Just to eliminate possible misunderstandings: Parallels starts/runs Windows from the Boot Camp partition. I do NOT have 2 separate Windows images.
 
knet said:
Thank you for your reply. Just another question. Will the "Boot Camp" and Parallels MW Office installations coexist? Are both of them runnable?
Just to eliminate possible misunderstandings: Parallels starts/runs Windows from the Boot Camp partition. I do NOT have 2 separate Windows images.
Click to expand...

Your message must be for Windows, and not Office. Office should work on both Windows setups.
You have 1 Windows installation that you enter using two different methods. You activate your Windows installation, for example, when using Parallels. That's a virtualized environment that is activated. When you then boot into Windows (your actual Boot Camp-created partition), then you are now using - as far as Windows is concerned - a different computer, and your Windows will complain that you have changed your hardware, and then requires activation for that type of booting. So, you need to activate Windows twice - once for the normal boot-to-windows completely, and once for the virtualized boot-via-Parallels.
Two different Windows (Windows thinks so, anyway)
It's a Microsoft thing that you have to put up with.....
 
If I recall correctly, the Office XP activation site "remembers" the last activation for only 3 months. If you installed Office longer than that, you should be able to install and activate on a new Windows OS, whether it exists in parallels or boot camp.

You can try activating on the second Windows OS. The worst that can happen is that it won't let you. Then just google for an activation crack program. (I didn't say that...just kidding, MS).
 
I have nothing really to add here, but that makes me so freakin' angry. I knew Windows deactivated with a hardware change -- which is bad enough -- but Office too?

I need to lie down before I burst something...
 
bharoche said:
If I recall correctly, the Office XP activation site "remembers" the last activation for only 3 months. If you installed Office longer than that, you should be able to install and activate on a new Windows OS, whether it exists in parallels or boot camp.

You can try activating on the second Windows OS. The worst that can happen is that it won't let you. Then just google for an activation crack program. (I didn't say that...just kidding, MS).
Click to expand...

If activation doesn't work, just tell them that you changed your hardware and they will reset it for you. Office 2000 doesn't require activation. Neither does iWork..
 
They do it . . . because they can get away with it. Crap company. I'm on my 3rd Xbox 360. Microsoft's finest. Blech.

Doug
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top