Can you install XP from .toast file?

Z

ziomatrixacs

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OK guys, I hope I dont raise any eye brows. I assure you, my Windows Xp disc is 100% legal (and I can prove it)

With that said, I have a few questions. I want to buy VM fusion to run XP home, but I might not have access to the disc when I get my next computer (long story) So, I used Toast 9 to make a "disc image" file of it and it came out as a .toast file. Could I mount the toast file and install XP with VM fusion like that? Or do I need the physical disc? Since I probably wont have the real disc with me, would it be possible (and legal of course) to make a bootable copy of it with toast?

Thanks guys!
 
I've done the same in VMware fusion so that I do not need a disc every time. But, VMware only excepts .iso, so either you'll have to convert it from the beginning from the disc into .iso or i'm pretty sure you can just change the extension name from .toast to .iso in finder.
 
Yeah, I figured I couldnt do much with a .toast as is. Do I need to install toast on my new computer in order to convert it? Couldnt I just mount the .toast file and install xp through that virtual disc? If not, how could I convert it to .iso? I never knew changing the file extension would do that, I thought it was somehow encoded and only readable by toast or something.
 
Yeah, I figured I couldnt do much with a .toast as is. Do I need to install toast on my new computer in order to convert it? Couldnt I just mount the .toast file and install xp through that virtual disc? If not, how could I convert it to .iso? I never knew changing the file extension would do that, I thought it was somehow encoded and only readable by toast or something.
 
ziomatrixacs said:
Yeah, I figured I couldnt do much with a .toast as is. Do I need to install toast on my new computer in order to convert it? Couldnt I just mount the .toast file and install xp through that virtual disc? If not, how could I convert it to .iso? I never knew changing the file extension would do that, I thought it was somehow encoded and only readable by toast or something.
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Usually it is specially coded, but with what i've read is that .toast is really an iso just without the name. So you can just give it a try. What you do is open VMware make a new Windows XP file and it will give you an option to choose from either a disc or a disk image file, choose disk image file and then locate the iso file.
 
The whole thing sounds rather, well, strange. Tell us the long story. Come on. You have your own private legal Windows XP disc and "won't have access to it" when you get your next computer? Come on...

Anyway: If the image's format doesn't work with VMware, simply use Toast to burn it to a new disc. Voilà.
 
fryke said:
The whole thing sounds rather, well, strange. Tell us the long story. Come on. You have your own private legal Windows XP disc and "won't have access to it" when you get your next computer? Come on...
Click to expand...

I understand, I know it sounds a little fishy. Heres the story. I am enlisted in the Airforce, and will be leaving in late December if it goes as planned. I currently use an old Ibook that I am growing out of, so I want to buy a new MacBook Pro. I wont have enough after BMT, so it would be a few months after that once I get a steady income again. My mom has a PC that recently crashed (dead hard drive), so we got a copy of XP from a small computer shop down the road since CompUSA didnt give me an XP disc with the PC when she bought it. So when I leave for BMT, I wont have my ibook or ipod or anything else but tooth paste and a flash drive! So mom needs to keep the real CD. So if I get stationed in japan or some random place over season, Ill have XP on my flash drive and she doesnt have to send it over there and then I send it back. I dont think Id buy a computer then either, Id probably get some PAL format or something! Im not sure how that would work with customs either. Id rather just make sure I have a digital copy I could use.
What about my Ibook? I will probably have 2 weeks off after BMT, I could get it then. Why cant I install XP then? I wont have enough for my mac book pro then, so no computer to install it onto. If I get stationed in the states, which I probably will, I COULD have it mailed to me but that would probably be a PITA..

Basically, the disc must stay at home just in case the PC crashes, so I wont have access to it while I am at my duty station, and it would be a PITA to mail it back and forth. So, I want to make a toast copy and use that to install XP.
 
Wouldn't that mean the same copy is installed on both your mom's PC and your MBP later on? ;) ... Anyway: Burn the toast image to a CD-R. Problem solved.
 
fryke said:
Wouldn't that mean the same copy is installed on both your mom's PC and your MBP later on? ;) ....
Click to expand...

Thats true, the same copy would be on 2 computers. But is it illegal to use one disc on two computers or one Serial Number on two computers? When we got our HP PC, it came with its own Serial Number that we had to type in. But it came with no disc! So when my PC crashed, We had to buy a new hard drive (do you know how hard it is to find an IDE HD now days!) we had to get it from a specialty computer shop down the road. They sell parts for older computers, and we had to buy XP again. (Vista would have been murder on the computer!) So I have two serial numbers, the new one is unused, and the old one is what I used. One disc, two SN's... M$ made their measly bit of money by making me buy their OS over again, so I should atleast be able to use one disc with a fresh SN right?

Anyway: Burn the toast image to a CD-R. Problem solved
Click to expand...
But making a copy of the windows OS CD is illegal isnt it? Its just a PERSONAL back up, not for sale or trade. I want to keep XP on my ibook till I get the MBP, then just fire wire or flash drive it over. But a copy of the disc would be better actually. Im just not sure if thats legal or not.
 
But....
you already have made a copy of the Windows disk! Isn't this what this thread is about? 'Can you install XP from a .toast file?'
If you need a working copy that you can actually use (burn that image to a CD, eh?) then you still have only one copy. And, then you only have an issue with having a usable activation code, which would be between you and Microsoft at that point. If your Win activation code has already been used, then Microsoft may not help you out unless you have a good reason. If you have two or more activation codes, all valid, never been used, then one set of Windows software can install on as many machines as you have licenses.
 
ziomatrixacs said:
Thats true, the same copy would be on 2 computers. But is it illegal to use one disc on two computers or one Serial Number on two computers?
Click to expand...
In fact, yes, it is illegal. One serial number per computer (unless you have a volume license, which I highly doubt). If you have two serial numbers, then use one serial number on one machine and one on the other.

It doesn't matter how many Windows XP CDs you own -- it only matters how many serial numbers (ie, licenses) you own.
But making a copy of the windows OS CD is illegal isnt it?
Click to expand...
No, it's not.
 
ElDiabloConCaca said:
In fact, yes, it is illegal. One serial number per computer (unless you have a volume license, which I highly doubt). If you have two serial numbers, then use one serial number on one machine and one on the other.

It doesn't matter how many Windows XP CDs you own -- it only matters how many serial numbers (ie, licenses) you own.

No, it's not.
Click to expand...


Ok, I thought so. I do not have a volume license, I own one disc. The disc I purchased has its own SN, and my PC came with one on a special sticker on the side of the case. I used the sticker SN for the PC, and did not use the new SN since I plan to use it with my mac book pro when I get it in a few months. If anything HP should have gave me a windows disc, kinda ticks me off how they dont give you OS discs. Mac gives you a disc but it only works on your computer or computers very similar, IE ibook made in early 2004 with the some number SN ranging from X to Z I guess.


Actually another one of my friends wants me to fix her laptop with vista on it, she used Norton Anti virus and it some how killed the OS. MS didnt give her a disc so she has to buy Vista again.


So here is what I did. I put my new windows CD in to toast, copied it as a "disc image file" and it came out as a .toast file. So I burned that to a CD-R to see if it would work.. I havnt tried it yet though. I didnt change it to .iso.

My goal is to make a bootable, fully functional (and legal) copy of the XP disc and then make a fully functional bootable (and legal) copy of XP so I can put it in my ibook for storage.

Another question that Id like to ask is about making copies of games as a back up. Since I am going to be traveling a lot, Id like to carry as few things as possible. I have two old PC games, Sim City 3000 (2 copies after my sister scratched the first up) and Sim City 4. They both say "Unauthorized copying, reproduction, rental, public performance, or broadcast of this game is a violation of applicable laws." Does this mean I am NOT allowed to make a copy of this disc for my own personal use? what about a disc image file? I would have access to these disc at my duty station, so its not a big deal. I just dont want to carry it around. Weird thing to say when I plan on buying a $2800 computer :)


By the way, neither SM3k or SM4 has been installed on the new hard drive, but they were installed on the old HD. (But for some reason quit working after a few months :( ) Would this effect the legality of installing it on a MBP?


Thanks for all of the help, I need to go to law school just to fix a PC :D
 
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Okay. So you _do_ have two WinXP licenses. No Problem. As I've said repeatedly, just burn the Toast image to a CD-R and you're good. Since you *DO* own a license that hasn't been used yet, there *IS* no problem. (What's SM3k or SM4?! I guess that's for another thread?)

You do *NOT* need to go to law-school. You have a license, you're good.
 
ziomatrixacs said:
My goal is to make a bootable, fully functional (and legal) copy of the XP disc and then make a fully functional bootable (and legal) copy of XP so I can put it in my ibook for storage.:D
Click to expand...
Toast isn't needed, although it's perfectly suited for making bootable backups... you can do all of this with the Mac OS X-included Disk Utility. Simply make a "CD/DVD Master" image of your Windows CD, pop in a blank CD-R, and then click the "Burn" button in Disk Utility.

Easy-peasy. Works for Windows install CDs/DVDs, Mac OS X Install CDs/DVDs and games as well. As long as there isn't some bit-level copy protection (like intentional bad sectors, etc.) on the disk, you're good to go. :)
 
fryke said:
Okay. So you _do_ have two WinXP licenses. No Problem. As I've said repeatedly, just burn the Toast image to a CD-R and you're good. Since you *DO* own a license that hasn't been used yet, there *IS* no problem. (What's SM3k or SM4?! I guess that's for another thread?)

You do *NOT* need to go to law-school. You have a license, you're good.
Click to expand...

All clear! I DO have two XP licenses that I purchased with the disc and with the desktop.

SM3K and SM4 Is SimCity 3000 and Sim City 4. They are PC only games that Id like to put on the MBP. They require me to put the disc in the computer when I play them, like many other games. I was wondering if I could either make a back up CD to take with me, or if I could create a file I could mount with toast to make a virtual CD. I put the original disc into my computer and Toast says the disc is scratched, but there are no scratches. Then it ask if Id like to use data recovery, but that doesnt work either.

I tried using disc utility, im not quite sure how to use it. When I put the disc in, it says
742.9 MB MATSHITACD-RW CW-8124
646.9MB Untitled 0
646.6MB SIMCITY3000

Im not sure which one I need to copy
 
THAT would be illegal, sadly. And my guess is that the copy protection of those games won't let you play them in VMware or Parallels.
 
Bummer! Ok, I got it now. I thought it was legal to make back up copies of your DVD's games ect. as long as you do not do illegal activities with them such as modify, sell, rent, give, claim you made or anything of that nature.

Just curious, how would the copy protection keep Fusion and parallels from playing it? The purpose of me doing such sacrilege (installing winXP :D )to a mac is to play games.. I was going to get the middle MBP with the 512mb graphics card to play games. But if I cant play certain games then I should just get the cheaper 256mb version for $500 less!
 
If you want this for gaming then i would forget parallels and go for bootcamp (free in Leopard!). Then you have a more normal XP install much better able to play games. You could also use perhaps a backup solution to have an image of your whole install (mac and win) on a small portable hard drive to allow you to restore the machine if it goes wrong while you are away from the disks.
 
Boot camp? I thought it ran slower?

What if I were to have Parallels, VMware and boot camp all in the same machine? Could I use just one WinXP? Or does each software work as its own independent machine and require its own WinXP SN? I probably wont do that, I am just curious on how it would work.
 
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