Reading this thread I was thinking about installing Win XP in a virtual machine on my Ubuntu machine so that I can watch Netflix streaming movies, but I only have the restore disc that came with the machine. It is obviously licensed, and I am not even dual booting since I reformatted the hard drive to install Ubuntu, but I read here that the restore disc will not work for installing XP in a virtual machine. Is there any work around for that?

Depending on how the restore CD installs XP it may or may not work.

But you should have a XP license key on a sticker the side of your computer or somewhere. You should be able to install a clean and legit XP using that.

More than likely you will not be able to do this--most OEM-supplied "restore" CD's perform a BIOS call to verify the computer being used is one made by that manufacturer.

In other words, a Dell-supplied Windows XP install CD only works on Dell computers, and an HP-supplied one on HP computers...

Technically speaking, the Windows license on one of these machines is supposed to live and die with the computer on which it was installed, and cannot be moved to another computer; once the original computer breaks and isn't repaired due to cost, the Windows license is lost along with it.

Not too crazy about it, either.

Windows installation media purchased via retail channels, however (usually in its own box etc.), usually can be transferred from one computer to another, reactivated up to a small number of times before Microsoft makes you call in to confirm you are the legitimate user.

Corporate/MVL license copies can be installed in a VM with few exceptions (provided, obviously, you have the necessary number of licenses).


Another excellent reason to support open-source software

I've been able to create custom installation CDs for Windows 2000, Windows 2003 and Windows XP using the Dell-provided "Restore" CDs.

However, this is because *most* of them wind up being re-labeled Microsoft Windows installations CDs. Keep in mind, there's a few "restore-an-image" type disks (a la Ghost, I presume) that shipped for a few models back in the late 90s.

I also had the pleasure of dealing with on-the-hard-disk based recovery options that Dell provided, back when they stopped providing actual installation recovery CDs. (Hidden partition on the hard disk...what a mess).

Now, if you have an actual MSFT Windows installation disk disguised as a Dell Restore CD, you should be good.

I've used nlite to create custom disks for Virtual environments (mostly VMware). The nlite application lets you integrate Service Packs, patches, drivers, and even Registry tweaks/hacks.

Check the "Recovery" disk, if there's a i386 directory on it, you're golden!

te only feasible workaround is to keep the XP and install Linux in a VM, start it up on boot, in fullscreen mode

I would think that as long as you have your license key available, you can use another XP Install CD (borrowed and same version as your licensed) and use your own key when prompted. As you are installing to the same machine, the call to Microsoft will go well. When I installed to my Dell laptop - Vista guest, everything went well. I had to call a person (automated failed) and explained that this is going onto the same machine (although virtual), the Microsoft tech was very understanding.

You can also try doing a restore of Windows and then backup up the
Windows system using ntbackup (or whatever backup solution you like).
Save the backup to your network. Install Linux, install your VM
software, create a VM and restore Windows to the VM.

You will get nasty messages about too many hardware changes, but all
you have to do is re-enter your license key. You will also have to
update drivers and perhaps remove phantom network adapters. However
you will end up with a legit system.

This doesn't directly answer your question, and I've never used the tools myself, but clonezilla and vmware both provide free tools to convert a physical machine to a virtual one.

So, you could install WinXP again and convert it to a virtual machine using the tools I mentioned. Google vmware converter to find more details. Let us know how both/either turn out if you try it.

[QUOTE=btncix;3722376]".. but clonezilla and vmware both provide free tools to convert a physical machine to a virtual one."

The vmware product does work and its free (have to register but it works). The only problem would be the size of the virtual disk. The whole intent is to have a decently sized guest without using up all your resources on your host. So there are some steps that need doing using this tool for conversion. With Vista its pretty painless (shrink the drive and do the dd with the new slave), ...and uh for WinXP also. For WinXP, use a liveCD (like ubuntu 9.04) to boot into your new guest, use partition editor to shrink. Then do the Master/Slave thing with a new Virtual Disk (as slave) rebooting to the live CD. Then do the copy from terminal "dd if=/dev/sda of=/dev/sdb" assuming they are reported in partition editor as sata, hda and hdb if not. Then boot into your new virtual hard drive. Install the Guest additions (rename agp440.sys and intelppm.sys first) or VMware tools --whichever virtualization engine necessary.

All this works, I have done so for both my Guests. It takes some time, but its all free

A Windows restore CD providing by another company like dell you can use it on any pc whether is dell, hp, or just a customer build. You can install it. You just have to purchase a license from Microsoft to be able to use it legitly.

I would like to thank everyone for the helpful responses. I apologize for not updating the thread over the weekend, but I accidentally left my keepass file at work and did not know my password.

My Win XP restore disc did have an i386 folder so I gave it a shot, and the install worked perfectly. It tells me that I have 29 days left to activate so I have not yet tested that process so I may well have to explain to the MS people that I am running on a virtual machine on the machine that the disc is licensed for. Hopefully they will give me permission to activate at that time.

I was amazed at how well the virtual machine performed on my computer. A clean install in a virtual machine works much better than a year old install worked natively on the same machine. I guess that is further proof that Windows slows down with age.

I was able to watch a streaming movie using NetFlix. It is amazing how far we have to go to get around the problem of companies like NetFlix allowing Microsoft to fence them in with software like SilverLight.

Overall, although Virtual Box worked great it just felt bad letting Windows back into my house even in a virtual machine. All of the concern about license keys and whether or not they will allow me to run the software in a virtual machine was just another reminder of how much I love Linux and freedom.

ProTip: Don't tell them it's a Virtual. Tell them you're mainboard died.