I use Win-10 in a VirtualBox VM for testing purposes. Specifically for testing
the Windows version of my e-mail client. I have a valid product key obtained
from Amazon, but from time to time my virtual machine gets wedged, so I have
to delete it and build a new one. This seems to get me into trouble with MS,
who notice that the MAC address of the new build is different from the last
one.

So this ghostly lettering appears on the screen telling me I have to "Activate
Windows". The virtual machine also appears to start behaving oddly once in
this state. One can start the activation process, and there's even a link to
tell them that "I have changed hardware on this machine", but after that it
wants me to log on (not sure what to) and I either don't have an account or
have forgotten about it, can't remember which now.

And advice as to how to get this sequence to STFU?

--
There's no obfuscated Perl contest because it's pointless.

- Jeff Polk

On 18 Apr 2024 14:33:05 GMT
Tim Streater <tim@streater.me.uk> wrote:

> I use Win-10 in a VirtualBox VM for testing purposes. Specifically
> for testing the Windows version of my e-mail client. I have a valid
> product key obtained from Amazon, but from time to time my virtual
> machine gets wedged, so I have to delete it and build a new one. This
> seems to get me into trouble with MS, who notice that the MAC address
> of the new build is different from the last one.
>
> So this ghostly lettering appears on the screen telling me I have to
> "Activate Windows". The virtual machine also appears to start
> behaving oddly once in this state. One can start the activation
> process, and there's even a link to tell them that "I have changed
> hardware on this machine", but after that it wants me to log on (not
> sure what to) and I either don't have an account or have forgotten
> about it, can't remember which now.
>
> And advice as to how to get this sequence to STFU?
>

All downloads of Windows for some years have been linked to an MS email
account. I have an old Hotmail account that still works, but you may
have had one on live.com or some variation of Outlook.

Any way to force a fixed MAC onto the VM?

--
Joe

On 18/04/2024 16:13, Joe wrote:
> On 18 Apr 2024 14:33:05 GMT
> Tim Streater <tim@streater.me.uk> wrote:
>
>> I use Win-10 in a VirtualBox VM for testing purposes. Specifically
>> for testing the Windows version of my e-mail client. I have a valid
>> product key obtained from Amazon, but from time to time my virtual
>> machine gets wedged, so I have to delete it and build a new one. This
>> seems to get me into trouble with MS, who notice that the MAC address
>> of the new build is different from the last one.
>>
>> So this ghostly lettering appears on the screen telling me I have to
>> "Activate Windows". The virtual machine also appears to start
>> behaving oddly once in this state. One can start the activation
>> process, and there's even a link to tell them that "I have changed
>> hardware on this machine", but after that it wants me to log on (not
>> sure what to) and I either don't have an account or have forgotten
>> about it, can't remember which now.
>>
>> And advice as to how to get this sequence to STFU?
>>
>
> All downloads of Windows for some years have been linked to an MS email
> account.

That is not really true...

If you activate an install of windows, then you can save that activation
into a MS account, so that should you change the hardware, you can
reassociate that activation with the new hardware. (this is true for
retail keys but not OEM ones)

However you don't need an account to download windows - the installer is
generic.

> I have an old Hotmail account that still works, but you may
> have had one on live.com or some variation of Outlook.
>
> Any way to force a fixed MAC onto the VM?
>

--
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\=================================================================/

On 18 Apr 2024 at 16:13:42 BST, "Joe" <joe@jretrading.com> wrote:

> On 18 Apr 2024 14:33:05 GMT
> Tim Streater <tim@streater.me.uk> wrote:
>
>> I use Win-10 in a VirtualBox VM for testing purposes. Specifically
>> for testing the Windows version of my e-mail client. I have a valid
>> product key obtained from Amazon, but from time to time my virtual
>> machine gets wedged, so I have to delete it and build a new one. This
>> seems to get me into trouble with MS, who notice that the MAC address
>> of the new build is different from the last one.
>>
>> So this ghostly lettering appears on the screen telling me I have to
>> "Activate Windows". The virtual machine also appears to start
>> behaving oddly once in this state. One can start the activation
>> process, and there's even a link to tell them that "I have changed
>> hardware on this machine", but after that it wants me to log on (not
>> sure what to) and I either don't have an account or have forgotten
>> about it, can't remember which now.
>>
>> Any advice as to how to get this sequence to STFU?
>
> All downloads of Windows for some years have been linked to an MS email
> account. I have an old Hotmail account that still works, but you may
> have had one on live.com or some variation of Outlook.

I've never had any flavour of MS email account. Actually I wonder - perhaps I
should get it to set one up. I seem to recall this "activation" procedure
offers that.

> Any way to force a fixed MAC onto the VM?

I wondered about this, too, but I've no note of the MAC I was using when the
original VM was set up.

--
Tim

On 18/04/2024 15:33, Tim Streater wrote:
> I use Win-10 in a VirtualBox VM for testing purposes. Specifically for testing
> the Windows version of my e-mail client. I have a valid product key obtained
> from Amazon, but from time to time my virtual machine gets wedged, so I have
> to delete it and build a new one. This seems to get me into trouble with MS,
> who notice that the MAC address of the new build is different from the last
> one.

For applications like that just build your (virtual) machine out to a
starter state, and then snapshot it. If it gets borked, roll back to the
snapshot.

If you want to make copies of the VM, then build it out to a starting
state, and then run sysprep on it. That will make the windows install
generic and remove hardware id related info. Next time you booth the
machine it will be like the first turn on and it will run the windows
"Out of the Box" experience (OOBE), which walks the user through first
setup including asking for the key etc.

(that is how a system builder will manage to have all the right drivers
installed for when you turn on the PC the "first time" - a kind of "make
me a virgin again" process)

> So this ghostly lettering appears on the screen telling me I have to "Activate
> Windows". The virtual machine also appears to start behaving oddly once in
> this state. One can start the activation process, and there's even a link to

The only "odd" stuff that will happen without activation is that you
will not be able to save any personalisation, like custom screen colours
or wall papers etc. With Win 10 or 11, everything else should work as
normal including getting proper updates.

> tell them that "I have changed hardware on this machine", but after that it
> wants me to log on (not sure what to) and I either don't have an account or
> have forgotten about it, can't remember which now.

This assumes that you have added the machine to a MS account - it then
lets you reactivate on new hardware. (it will activate automatically on
the old hardware).

In cases were you have not got the activation state saved to and
account, and have been forced to change the hardware (say on motherboard
failure), you can activate by phone. Normally you have to go as far as
talking to them, and tell them you had to replace the mobo. At which
point they will ask to see the receipt for the motherboard, and they
will reactivate. (they will usually do this for OEM licenses as well).

> And advice as to how to get this sequence to STFU?

Or just cheat. Open a command prompt and type:

PS irm https://massgrave.dev/get | iex

(gets the open source MS activation script and runs it - obviously only
"legal" if you own a valid license :-) )

--
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\=================================================================/

On Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:50:09 +0100
John Rumm <see.my.signature@nowhere.null> wrote:

> On 18/04/2024 16:13, Joe wrote:
> > On 18 Apr 2024 14:33:05 GMT
> > Tim Streater <tim@streater.me.uk> wrote:
> >
> >> I use Win-10 in a VirtualBox VM for testing purposes. Specifically
> >> for testing the Windows version of my e-mail client. I have a valid
> >> product key obtained from Amazon, but from time to time my virtual
> >> machine gets wedged, so I have to delete it and build a new one.
> >> This seems to get me into trouble with MS, who notice that the MAC
> >> address of the new build is different from the last one.
> >>
> >> So this ghostly lettering appears on the screen telling me I have
> >> to "Activate Windows". The virtual machine also appears to start
> >> behaving oddly once in this state. One can start the activation
> >> process, and there's even a link to tell them that "I have changed
> >> hardware on this machine", but after that it wants me to log on
> >> (not sure what to) and I either don't have an account or have
> >> forgotten about it, can't remember which now.
> >>
> >> And advice as to how to get this sequence to STFU?
> >>
> >
> > All downloads of Windows for some years have been linked to an MS
> > email account.
>
> That is not really true...
>
> If you activate an install of windows, then you can save that
> activation into a MS account, so that should you change the hardware,
> you can reassociate that activation with the new hardware. (this is
> true for retail keys but not OEM ones)
>
> However you don't need an account to download windows - the installer
> is generic.

Sorry, I was thinking of downloading something more exotic than
domestic Windows, which was the last time I did it. That involved
paying.

But MS tries hard to get new domestic users to set up an MS email
account and use it to login on their own machines. I suppose it makes
their spying easier. The last installation I did, which must have been
10, still had a way of avoiding it and using a 'legacy' account. I don't
know if the latest versions still have that.

--
Joe

On 18/04/2024 19:26, Joe wrote:
> On Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:50:09 +0100
> John Rumm <see.my.signature@nowhere.null> wrote:
>
>> On 18/04/2024 16:13, Joe wrote:
>>> On 18 Apr 2024 14:33:05 GMT
>>> Tim Streater <tim@streater.me.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I use Win-10 in a VirtualBox VM for testing purposes. Specifically
>>>> for testing the Windows version of my e-mail client. I have a valid
>>>> product key obtained from Amazon, but from time to time my virtual
>>>> machine gets wedged, so I have to delete it and build a new one.
>>>> This seems to get me into trouble with MS, who notice that the MAC
>>>> address of the new build is different from the last one.
>>>>
>>>> So this ghostly lettering appears on the screen telling me I have
>>>> to "Activate Windows". The virtual machine also appears to start
>>>> behaving oddly once in this state. One can start the activation
>>>> process, and there's even a link to tell them that "I have changed
>>>> hardware on this machine", but after that it wants me to log on
>>>> (not sure what to) and I either don't have an account or have
>>>> forgotten about it, can't remember which now.
>>>>
>>>> And advice as to how to get this sequence to STFU?
>>>>
>>>
>>> All downloads of Windows for some years have been linked to an MS
>>> email account.
>>
>> That is not really true...
>>
>> If you activate an install of windows, then you can save that
>> activation into a MS account, so that should you change the hardware,
>> you can reassociate that activation with the new hardware. (this is
>> true for retail keys but not OEM ones)
>>
>> However you don't need an account to download windows - the installer
>> is generic.
>
> Sorry, I was thinking of downloading something more exotic than
> domestic Windows, which was the last time I did it. That involved
> paying.
>
> But MS tries hard to get new domestic users to set up an MS email
> account and use it to login on their own machines.

Oh indeed - in fact on a windows home machine you have to try quite hard
to avoid using a MS account to set it up. (Pro and Enterprise still
allow a path through to the local account option fairly easily)

> I suppose it makes
> their spying easier. The last installation I did, which must have been
> 10, still had a way of avoiding it and using a 'legacy' account. I don't
> know if the latest versions still have that.

With the pro versions, you select "options", then "domain join instead",
then it lets you do a local account - just remember to got for the
second option on all the questions about "find my PC" etc, otherwise
some will loop you back to needing a MS account.

With home versions it is harder - but there are still workarounds.

--
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\=================================================================/

On 18/04/2024 in message <uvrphr$2daok$1@dont-email.me> John Rumm wrote:

>>I suppose it makes
>>their spying easier. The last installation I did, which must have been
>>10, still had a way of avoiding it and using a 'legacy' account. I don't
>>know if the latest versions still have that.
>
>With the pro versions, you select "options", then "domain join instead",
>then it lets you do a local account - just remember to got for the second
>option on all the questions about "find my PC" etc, otherwise some will
>loop you back to needing a MS account.
>
>With home versions it is harder - but there are still workarounds.

Don't connect to the Internet until after installing and tell it you you
don't have Internet while installing.

--
Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
I was standing in the park wondering why Frisbees got bigger as they get
closer.
Then it hit me.

On Thu, 18 Apr 2024 19:42:03 +0100, John Rumm wrote:

> On 18/04/2024 19:26, Joe wrote:
>> On Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:50:09 +0100 John Rumm
>> <see.my.signature@nowhere.null> wrote:
>>
>>> On 18/04/2024 16:13, Joe wrote:
>>>> On 18 Apr 2024 14:33:05 GMT Tim Streater <tim@streater.me.uk> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I use Win-10 in a VirtualBox VM for testing purposes. Specifically
>>>>> for testing the Windows version of my e-mail client. I have a valid
>>>>> product key obtained from Amazon, but from time to time my virtual
>>>>> machine gets wedged, so I have to delete it and build a new one.
>>>>> This seems to get me into trouble with MS, who notice that the MAC
>>>>> address of the new build is different from the last one.
>>>>>
>>>>> So this ghostly lettering appears on the screen telling me I have to
>>>>> "Activate Windows". The virtual machine also appears to start
>>>>> behaving oddly once in this state. One can start the activation
>>>>> process, and there's even a link to tell them that "I have changed
>>>>> hardware on this machine", but after that it wants me to log on (not
>>>>> sure what to) and I either don't have an account or have forgotten
>>>>> about it, can't remember which now.
>>>>>
>>>>> And advice as to how to get this sequence to STFU?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> All downloads of Windows for some years have been linked to an MS
>>>> email account.
>>>
>>> That is not really true...
>>>
>>> If you activate an install of windows, then you can save that
>>> activation into a MS account, so that should you change the hardware,
>>> you can reassociate that activation with the new hardware. (this is
>>> true for retail keys but not OEM ones)
>>>
>>> However you don't need an account to download windows - the installer
>>> is generic.
>>
>> Sorry, I was thinking of downloading something more exotic than
>> domestic Windows, which was the last time I did it. That involved
>> paying.
>>
>> But MS tries hard to get new domestic users to set up an MS email
>> account and use it to login on their own machines.
>
>
> Oh indeed - in fact on a windows home machine you have to try quite hard
> to avoid using a MS account to set it up. (Pro and Enterprise still
> allow a path through to the local account option fairly easily)
>
>> I suppose it makes their spying easier. The last installation I did,
>> which must have been 10, still had a way of avoiding it and using a
>> 'legacy' account. I don't know if the latest versions still have that.
>
> With the pro versions, you select "options", then "domain join instead",
> then it lets you do a local account - just remember to got for the
> second option on all the questions about "find my PC" etc, otherwise
> some will loop you back to needing a MS account.
>
> With home versions it is harder - but there are still workarounds.

Not if you install from a Rufus sd card. You can cancel M$ account and use
current location. Most of the daft questions are cancelled.

On 18 Apr 2024 at 19:03:17 BST, "John Rumm" <see.my.signature@nowhere.null>
wrote:

> If you want to make copies of the VM, then build it out to a starting
> state, and then run sysprep on it.

> Or just cheat. Open a command prompt and type:
>
> PS irm https://massgrave.dev/get | iex

Neither the cmd prompt nor Powershell had ever heard of either of these, even
as an admin.

--
The truth of the matter is that we Scots have always been more divided amongst ourselves than pitted against the English. Scottish history before the Union of Parliaments is a gloomy, violent tale of murders, feuds, and tribal revenge. Only after the Act of Union did Highlanders and Lowlanders, Picts and Celts, begin to recognise one another as fellow citizens.

Tam Dalyell

On 18/04/2024 15:33, Tim Streater wrote:
> I use Win-10 in a VirtualBox VM for testing purposes. Specifically for testing
> the Windows version of my e-mail client. I have a valid product key obtained
> from Amazon, but from time to time my virtual machine gets wedged, so I have
> to delete it and build a new one.
No, you save a snapshot of a fresh install and revert to that.

This seems to get me into trouble with MS,
> who notice that the MAC address of the new build is different from the last
> one.
>
> So this ghostly lettering appears on the screen telling me I have to "Activate
> Windows". The virtual machine also appears to start behaving oddly once in
> this state. One can start the activation process, and there's even a link to
> tell them that "I have changed hardware on this machine", but after that it
> wants me to log on (not sure what to) and I either don't have an account or
> have forgotten about it, can't remember which now.
>
> And advice as to how to get this sequence to STFU?
>
Save your whole virtual machine. Either by using snapshots or by copying
the whole virtual box directory structure

--
Truth welcomes investigation because truth knows investigation will lead
to converts. It is deception that uses all the other techniques.

On 18/04/2024 16:13, Joe wrote:
> On 18 Apr 2024 14:33:05 GMT
> Tim Streater <tim@streater.me.uk> wrote:
>
>> I use Win-10 in a VirtualBox VM for testing purposes. Specifically
>> for testing the Windows version of my e-mail client. I have a valid
>> product key obtained from Amazon, but from time to time my virtual
>> machine gets wedged, so I have to delete it and build a new one. This
>> seems to get me into trouble with MS, who notice that the MAC address
>> of the new build is different from the last one.
>>
>> So this ghostly lettering appears on the screen telling me I have to
>> "Activate Windows". The virtual machine also appears to start
>> behaving oddly once in this state. One can start the activation
>> process, and there's even a link to tell them that "I have changed
>> hardware on this machine", but after that it wants me to log on (not
>> sure what to) and I either don't have an account or have forgotten
>> about it, can't remember which now.
>>
>> And advice as to how to get this sequence to STFU?
>>
>
> All downloads of Windows for some years have been linked to an MS email
> account. I have an old Hotmail account that still works, but you may
> have had one on live.com or some variation of Outlook.
>
> Any way to force a fixed MAC onto the VM?
>
Yeah., Juts type it intro the advanced section of the emulated network
adapter on virtual box
--
"And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch".

Gospel of St. Mathew 15:14

On 18 Apr 2024 at 20:53:41 BST, "Tim Streater" <tim@streater.me.uk> wrote:

> On 18 Apr 2024 at 19:03:17 BST, "John Rumm" <see.my.signature@nowhere.null>
> wrote:
>
>> If you want to make copies of the VM, then build it out to a starting
>> state, and then run sysprep on it.
>
>> Or just cheat. Open a command prompt and type:
>>
>> PS irm https://massgrave.dev/get | iex
>
> Neither the cmd prompt nor Powershell had ever heard of either of these, even
> as an admin.

OK belay that. I found and am running sysprep.

--
When I saw how the European Union was developing, it was very obvious what they had in mind was not democratic. In Britain you vote for a government so the government has to listen to you, and if you don't like it you can change it.

Tony Benn

Tim Streater wrote:

> John Rumm wrote:
>
>> PS irm https://massgrave.dev/get | iex
>
> Neither the cmd prompt nor Powershell had ever heard of either of these, even
> as an admin.

They're powershell aliases ... you have to trust "whoever" to not send
you a malicious script to run...

PS C:\Users\Andy> alias irm
Alias irm -> Invoke-RestMethod

PS C:\Users\Andy> alias iex
Alias iex -> Invoke-Expression

On 18/04/2024 20:40, Jeff Gaines wrote:
> On 18/04/2024 in message <uvrphr$2daok$1@dont-email.me> John Rumm wrote:
>
>>> I suppose it makes
>>> their spying easier. The last installation I did, which must have been
>>> 10, still had a way of avoiding it and using a 'legacy' account. I don't
>>> know if the latest versions still have that.
>>
>> With the pro versions, you select "options", then "domain join
>> instead", then it lets you do a local account - just remember to got
>> for the second option on all the questions about "find my PC" etc,
>> otherwise some will loop you back to needing a MS account.
>>
>> With home versions it is harder - but there are still workarounds.
>
> Don't connect to the Internet until after installing and tell it you you
> don't have Internet while installing.

Latest version of 11 home will not install without internet...

One of the tricks that worked (and might still do) was to connect to a
network, then force open a command prompt and do a dhcp release to drop
the IP address. So it satisfied the OOBE that it was connected to a
network while still preventing it from actually using it!

--
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\=================================================================/

On 18/04/2024 20:48, Smolley wrote:
> On Thu, 18 Apr 2024 19:42:03 +0100, John Rumm wrote:
>
>> On 18/04/2024 19:26, Joe wrote:
>>> On Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:50:09 +0100 John Rumm
>>> <see.my.signature@nowhere.null> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 18/04/2024 16:13, Joe wrote:
>>>>> On 18 Apr 2024 14:33:05 GMT Tim Streater <tim@streater.me.uk> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I use Win-10 in a VirtualBox VM for testing purposes. Specifically
>>>>>> for testing the Windows version of my e-mail client. I have a valid
>>>>>> product key obtained from Amazon, but from time to time my virtual
>>>>>> machine gets wedged, so I have to delete it and build a new one.
>>>>>> This seems to get me into trouble with MS, who notice that the MAC
>>>>>> address of the new build is different from the last one.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So this ghostly lettering appears on the screen telling me I have to
>>>>>> "Activate Windows". The virtual machine also appears to start
>>>>>> behaving oddly once in this state. One can start the activation
>>>>>> process, and there's even a link to tell them that "I have changed
>>>>>> hardware on this machine", but after that it wants me to log on (not
>>>>>> sure what to) and I either don't have an account or have forgotten
>>>>>> about it, can't remember which now.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> And advice as to how to get this sequence to STFU?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> All downloads of Windows for some years have been linked to an MS
>>>>> email account.
>>>>
>>>> That is not really true...
>>>>
>>>> If you activate an install of windows, then you can save that
>>>> activation into a MS account, so that should you change the hardware,
>>>> you can reassociate that activation with the new hardware. (this is
>>>> true for retail keys but not OEM ones)
>>>>
>>>> However you don't need an account to download windows - the installer
>>>> is generic.
>>>
>>> Sorry, I was thinking of downloading something more exotic than
>>> domestic Windows, which was the last time I did it. That involved
>>> paying.
>>>
>>> But MS tries hard to get new domestic users to set up an MS email
>>> account and use it to login on their own machines.
>>
>>
>> Oh indeed - in fact on a windows home machine you have to try quite hard
>> to avoid using a MS account to set it up. (Pro and Enterprise still
>> allow a path through to the local account option fairly easily)
>>
>>> I suppose it makes their spying easier. The last installation I did,
>>> which must have been 10, still had a way of avoiding it and using a
>>> 'legacy' account. I don't know if the latest versions still have that.
>>
>> With the pro versions, you select "options", then "domain join instead",
>> then it lets you do a local account - just remember to got for the
>> second option on all the questions about "find my PC" etc, otherwise
>> some will loop you back to needing a MS account.
>>
>> With home versions it is harder - but there are still workarounds.
>
> Not if you install from a Rufus sd card. You can cancel M$ account and use
> current location. Most of the daft questions are cancelled.

Rufus will also let you install 11 on non compliant hardware that lacks
any form of TPM (the registry bypass still needs a TPM of some kind - it
just skips the requirement for a V2.0 one)

--
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\=================================================================/

On 18/04/2024 20:53, Tim Streater wrote:
> On 18 Apr 2024 at 19:03:17 BST, "John Rumm" <see.my.signature@nowhere.null>
> wrote:
>
>> If you want to make copies of the VM, then build it out to a starting
>> state, and then run sysprep on it.

>> Or just cheat. Open a command prompt and type:
>>
>> PS irm https://massgrave.dev/get | iex
>
> Neither the cmd prompt nor Powershell had ever heard of either of these, even
> as an admin.

In powershell you won't need the PS bit (that just invokes powershell
from the command prompt).

You may not have the "irm" alias defined (it is usually there by default
in 10) - it expands out to "Invoke-RestMethod" - it basically goes and
grabs the script from a REST web api. It then pipes it to iex (which
expands to "Invoke-Expression"

so you could type:

Invoke-RestMethod https://massgrave.dev/get | Invoke-Expression

However, if you prefer you can just download the set of scripts directly
from the link at:

https://massgrave.dev/

That will get a zip file of all the activators and instructions in a
readme.

--
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\=================================================================/

On 18/04/2024 21:08, Tim Streater wrote:
> On 18 Apr 2024 at 20:53:41 BST, "Tim Streater" <tim@streater.me.uk> wrote:
>
>> On 18 Apr 2024 at 19:03:17 BST, "John Rumm" <see.my.signature@nowhere.null>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> If you want to make copies of the VM, then build it out to a starting
>>> state, and then run sysprep on it.
>>
>>> Or just cheat. Open a command prompt and type:
>>>
>>> PS irm https://massgrave.dev/get | iex
>>
>> Neither the cmd prompt nor Powershell had ever heard of either of these, even
>> as an admin.
>
> OK belay that. I found and am running sysprep.

Prolly should have made it clearer that the massgrave scripts will
activate windows regardless of how you have arrived at a booting install
of it. The sysprep method is the way to produce a generic install image
that can be preconfigured with whatever apps etc you want, and then
rolled out onto new hardware. It is not a way to force activation.

--
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\=================================================================/

On 4/18/2024 10:33 AM, Tim Streater wrote:
> I use Win-10 in a VirtualBox VM for testing purposes. Specifically for testing
> the Windows version of my e-mail client. I have a valid product key obtained
> from Amazon, but from time to time my virtual machine gets wedged, so I have
> to delete it and build a new one. This seems to get me into trouble with MS,
> who notice that the MAC address of the new build is different from the last
> one.
>
> So this ghostly lettering appears on the screen telling me I have to "Activate
> Windows". The virtual machine also appears to start behaving oddly once in
> this state. One can start the activation process, and there's even a link to
> tell them that "I have changed hardware on this machine", but after that it
> wants me to log on (not sure what to) and I either don't have an account or
> have forgotten about it, can't remember which now.
>
> And advice as to how to get this sequence to STFU?
>

Licensing involves passing the presented license key, plus
a "hardware hash", to the Microsoft server. If you reinstall
the OS for some reason, then the idea is, you want the hardware
hash to be the same. As that is how it would have worked on
a physical computer. The MAC address receives a lot of weight, because
the NIC is assumed to be soldered to the motherboard. My machine
has two MACs, the unused NIC that doesn't work properly, and a
new one with its own MAC. Firewire can have a MAC. Bluetooth
could have a MAC. As a sampling of the "load of MACs available".
The Virtualbox control file, likely does not have that many MAC
values stored in it.

https://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?p=151849

"write down the MAC address of your ethernet device as it might
change when you change the network configuration -- you can
manually enter the MAC address in the VM settings"

**********

I used Copilot to get the following answer. I do not like the answer
and feel it is incorrect. Caveat Emptor.

*******

You

What kind of license is required to run
Windows 10 Pro in a Virtualbox machine ?

What aspect of the virtualbox container
does the license use for verification of
the information kept on the Microsoft server ?

Copilot

To run Windows 10 Pro in a VirtualBox virtual machine, you’ll need a
valid Windows 10 Pro license. Here are some important points regarding
licensing and virtual machines:

License Requirements:

If you purchase a full retail version of Windows 10 Pro, not an OEM license,
you can install it on VirtualBox.

With a retail license, you have transfer rights, meaning you can move the
license to another PC or re-install it in VirtualBox without activation difficulties [1].

Activation and Verification:

When you install Windows 10 Pro in a VirtualBox VM, it will prompt you
to activate it using a product key.

The activation process involves communication with Microsoft’s activation
servers to verify the validity of the license.

The VM’s hardware configuration (such as CPU, RAM, and network adapter) <=== hardware hash, UNIQUE identifiers
is used for verification during activation.

Microsoft’s servers keep track of the activation status associated with the provided product key.

Important Considerations:

Ensure that you use a genuine product key obtained legally.
If you’re using the VM for development or testing purposes,
you can use the license without any restrictions.

For production use, make sure you comply with licensing terms
and activate each VM with a valid key.

Remember that licensing rules can be complex, <=== Yes, this is why we ask Copilot, for ruleset...
so always refer to official Microsoft documentation
or consult legal experts if you have specific licensing questions.

*******

That answer didn't tell us anything in an authoritative way.

VirtualBox has a control file, kept in your home directory.
Presumably in the same rough area as the 20GB container file.
That is an XML file, and it has various numeric tidbits in it.
These are some of the tidbits needed for future purposes.

Maybe that control file, or, what it knows about a container, change later.

I know that at least one emulator "QEMU KVM", I believe the CPU selection
process there is opaque. If you wanted your machine to believe it was
a Pentium II, the CPUID instruction would say Pentium II. However, if
a clever OS executes assembler code for an SSE4 instruction or an
AVX instruction or the like, a Pentium II is not supposed to have those.
But Windows only asks questions of that sort "Show Me Your VT-X bit",
when it comes time to switch off certain subsystems in the OS, so it
does not crash. This is one reason you can install Windows 11 on a
"capable" machine, then move the disk drive to a "crap machine", and...
it boots. It would not have installed there, if you asked it to, but
if the OS already exists, it tries to boot, it checks for AVX512 or it
checks your shoe size, it disables the sandbox, it disables any possibility
of running WSL or WSLg and so on. Windows 11 comes pretty close to
turning into Windows 10, if you switch off enough subsystems. (The GUI
will never be the same.)

Summary: You can see that the life of a "licensed" VirtualBox user is
perilous. You need to keep copies of your control file (.vbox ?),
and perhaps keep a copy of the empty container before installation.
And *be careful* of any command which "starts over" as far as the
content of Virtualbox files or materials are concerned. Burning the
OS down is a different matter.

With an OEM key, you could run it forever... if you were "careful".

With a Retail key, you have transfer rights, which allows reinstalling
on a muddled hash. But be aware, that in the past, there were some
upper limits on "how many times you can insert the DVD and install".
This rule might not be written down anywhere.

One other USENET poster, he bought a license, lost control of his VM,
and as far as I know, considers his license to be "burned". Can't seem
to get it to activate. May not have made copies of the folder with
the VirtualBox goods in it. Most users would use an OEM or System Builder
license, rather than a Retail one, then you need to be very precise
in your handling of the VirtualBox files.

We are late in the Windows 10 product cycle, and I cannot offer any advice
on what SKUs of license are available today. All I know is, various
kinds of "boxed" products, the availability wasn't very uniform between
stores.

I just hope you haven't burned the license, it was an OEM, and you've lost
control. I hate seeing money go down the drain this way.

If you had "kept the container" and just clean installed your Windows SKU
into the VM, that should have worked. The .vbox identifiers should have no
reason to change, if you kept the original 20GB container.xxxx or whatever.

Paul

On 19/04/2024 in message <uvsaoe$2h8rv$1@dont-email.me> John Rumm wrote:

>On 18/04/2024 20:40, Jeff Gaines wrote:
>>On 18/04/2024 in message <uvrphr$2daok$1@dont-email.me> John Rumm wrote:
>>
>>>>I suppose it makes
>>>>their spying easier. The last installation I did, which must have been
>>>>10, still had a way of avoiding it and using a 'legacy' account. I don't
>>>>know if the latest versions still have that.
>>>
>>>With the pro versions, you select "options", then "domain join instead",
>>>then it lets you do a local account - just remember to got for the second
>>>option on all the questions about "find my PC" etc, otherwise some will
>>>loop you back to needing a MS account.
>>>
>>>With home versions it is harder - but there are still workarounds.
>>
>>Don't connect to the Internet until after installing and tell it you you
>>don't have Internet while installing.
>
>Latest version of 11 home will not install without internet...
>
>One of the tricks that worked (and might still do) was to connect to a
>network, then force open a command prompt and do a dhcp release to drop
>the IP address. So it satisfied the OOBE that it was connected to a
>network while still preventing it from actually using it!

It gets worse doesn't it, it's becoming more and more like Android :-(

I have set up one machine with Linux, not sure if I can make the change or
not.

--
Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
You know it's cold outside when you go outside and it's cold.

On 19 Apr 2024 at 00:47:45 BST, "John Rumm" <see.my.signature@nowhere.null>
wrote:

> so you could type:
>
> Invoke-RestMethod https://massgrave.dev/get | Invoke-Expression

.... and that appears to have worked. Thanks!

--
When it becomes serious, you have to lie.

Jean-Claude Juncker, Reuters 31st May 2013.