Bootcamp-Fusion Question?

Do I need to install Bootcamp 1.4 before installing Fusion 1.0? It appears that I can get away with just installing Fusion alone then install XP pro. There seems to be some confusion about this.

Teacher

 

If you install Fusion without Boot Camp, then you use Windows in a "virtual world", which gets complicated. So I'd recommend you install Boot Camp first. Partition it physically (well, not really physically, as you can't physically partition a hard drive ) with Boot Camp, install Fusion and then tell Fusion to use the Windows partition created in Boot Camp. It'll be easier. There's no loss as Boot Camp is free, anyways.

 

OK Sam thanks. I already have Bootcamp installed, but I now need to install WIN XP. I just wanted to make sure that I didn't have a licensing problem after installing WIN under Bootcamp. I now understand that I only have to install WIN once, then install Fusion which will automatically identify the WIN install?

Teacher

 

Yes, Fusion can use the same Windows partition that you created in Boot Camp. No need to reinstall Windows or re-active.

 

There's no licensing problem with Windows itself provided you install VM Tools (as specified under the installation instructions in VMWare Fusion). In fact, the installer for it automatically pops up the first time you launch Windows in Fusion. At most, you'll need to activate Windows or use the Genuine Advantage thing once.

However, this only applies to Windows itself. If you have some other software that checks its activation against hardware, you might end up having to reactivate it each time from Fusion or Boot Camp. For example, Diskeeper Pro Premier still makes me activate each time I switch from Fusion to Boot Camp and vice versa - not a huge deal since it's just the click of a single button and I don't run into any problems, but it's still there.

 

Thanks for the replys. I installed both Bootcamp and Fusion. EVERYTHING WORKS GREAT!

Question: How much RAM should I dedicate to Windows when using Fusion? The default is 512. I have 2gigs installed in my MBP. Thanks again.

Teacher

 

I would dedicate 1 GB to Fusion, 1 GB to OS X. It depends what tasks you plan to do though.

 

Two issues:

I have to reauthenticate Windows when using Fusion. How do I get around this or do I have to call Microsoft to get another Key?

Also, I can't allocate more memory to Fusion, it's stuck on 512mb. How do I fix that to get at least 768?

Teacher

 

The built-in authenticator in Windows doesn't work? You could try the Genuine Windows Advantage program maybe - some people said they had luck with that. Calling MS should work too as long as you manage to convince them that you're not going to be using the Windows on more machines than it's licensed for (and provided your version of Windows can be used in virtual machines legally - if you decide to provide that information).

You can't allocate RAM or change any of the hardware settings while the virtual machine is running. When you select the virtual image from Fusion's manager, click Settings instead of Run and you should be able to edit it. If you're already in the OS, simply shut down the OS and you'll be logged out of the image and you can change the settings then.
Also, there's a limit to how much RAM you can allocate (it's like 80% of your total RAM).

 

I was able to fix the RAM issue.

Now I need to work on this authentication problem. I purchased WIN XP Pro (OEM Version). I think I will give MS a call on Monday unless there is an easy way arounf this problem. What do you think?

Teacher

 

Hi,

I believe this Windows Authentication issue is serious. Most people best case buy one non-upgrade single copy of Windows XP (pro)/Vista. I am very much having the problem Teacher describes that every time I do something in Fusion it asks for Window Authentication when I boot for a Boot Camp session. One immediate answer I have for Teacher in the meantime, is to use only bootcamp OR fusion until this activation question is resolved. That is working for me. Your Windows XP Activation installs grace period is more than 1 but I'm guessing not more than 3. I quickly ran out of Internet Windows activation tries. I did a telephone activation without speaking to a human (voice/keypad activation, incredibly painful 50+ digits) but I'm guessing Microsoft is counting these too and if they have an axe to grind with VMWare they will just say "no" to more than ~3 telephone activation attempts in 24 hours. The point that taelrak made about specific software triggering Windows activation is good, I'm guessing Norton Symantec may be a culprit. The other culprit might be I requested a specific (different than Boot Camp) IP for the Fusion session. Clearly there is only one Windows partition on the machine and it shouldn't be an issue, but Microsoft or these triggering software packages aren't looking at it that way. I hope VMWare comes up with a solution or a suggestion that people who don't install operating systems for a living can implement. And in all due humility, I am what most people would call a very computer literate person.

I posted this problem on the Apple site but Apple is having a hard time keeping their forums running.

... Flash Gordon

 

Well, now I don't feel like the Lone Ranger! Someone needs to fix the problem. I contacted VMWare and it seems that they don't have a clue. And, Microsoft cares less!

 

Did you both install VMWare Tools in Windows btw?

 

Hi,

Sorry I meant Windows Activation above when I said Windows Authentication.

... Flash

 

Hi,

I tried to install VMWare Tools and it hung up on each of many attempts. Mac isn't like windows but I'm guessing maybe Norton/Symantec may be interfering with the the VMWare Tools install. I want to try installing with Mac Norton/Symantec turned off but I have to get up the gumption to hose my Boot Camp partition first.

... Flash

 

Poking through Google searches, this is one answer I found for your problem (Windows needs activation even though activated in Boot Camp).

I cannot guarantee that it works though.

 

VMWare Tools is the software installed on the Windows side to fix activation/authentication issues, so try to install it somehow..

After you log into your virtual image through Fusion, it should be under the "Virtual Machine > Install VMWare Tools" menu. Disable your AV and all that too.

After that, you should only need to activate one more time (or so Fusion helpfiles say).

 

Just looking through VMware Fusion's Installation Guide, yeaps, taelrak is correct, its the lack of VMware Tools causing the problem.

 

Sam,

Thanks for the suggestion.

Sam/taelrak,

I want to say that I had a VMWare Certified person sitting next to me when I tried to install VMWare Tools . A bit of help here. I'm guessing that if VMWare Tools installs it would only take a few minutes. Is that true? I let a VMWare Tools install run for over an hour once and then I killed it. I'm not being impatient, am I?

Teacher,

If you have not tried to install VMWare Tools you should try to using taelrak's suggestion above. You may have something different in your mac configuration than I do that will allow you to be successful.

... Flash

 

No, the installation takes only seconds. I was going to ask if you were logged in fully in Windows with an admin account, but if the VMWare guy was right there, then I doubt there's anything he missed.

Hope you get it working

 

Taelrak,

Thanks for all your help. It has been invaluable. I was thinking, when I start Fusion, Norton starts in my bootcamp partition. I need to turn it off and then try to install VMWare tools. I know I sound paranoid about Norton but I've seen it stop Windows Updates to the OS from Microsoft so my standard rule is to turn Norton off when I'm installing software. Earlier you mentioned "turn off AV". I'm not familiar with the AV acronym.

... Tom

 

AV stands for antivirus (most of the time, you never know with taelrak ).

 

As Sam said, AV = adul..err I mean antivirus = Norton.

Can't hurt to turn it off and try the install. That might just be the problem.