Windows 10: Windows 10 Activation on Virtual Box

I have windows 10 home via the OTA update from years ago, so no product key, just the license associated with the computer. I initially was interested in dual booting win10 alongside ubuntu 18.04 so I went through the process of using windows media creator to make a bootable disk using the iso file for a clean install. My goal was to get the clean reinstall of windows, then try ubuntu via the live usb to verify my system could handle it, then I was going to install alongside win10.


The reinstall of windows 10 off the bootable disk went well - no problems and windows was activated. After playing around with the ubuntu live usb I decided I didn't really feel like dealing with a dual boot ad was gong to install ubuntu (I use it at work so it wasn't a hard decision) and get to windows via virtualbox. I'd go 100% linux but there are a couple of apps I use that will only work on windows, so I needed access. The ubuntu install went fine, installed virtualbox and proceeded to get windows going.


I downloaded the iso file directly to my drive, added the machine to virtualbox and got it installed. I found out very quickly I could not personalize anything due to the activation problem. Letting windows troubleshoot did not resolve the problem. I went through this process twice and got different error codes each time - forgot the first one but the second one is 0x803F7001. In both cases a google search points to the same thing - can't find license/product key/etc.


I think part of the problem has to do with my clean install and not knowing what my windows account information was. I set something up to install and moved on. I actually had a number of problems having to do with username and passwords because I never had any of this with my prior version so I didn't what it might be and so on. When I tried to install win10 via virtualbox the first time I had to change the password because I couldn't enter what I thought was the right one properly. A mess. I don't need a password! This is my personal laptop and there is nothing relevant on it. Anyway, I think this partially screwed me up somehow.


Somewhere in my win10 settings (can't find it now!) I saw that there are 2 computers already associated with my account. Names I do not recognize and they are different. I have a suspicion that each is associated with my two virtualbox installs.


So can I even install win10 via iso on virtualbox (according to the internet and a lot of articles, yes)? If so, how do I get to recognize my machine? Absolutely nothing has changed with the hardware - same box.


- laptop with previous ota windows10 install

- successful clean install of win10, no activation problems

- overwrote clean install of win10 with ubuntu 18.04

- 2 failed installs of win10 on ubuntu via virtualbox (won't activate)


Anything I can do here other than going back to clean install (and dual boot to ubuntu) if even possible now, or purchasing something I already own?


Thanks for any help.






***Modified Title from: Can't activate windows 10 on virtual box***

:)

 

Clean install of W10 not possible in Virtual Machine.


@Kari

You can do clean install with windows 10 but it won't activate on Virtual Machine at least it didn't on mine. I followed the proper steps to do that.

Again I will repeat what I did step by step with some additions.

Step 1 Installed windows 7 retail on a virtual box, it activated without issue.
Step 2 changed the virtual box description to windows 10
Step 3 upgrade to windows 10 and it activated without issue
Step 4 backed up (So I could go back to it later)
Step 5 Removed windows 10.
Step 6 created a new virtual machine
Step 7 Installed clean windows 10 and it didn't activate and did that error code see below.


@night-hawk had a similar issue and got the same error code

Error code: 0xC004C003 with the specified product key being blocked

Night Hawk does it make a difference on what version of Virtual box that you are using?

My testing was done on Xubuntu using VirtualBox Graphical user interface version 4.3.26-Ubuntu r98988

 

Clean install of W10 not possible in Virtual Machine.


Please get a cup of coffee, lean back and think an answer for these two questions. Take your time, then check the answers below the questions:

Questions:

1. If you do a clean install of let's say Windows 10 Insider Build 10525 on a totally new computer which has never had an activated Windows 10 on it, does it activate?
2. If you do a clean install of Windows 10 Insider Build on a computer where the underlying Windows 10, upgraded from a qualifying old operating system has already been activated, does it activate?

Answers:

1. No, of course not.
2. Yes, of course.

Why do you think that a virtual machine would make any difference? You have tried to install Windows 10 on a totally new machine which has never had an activated Windows 10 installed, therefore the Microsoft activation servers block the activation due invalid machine ID. In the highlighted part in below quote you admit your mistake yourself, plain and simple, yet you when doing this wrong draw conclusion that even if done correctly it would not work:

What you have tried is essentially the same as if you took a brand new real physical PC without any operating system, which has never had any operating system, and then installed Windows 10 Insider Preview wondering why it does not activate! Virtual Machines behave exactly the same way; if you want to clean install Windows 10 Insider Preview and get it activated you must do it on an existing virtual machine, one which has already had an upgraded Windows 10 activated. This "computer", the virtual machine, its machine ID is marked on activation servers as valid and activated and it will of course activate.

Be it a virtual machine or a physical computer, you cannot activate a clean installed Windows 10 Insider Preview on a totally new machine. How difficult can this be to understand?

When clean installing Windows 10 Insider Preview on a computer which has already had a previous Windows 10 Insider activated, you do not use the product key! It will be asked twice, once before the installation starts and once after the last reboot to OOBE phase. In both cases you skip the product key and your Windows will be automatically activated.

 

Error code 0x803F7001 activating Windows inside Virtual Box

I had genuine Windows 7 and Windows 8, from some of which I have physical DVD boxes. Later it was upgraded automatically to Windows 10.

Recently I tried to make ISO with Media Creation tool, made ISO and install it into virtual machine within the same computer, I have original Windows 10. During installation it asked me for product key which I had none and answered "I have none".

Now inside Virtual Box I have activation problem. It says it can't activate and suggests to do something, including change product key. Inside properties of My PC of activated computer I see product ID which has different format and I can enter it into virtual machine.

Is it possible to overcome?