[ltp] VMware: Modify virtual machine BIOS...advice? Thinkpad and IBM Recovery CDs

[Donald B Altman]

I had similar problems.  But, once I bought a copy of W2K and created my 
VMWare virtual machine, I can carry it to a new VMWare installation with 
no problem.  I'm careful not to run it on more than one machine at a 
time, and so I believe I'm compliant with the EULA that was in force 
when I bought it.

You might find a good price for Windows on eBay.  There certainly seem 
to be many copies for sale there.

Good luck,


James C. Mankin wrote:
> I went down that road.  Except I had a dual boot machine so just had to 
> run the converter program in the Windows system.   But it doesnt work 
> because you
> cant log into Windows in the virtual machine without reactivating XP 
> (which doesnt work with the code printed on the machine I believe 
> because the
> VM has a different bios than the real machine as per the originator of 
> this thread)   Anyway I ended buying a new copy of XP and installing 
> that which worked fine.
> 
> Jim
> 
> 
> 
> Pablo Vera wrote:
>> You could reinstall your T40p using the recovery CDs (obviously you 
>> will lose everything, including Gutsy), then you would use VMware 
>> Converter which is a free program that converts physical machines into 
>> virtual machines.  You can get it here:
>>
>> http://www.vmware.com/products/converter/
>>
>> I don't know how it works, but it is supposed to be easy.  After 
>> creating your VM, you wipe your Windows installation, reinstall Gutsy, 
>> install WMware, use your Windows VM whenever you need it and be very 
>> happy from there on.
>>
>> If you go down this road, please let us know how it went.
>>
>> Pablo
>> _____________________________________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> briwood wrote:
>>> I installed VMware and got to the point where I can Power On my virtual
>>> machine.  I have a Thinkpad T40p that dual boots XP/Gutsy.  IBM did not
>>> provide Windows XP CDs with this machine.  After a lot of whining I 
>>> got them
>>> to send me the 4 IBM Recovery CDs and waive the $50 fee.
>>> I can get boot off the 1st CD, but I promptly get the message
>>>
>>> [INDENT][B] Your bios is not compatible with this recovery 
>>> cd[/B][/INDENT]
>>>
>>> I've read that it's possible to modify the virtual machine's bios.  I am
>>> wondering if there is any way to create a "snapshot" of my real BIOS and
>>> then get the VM to use use the same settings.  If the VM BIOS 
>>> contains the
>>> "magic key", I should be able to install XP of the recovery CDs.
>>>
>>>  ...or am I going to have to purchase XP? *shudder*
>>>
>>> Thanks for any comments...
>>>
>>> Brian
>>>
>>>
>>>   
> 
> 

-- 

Donald B. Altman
Singular Technologies
Croton on Hudson, NY