Window XP re-activation

I installed Win 7 Home Premium recently (via a clean installation over XP) but for reasons associated with work, I still need access to XP and IE 6. I understand that IE 6 is not supported by Win 7 so decided to set-up XP in a virtual PC using Vmware and as an alternative I also set up a dual boot between XP and Win 7.

In both cases i have run into the same problem in that when I try to activate XP it fails. I understand that the MS activation app reads the pc environment it is in to check for illegal copying, but in my case i am reinstalling an OS that I own legally and now want to use alongside Win 7 in the same PC.

Any suggestions?

No need to go virual.

Just create a second partition in Disk Management, or plug in a second HD to install XP.

Use Method Two here to add it to Boot Menu: Will Repair Install work with Windows Anytime Upgrade?

As for activation, is this a retail copy or an OEM tied to the mobo? What is the exact result of your activation attempt? Have you gone through the robocall? Elevated to a person?

What is exactly the problem with IE6 in Win7? Are you installing in Compatilibity Mode?

IE8 is the first really good IE btw, better than Firefox and finally perfectly stable.

cant you setup compatibility to xp with win 7? i did that with nokia software updater and it works fine now.. i imagine you can do the same with ie6?

I don't believe that your activation problem has anything to do with your W7 installation, I have had problems with the online activation working with XP in the past, and had to resort to calling them for an activation code.

Thanks for the replies.

I have tried to install IE 6 directly in Win 7 but without success as Windows knows there is a later version of IE and stops the install even in compatability mode.

My copy of Windows XP came with my HP PC so i guess it is an OEM product.

I have gone through the telephone activation route for both the virtual PC and the dual boot systems and in each case was given a new code which did not work. I was then passed to an MS support person who said i needed to contact HP.

I'm wondering if I need to go and buy another copy of XP?

what if you use revouninstaller-portable and unistall it completely and then install ie 6? it deletes all traces of the program so u can install earlier version. im not sure if it would work with ie though?

but ie8 sucks anyway the beta version was more stable.. i hope ms fix it soon

The activation almost always elevates to a robocall if the previous hardware/MAC configuration tied to that retail key has not been overwritten with a newer activation key. Just uninstalling it isn't always enough to clear your activation key in MS computers for reuse.

The activation call trades numbers that deactivates it on the old machine and activates it on the new one, thus assuring MS it is on only one machine.