>Hi All
>
>Is there any way to set the hard disk ID of a virtual drive. My problem is I
>am trying to install some software on to a virtual machine which uses the
>hard disk id as a security key. I have tried running Hardware_IDExtractor.exe
>on the virtual machine and is shows the hard drive ID is blank. Is it posible
>to set this "hardware" ID for a virtual drive, or get the virtual machine to
>report the ID of the host hard disk.
>
>PS. I don't want to install the software on the host machine because it
>conflicts with other software I already have.
>
>Both host and virtual machines are Windows XP Pro SP2.
>
>Hope you can help
>Thanks
>A Hoyle

>
> Not overly sure what you mean, but it sounds like you want to use the DOS
> "label" command to set a volume ID..................
>
> (enter cmd in the XP SP2 run box to get a DOS screen........)
>
> FACE

>
>
>"FACE" wrote:
>>
>> Not overly sure what you mean, but it sounds like you want to use the DOS
>> "label" command to set a volume ID..................
>>
>> (enter cmd in the XP SP2 run box to get a DOS screen........)
>>
>> FACE
>
>Hi Face
>
>Sorry for not been clear enough. I am refering to the hardware disk ID, not
>the volume ID. All physical hard disk have a unique ID number built into
>them. The software I need to install uses this ID number as a key to
>generating a activation code. From my testing I have found the hardware disk
>ID of my virtual machine is blank. My question is can I set up my virtual
>machine to have a virtual hardware ID. A hardware ID set by me, a random
>fixed number, or the ID of the host drive would do.
>
>Thanks in advance
>A Hoyle

> On Tue, 7 Oct 2008 14:51:01 -0700, in microsoft.public.virtualpc, AHoyle
> <(email address - cut out)>, wrote
>
> >
> >
> >"FACE" wrote:
> >>
> >> Not overly sure what you mean, but it sounds like you want to use the DOS
> >> "label" command to set a volume ID..................
> >>
> >> (enter cmd in the XP SP2 run box to get a DOS screen........)
> >>
> >> FACE
> >
> >Hi Face
> >
> >Sorry for not been clear enough. I am refering to the hardware disk ID, not
> >the volume ID. All physical hard disk have a unique ID number built into
> >them. The software I need to install uses this ID number as a key to
> >generating a activation code. From my testing I have found the hardware disk
> >ID of my virtual machine is blank. My question is can I set up my virtual
> >machine to have a virtual hardware ID. A hardware ID set by me, a random
> >fixed number, or the ID of the host drive would do.
> >
> >Thanks in advance
> >A Hoyle
>
>
> Hi game rules, :-)
>
> You most likely used the VOL command to get your host's serial ID.
>
> Though you probably do not need to, you may want to read this (notice the
> caveats near the end about fat32)
> http://www.brettglass.com/ttr19980206a.html
>
> And then maybe look into this:
>
> http://www.driverforum.com/harddrive/1116.html
>
> No guarantees whatever...........
>
>
> FACE
>

> On Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:14:45 +0200, Bo Berglund <(email address - cut out)>
> wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:55:01 -0700, hex_messer
>> <(email address - cut out)> wrote:
>>
>>> One more. Maybe, you asking about NTFS or FAT volume ID,
>>> it looks like FFE3-A13D.
>>> If so, try to use VolumeID utilite from sysinternals (look here:
>>> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897436.aspx) inside of
>>> virtual machine.
>>>
>> Looks OK, but given the wording of the disclaimer about changing the
>> VolID on a disk in use it might be problematic to change it if it is
>> the boot drive.
>> But one way would probably be to temporarily attach the drive to
>> another guest as a secondary drive and change the Volume ID from
>> within that guest. Then disconnect the drive from that guest and start
>> the original guest again.
>>
>> But....
>> Is there in the VHD file format description any information concerning
>> exactly *where* on the disk the volume ID is saved? If this was known
>> then a utility on the host should be able to manipulate this value.
>> Since different partitions get different IDs it seems natural that it
>> would be in the partition table somewhere...
>
> I tested the SysInternals utility on a USB connected 2.5" drive.
> The disclaimer that the change will not be visible until the system is
> rebooted is incorrect. What is actually working is disconnecting and
> then connecting the drive again. The new VolID will be available then.
>
> Strangely there must be something else involved in the detection of a
> drive, because when I reconnected it I got the same drive letter as
> before so there is something else than VolID tha WinXP uses to
> recognize an NTFS drive.
> Wonder what that is?
>

>One more. Maybe, you asking about NTFS or FAT volume ID,
>it looks like FFE3-A13D.
>If so, try to use VolumeID utilite from sysinternals (look here:
>http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897436.aspx) inside of
>virtual machine.
>

>On Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:55:01 -0700, hex_messer
><(email address - cut out)> wrote:
>
>>One more. Maybe, you asking about NTFS or FAT volume ID,
>>it looks like FFE3-A13D.
>>If so, try to use VolumeID utilite from sysinternals (look here:
>>http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897436.aspx) inside of
>>virtual machine.
>>
>
>Looks OK, but given the wording of the disclaimer about changing the
>VolID on a disk in use it might be problematic to change it if it is
>the boot drive.
>But one way would probably be to temporarily attach the drive to
>another guest as a secondary drive and change the Volume ID from
>within that guest. Then disconnect the drive from that guest and start
>the original guest again.
>
>But....
>Is there in the VHD file format description any information concerning
>exactly *where* on the disk the volume ID is saved? If this was known
>then a utility on the host should be able to manipulate this value.
>Since different partitions get different IDs it seems natural that it
>would be in the partition table somewhere...