Fix VirtualBox cannot read the product key

I will guide you How to fix the issue that VirtualBox cannot read the product key

While trying to install Windows on a VirtualBox virtual machine, we encounter an error saying that VirtualBox cannot read the product key. Due to this, the installation process cannot go beyond the “Installation is starting” process. In this post, we are going to talk about this issue and see what you can do to resolve it.

How to fix the issue that VirtualBox cannot read the product key

Windows cannot read the unattended answer file settings.

Fix: VirtualBox cannot read the product key

If VirtualBox is unable to read the product key, follow the solutions mentioned below.

Delete the unattended configuration file
Make changes to the virtual machine settings
Download a new ISO file and create a new virtual machine
Make sure that the native Windows hypervisor is turned off

Let’s talk about them in detail.

1] Delete the unattended configuration file

First, let’s delete the configuration file related to your virtual machine as the files might be corrupted or misconfigured. Please note that this will not delete your personal files, only the files containing the configuration information of the virtual machine. For this, follow the steps mentioned below.

Firstly, shut down the virtual machine by right-clicking on the machine and selecting Stop.
Now, right-click on the machine again and select Settings.
Switch to Expert mode.
Go to the Advanced tab and copy the Snapshot Folder location.
Open File Explorer and paste the location in the address bar.
Now, delete all the unattended configuration files.
Go to System > Motherboard, select Floppy in the Boot Order and then uncheck it.
Lastly, click OK.

Once done, start the virtual machine and see if you are able to go beyond the configuration screen. If you get the error message again, delete the unattended files as mentioned above once again and then move on to the next solution.

2] Make changes to the virtual machine settings

You may encounter this issue if the virtual machine settings are incorrect. So, we need to make some changes to your virtual machine settings and see if the issue is resolved. To do so, follow the steps mentioned below.

In VirtualBox, right-click on the virtual machine and click on Settings.
Now, go to System > Processor and make sure that the CPU is at least 2 and the Execution Limit is 100%. Also, check if the Enable PAE/NX checkbox is checked.
Go to Display > Screen, check if the Enable 3D Acceleration checkbox is checked and increase the Video Memory to 256.
Click on Storage, under the storage device, select the unattended storage device and then click on the Remove button. Then, under the Attributes section located on the right section, check Live CD/DVD.

After saving all the changes that we asked you to make earlier, check if the issue is resolved.

3] Download a new ISO file and create a new virtual machine

You may encounter this problem if the ISO file you are using is corrupted. So, to resolve it, we recommend you delete the file you are using and then download a fresh copy from the official Microsoft website. Once you have downloaded the ISO file, follow the steps mentioned below to create the virtual machine.

In VirtualBox, click on New and then start creating the machine normally.
When you get to the screen where you are asked to select the ISO file, do not select it and continue.
After creating the machine, right-click on it and click on Settings.
Go to Storage > Attributes and then click on the Disk icon.
Now, select Choose a disk file, navigate to the location where you have saved the new ISO file and then add it.
Finally, start the virtual machine and try to install the operating system.

Hopefully, you will be able to install the disk without any issues.

4] Make sure that Windows native hypervisor is disabled

You need to make sure that Windows native hypervisor i.e. Hyper-V is disabled as it can interfere with VirtualBox and cause peculiar issues. To do so, follow the steps mentioned below.

Open Control Panel.
Change View to Large Icons.
Now, go to Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off.
Uncheck Hyper-V and click OK; wait for the feature to be uninstalled.
Restart your computer.

How to Fix VirtualBox cannot read the product key