Run Windows Vista for 120 days without activation key

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft

Run Windows Vista for 120 days without activation key

by Brad Linder Feb 26th 2007

When you first install Windows Vista, you can run it for 30 days without entering a product key. This is the evaluation period, but what happens if your thirty days runs out before you buy an activation key; if you're not sure you want to buy one; or if you were only trying out Vista and don't plan to buy it, but have some files you need to get off of that computer?

Well, as Dwight Silverman found out the hard way, on day 31 Windows boots up and gives you a warning message that you're running a version of Vista that's not "genuine." Then Internet Explorer opens up and asks if you'd like to purchase an activation key. Silverman was able to figure out how to open a few programs and move a few files around through the Internet Explorer interface, which was necessary because he wanted to clean up the PC before returning the evaluation computer he'd been using.

But it turns out there's an officially supported way to turn that 30 day evaluation period into 120 days.

You can "re-arm" the trial period for another 30 days, and do so up to 3 times. Here's how it works:

Click on the start button and type "Cmd" into the Start Search box.
Press Ctrl-Shift-Enter to open the command prompt.
Type "slmgr -rearm" and hit enter.
Reboot the computer.
Make sure to re-arm the system again 29 or 30 days later.

Obviously this feature was built into Vista by Microsoft, and the company has confirmed that extending the evaluation period is not a violation of Vista's end user agreement.

[via Hackzine]

Tags: activation, evaluation, product key, ProductKey, rearm, vista

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

SpexFox said 11:06PM on 2-26-2007

This is kinda old news, but a good idea to post it up.

oh, and if you want to extend your trial infinitely, try Googleing "slmgrhack"

DaveTehWave said 11:07PM on 2-26-2007

Will this work on WinXP Pro as well?

Dave M. said 11:07PM on 2-26-2007

Question: Is it possible to get a copy of Vista without having to pay the $399 first?

How can you call this an "evaluation" if you have to pay $399 first, then install it and "evaluate" it. I can't imagine any store allowing someone to return the software after 4 months.

Even then, I have to pay the $399 which I may or may not have, then return it a few days later and with for my refund assuming that the store doesn't just give you a Store credit card.

Can you download Vista from Microsoft without having to pay for it?

Twenty5 said 4:59AM on 2-27-2007

@ duke:

why so much hate with Microsoft Products? I mean, by saying that you just sound like another stupid Apple fanboy!

My point is that, for each its own.

I have both a PC and a Macbook Pro, I love both btw....

a paden said 7:41AM on 2-27-2007

Why would you ever install Vista - let alone try to get it to run for 30 more days?

duke said 7:43AM on 2-27-2007

why are these noobs keep asking dumb questions ?

yes microsoft ftp them for you to download
and yes just get the hack it will work forever
but the question is, Why ?

Why torture yourself with any more of microsoft's products ?

wasabi said 7:43AM on 2-27-2007

hahaha. always a controversy when it comes to anything microsoft. if you don't like it, just don't comment. seriously, don't pretend that microsoft has such an impact on your life that you need to defend or even trash it. the only people who have these rights are it professionals who have worked closely with these software and are able to clearly discern their pros and cons. a lot of people are just bumbling fools jumping on band wagons. keep it to yourself unless you have something more to say than an empty attack on their products.

wasabi said 7:43AM on 2-27-2007

that was directed at you duke. clearly, you're the noob here.

Andrew Hillman, Andrew Hillman said 9:58AM on 2-27-2007

Why not buy the software?

Andrew Hillman

scotty said 10:57AM on 2-27-2007

The logical reason why you might want to hack the timer, even if you bought a legitimate copy: If you upgrade the components of your desktop system frequently. Or if you intend to move your copy of Vista onto another system later. The fact that Microsoft has hard-coded Vista's antipiracy measures to the unique hardware signature of the system it's installed onto makes doing these two things precarious.

Bill said 11:00AM on 2-27-2007

I wasn't aware there was an evaluation version to download. I anonymously ftp'd to ftp.microsoft.com but don't see it. Is there another Microsoft ftp server I should be using? I'd like to check it out on a spare pc.

smart said 6:52PM on 2-27-2007

IMHO vista is to loooow
Very interesting! Thanks for posting.

http://allnewshere.com/search/

fahq said 6:53PM on 2-27-2007

Just use TimerLock and stop the activation timer for good.

This article sucks.

steveyu85 said 9:44PM on 2-27-2007

nice info here. thanks.

http://malaysian-agloco.blogspot.com

Dave M. said 7:45AM on 3-01-2007

It is becoming more and more clear to me that Weblogs, Inc. has become too much a corporation and lost it's weblog feel. Posts are being made for the sake of filling a quota instead of content and the authors don't bother to read the comments left after the posting.

Examples are the daily posts covering all the posts of the day and all the cross posting that goes on.

I feel the need to find new blogs that actually care about what they are reporting instead of trying to fill a quota.

Brad Linder said 11:00AM on 3-01-2007

Hey Dave,

Sorry you feel that we've lost our soul. I'm not sure why you think we don't care about the topics we're covering or that we're trying to fulfill a quota. Everyone here at Download Squad has a passion for software and we try to bring you the latest news, tips, and information regarding software every day.

Dave M. said 4:28PM on 3-02-2007

If this is so, please answer my question I posed in comment #3. That's really all I ask.

James said 2:29PM on 3-04-2007

The beta version wont have any problems for over 180 days, and you can use automatic update :)
-
http://www.WindowsVistaUserGuide.com

sarguru said 7:35AM on 3-05-2007

thanking you

MrEcoloco said 3:23PM on 3-05-2007

i have a problem , i made an update of my vista trail version and now this “hack” does’t work anymore . It’s only possible to get another trail period of !!!!!3!!!!!! days.
If somebody knows what to do , HELP, PLEASE !!! ^^

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