Use for 4 Months - Officially Vista News Discuss Use for 4 Months - Officially in the Windows Vista forums; Official Way to Install and Use Windows Vista without Activation for Free for 120 Days By default, Windows Vista can be installed, used and run without any license, product key ...

[Snuffy]

Official Way to Install and Use Windows Vista without Activation for Free for 120 Days

By default, Windows Vista can be installed, used and run without any license, product key or the need of activation for 30 days grace period, for purpose of trial or evaluation. Although Microsoft initially stressed that users should purchase a license with valid product key before the trial period expires, or else Windows Vista will lock into Reduced Functionality Mode. However, a “rearm” method has long since been discovered to be able to extend, or reset the remaining time for activation to another fresh 30 days, for up to 3 times.

Now Microsoft has confirmed that Windows Vista can be used and run for 120 days or 4 months (3 rearms), and extending the activation grace period is not a violation of the Vista End User License Agreement (EULA). All versions of Vista include Windows Vista Ultimate allow a 30-day free period without activation, except the corporate-oriented Vista Enterprise, which supports only a three-day trial.

To extend, reset or restart the initial OOB grace period of Windows Vista to another 30 days, use the following steps:
Click on Vista Start button and key in Cmd in Start Search box.
Press on Ctrl-Shift-Enter to open Command Prompt with administrative credentials (equivalent to “Run as Administrator”).
In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter when done: slmgr -rearm or you can use sysprep /generalize
Reboot the computer.
Rearm again when the remaining activation grace period timer counts down to 0 days.
Rearm option resets the computer’s activation timer and reinitializes some activation parameters.

[shydoc]

Thanks for the info. I have already purchased Vista OEM Ultimate but have not install yet, waiting until I buy a new system which would in June - August period. So thinking of installing Vista without activation

[Znod]

Snuffy, will you provide me with a link to the MS affirmation of the procedure being OK? I want to add it to my EULA thread. Thanks much.

[Snuffy]

Sorry it took so long to get back, but once in a while I loose ability to connect to Vistababble, sometimes upto 24 hrs.
To answer your question. it takes lots of reading from the official site.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/des...lumeAct_6.mspx

Enabling Standard User Activation
By default, activation requires administrative privileges. However, in scenarios where users do not have local administrator access and autoactivation cannot be completed during the initial 30-day grace period, customers may elect to make these operations available to standard users. A registry entry, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SL\UserOperations (REG_DWORD), can be set to 1 to enable standard users to install product keys, activate, and rearm computers. With this registry setting enabled, all product key installation, activation, and rearm requests must be done using the built-in Slmgr.vbs script.

You can read pages 1 thry 13 on above link.

Resetting the Activation Grace Period
• Sysprep /generalize. Using the Sysprep command-line image preparation tool with the /generalize option resets the grace period for activation, providing an additional 30 days to activate the system. Because this is Sysprep, team members will also be resetting the system state, creating a clean slate as they would when imaging the computer.

• Slmgr.vbs –rearm. A computer can be returned to its initial activation state for the current license by using the Slmgr.vbs script with the -rearm option. This option resets the computer’s activation timer and reinitializes some activation parameters, including a KMS client’s unique machine ID (also known as client machine ID, or CMID). The number of times this can be repeated is limited and depends on how many times sysprep /generalize has been run to create the distribution media. The maximum number of rearms possible from shipped media is three.

Note Using -rearm requires administrator privilege.

http://search.technet.microsoft.com/...=0&query=rearm
Every code needed and lots more info..All 13 pages are VERY INTERESTING to read. (IMHO)

[Znod]

I am having trouble seeing where the reads you link specifically imply authorization for a home user to use the rearm procedure. Can you be more specific? Here is a good read on activation: http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Win...b48b51033.mspx . It indicates, as we know, that there is a 30-day activation grace period before reduced functionality sets in. But, I haven't been able to find anything, from MS, that indicates that is is OK for the normal home user to have more than one grace period. I will keep looking to see if I can find such an indication. I have found claims that MS has approved the process, but never a reference to where MS says so. Here is an example: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Reset...od-44955.shtml. Here is a read where the author does not try to argue that MS has actually approved the procedure or another well-know one: http://windowssecrets.com/comp/070215#story1.

[Snuffy]

Enabling Standard User Activation
By default, activation requires administrative privileges. However, in scenarios where users do not have local administrator access and autoactivation cannot be completed during the initial 30-day grace period, customers may elect to make these operations available to standard users. A registry entry, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SL\UserOperations (REG_DWORD), can be set to 1 to enable standard users to install product keys, activate, and rearm computers. With this registry setting enabled, all product key installation, activation, and rearm requests must be done using the built-in Slmgr.vbs script

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Maybe I do not understand "Standard User Activation"
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Reading the pages it also tells that -rearm is set for a 3 times default--- then it tells how to reset the rearm so you can do it again.
Example: You do not have to purchase a RETAIL- FULL Price copy of Vista just to do a CLEAN INSTALL..The manual included with "MY" copy of Vista states how to "Clean Install by No Key installation, then once your running Vista you can then UPDRADE." Hince the upgrade DVD of Vista is both Full and Upgrade at the same time...(see page 5). How to Upgrade is page 4. Check compatibility online instructions is page 6. "Of course I'm refering to the "Windows Vista Ultimate" Manual

[Znod]

Your links appear to apply to cases of volume activation--not home user activation. And, I am not completely clear about the volume-activation scenario to which the procedure applies. But, regardless, I can't see how the reads apply to the standard home user.

[Snuffy]

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/des...lumeAct_1.mspx

Request you follow the link and read all pages... What I did was c/p from the pages... I did not make up, and ea person should read and interpret to there own. This is not from Questions and Answers. It is what is posted for all to read on the TechNet site...

Information can be found by:
http://search.technet.microsoft.com/...=0&query=rearm

Your links appear to apply to cases of volume activation--not home user activation. And, I am not completely clear about the volume-activation scenario to which the procedure applies. But, regardless, I can't see how the reads apply to the standard home user.

Standard Home user is the paragraph in quote..from http://www.microsoft.com/technet/des...lumeAct_6.mspx

[Znod]

I understand what you are saying, but the usual home user doesn't do volume activation and KMS. What am I missing? I am talking about the validity of using the procedure by a usual home user.

[angieldixon]

is there a way to get vista for the trial before actually buying it?