Use Windows 7 free for up to four months

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Jos

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It is a commonly-known fact that Microsoft allows would-be users of Windows to install and run the operating system on their machines for up 30 days without entering a product activation key. Things will be no different with its latest and greatest, Windows 7, but reports on Windows Secrets today reveal that it is possible to reset this trial period up to three times using a less-familiar command.

The procedure is really simple, too – just open a command prompt window, enter “slmgr -rearm” (minus the quotes) and reboot. The ‘trick’ will work with any version of Windows 7, from Basic to Ultimate, and has been confirmed to be completely legal by Microsoft. According to the company, the feature was also available in Vista and is aimed at corporate administrators who need to delay activation for whatever reason.

Retail customers should see no reason not to activate their copy of Windows 7. That said, if you happen to come across the release-to-manufacturing version, you should be able to use it legally and free for up to four months without entering an activation key.

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Well, cheap admins like myself tend to not activate licenses used in personal virtual machines. Use the image for a month then recreate it. This little trick will be enjoyed.
 
ok, this may be a dumb question, but why do you need this trick when windows 7 is free for a year?
 
Guest said:
ok, this may be a dumb question, but why do you need this trick when windows 7 is free for a year?
I'd love to know where you got that nugget of information from? Care to post a link?
 
Ignore the other Guest, he/she is dumb enough to think that the RC1 is the same as RTM.
RC1 is free until early 2010, RTM is not (which should be obvious).
 
sure, heres the link. i guess you dont read much.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/installation-instructions.aspx

the rc is no loonger available for download. if you didnt dl it, you can probably still get it on p2p though.
 
The RTM is final version. RC is just a unfinished version. The RTM is better if you RTFM.

in addition to that MS has said that there are going to be some major features in the RTM version that are not included in the RC 7100 build...which would make sense.
 
In addition, I believe RC will start to boot every hour after August or September. Not sure of the exact date.
 
it will start to shut down every two hours on march 1, of 2010, it will become inoperable on June1, 2010
 
This may also seem like a dumb question but here goes. Why is it in nearly every post anymore someone feels need to berate other posters instead of simply discussing the topic intelligently like an adult?
 
"I feel like a number"....Bob Seager 1993

This may also seem like a dumb question but here goes. Why is it in nearly every post anymore someone feels need to berate other posters instead of simply discussing the topic intelligently like an adult?

sadly Guest #3648-1C ( i started numbering the guest's) lol anonymity turns some into inconsiderate, and rude buffoons. my theory is its because they feel like they have no control, or feel inferior so they take it out on others and don't have to face any consequences on the internet....same reason some people are jerks to say wait staff....and it accounts for road rage... but that's just my opinion ;)
 
Another Drive By Download..........

....your mum
That's just wonderful, eloquent even, I'll bet you agonized for hours over finding just the right words to say. How did you even manage to get them in the right order? Boggles the mind, I tell you! Mum? Here we say, "yo mama"! In fact, we usually continue on the order of something like this, "yo mama gots a flat spot on her head from where the johns dey be putting they drinks on it". :haha: :wave:

This may also seem like a dumb question but here goes. Why is it in nearly every post anymore someone feels need to berate other posters instead of simply discussing the topic intelligently like an adult?
OK, you have to have seen Monty Python's, "The Argument Clinic", to appreciate this answer, because this is, "the right room for an argument".

Reason two might be, because they deserve it.

Basically, this thread continues because everyone seems to want, (or need), and feels they're entitled to, a free copy of Windows 7. How can we steal it? Does that seem like a endeavour that commands much respect?

At the end of the day, it's like Tom Hanks said to Geena Davis, "there's no crying in baseball", and there's certainly no crying at Techspot.
 
ok, now that i've installed both versions, windows 7 rc1 first, played with it for a few weeks, then windows 7 rtm. i can find VERY little, if anything that RTM has that RC1 does not have. In fact, RC1 version is the Ultimate version, and the RTM version is only the Enterprise version. The Ultimate version has a LOT more in it than the RTM Enterprise version. and again the question pops up, why would anyone want a smaller version of windows that is only good for three or four months (not including the hacks and microsoft approved metheds of extending it), to the Ultimate version wich is good until next year (april i think or something like that). Is anyone finding out the same here or am i alone in my findings? Thanks in advance.
 
Hmm, interesting. Although I suppose Microsoft would end up restricting those resets at some point, or else everyone would just get an RTM iso off "somewhere" and just reinstall every 3 months...

BTW, this internet, where the following picture applies: http://www.penny-arcade.com/docs/internetdickwad.jpg
 
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