Virtual Machine Activation Trick

[Vicenarian]

Like many of you who practice malware removal in a VM (Virtualbox for me), you probably have had to create new virtual machines every so often, because they virtual machines expire after 30 days (activation). Of course, you can run the activation extension command (I forget what it is atm) from the command prompt to renew the "trial", but I don't always remember to do this in time.

So, what I discovered is, once you create a new VM, take a snapshot of it's current state WHILE RUNNING, and whenever you revert to that snapshot, it will show 30 days left for activation. If, however, you shut down the VM, and take the snapshot then, even if you restore to that snapshot, the activation period will not be saved, and you will have to renew before the 30 day period is up.

Sort of confusing, but it works!

[Robert]

Why not just activate and then snapshot it.....

[Vicenarian]

because I don't want to purchase a license for every virtual machine...and I have multiple XP Home, Pro, and multiple Vista, and multiple 7.

[onetech4all]

For stuff like that,why would you even want to use a legit license? You know you will scrap the VM afterwards. For testing purposes anything goes! :cool:

[ajc196]

I feel the same way. I use TinyXP rev9 for my XP VM's, and have other pre-activated images for Vista and 7 VM's.

[jvcomputerservice]

For testing purposes anything goes

i totally agree with you. Im testing a 2008 server and it has a 60 days trial. i dont think i would need that many but if do i would use "other methos to keep it working." :)

[wimwauters]

i totally agree with you. Im testing a 2008 server and it has a 60 days trial. i dont think i would need that many but if do i would use "other methos to keep it working." :)

Even Microsoft has now caught on they are competing with FLOSS :-)

They also allow you to 're-arm' or reset the trial countdown up to 3 times (do schedule it, because you will forget).
Which means something like Windows 7 enterprise can be trialled for 4*90 days = 360 days. Why don't they just call it 1 year and be done with it :rolleyes:

So even for 2008 server, you can trial it as a host OS for 240 days.