November 2011 - Posts

How to Extend Free Usage (Activation Grace Period) of Windows 7 to 120 Days

 

It should be interesting and sometimes even useful to know that Windows 7 OS can be used genuine and legally without any product key for free usage of 30 days as evaluation period.

During the 30-day activation free grace period, user does not need to activate Windows 7, and can use Windows 7 of any edition in full functionality. However, Windows 7 product activation function will keep reminding user regarding how many days left to input a product key and activate the system in order to continue using the operating system beyond 30 days.

In reality, Windows 7 also equip with a secret ‘rearm’ key in order to reset the free 30-day evaluation period limitation, which allows user to extend the activation-free usage or evaluation expiry date of Windows 7 for another 30 days legally.

Follow these steps to reset and extend activation grace period from 30 days to 120 days in Windows 7:

  1. Install Windows 7 without any product activation key.
  2. After installation is completed, use the Windows 7 for 30 days and wait for the remaining days left to activate.
  3. When the activation grace period (or evaluation trial period) is almost expired or ended, log on to Windows 7, and open a Command Prompt and type Cmd in Start Search and hit Enter).
  4. Type any of the following commands into the command prompt, and then hit Enter:

    sysprep /generalize

    slmgr.vbs –rearm

    rundll32 slc.dll,SLReArmWindows

    slmgr /rearm

  5. Reboot Windows 7 to enjoy another 30 days of free usage without worrying about activation.
  6. When the activation grace period countdown timer almost runs down to 0 again, repeat the trick to enjoy another 30 days of Windows 7 for free. General user can run the rearm command for maximum of 3 times.