Windows Vista Activation Hack
How to expand/extend Windows 7 partition with EaseUS partition software. Position the mouse pointer on the partition that you need resize and drag the handle to adjust its exact size. Tips: Sometimes the unallocated space is on the left of the partition you want to extend, just drag the left partition handle leftwards to the size you want. Jan 17, 2018 Rearming Sysprep. By Jonathan327. On Jun 13, 2013 at 15:17 UTC. Change HKEYLOCALMACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsNTCurrentVersionSoftwhereProtectionPlatform SkipRearm from 0 to 1 again. I called our customer sales rep and he clarified that with our Windows 7.
While I am happy to explain how SkipRearm postpones Vista’s activation, my recommendation is don’t try to cheat the Microsoft’s Licence agreement. My justification for publishing this Vista Activation Hack is that you cannot suppress knowledge. While this registry tweak walks the tightrope between the legal and software piracy, editing the SkipRearm value is not like cloning the product keys. Surprisingly, the source of this registry hack is a TechNet article on Microsoft’s own site.
Topics for Windows Vista Activation Hack
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Background to SkipRearm
The SkipRearm registry setting is designed to help large companies, who roll-out Vista with sysprep, or deploy other cloning software. The problem is that there could be a considerable delay – longer than 30 days – between installing Vista on the ‘Master’ machine and activating the clones. Nothing illegal here, just a big corporation installing lots of Vista machines over a period of several months.
Microsoft, kindly provide a mechanism for techies to re-arm the activation mechanism. You can legally run Vista’s built-in Software Licence manager to gain a 30 day extension of the grace period for activation. The command is slmgr -rearm.
Now here is the tricky bit, I would like to explain the relationship between the registry setting: SkipRearm and the command line: slmgr -rearm. Remember that the key is number 3. If the registry setting is SkipRearm = 0 then you get three goes at running slmgr -rearm. Next, let us check the logic of SkipRearm = 0, meaning count one of the 3 lives, and SkipRearm = 1, meaning don’t count one of those lives. In conclusion, changing the registry key to SkipRearm = 1, means don’t use up one of my three lives.
Since knowledge of the SkipRearm Vista activation hack has reached the public domain, unscrupulous end users, or even suppliers, could use this to delay activation. As a result anyone could install zillions of copies of Vista from just one legitimate product key. All you have to do is hack the registry and set SkipRearm = 1 before you run slmgr – rearm.
Limitations of SkipRearm
Research indicates that even using the SkipRearm registry hack, you can only use this technique 7 times to delay Windows Vista activation. Additionally, you can use slmgr.vbs -rearm three times, making 10 delays in all.
The knowledge that SkipRearm was designed to assist corporations with sysprep, helps us to understand why this registry hack will only work with these three versions of Vista: Enterprise, Business and Ultimate. However, I have heard rumours that it will also work with upgrade version of Vista Home.
Registry Instructions for SkipRearm
- Preliminary experiment, check the activation expiry date with the command: slmgr -xpr
- Launch Regedit. (See more details on starting regedit)
- Navigate to this path:
** HKLMSOFTWARE MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionSL - Double-click SkipRearm and change the value to 1.
- Note: this registry hack does not make any sense on a machine which has already been activated!
- Now remember to run the 30 day extension command: slmgr -rearm
- Restart the machine. After it reboots, run slmgr -xpr and check the expiry date.
- Check the registry setting SkipRearm, slmgr resets the value to zero.
Screen Shot of SkipRearm
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Key Learning Points
- Do you find the SkipRearm value in HKCU** or HKLM?
Answer: HKLM - Should you create a value, or modify an existing setting?
Answer: Modify - Is SkipRearm a String Value or a DWORD?
Answer: DWORD - Do you need to Restart, or merely Logoff / On?
Answer: Restart. - Note: it is only worth trying this technique on a Vista Business, Enterprise or Ultimate machine that has not already been activated.
** HKLM is an abbreviation of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, and HKCU is shorthand for HKEY_CURRENT_USER. These acronyms are so well-known that you can even use them in .reg files, Vista will understand and obey the registry instruction.
Cheats Never Prosper
By saying, cheats never prosper, I am not seeking to take the moral high ground; it’s more that I want to pass on advice learned from the hard school of knocks. Here are the results from previous attempts to beat Microsoft’s licensing agreement, none had a happy ending.
- NT 3.51: Install an evaluation copy, then apply a service pack to remove the 120 day restriction. (Urban Myth)
- NT Workstation: Change two registry keys and turn a Workstation into NT Server. (Would you risk a company server on a registry hack, just to save $300?)
- Windows Server 2000: Attempt the setupreg.hiv hack to bypass activation. (Plain did not work)
- The Windows Vista Activation hack SkipRearm fails after 7 attempts. Also, it does not work on Vista Home editions.
Final Thoughts
My final thought is if you apply one of these dubious hacks to the registry, then you could be in trouble if you ever try to apply an update, and especially if you ever apply a service pack. I admit that in this final paragraph, Guy’s imagination is working overtime. Imagine you were a Microsoft engineer, who was cheesed off at people beating your lovely system; would it not be tempting to create a service pack that detected illegal hacks, and then did something to cripple the operating system? I have seen a few forum posts that suggest service packs have adverse effects on illegal software.
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Windows Vista Registry Tweaks:
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reader comments
16 with 16 posters participatingJust like Windows Vista, Windows 7 can be used legally for up to 120 days without activating with a valid 25-character alphanumeric product key. Windows typically comes with a 30-day time limit for users to activate their copy of the operating system, but there's a command that is often used by corporate administrators to reset the 30-day countdown. The rearm command can be used up to three times without violating the Windows 7 EULA. Thus, if the user resets the countdown on the last day each time, he or she can gain up to 90 extra days to use Windows 7 legally and for free. The Windows Secrets newsletter outlined the step-by-step instructions for extending the grace period:
- Step 1: Click Start, All Programs, Accessories. Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run As Administrator. Enter your administrator password.
- Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter: slmgr -rearm (note the space after slmgr and the hyphen in front of rearm.)
- Step 3: Restart Windows 7.
Most users won't have to bother with these three steps since the majority, about 95 percent, get new versions of Windows with a new computer. For the five percent or so who purchase Windows 7 at retail, 30 days is likely enough to punch in the product key. Pirates will of course have their own methods to get around activation, and here's confirmation that they have plenty of time to do so. No, this is certainly aimed at administrators who need to delay activation for whatever reason, and even though 120 days seems a little over the top, we're sure many of them are relieved to know the number of days hasn't been reduced in Vista's successor.