What Happens If I Don't Activate Windows 7

Windows 7 will run 120 days for gratuitous, Microsoft confirms

Same 'rearm' command that worked for Vista extends activation-free grace period

Gregg Keizer By

Senior Reporter, Computerworld |

Like its predecessor, Windows 7 tin be used for up to 120 days without providing a product activation fundamental, Microsoft confirmed today.

Although Microsoft generally touts a 30-day fourth dimension limit for users to activate their copies of the company'southward operating system, a little-known command designed for corporate administrators tin be used by anyone to "reset" the countdown up to iii times.

Late yesterday, the Windows Secrets newsletter published step-by-step instructions on using a single-line command to add together an boosted xc days to the stock thirty-twenty-four hours grace period.

Microsoft allows users to install and run any version of Windows vii for upward to 30 days without requiring a product activation key, a 25-grapheme alphanumeric string that proves the copy is legitimate. During the thirty-day grace catamenia, Windows seven operates as if information technology has been activated. As the grace period shrinks, nevertheless, increasingly-frequent messages announced on the screen. For instance, on days four through 27, a pop-up asks the user to actuate once each day. During days 28 and 29, the pop-upward displays every 4 hours, while on Day 30, it appears hourly.

Simply by invoking the "slmgr -rearm" control at a Windows seven command prompt, users can reset the fourth dimension-until-activation to 30 days, said Woody Leonard, a contributing editor to Windows Secrets and the author of several figurer books, including Windows Vista All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies.

"You can run the -rearm play a joke on a total of three times," said Leonard. "If you perform a -rearm at the cease of each 30-day menstruum, y'all end upward with 120 days of full, unfettered Windows 7 utilize, without having to supply an activation key."

Leonard tested the command on Windows 7 RTM (release to manufacturing), the final build of the operating organization that Microsoft has already shipped to computer makers and distributed to It professionals and developers who subscribe to the TechNet and MSDN services.

Microsoft confirmed that "-rearm" can be used equally many as three times past Windows 7 users to avert activation. "This means [that] a total of 120 days full time is bachelor as a grace flow to customers that accept advantage of -rearm," said a visitor spokeswoman.

Nor is extending the grace period a violation of the Windows 7 End User License Agreement (EULA), the spokeswoman said.

Windows Secrets and others published information about the aforementioned grace menses extension ii years agone, shortly subsequently Microsoft launched Vista. "Rearm is the same in Windows 7 every bit in Vista," noted Brian Livingston, the editor of Windows Secrets, in an interview yesterday.

Microsoft introduced production activation in 2001's Function XP and also used it in that year's Windows XP. The feature was toughened up for Vista, notwithstanding; later on the grace menses, non-activated PCs running Vista dropped into what Microsoft called "reduced functionality" style. In reduced way, users could only browse the Web with Internet Explorer, and then only for an hr before existence forced to again log on.

In early on 2008, however, Microsoft revamped that process, which some had dubbed a "impale switch," in favor of a black background and constant nagging reminders. Later in 2008, Microsoft introduced the same procedures to Windows XP when it rolled out Service Pack three (SP3).

In Feb 2009, Microsoft said Windows 7 would use the same reminders, a black screen and persistent notices.

"We knew that -rearm worked on the beta and RC [of Windows seven], but until it was finished, there was no way to be sure it would work in the final," said Livingston.

Although Windows 7 won't go on auction until October. 22, the RTM build has leaked to file-sharing sites. In fact, the build that Microsoft later identified as RTM hit BitTorrent almost a week earlier the company officially announced the milestone.

The -rearm command isn't the only way users can run Windows 7 without paying. Until virtually xi a.thou. ET Thursday, users can download a free copy of Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC), the last public preview issued before Microsoft wrapped up work on the OS.

Senior Reporter Gregg Keizer covers Windows, Office, Apple/enterprise, web browsers and web apps for Computerworld.