all in one tool for tweaking 2008 to a workstation :)

[bledd]

http://converter.win2008workstation.com/

looks pretty decent

[blerk]

I've tried it a few times and sometimes it doesn't work properly resulting in a login/loop. Best use the PDF guide form the same site and do yourself what the program would do, its not that much work.

[steviewonder]

The problem with it is it is illegal as it has a re arm patch in it.

[Witt3439]

Microsoft allows you to "rearm" Server 2008 (and Vista) up to three times and will even give you instructions on how to do it on their website. Nothing illegal about it.

[steviewonder]

I disagree with you.

[cluberti]

@steviewonder:

This KB article documents the "rearm patch", as you call it, and it's built-into the OS slmgr.vbs vbscript. This is perfectly legal after the first 60-day eval period (up to 3 times, giving a total of 240 days unactivated) before you can't use it anymore.

[bboy_sonik]

steviewonder got owned....

It's true, there's no secret about it. slmgr.vbs -rearm. Maybe you are thinking about the {censored} which kills the evaluation period present in Beta's and such, that's an actual hack.

Next he'll be telling us it's illegal to download ISO's of Server 2008 no matter what [which are on Microsoft.com]

[Thranx]

Microsoft allows you to "rearm" Server 2008 (and Vista) up to three times and will even give you instructions on how to do it on their website. Nothing illegal about it.

Re-arming it 3 times is correct... that doesn't mean that circumventing the re-arm is ok.

I recommend avoiding this tool for that one reason. If you want to be on the up-and-up, do it another way.

[cluberti]

Re-arming it 3 times is correct... that doesn't mean that circumventing the re-arm is ok.

I recommend avoiding this tool for that one reason. If you want to be on the up-and-up, do it another way.

Perhaps I'm missing something, but the rearm is specifically designed to extend the evaluation period, so you aren't "circumventing" anything by using it. As per the KB article itself:

This article describes how to extend, or re-arm, the Windows Server 2008 evaluation period. The evaluation period is also known as the "activation grace" period. These instructions apply to any edition of Windows Server 2008. This includes evaluation copies.

That wording is specific: "how to extend, or re-arm, the Windows Server 2008 evaluation period". It is designed explicitly to allow just this. Again, perhaps I'm not understanding your position, but Microsoft clearly spells out that this is an OK use of the rearm portion of the slmgr script. It doesn't allow you to get around activating your product, it just allows you to postpone it (again, up to 3 times) for a total of 240 days from the point of install. In a lot of environments, this isn't just a nicety, it may be necessary to evaluate the product before deciding to go with the platform - thus having the 240 days means you don't have to reinstall and reconfigure to continue testing and evaluating the product.