2K3 Ent. Promo CD cracked, need to use the 25 seat CAL (HELP!)

[atrembla]

Hello everyone, great great forum here, found great advice on alot of XP stuff, now I have a question for 2K3. I recently took the MCSA class and was given a promotional CD of Enterprise with a 25 seat CAL. The problem is that when I took the CD out of the plastic casing the CD broke . My question is this, I have (2) 180 Day Ent. CD's from the training books, and would like to know if I can manipulate either one to use the 25 CAL. So far I have tried to install as normal with that license and it would not accept it. I have heard that some file or files within the installation portion can depict what license the O/S is supposed to accept, is this true, if so can anyone assist?

Much thanks in advance

Aaron

[cluberti]

Eval CDs cannot be used for production purposes, in that they cannot be upgraded to full installs without cracking the OS. They are for training and testing only, so you shouldn't spend your time trying to get 25 good CALs into an eval copy of an OS.

I've heard of ways to make this work by actually modifying the OS install with cracked files, but as discussion of this would be against the forum rules (and highly illegal in some countries), I'm going to have to say, legally, the answer is "no".

[jaclaz]

The problem is that when I took the CD out of the plastic casing the CD broke

Just out of curiosity, what tool did you use to open the plastic case, a sledgehammer?

That is very interesting because there is a precedent in a famous Italian trial where the original CD containing the recordings of a supposed case of corruption (all copies proved to have been tampered with, and thus unacceptable as proof by the judge) was said to have been broken by a witness because:

I was seated and when taking it out of the plastic case, the CD slipped off my hands, and I instinctively closed my legs to stop it's fall. I catched the CD but I evidently closed my legs with excessive force and the CD broke into two pieces.

Now, a local Radio for about one year made a contest with a prize of something like US$ 5,000.00 for whoever would have been able to break a CD by letting it fall and catching it between his/her legs.

The prize was never awarded as noone was ever able to repeat the alleged performance.

jaclaz

[atrembla]

I was hoping to use the license in order to continue training for mcsa here at home, as for the sledgehammer, must be cheap cd material, never broke one before :-)