I have a Gigabyte Mobo with a modded bios and currently have Server 2008 Standard Edition installed and working fine using BIOS MOD SLIC Activation. My Question is can I use the same key and cert from my standard edition install to install a fresh server 2008 r2? Will it still be bound to a time bomb since 2008 R2 is still bound? MrChris
Well I just downloeded it a few mins ago from ms. Il post back and let you all know what I come up with.....For those who care. MrChris
Well I did an "upgrade" from 2008 Standard Edition to 2008 R2 Standard Edition and now I have 3 days left for activation. DOH. I tried to install the same key as used in 2008 standard edition but didnt work. Key wouldnt install. I even tried the keys from the microsoft 2008 r2 download site and they wouldnt activat either. Can anyone else confirm my results? Thanks, MrChris
Someone wrote that he could activate with a key from the Microsoft site only after joining a domain. I haven't tried that. So you will have to use rearm - good enough to take you to the timebomb date, as you can rearm at least three times.
Server 2008 R2 takes different keys than Server 2008. None of the Server 2008 keys will work. Right now you can't even activate the beta using the keys MS put on their site. What you will have to do is use the slmgr.vbs -rearm command to reset your grace period once it gets low. Once the RC builds come out hopefully the beta keys MS provided will activate it.
Server 2008 R2 Activation : Call MS Re Server 2008 R2 Activation - Disable internet connection. - Use the Server 2008 R2 Public Beta Key and select activate by telephone - Call Microsoft for your activation and save your confirmation id numbers for later use. They will ask 3 questions. 1. Did this software come bundled with your computer ? No 2. Is this software installed on any other computer ? No 3. Is this the first time activating this software ? Yes They might ask first what OS you want to activate. I've done this MANY times with success.
calling MS Doesn't work. There is something wrong with the Server 2008 R2 Activation scheme right now. NOBODY can activate it. That is why I am looking for a new build, because the newer builds are able to be activated using the beta keys posted on Microsoft's site.