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Windows 2012Eval activation, do I need to format?

Posted: 21. Mar 2021, 23:19
by Klauskvik
Hi

I downloaded WinDev2012Eval and has been running my Virtual Machine on that for a while, setting up a development environment. Win2012Eval is Windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation

Somebody at a different forum suggested I used that VM (WinDev2020Eval), but now it asks for activation of windows

So I talked to Microsoft support, and he told me that I would need to format the VM and install WIndows 10 Pro instead. I really do not care that I need to spend 1-200 USD on a seperate license, but it's annoying to format the Machine and start from scratch setting it up with programs etc

Do I really need to follow this route, installing Windows Pro?. And if so, where do I find the raw Windows Pro version VDI?

Hope you can help me

Regards

Klaus

Re: Windows 2012Eval activation, do I need to format?

Posted: 21. Mar 2021, 23:57
by scottgus1
Virtualbox is really a 'hardware' provider, not a Microsoft Licensing provider, so we wouldn't have much solid info on a MS licensing question.

Web-searching shows that Enterprise is a higher license level than Pro, and that the Enterprise Evaluation can only be licensed by an entity with a Volume Licensing setup. So your MS Support tech is probably right: you will need to make a new VM with the Windows OS level matching the license you have and get your installed data migrated over. The existing VM's disk can be added to the new VM as a second disk for migration purposes if you cannot get the existing VM to run.
Klauskvik wrote:where do I find the raw Windows Pro version VDI ISO?
FTFY. Web-search 'Windows media creation tool". Run it while logged in on an Admin account, not a standard one.

Re: Windows 2012Eval activation, do I need to format?

Posted: 22. Mar 2021, 00:44
by Klauskvik
Thanks Scott

Seems that I need to bite the bullet and do a fresh install