No trial software!!!

Got my MCDST a few weeks ago and was all buoyed up and thought I would try and bash out the Vista equivalent in quick time to keep the certification ball rolling. Ordered the book and have to admit a certain amount of glee as the big amazon box arrived. Disappointment ensued soon after though. The MS books have no trial version of the software!!! Was hoping to have a 120 trial of Ultimate or Home Premium that I could virtualise as I have removed it from my laptop (using linux at the mo to try and broaden my horizons). Am unwilling to shell out x-hundred pounds to buy it, especially considering Windows 7 is slated for end of year release (optimistic I know). Is there a legitimate trial version available? Have scoured the MS website but cannot find an obvious trial version and google seems to supply me with ways of hacking more time from my trial version but no actual trial. Am desperately hoping someone here might be able to help out as I am soon to be the owner of two very expensive, though quite hardy, paper weights!

Regards

Tim

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Comments

meadIT

If you have the disk for your laptop, you can install Vista from it. It doesn't have to be activated for 30 days, so consider it a 30 day trial. If it takes you longer than that to study for the exam, just reinstall for another 30 day trial.

dimothy10

My only concern is that the laptop disk is a rescue disk so was unsure as to how that would progress in a virtual environment. Still will give it a go tomorrow, something to pass the time this week with no cricket or football on the tele!

Edit: Also the laptop only came with home premium not ultimate. Any ideas as to how important having the ultimate edition is? Or could one survive on the home premium edition and some detailed reading?

kalebksp

If it's an actual install disk it will let you choose what version you want to install.

Personally I paid for a TechNet account, which allows you to download full no limit copies of just about any Microsoft software. Probably not worth it if you only want Vista, but if you get into Exchange and Server it can be quite useful. There are usually promotional discounts, I think I paid $250 for a year subscription.

Jordus

It seems odd but MS did that because you can do a 30 day trial right off any standard Vista disc. Even OEM discs. (certain RECOVERY installs may not work, however)

You can actually distribute custom Vista install builds as long as there is no embedded key. MS changed the vista eula on this.

meadIT

dimothy10 wrote: »

My only concern is that the laptop disk is a rescue disk so was unsure as to how that would progress in a virtual environment. Still will give it a go tomorrow, something to pass the time this week with no cricket or football on the tele!

Edit: Also the laptop only came with home premium not ultimate. Any ideas as to how important having the ultimate edition is? Or could one survive on the home premium edition and some detailed reading?

Here you go. A 30 day trial of Vista in a pre-configured VHD (virtual hard disk): http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=c2c27337-d4d1-4b9b-926d-86493c7da1aa&displaylang=en