THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE SBS "DIVA"

About now you've figured out that my three day grace period has come and gone.  The one where when you move the server from the hardware to another hardware that it demands activation within three days. 

In order to do this test run I've obviously reactivated the moved box by now.  And since I'm still blogging and the firm is still chugging along on the existing SBS 2003 I'm obviously still able to run the existing (soon to be old) server with it's activated SBS 2003.  Microsoft doesn't move the activation from one box to the other.  They don't suck away the license from one box to the other.  The reactivation of the temporary box does not impact the running box.  Would it be legal to run like this indefinitely?  Heck no.  Am I only doing it to do a dry run of the migration?  Yes. 

If I reactivated the same product key code over and over again would at some point in the reactivation would it finally say enough is enough and require me to call in, talk to a human being, explain what I was doing?  Yes.  But there is a grace period built into server activations.

Should you for disaster recovery purposes need to reactivate, it does not impact the existing system.  Do be aware that OEM builds are not legal to do this.   Do be aware that some OEM builds are bios bound and thus check to ensure that they are on certain brands of hardware.  And do be aware that the only reason that I did this is that I can't blog, do a dry run migration of the server. wash my Mini Cooper, reglaze windows to prepare for a house painter coming tomorrow, as well as help out on the Center for Internet Security Windows 2008 benchmarks and do normal work all in three days grace time that the reactivation window allowed me.