How long can one use a fresh Windows 10 install without product key?

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I just installed a fresh copy of Windows 10 on my Virtualbox for testing purposes. During install it offered my a button where I said that I don't have a product key. This seems to be some kind of trial mode. How long can I test it without having to enter a product key?

student

Posted 2016-01-09T21:44:45.963

Reputation: 455

Question was closed 2016-01-12T10:44:11.697

It used to be 30 days. Not sure whether that is the same for Win10. – whs – 2016-01-09T21:56:06.213

Earlier versions of Windows tell you how many days you have left when you boot up. – AFH – 2016-01-09T21:58:19.693

Forever if you're apart of Insiders (the beta testing group). – David – 2016-01-10T04:01:23.920

Answers

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From a command prompt with admin rights type

slmgr /dlv

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or

slmgr /xpr

. enter image description here

or

slmgr /dli

. enter image description here

.

It appears the dli will show the license status of "Notification Mode" but if you look at the rearm count using dlv it shows 1001, which is the number of times you can rearm the license when it is unactivated. So it appears you could use it indefinitely but with reduced functionality.

0xC004F034 means there is no Product Key (License) Installed

Source

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Moab

Posted 2016-01-09T21:44:45.963

Reputation: 54 203

My install is in german, I suggest it was the line "Verbleibende Windows Ream-Anzahl 1001" (in english "Remaining Windows Ream-count 1001"). So I can boot it 1001-times? Seems a lot. – student – 2016-01-09T22:17:31.530

There should be an expiry Date. – Moab – 2016-01-09T22:33:41.210

I get the same result as student, there is no expiry date. Check out my similar question: http://superuser.com/q/1024274/479922

– vic – 2016-01-10T17:39:12.233

3I can find no official document but from what I have read it is indefinite how long you can use it that way. Documentation for W10 has been poor on Microsoft's part. – Moab – 2016-01-10T17:56:45.370