Kiyokodyele
In this article we will briefly describe how we can change the Visual Studio 2008 product key. As we know Visual Studio 2008 Trial doesn’t allow to change the product key and it shows as grayed out.
In case we want to create an installation CD from a trial using our product key we can simply copy all the files to our machines and change the setup.sdb product key line with our product key and burn the files to a writable media. The setup.sdb can be found in the setup folder.
In case we had already installed a trial version on our machine and expires we can change the key as follow:
1) Locate Visual Studio 2008 Edition (Professional or Team Suite)
Path for Team Suite:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2008 Team Suite – ENU
2) Edit: setup.sdb
Change [Product Key]
3) Add/Remove Programs, Select Microsoft Visual Studio and click on change and reinitialize the license.
An example of how the [Product Key] is displayed inside the setup.sdb is shown:
February 5, 2009
Sweet thanks man, it worked great:)
So did the key:))
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March 30, 2009
Good Day Glafkos Charalambous
In your third point: the reinitialization process of the license,
the interface shows options among which, “upgrade”
Is that what you refer to?
in this case it does not seem to work.
Any suggestions, other than typing error?
Thank you
Much regard,
David
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March 30, 2009
Hello David,
On the Visual Studio 2005 Maintenance screen, enter the product key in the section Upgrade to Visual Studio 2005 Professional and then click Upgrade
Reference: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms246600(VS.80).aspx
I hope it makes sense now
Regards,
Glafkos
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April 8, 2009
Works great! Thank you!
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June 30, 2009
It works! Thanks man
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July 16, 2009
It works fine. thanks for the info and your key. i have one small doubt. Will it work i install the updates on it, some thing like SP1.
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August 17, 2009
Hi I will be happy, if some one send me the prodect key for visual studio 2008 sp1. mail Id: bevybeast@gmail.com
Thank u Guys…
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August 21, 2009
Is there a way to change the key in Visual Studio AFTER it is already installed? Someone did a lot of work using his personal license. When he leaves, we need to use our own license.
Thank you!
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September 9, 2009
Thanks Guys, Its working and really cool.
Thank you!
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September 23, 2009
I wonder if some of the people above actually read your post
- Asking for a key: look at the freckin screenshot of the file opened in notepad
- Asking to change key: READ the post
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September 24, 2009
Thanks for your product key, worked great! (I bookmarked the image)
And great guide
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October 6, 2009
i’v 80 days more of trial expiration, can i upgrade right now ? i’ve tried to upgrade as u mention in post but stil trial count is apprearing. can any one help ???
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October 8, 2009
This key could be used in TFS?
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October 26, 2009
What does “reinitialize the license” mean? I don’t see anything like that.
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navigato Reply:
January 2nd, 2010 at 10:43 pm
I have the same problem as Barry: I can’t find any item “reinitialize the license” on my Windows 7 system. This seems to be different to XP, where I found it. Anybody any ideas?
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navigato Reply:
January 4th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
I didn’t find any answer to my problem and for that reason I used an install dvd made as discribed above by Glafkos Charalambous which worked perfectly. I just removed my visual studio (and just this, no other programm like .net or sql-server or all the other tool that come with visual studio) before.
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January 2, 2010
Hey!!!
It worked great ;D
Thanks a lot from Barcelona!!
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January 12, 2010
Thanks a bunch worked fine
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January 14, 2010
So we just ignore the setud.sdb file in the msdn\setup folder and just change the one in the setup folder?
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January 27, 2010
Somehow it again showing evaluation now after couple of months ;(
looks that some module automatically check when u r on internet.
so better to turn off internet when u run vs2008 else the above will fail then.
any workarround, other key???
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March 11, 2010
It works great!!! since 2 days i wasnt able to finish my lab….Thx so much
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March 19, 2010
Step 3: Add/Remove Programs, Select Microsoft Visual Studio and click on change and reinitialize the license.
I can not fount it on Window7. How to change it now.
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Wildsoul Reply:
April 12th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
I have this problem too. Got also win7
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March 30, 2010
I was worrying about the key. And you just saved my life. Thank you very very much.
10000 times thanks.
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April 1, 2010
That does not work for me. When selecting “save” in notepad it treats it as if it were “save as” then ask to overwrite before telling me “access is denied”.
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knotbeer Reply:
April 1st, 2010 at 4:51 pm
csullivan:
I’m assuming you’re in Vista or 7? Either that or you are in XP but don’t have administrative rights on your account for that machine possibly?
When you want to edit the file, first find your “notepad” icon, then right-click it and click “run as” and enter your credentials for a system administrator. Then, when notepad opens, find your file and I’ll bet you can save it.
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April 27, 2010
course it works!
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May 30, 2010
we cannot do this on windows 7, can we? there is no text boxes to enter the key……….. ?????????? any ideas???
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Kiyokodyele Reply:
July 14th, 2012 at 6:09 am
what kind of vs is that? lol
i have vs2010 that doesn’t need to put the key. it automatically register it to microsoft.. but it seems this post was posted before the release of vs2010.
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June 14, 2010
Good Job. Thanks
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August 23, 2010
Great job. Thanks a lot.
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November 10, 2010
Wow! Thanks!
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December 18, 2010
Gr8,
All is well
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January 2, 2011
this is not working in win 7. Can anybody help me?
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January 16, 2011
Thanks man, you are the one
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April 12, 2011
Thanks Man!!!! It worked…
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June 3, 2011
Amazing!!! Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanks!!!
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June 6, 2011
Thanks a ton
u r gr8
my prob of upgrading vs is solved
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July 19, 2011
This procedure did’nt work on my side , the file setup.sdb in my program files has no product key, what should i do next?????
PLZ TELL
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September 6, 2011
For all the people facing this issue please note that the Visual Studio team has addressed this issue in KB979576. Please visit _http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=151121 (remove the underscore) to download the patch that will allow you to upgrade your Visual Studio trial version to full version without having to edit the setup.sdb file.
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October 1, 2011
One XP computer has a VS2008 license in About Box of 4 blocks of 5-3-7-5 numerals. Is that the Product Key?
Setup.sdb shows nothing under [product key]
My second XP computer has the 90-day trial version of VS2008.
I edited this Product Key into setup.sdb
Clicking Change does not show Reinitialize License but only:
o Add or remove feature
o Repair/reinstall
o Uninstall
o Upgrade to MS VS 2008, but with 5 blocks of 5 nrs
Do I have the wrong Product Key? Where do I find the right one?
Thanks for your help.
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hlteulings Reply:
October 1st, 2011 at 8:03 am
It seems the product key is 5 x 5 characters. It is intentionally secret. It cannot be recovered from a particular installation?
The product ID is to identify a copy and is not a product key.
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October 12, 2011
I just love you!!!
Worked perfectly!!!
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November 29, 2011
THANK YOU
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December 1, 2011
Thanks a lot …it worked
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December 17, 2011
This is not working for windows 7. Can anybody please help?
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February 1, 2012
Can we activate visual studio 2008 using 2010 product key?
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June 9, 2012
https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?DownloadID=27638
this works
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July 9, 2012
Works fine thx man
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