In this article, I will explain How
Extend the SQL Server Evaluation Period
Scenario
When I tried to open SQL Server Management Studio evaluation edition, I got the below error message:
SQL Server Evaluation period has expired
Extend the SQL Server Evaluation Period Steps
Extend SQL Server Evaluation Period prerequisites list.
- First of all, you must change the SQL Server machine date to a specific date that the SQL server was working properly.
Note: After extending the SQL Server Evaluation Period, you will need to readjust the machine date to today again,
- Make sure that the Service Pack 1 has been installed before upgrading SQL Server 2012 evaluation edition to any licensed edition.
- If it was not installed, you should install it from SQL Server Service Pack 1.
- Open Registry,
- Go to Start Menu > Open Registry Editor.
- Go to Start Menu > Open Registry Editor.
- The register editor should be shown > Navigate to the following path
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\
- Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\110\ConfigurationState
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\
- Edit the REG_DWORD value of the Common Files.
- In value data, set it to 3.
Upgrade the SQL Server Edition to Extend the Trial Period
In this section, I will demonstrate how to upgrade your edition to extend the evaluation period by doing the following:
- Mount the same SQL Server installation media (ISO/CD) that was used to install SQL Server previously. (or an ISO image with the same SQL version)
- Go to installation file of your SQL Server Edition, Run Setup File.
- Select Maintenance section, and click Edition Upgrade
- In Setup Support Rules, click Next.
- Check “Enter the product key”, Usually it is automatically filled for
- Developer edition; or
- Licensed ISO file is used.
- Accept the License Terms.
- Select the instance that you would like to upgrade.
- Make sure that the Edition Upgrade Rules have been verified, then click Next.
- Finally, Click “Upgrade”.
- Once the upgrade is completed successfully, click Close.
- Open “SQL Server Configuration Manager”.
- Restart the SQL Server Service.
- Open “SQL Server Management Studio” that should be now opening properly.
The SQL Server Trial Edition has extended successfully.
The Extended SQL Server evaluation period has expired again, How to extend it?
The above steps would extend the SQL Server trial period, but Is it possible to extend the extended SQL Server period again?
There is a workaround that should help you to extend the extended SQL trial period after it expired, Please check it at The extended SQL Server evaluation has expired again, How to extend it?
Applies To
- SQL Server 2012.
hey hi ,
In bellow step you are mention subfolder 100 in comment but in snapshot you are mention 110 folder . which we have to follow ???
Navigate to the following path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\100\ConfigurationState then edit the value of the Common Files REG_DWORD to 3 as shown in the figure below
Thanks
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You should follow that in a snapshot and thank you for your hint
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Hi Mohammed,
If I implement these steps, by how many days will the evaluation period be extended by?
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Dear anon
sorry for delay
regarding your quest as I remember it’s extended my evaluation period to about 30 days but i am not sure,fortunately you can still working on it after the extend period has expired by following the mentioned steps on this article
https://mohamedelkassas.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/open-microsoft-sql-management-studio-after-evaluation-period-expired/
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Awesome thank you! I tried changing editions over and over before I saw your article and found it was because it had passed the expiration date. I changed my date back and then did the upgrade edition task. Worked great after.
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waaah!! it worked….u awesom man.
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Glad to hear it helped you 🙂
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You are an awesome blogger. This is one of the best blog I had visited so far. Hope to read more post from you in the future. Keep it up. God bless.
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Great blog man, Is it possible to upgrade to 2014 standard instead of 2012.
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Hello mate,
Is it possible to upgrade 2012 trial to 2014 standard
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Great post, thanks!
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Awesome article ! Many thanks,
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What is the purpose of these?
– change your machine date to a specific date where the SQL server had worked properly
– activate SQL (….several steps….).
– reset your date again to your current date.
If when I reboot the server or start services again the “activation date” is going to be old again.
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You should reboot rather than restart the service to apply the new settings at the registry.
after reboot the machine date will depend on the last set date so you should reset it to today before the restart.
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thanks so much. I am actually on 2014 but ran into this problem, and needed a little extra time before our actual upgrade and roll out to production. Basically followed your steps, w/ minor change for Registry path… Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\120\ConfigurationState and used the same value change on the CommonFiles set to 3. All seems to be working fine. Cheers!
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Thanku so much
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you are welcome 🙂
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I did it whatever the steps u have mentioned. It’s worked for me.Thank you dude
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you are welcome 🙂
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Hi Mohamed
does this post still relevant for MSSQL 2014?
Thanks
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Very helpful, thanks for sharing Mohammed
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Very Very Helpful. Thanks
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glad to hear it helped you
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