[SOLVED] Extend Microsoft SQL Server Trial / Evaluation period

Restart SQL service after trial period - and continue using it

The problem usually occurs when you are running an evaluation instance of SQL Server and the evaluation time period has expired. I will show you a workaround, that enables you to continue using SQL even though it has expired.

Evaluation period has expired, SQL Management Studio dialog.

When trying to start service after the period is expired, Error 17051

You have encountered, like i, the expiration of an SQL instance.You might not have an SQL license in hand at this moment, but have the need to use the SQL or SQL Management Studio. At least to extract your data for possible new installations.

Before i continue, i should mention, that SQL studio management now have become free. You don't actually need to worry about the expired license for SSMS. You can download it free of charge from Microsoft. Link is here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/download-sql-server-management-studio-ssms



SQL services look at system time when determine if the license is still within evaluation period. So by changing the time back within the evaluation period, you will be able to start the service. When you are done, set the time back to normal. :)

In other words, you are extending SQL trial period.


Notes. Some of you have reported it not to work from SQL2016 and upwards. If you got it to work with SQL2016 or above. Please comment.
The following has been confirmed by users:

•  SQL Server 2016 WS 2016
•  SQL Server 2017 WS 2019
•  SQL Server 2019 (note: adjust time to max 180 days)

How To:

Open services. You can see the service is not running and time is well beyond expiration in this example:

If the service is started, it will prompt for error 17051, which is expiration error.

Now if i turn system time back within the expiration date, i will be able to start the service without error, and start SQL management studio.

Remember to turn the time back to original date or your inserted dates will be wrong.

Heres a powershell script to automate the task. Edit as you feel.

The script gets current date, substract 360 (this can be changed to match the 180 evaluation period). Starts all services with SQL in the name, wait for them to start, then set the time back to normal.

$currentDate = Get-Date // Get current date

$pastTime = $currentDate.AddDays(-360) // Substract 1 year

set-date $pastTime // set current time to the past

Start-Service -Name "*sql*" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue // Try to start the service

$areServicesStopped = $true // Check for service

while($areServicesStopped){ // Loop trying to get service up

    $serviceStatus = get-service -Name "*sql*" | select status

    if ($serviceStatus -notlike "Stopped")    {

        $areServicesStopped = $false

    }

    Start-Sleep -Seconds 1

}

$currentDate = $pastTime.AddDays(360) // Set date time to current date

set-date $currentDate

Notes:

This method works with SQL versions uptill publish date of this post (18/09/2017). If it has worked for you, feel free to comment which version worked for you (in case MS creates a fix).