Visual Studio
How to: Upgrade from Visual Studio Trial Edition

Trial Editions can only be used for a limited amount of time, usually 90 to 180 days. After that time period has expired, you cannot use the product again without a valid product key.

NoteNote:

Product keys can no longer be purchased directly for this release without buying a copy of the product.

To obtain a product key

To upgrade Visual Studio Trial Edition

  1. On the Start menu, click Control Panel.

  2. In Windows Vista, open Control Panel and click Programs and Features. In Windows XP, open Control Panel and click Add or Remove Programs.

  3. Select Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition. In Windows Vista, click Uninstall/Change. In Windows XP, click Change/Remove. This displays the Visual Studio 2008 Maintenance Mode dialog box.

  4. In the Visual Studio 2008 Maintenance Mode dialog box, enter the product key in the section Upgrade to Visual Studio 2008 and then click Upgrade.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Register Express Editions

Concepts

Installation and Setup Essentials
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Community Content

Thomas Lee
Cannot "Upgrade" from Team Suite Trial to Professional Edition
The Upgrade option is not available in the setup process to cater for this scenario. Did a full install instead, but my system still shows Team System Trial has expired and nowhere can I change editions or enter new license code.

[tfl - 25 11 09] Hi - and thanks for your post. You should post questions like this to the MSDN Forums at http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn or the MSDN Newsgroups at http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/. You are much more likely get a quicker response using the forums than through the Community Content. For specific help about:
Visual Studio  : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.vstudio%2C&
SQL Server     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.sqlserver%2C&
.NET Framework : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.dotnet.framework
PowerShell     : http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windows.powershell/topics?pli=1
All Public     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public%2C&

Thomas Lee
Cannot "Upgrade" Trial Software
I lost my Visual Studio 2008 Professional DVD, but I still have the case with the serial key. Figured that this isn't an issue, I can simply download the trial and enter the key when it prompts me.

On install I cannot change the key, and when I access Maintainance Mode there is no option to "Upgrade" as there was with 2005
Is there a bug with the currently uploaded trial? At first I thought the issue was that I was using Windows 7 64-bit but after trying to install to my other hard disk that has Vista 32-bit on it, I experienced the same issue.

Guess if no one can suggest a solution I'll have to order a new replacement Visual Studio DVD but, would be nice not to have to spent £10 and wait a week for something that should work with this downloaded version.
[tfl - 25 11 09] Hi - and thanks for your post. You should post questions like this to the MSDN Forums at http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn or the MSDN Newsgroups at http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/. You are much more likely get a quicker response using the forums than through the Community Content. For specific help about:
Visual Studio  : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.vstudio%2C&
SQL Server     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.sqlserver%2C&
.NET Framework : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.dotnet.framework
PowerShell     : http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windows.powershell/topics?pli=1
All Public     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public%2C&

Thomas Lee
Problem in Windows 7
Doesn't seem to work in Windows 7. There's no box to add a key.

[tfl - 25 11 09] Hi - and thanks for your post. You should post questions like this to the MSDN Forums at http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn or the MSDN Newsgroups at http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/. You are much more likely get a quicker response using the forums than through the Community Content. For specific help about:
Visual Studio  : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.vstudio%2C&
SQL Server     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.sqlserver%2C&
.NET Framework : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.dotnet.framework
PowerShell     : http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windows.powershell/topics?pli=1
All Public     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public%2C&

Thomas Lee
There are a bug in Windows 7 ...
We have 3 machines with Windows 7, one with the RC and the others with the RTM, all of them with Visual Studio Team Systems 2008 SP1. In all of the machines the Visual Studio Maintenance Mode don´t present the box to register the Trial Copy and in one of them the Trial Expired gently.

Is there a workaround?

[tfl - 25 11 09] Hi - and thanks for your post. You should post questions like this to the MSDN Forums at http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn or the MSDN Newsgroups at http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/. You are much more likely get a quicker response using the forums than through the Community Content. For specific help about:
Visual Studio  : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.vstudio%2C&
SQL Server     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.sqlserver%2C&
.NET Framework : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.dotnet.framework
PowerShell     : http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windows.powershell/topics?pli=1
All Public     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public%2C&

Thomas Lee
yes,it seem a bug
my machine with windows 7 pro rtm,and visual studio 2008 sp1. update to newest. and Visual Studio Maintenance Mode don´t present the box to register .

[tfl - 25 11 09] Hi - and thanks for your post. You should post questions like this to the MSDN Forums at http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn or the MSDN Newsgroups at http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/. You are much more likely get a quicker response using the forums than through the Community Content. For specific help about:
Visual Studio  : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.vstudio%2C&
SQL Server     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.sqlserver%2C&
.NET Framework : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.dotnet.framework
PowerShell     : http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windows.powershell/topics?pli=1
All Public     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public%2C&

Thomas Lee
please help

28 days to register.i usualy use this product to progrmming.

[tfl - 25 11 09] Hi - and thanks for your post. You should post questions like this to the MSDN Forums at http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn or the MSDN Newsgroups at http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/. You are much more likely get a quicker response using the forums than through the Community Content. For specific help about:
Visual Studio  : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.vstudio%2C&
SQL Server     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.sqlserver%2C&
.NET Framework : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.dotnet.framework
PowerShell     : http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windows.powershell/topics?pli=1
All Public     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public%2C&

Thomas Lee
Also in a bind
I just upgraded my machine to Windows 7. Reinstalled Visual Studio Pro 2008 and same bug as everyone else is reporting...no ability to enter my product key.

[tfl - 25 11 09] Hi - and thanks for your post. You should post questions like this to the MSDN Forums at http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn or the MSDN Newsgroups at http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/. You are much more likely get a quicker response using the forums than through the Community Content. For specific help about:
Visual Studio  : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.vstudio%2C&
SQL Server     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.sqlserver%2C&
.NET Framework : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.dotnet.framework
PowerShell     : http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windows.powershell/topics?pli=1
All Public     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public%2C&

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