# Free Windows Server license with .edu address



## D. Strout (Feb 20, 2014)

I don't really know many of the members here well enough to know if this is worth anything, but if any of you have a .edu e-mail address from your school (even if you haven't attended for a while and still have access to the address), you can use Microsoft's Dreamspark program to get free (and legal!) license keys for Windows Server 2008/2012(R2) 64-bit. Hope this helps some.


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## TruvisT (Feb 20, 2014)

Another nice thing about having contracts with the school systems. Signed up using my district e-mail and got access. Hello free stuff!

EDIT: Mine was not an .edu so as long as it is from an official education system, it seems to work.


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## DomainBop (Feb 20, 2014)

> even if you haven't attended for a while


I definitely fall into the "a while" category  but one of my alumni benefits is a free lifetime google apps for education account with a .edu email address.


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## Magiobiwan (Feb 20, 2014)

Technically the DreamSpark licenses are only supposed to be used for educational/learning purposes only and not for a production environment. I doubt they check though.


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## D. Strout (Feb 20, 2014)

DomainBop said:


> I definitely fall into the "a while" category  but one of my alumni benefits is a free lifetime google apps for education account with a .edu email address.


Yeah, a lot of people hold on to their .edu addresses for a while. I even just attended several online colleges, taking only one or two classes, and still got a .edu address from each. I have about 5 or 6 at this point. I never have trouble getting free(ish) stuff from "my" school. Dropbox, Amazon Prime, Dreamspark, even the Microsoft Home Use Program, which nets me $10 Office Pro 2013. A lot of value there.


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## DomainBop (Feb 20, 2014)

Magiobiwan said:


> Technically the DreamSpark licenses are only supposed to be used for educational/learning purposes only and not for a production environment. I doubt they check though.


I don't think they check eligibility (other than a .edu email) for DreamSpark Standard but DreamSpark Premium is administered by the individual colleges who enroll in it and most of them do check to make sure the person is a current student/faculty/staff member. Alumni aren't eligible for Premium. The premium version includes almost all Microsoft products.


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## D. Strout (Feb 20, 2014)

DomainBop said:


> I don't think they check eligibility (other than a .edu email) for DreamSpark Standard but DreamSpark Premium is administered by the individual colleges who enroll in it and most of them do check to make sure the person is a current student/faculty/staff member. Alumni aren't eligible for Premium. The premium version includes almost all Microsoft products.


The really good stuff is restricted, yes, but here at VPSB all we care about is servers, which is why I mention the free Windows Server license. That said, I can't wait to get in to Liberty University later this year, where I'll get free Windows licenses.


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## notFound (Feb 20, 2014)

Yep, this is old news. I got Dreamspark a long time ago and you have to reactivate each year or two or so which is quite annoying. You don't particularly need an .edu, I actually just contacted them and they let me on. Although now I can use my brother's uni one and my mum's work (one of her jobs is in a college).


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## TruvisT (Feb 20, 2014)

D. Strout said:


> The really good stuff is restricted, yes, but here at VPSB all we care about is servers, which is why I mention the free Windows Server license. That said, I can't wait to get in to Liberty University later this year, where I'll get free Windows licenses.


Several of my friends go there. Planning to go there myself as well soon.


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## rds100 (Feb 20, 2014)

Ok, so i have a .edu. The question is - what to do with a windows server license?


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## Nett (Feb 20, 2014)

rds100 said:


> Ok, so i have a .edu. The question is - what to do with a windows server license?


Run windows server


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## rds100 (Feb 20, 2014)

Yes, what for? The only reason i see for running windows is for opening some documents which don't work properly in OpenOffice or LibreOffice. Unfortunately office doesn't work on windows server, or so i've heard.


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## Nett (Feb 20, 2014)

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee624351.aspx



> *Windows Server 2008 R2 is available only in 64-bit architecture
> 
> **Windows Server 2012 is available only in 64-bit architecture


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## MannDude (Feb 20, 2014)

Boo, my Indiana University email doesn't work anymore.


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## D. Strout (Feb 21, 2014)

If you don't have a .edu address, go here, select the middle option and click next (don't fill anything in - you don't need to). On the next page, under the "email address" boxes, click the checkbox that says "Check here if you do not have your own e-mail and would like to use this site's account as your primary e-mail". Make up all the other info on the page (address stuff is optional!) and click create account. Voila! To access your inbox, click "Your Portfolio" -> "All messages" (on the right). Enjoy your .edu benefits!


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## fixidixi (Feb 25, 2014)

actually as i remember the dremspark academy license you are to remove any installed products if you are no longer at the university.. even the os you might have used. thats just the legal stuff.


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## hostinghouston (Mar 25, 2014)

That is awesome - I especially like the Amazon Prime benefits for .edu, beats Windows server license hands down!


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## sv01 (Mar 25, 2014)

D. Strout said:


> If you don't have a .edu address, go here, select the middle option and click next (don't fill anything in - you don't need to). On the next page, under the "email address" boxes, click the checkbox that says "Check here if you do not have your own e-mail and would like to use this site's account as your primary e-mail". Make up all the other info on the page (address stuff is optional!) and click create account. Voila! To access your inbox, click "Your Portfolio" -> "All messages" (on the right). Enjoy your .edu benefits!


then what to do next ? Can't get dreamspark with these email


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## Ever Smile Hosting (Apr 3, 2014)

Great offer


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## fixidixi (Apr 3, 2014)

haha my university only has the same tld as the country so .. :%


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## Roger (Apr 10, 2014)

rds100 said:


> Ok, so i have a .edu. The question is - what to do with a windows server license?


IIS webserver. Everything .NET related!


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