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Install or Reinstall TeamViewer 11/12/13 (14 is shitte -> now use ANYDESK!) Personal (Non-Commercial) License on Windows Server (2012/2012 R2/2016/2019 etc) [Updated July 2019]

After running out of the TeamViewer commercial trial period I sought to find a solution to the problem of having to buy an expensive licence for my home server (which is only used for non-commercial personal use).

Leave TeamViewer and go to AnyDesk image

[Update July 2019]: I am now using AnyDesk and given up on TeamViewer as they are such a PITA like LogMeIn became also.  The good news about AnyDesk is the product is great and the licensing is finally affordable if you want/need to go legitimate (tested on Windows Server 2016/2019). 
AnyDesk does the job and is cheaper and better image
Thank you to AnyDesk which is a better and far more affordable (if you want to buy) option!
[Update Dec 2017]: I can confirm that these procedures still apply and work with Teamviewer version 12 and 13 also (as tested on Windows Server 2016).

Procedure A: If TeamViewer is NOT Already Installed (Note: If it is already installed, then first follow procedure B. below)

  1. Download and Run the installer downloaded from http://www.teamviewer.com/. On the Welcome to TeamViewer page be sure to check the "Show advanced settings" check box (outlined in red at bottom left in picture), then click "Accept - next".
  1. Leave the "Advanced settings" installation window open (as shown above) and start Windows Explorer (i.e. the file manager, not Internet Explorer). Now go to your temp directory by typing "%tmp%" into the location bar and hitting enter.
  2. Go to the Detailed view (View -> Details), and sort at the Date modified column.
  3. Open the nsxXXXX.tmp directory (where the Xes are some random characters/numbers)
  4. Inside that directory open the "start_unicode.ini" file with Notepad or Notepad++.
  5. Change the value of Flags= key item in [Field 5] and [Field 4] by swapping their values between DISABLED and GROUP|NOTIFY so you have Flags=GROUP|NOTIFY in [Field 5].
  6. Then also swap the values of the State= item of [Field 5] and [Field 4] so that only [Field 5] has the value of State=1 (i.e. Field 4 must be 0).
  7. Save and close the file.
  8. Maximize your TeamViewer installation window again and click "Finish" to complete the installation.

Procedure B: If TeamViewer is already installed (i.e. Commercial Trial version)


  1. Uninstall TeamViewer (best way is to use CCleaner)https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download 
  2. Click Start then type ‘%appdata%’ – now delete the Teamviewer folder
  3. Click Start the type %temp% and delete the contents of this folder as well as the C:\Windows\temp folder
  4. Click Start then type ‘regedit’, delete the registry folder found at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TeamViewer & the folder HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TeamViewer
  5. (Choosing remove settings when uninstalling is also sufficient)
  6. Then goto C:\Users\(Your username)\AppData\Roaming  > delete the Teamviewer folder [you might have to make hidden folders visible to see it or just type the path into the address bar]
  7. NOTE: Previous procedures request you restart your PC at this point. My testing did not find this was necessary.
  8. Now change your MAC address, either manually or with a tool like TMAC
  9. https://technitium.com/tmac/
  10. YOU MUST change ALL the MAC address on multiple network interface connections including virtual ones (i.e. as used by Hyper-V or other hypervisors)
  11. Now Re-Install TeamViewer [You should see your PC has a new TeamViewer ID] AS PER THE PROCEDURE ABOVE.  YOU MUST DO IT THIS WAY!
  12. NOTE: Some previously published procedures request you restart your PC at this point this is not usually necessary in my experience to test.

BEWARE! If you run later TeamViewer updates without following Procedure A above you will likely need to follow Procedure B again later with the down side of again having to change all the NIC MAC addresses again :-(

Note: The procedures were developed and modified from these previous ones...

References:

http://handshake.co.za/2015/teamviewer-commercial-use-suspected-fix/
http://www.win2008workstation.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=745

NOTE: These methods also work on HyperV Server 2012 and 2012 R2 with the exception you will need to install Explorer++ (or other independent file manager) first.

Comments

Unknown said…
there is a much simpler method:

1- uninstall temaviewer 11 (normally)
2- download version 8, since other old versions don't work for this purpose (from here for example http://www.oldversion.com/windows/teamviewer-8-0-16642)
3- be sure to check "compatibility mode windows xp" before installing it, and then, during the installation "advanced options" and "personal use only". When installed and "licensed" you can then remotely upgrade to version 11 without any issue..
Rod Dines said…
Hi CANE thanks greatly for that feedback. Your alternative, possibly simpler (certainly less technical), approach to procedure A makes me wonder if the remote upgrade avoids the licence re-check than the local update/upgrade process does? I will have to try that some time if I ever get an opportunity and remember. I still think you will need to run the second procedure B if your TeamViewer ID (which is based on your PC's MAC addresses) has been blacklisted as "commercial" in the TeamViewer database as the record is kept out there on the cloud rather than on the PC (hopefully that record expires at some point).
Rod Dines said…
Also a more legitimate (and trustworthy) source of previous versions of TeamViewer can be got from here:
https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/previous-versions/
Rod Dines said…
I have now tried CANE's method by installing TeamViewer 8 first and it did not seem to work for me, i.e. I got locked out of TV free after a trial period. But that might be because the MAC Addresses of my server where already registered online. So I guess that approach might still work if done from the outset.
Junior said…
The procedure (A) is not working on Server 2016. :/
Unknown said…
Thanks Mr Rod Dines, it's work on my server's company.
Rod Dines said…
@RodDines[My last post] - Since the lockout eventually the commercial trial reverted to a free trial on TeamViewer 8 and works again now. I am going to leave it this way as TV11->TV8 remote control works fine (it will not work the other way though ie TV8->TV11)
@Junior - I haven't yet tried with Server 2016 but when I do I will post again.
@Rsi - Glad it worked for you!
aintright said…
I uninstalled Ver 11, did a CC clean, Did a search and deleted all teamviewer in Regedit, installed ver 8, remoted in and upgrade and it said my license had expired. I uninstalled ver 11 and am going to just leave it ver 8. I contacted Teamviewer support a couple of days ago and have not heard back from them. That would make me less likely to buy their product. Just send me a email on how you think I should do it, I am sure they have a procedure to completely uninstall or someone has written a program to do it.
Rod Dines said…
@aintright The problem is associated with how TeamViewer track licences independently of the installation as such. The license is associated with the link between you PC's network hardware/software addresses (MAC addresses) and their own license database. You can create a new record database index) by forcing a change in the MAC addresses using the Procedure B in the post. Then follow procedure A and the install should work as a non-commercial license. But you may find that leaving version 8 will work over time as I have recently commented on above. Interestingly a lot of traffic to this blog from Germany (where the TeamViewer software is maintained) about 2 months back (none or little before that nor since) might reveal that the publishers after becoming aware of this work-around have potentially changed later versions of the TeamViewer 11 (or perhaps will in the next version 12) install process.
upior said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
upior said…
Hi,
Thank you for the solution. It took me a lot of time. The first time I forgot to change the MAC address and the temp files and it did not work. Later I changed the MAC address and followed every step and for now it seems to work. I will see after few days.
Unknown said…
worked perfectly in windows 10 and TeamViewer v11.0.66695. Thank You!!!
Rod Dines said…
@vinayv "Fix teamviewer commercial use suspected issue." Clarification: Procedure A in this post is specifically targetted at installing a "non-commercial edition" of TeamViewer on Windows Server installations. But as your link shows Procedure B (similar to the link you included) is also applicable to non-server clients that have been suspected of commercial use.
bwrg said…
HS it worked! I was wracking my brain trying to figure this out..

and was hesitant to F with the MAC address.. but BAM!!

Thank you!
Unknown said…
I couldn't get it to work, I followed the instructions, but it still says that it expired, I already change the MAC many times and deleted everything from the registry, I'm wondering if this workaround was fix on version 12.
Unknown said…
https://www.teamviewer.com/en/support/personal-use-verification/
and then wait...
Rod Dines said…
@Gabriel Cersonsky
I think you will find this is a support request processes for free users having problems with the TeamViewer Personal Use Verification process and not a way to bypass the verification.
It says at the bottom in RED - "Personal usage of TeamViewer is not possible on a Windows Server operating system! This automatically qualifies as commercial use and requires a license."
Craig Burnett said…
Thank you, Rod! I've been dealing with this issue for at least a month now, and it's been maddening. I'm using for personal use, but I have several laptops and four computers doing various tasks, all of which I need to access from time to time. I was only locked out on one computer, but it was still a PITA.

I did find there were *two* temp folders with the unicode file that had to be altered. My access to one of those two unicode files was not permitted for some reason. Once I changed the security on the Temp folder and rebooted, I was able to access both unicode files, and from there it was smooth sailing. I'm on a Windows 10 box.

THANK YOU for taking the time to put this together. If TeamViewer would simply allow, say, a $50 per year personal use license, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. But I'm certainly not going to pay $720 per year for personal use. :)

Thanks again!

Hi. I have used the method for Teamviewer 13 and it works fine. Now it seems like this doesn't work for Teamviewer 14 already...
Anonymous said…
@Jin-ie I have not tried and I will give it a go sometime.
Thanks for the feedback!
amy said…
When you encounter a teamviewer that does not support free use and does not want to pay an expensive fee, the best way is to find an alternative. TeamViewer requires very expensive fees and costs $599 in just one year. And when I was looking for an alternative, I found "hideasoft remote desktop", which costs $50 for a lifetime and is more powerful than TeamViewer. It can connect up to 1000 terminals and can support video conferencing. I think this is the only real alternative to TeamViewer.
https://order.shareit.com/product?vendorid=200270322&productid=300946015&locale=en_US&currency=EUR&currencies=ALL
Biya said…
My response on my own website. Appreciation is a wonderful thing...thanks for sharing keep it up. TeamViewer Pro Crack

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