Maximum PC

I'm starting a training class in two days that requires us to use Windows Server 2008. What I have done is installed Server 2008 in a VM on my laptop (works fine and is what the instructor suggested if people can do it so they can work from home). Anyway, I don't care to pay for a server-based Anti-Virus program (simply because I only need it for about 6 months and then don't need it).

Are there any FREE AV apps out there that will work with Windows Server 2008. I've seen ClamWin, but also want to see if there are others.

Now, here's the tricky part. We are using three VMs (all from the same install medium) so we aren't activating them. The book that came with the CDs (from Microsoft Press) says to simply "reload" the activation system so that we can get a full 180 days of use from it. But we are running 3 VMs per machine. This is in an educational environment an the software was provided with the required textbook from Microsoft. So, basically, since we aren't activating the product on any of the VMs, I doubt we can use MSE on them.

Any suggestions? I don't expect us to be surfing the 'net from them, but they will be exposed to a network with Internet access, so I just want to make sure. Plus, the host OS (my Win7 laptop) will have AV on it.

I would try MSE because it looks at the validation of windows, I don't think it looks outside of windows at the VM. Try it, what have you got to loose.

Nasty

From what I tried, MSE won't install on a Server OS (at least, not Server 2008)... Partially because it's a server OS, and in our case, since we are not activating the OS (but I don't think that would matter anyway in this case). I've even tried it with the Application Verifier, and that didn't seem to work either.

So, I had no other choice but to use ClamWin. Not my first choice, but it can't be worse than nothing. But we are now at a point where we are creating an isolated network (so it can't access the Internet anyway) so I guess AV for this class isn't much of an issue anymore. I've been doing regular scans of my host system anyway just to make sure. Thanks for the suggestions though.

MSE won't install unless you activate the system. That system will have to be activated to continue to run unless it is a pirated version. It will have a popup at the end of the trial period, I think it is thirty days then will shut you down if you don't activate by phone since this system in on an Intranet and not the Internet.

Nasty

We aren't using pirated versions. This is in an accredited school environment. What they are is a 60-day trial from Microsoft that was provided with the textbook (also from Microsoft). Actually, this isn't an issue since we are now creating isolated networks that don't require (or have) Internet access. We only needed it to get the updates for Server, which you can get without activating. They even go on to tell us how to extend the 60-day trial period...

ClamWin will work fine, and is better than no AV, but like I said, we aren't on the Internet, or even interfacing with a computer that can aaccess the Internet. No external storage is being used (USB drives) so the small closed network should be fine.