[TrK]

Yes, I'm aware of the cost (dang, Microsoft!), as well as the trial. However, the issue is that when you RDP into the VM it says the trial is over and you're just stuck at an activation dialog without a desktop.

Okay that thing is odd i never experienced that thing, did you tried to skip it and renew through the cmd, if yest then it will be the problem with window image that i never had on my VPSs.