Handy link to KMS overview doco
How to troubleshoot the Key Management Service (KMS)
Also worth knowing for Windows licencing – SLMGR cmd!
Force a KMS client to activate
To activate a KMS client manually using the Slmgr.vbs script
1. Log on to the KMS client computer.
2. Open an elevated command prompt. To do this, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.
3. At the command prompt, type the following, and then press Enter:
| cscript \windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato |
The script reports activation success or failure, along with a result code.
1.1 Converting MAK clients to KMS clients
You can spot if a MAK key has been installed by running:
c:\Windows\System32\cscript slmgr.vbs -dlv
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc303280.aspx
By default, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 operating systems use KMS for activation. You can change the activation method of a KMS client to MAK and then change it back by installing the corresponding product key. Table below lists the KMS client setup keys for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 volume editions.
| Operating System Edition | Product Key |
| Windows Vista Business | YFKBB-PQJJV-G996G-VWGXY-2V3X8 |
| Windows Vista Business N | HMBQG-8H2RH-C77VX-27R82-VMQBT |
| Windows Vista Enterprise | VKK3X-68KWM-X2YGT-QR4M6-4BWMV |
| Windows Vista Enterprise N | VTC42-BM838-43QHV-84HX6-XJXKV |
| Windows Server 2008 Datacenter | 7M67G-PC374-GR742-YH8V4-TCBY3 |
| Windows Server 2008 Datacenter without Hyper-V | 22XQ2-VRXRG-P8D42-K34TD-G3QQC |
| Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based Systems | 4DWFP-JF3DJ-B7DTH-78FJB-PDRHK |
| Windows Server 2008 Enterprise | YQGMW-MPWTJ-34KDK-48M3W-X4Q6V |
| Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V | 39BXF-X8Q23-P2WWT-38T2F-G3FPG |
| Windows Server 2008 Standard | TM24T-X9RMF-VWXK6-X8JC9-BFGM2 |
| Windows Server 2008 Standard without Hyper-V | W7VD6-7JFBR-RX26B-YKQ3Y-6FFFJ |
| Windows Web Server 2008 | WYR28-R7TFJ-3X2YQ-YCY4H-M249D |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard | YC6KT-GKW9T-YTKYR-T4X34-R7VHC |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise | 489J6-VHDMP-X63PK-3K798-CPX3Y |
Latest KMS Client Setup keys can be found here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff793421.aspx
To convert the MAK client back to a KMS client, choose the correct key from the above list and run the following
| C:\Windows\System32>cscript slmgr.vbs -ipk <Product_Key> |
e.g. for Windows Server 2008 Enterprise
| C:\Windows\System32>cscript slmgr.vbs -ipk YQGMW-MPWTJ-34KDK-48M3W-X4Q6VMicrosoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.7Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Installed product key YQGMW-MPWTJ-34KDK-48M3W-X4Q6V successfully. |
Machines not on the domain do not pick up KMS license
KMS licensing works automatically for machines on the domain, if you have a machine on a workgroup or in a DMZ, the following will register the computer with the KMS server:
C:\Windows\System32>cscript slmgr.vbs /skms KMNAME.domain.dc:1688
Outbound + return communication to TCP port 1688 is required
If the skms option is not available, you’ve likely applied a MAK key, in order to fix this, see section 5.3
craigocon 