Wehave a working KMS on the network; below is the output from slmgr -dli. We also have two datacenter edition Windows systems installed that refuse to activate and give error code 0xC004F042. The datacenter system is definately hitting the KMS as verified by an event in the KMS eventlog: An activation request has been processed. Info: 0xC004F042,5,XXXX-PH-VMH-C02.YYY.ZZZ.COM,e9b5e7f5-f77c-4ef3-8503-d96846f2a9b2,2009/3/16 14:18,0,5,0,68b6e220-cf09-466b-92d3-45cd964b9509If I use the same KMS key and make one of the datacenter systems a KMS and explicity point the other datacenter at it for activation, the activation works but we don't have enough datacenter systems to get over the 5 system minimum and don't want to host the KMS on one of these datacenter systems anyway. Not sure what else to try or where the problem lies.slmgr-dli output (the failed requests are attempts to get the datacenter systems activated): Name: Windows Server(R), ServerEnterprise editionDescription: Windows Operating System - Windows Server(R), VOLUME_KMS_C channelPartial Product Key: 7Q2XGLicense Status: Licensed Key Management Service is enabled on this machine Current count: 11 Listening on Port: 1688 DNS publishing enabled KMS priority: Normal Key Management Service cumulative requests received from clients Total requests received: 20 Failed requests received: 12 Requests with License Status Unlicensed: 0 Requests with License Status Licensed: 0 Requests with License Status Initial grace period: 15 Requests with License Status License expired or Hardware out of tolerance: 0 Requests with License Status Non-genuine grace period: 0 Requests with License Status Notification: 5Jason | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jsandys

Hello Jason,On the Datacenter machine that is failing, run slmgr -dlv and report back the output.In particular I want to see what is on these lines Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.7 Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Software licensing service version: 6.0.6002.16670 Name: Windows(TM) Vista, Enterprise edition Description: Windows Operating System - Vista, VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channelAlso verify this line is pointing to the expected KMS server:KMS machine name from DNS:<computername of KMS host machine>Thanks, Darrell Gorter[MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

Just to do a reset on the datacenter system, I did an slmgr -upk, then an -ipk 7M67G-PC374-GR742-YH8V4-TCBY3 (this is theproduct key from the volume activation deployment guide), and I also used -skms to force the kms. After this -dlv reports the following: Softwarelicensingserviceversion:6.0.6001.18000 Name:WindowsServer(R),ServerDatacenteredition Description:WindowsOperatingSystem-WindowsServer(R),VOLUME_KMSCLIENTchan nel ActivationID:68b6e220-cf09-466b-92d3-45cd964b9509 ApplicationID:55c92734-d682-4d71-983e-d6ec3f16059f ExtendedPID:92577-00152-082-250044-03-1033-6001.0000-0762009 InstallationID:007215791031327686179762822183319766870402570786066110 PartialProductKey:TCBY3 LicenseStatus:Notification NotificationReason:0xC004F056. KeyManagementServiceclientinformation ClientMachineID(CMID):e9b5e7f5-f77c-4ef3-8503-d96846f2a9b2 RegisteredKMSmachinename:xxxx-vm-dcx-03.yyy.zzz.com:1688 KMSmachineextendedPID: Activationinterval:120minutes Renewalinterval:10080minutes -ato results in the following: ActivatingWindowsServer(R),ServerDatacenteredition(68b6e220-cf09-466b-92d3- 45cd964b9509)... Run'slui.exe0x2a0xC004F042'todisplaytheerrortext. Error:0xC004F042 and a subsequenet -dlv returns: Software licensing service version: 6.0.6001.18000Name: Windows Server(R), ServerDatacenter editionDescription: Windows Operating System - Windows Server(R), VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channelActivationID:68b6e220-cf09-466b-92d3-45cd964b9509 ApplicationID:55c92734-d682-4d71-983e-d6ec3f16059f ExtendedPID:92577-00152-082-250044-03-1033-6001.0000-0762009 InstallationID:007215791031327686179762822183319766870402570786066110 PartialProductKey:TCBY3 LicenseStatus:Notification NotificationReason:0xC004F056. KeyManagementServiceclientinformation ClientMachineID(CMID):e9b5e7f5-f77c-4ef3-8503-d96846f2a9b2 RegisteredKMSmachinename:xxx-vm-dcx-03.yyy.zzz.com:1688 KMSmachineextendedPID: Activationinterval:120minutes Renewalinterval:10080minutesJason | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jsandys

Hello Jason,Not sure if you changed the KMS host machine computername but can you verify that this is actually the KMS host machineDNS is pointing to this host: xxx-vm-dcx-03.yyy.zzz.com according to the outputYou can see this error code0xC004F056 if the KMS machine is attempting to contact a machine that is not a KMS host.Thanks, Darrell Gorter[MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

I've obfuscated the name a bit, but it is correctly configuredon the datacenter system. Here's the event entry from the KMS host itself corresponding to the -ato attempt: LogName:KeyManagementService Source:Microsoft-Windows-Security-Licensing-SLC Date:3/17/20098:58:03AM EventID:12290 TaskCategory:None Level:Information Keywords:Classic User:N/A Computer:XXXX-VM-DCX-03.YYY.ZZZ.COM Description: Anactivationrequesthasbeenprocessed. Info: 0xC004F042,5,XXXX-PH-VMH-C02.YYY.ZZZ.COM,e9b5e7f5-f77c-4ef3-8503-d96846f2a9b2,2009/3/1713:58,0,5,0,68b6e220-cf09-466b-92d3-45cd964b9509This failed event is sandwiched by otherevents corresponding to other systems succesfully activating.Jason | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jsandys

Hello Jason,The error codes are indicative that the KMS client and the KMS host are not using keys that are in sync.1) we see this most commonly with Datacenter if the kms host key is not use aVolume_KMS_C channel, which it appears that you are using.2) We also see this if either the KMS host or the KMS client is using betakeys and the other is using RTM keys. 3) The KMS clients are communicating with a different server than is expected they are communicating with. You validated this by checking the name reported by the client and the fact the server was reporting the client in the event logs. The build number of the KMS datacenter client is correct, the correct key is being used on that machine, since other clients are activating the expectation is that the KMS server is also correct with respect to build number and is using RTM keys.Other than reinstalling the KMS host key on the kms host machine again, I am not sure what else to suggest. You may need to open a support case.Thanks, Darrell Gorter[MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

Well, we had just spun up another box that was a decent candidate to be the KMS so after reading your last post I decided to move the KMS to it. Using the same KMS key, everyone, including the datacenter systems, are activating. Weird, especially since the other KMS system was a brand new 2008 install.Thanks for your help Darrell and I hope we can chalk this up to cosmic radiation, sun spots, or Communistsand cross our fingers so that no one else runs into it.Jason | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jsandys

Hello Jason,Great, glad to hear it's working now. Thanks for replying back with what worked.Everything looked right, I have no idea why the new install solved the issueThanks, Darrell Gorter[MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

This worked for Data Centre with 0xC004F056 error code: Partial Product Key: 7M648 License Status: Notification Notification Reason: 0xC004F056. Remaining Windows rearm count: 3 Trusted time: 27/06/2011 1:57:30 PM Please use slmgr.vbs /ato to activate and update KMS client information in order to update values. C:\Users\administrator.>cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs -ckms Key Management Service machine name cleared successfully. C:\Users\administrator.>cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs -ato Activating Windows Server(R), ServerDatacenterCore edition (7482e61b-c589-4b7f-9eca-46d455ac3b87) ... Product activated successfully. C:\Users\administrator.>cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs -dlv Software licensing service version: 6.1.7601.17514 Name: Windows Server(R), ServerDatacenterCore edition Description: Windows Operating System - Windows Server(R), VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channel Activation ID: 2482e61b-a589-4b7f-9ecc-46d455ac3b87 Application ID: 55c92734-d682-4d79-683e-d6ec3f16059f Extended PID: 00496-00158-001-000128-03-1033-7601.0000-0292011 Installation ID: 015675862231104771677320946206357160645421075833864693 Partial Product Key: 7M658 License Status: Licensed Volume activation expiration: 259200 minute(s) (180 day(s)) Remaining Windows rearm count: 1 Trusted time: 27/06/2011 1:59:47 PM Key Management Service client information Client Machine ID (CMID): f04166f9-652e-4ceb-a07c-643afc7509c3 KMS machine name from DNS: dc1.myorg.com:1688 KMS machine extended PID: 55041-00168-444-338151-03-3081-7601.0000-1782011 Activation interval: 120 minutes Renewal interval: 10080 minutes KMS host caching is enabled -Tim-