Hello, I have a Windows 2008 R2 Server running KMS. I added my key for Windows 2008 Servers and those activate fine, but now I need to add a key for Win 7. When I run slmgr /? it tells me if I add a new key it will replace the old if I use the /ipk switch. Do I need to use a seperate server for my Win 7 systems? If not, can you point me in the right direction? Also, are there any good tools to manage KMS licenses other than the command line? The command line info is not very helpful. I am looking for a mmc snap in or something similar. Thanks.

Hello Anthony, The KMS keys are hierachial, so the Windows Server 2008 R2 kms host key will activate Windows 7 kms clients as well as the Windows Server 2008 R2 kms clients. It will also activate Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 KMS clients, so you only need one Windows KMS host key on the KMS machine. You may want to look at VAMT 2.0 VAMT - Volume Activation Management Tool Download link http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ec7156d2-2864-49ee-bfcb-777b898ad582&displaylang=enThanks, Darrell Gorter This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Volume Activation documentation on TechNet http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd197314.aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd996588.aspx VAMT - Volume Activation Management Tool - Download link http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ec7156d2-2864-49ee-bfcb-777b898ad582&displaylang=en

Hi Anthony, In addition to Darrell's suggestions, please also refer to the link below on How to choose the Right Volume License Key for Windows. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee939271.aspx Regards, Karen JiPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Thanks for the info but I think I still have an issue. Currently I am using the Windows Server 2008 R2 Std/Ent KMS B key. I have 8 Windows 2008 Servers which have activated properly with KMS. I have added 15 WIndows 7 PC's and they have not activated yet. I know I am supposed to need 25 for them to activate but is that true if Windows Server 2008 has already passed the 5 minimum? On my list of KMS keys I see a key for Windows 7 which I have not installed yet due to the fear of overwirting my existing key. When I hit 25 Win 7 will my 2008 KMS key activate the Win 7 PC's? Thanks again.

Hello Anthony, When you hit 25 KMS clients, that key will activate your Windows 7 machines. You are at a count of 23 right now. The 8 Windows 2008 Server plus the 15 Windows 7 clients. The count is of the total KMS clients for Windows, not the a count for each individual version of Windows.Thanks, Darrell Gorter This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Volume Activation documentation on TechNet http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd197314.aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd996588.aspx VAMT - Volume Activation Management Tool - Download link http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ec7156d2-2864-49ee-bfcb-777b898ad582&displaylang=en

Thanks again Darrell, but now this raises more questions. I downloaded the Volume activation tool and on my Win 7 machines and everything comes up unknown. When I do an Update Status it says WMI could not be contacted on my win 7 boxes. I built one machine and that shows up as a retail copy but all the others that came from a clone of it, come up as unknown. I do not have a firewall on and WMI is running on the Win 7 PC's. Is there a way to clear that up? Also, I have a retail version and when I right click and choose Activate, KMS activation is greyed out. When I hit 25 will that allow me to do that? Is it possible to activate a retail copy with KMS? Thanks again

Hello Anthony, What shows as unknown? Do you have admin rights on the Windows 7 machines with the account you are logging onto to to use VAMT? You need to change the product key to a Windows 7 KMS client key. The KMS client keys are listed under the product keys section, you need to pick the one for the edition you have installed and change to that key to be able to KMS activate. Retail keys activate with the Microsoft activation serversThanks, Darrell Gorter This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Volume Activation documentation on TechNet http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd197314.aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd996588.aspx VAMT - Volume Activation Management Tool - Download link http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ec7156d2-2864-49ee-bfcb-777b898ad582&displaylang=en

In the VAMT after I add computers from my Active directory it scans and says WMI could not be contacted. It says it Succesfuly updated but sProduct key Type comes up as unknown. License status, genuine status & Grace expiration come up as not available in the VAMT after a scan of my Active Directory. You mention that I need to change the product key to a Windows 7 KMS key. Can I do that on the Win 7 PC under Activation in System Properties? Do I need to rebuild the PC's? Where to I find my KMS Win 7 Key? I thought the KMS key that I have for Win 7 from my Volume License site was for the KMS Server, not the client side. Also, is there a way to make the VAMT stay bound to my KMS Server and/or domain. Everytime I close it, I have to rescan all over again. I know I can save the query but it would be nice if there was a way when I opened it, it would have updated info from my domain. Thanks again.

Hello Anthony, I would recheck the Firewall for the WMI exceptions on both the KMS client machines and the machine running VAMT. It really sounds like the firewall is enabled and running. The product keys for KMS clients are installed by default if you install using Volume License media. The KMS client key is the same for everyone, since your machines show as retail either retail media was installed or the product key was changed to a Retail key. The KMS client keys are listed in VAMT under Product keys. You can right-click on any one of the client machines in VAMT and choose to install a key and pick the correct one from the list that is already present.Thanks, Darrell Gorter This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Volume Activation documentation on TechNet http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd197314.aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd996588.aspx VAMT - Volume Activation Management Tool - Download link http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ec7156d2-2864-49ee-bfcb-777b898ad582&displaylang=en

Thanks, it was the symantec firewall that was causing my issues. Aparently off is not really off. I talked with my Microsoft rep with Dell and they said I need to reload my machines to comply with Microsoft's license. I used a retail CD to build my image and she says I needed to use either OEM or a KMS build CD. I was able to put the KMS key in the Change Product Key and it Activated with my KMS server just fine. IS this true? Do I need to rebuild all the Windows 7 PC's because I built them with a retail CD? I aunderstand it will work if I change it but will I be breaking Microsoft's license if I do so? Also, did you have any info on how I can keep the VAMT connected to my domain, rather than having to rescan every time I open the software? Thanks again.

Hello Anthony, You do not have to rebuild all your Windows 7 PC, changing the product key is sufficient. Not sure how to keep it connected, I save the data myself, but to get updates I rescanThanks, Darrell Gorter This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Volume Activation documentation on TechNet http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd197314.aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd996588.aspx VAMT - Volume Activation Management Tool - Download link http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ec7156d2-2864-49ee-bfcb-777b898ad582&displaylang=en