Hi does anybody have some useful advice about how I can go about activating a Windows 10 enterprise machine on my network?

I have a Server 2008R2 KMS server which has activated all my organizations office and windows installations up to 8.1. However I have read that my KMS server will not support Windows 10? This is quite annoying because to upgrade my KMS host to 2012 R2 is quite a big deal as it also runs our backup systems and some SQL server stuff. Also the KMS database is located on a different server (2008R2) would the database also have to be running on a 2012R2 server? 

so I tried installing KMS host on a Windows 8.1 computer and activated an 8.1 KMS key slmgr -ipk  ... I did a slmgr /dlv and it says the 8.1 machine is acting as a KMS host but the problem is the client count is 0 because my main server is dishing out all the KMS client keys.

I dont really want to ditch all the effort it took to set up the KMS server originally, and it really was a pain...

also another odd thing is that in my volume licensing center there are no KMS keys for Windows 10 even though I have a Microsoft licence agreement which includes all enterprise keys for previous versions. What key would I use? the Server 2012 key like with Windows 8.1?

Any advice about what I can do or should I just give up and stay with Windows 8.1?

thanks

Hi Dubsdj,

I suppose we could use Windows 8.1 to activate Windows 10.

On Windows 10 client, we could specify KMS host manually.

Run the command: /skms <Name[:Port] | : port> [Activation ID] where <Name> is either the KMS_FQDN, IPv4Address, or NetbiosName of the KMS host and port is TCP port on the KMS host.

About the problem of license, we could contact activation center for help:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Licensing/existing-customer/activation-centers.aspx

Here is the guide for KMS:
Deploy KMS Activation:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn502531.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Best Regards,

Leo

You are going to need an updated KMShost product key (either the Win10 key or the WS2012R2+Win10 key) - you can't proceed without one of those keys.

You cannot add the Windows10 KMShost product key to WS2012R2 - you must use the WS2012R2+Win10 KMS host product key instead.

So, your options are currently:

setup WS2012R2 as KMShost, update it with http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3058168 and add the new KMShost product key from your VLSC
MS VLSC Website
 Licenses
  Relationship Summary
   pick your Active Licensing ID
      Product Key
       Windows Srv 2012R2 DataCtr/Std KMS for Windows 10 (if not found, and your agreement type = Open, request a key from MSFT)

If your Win10 machines will all be domain-joined, you could consider ADBA (create the activation object in AD and you don't need KMS for Win10 at all), and you can do that with a Win10Enterprise PC or a Win8.1Enterprise PC, just to create the ADBA objects).

Or you can use a Win10 or Win8.1+KB3058168 pc as a KMShost, if your Win10 pc's won't all be domain-joined.

Hi useful info, grateful.

Or you can use a Win10 or Win8.1+KB3058168 pc as a KMShost, if your Win10 pc's won't all be 

<br>

QUESTION:

so on the Win8.1 host what key would I use? Win 10 enterprise KMS key? or Windows 8.1 enterprise KMS key?

thank you

• Edited by dubsdj - MCITP 17 hours 45 minutes ago

QUESTION:

so on the Win8.1 host what key would I use? Win 10 enterprise KMS key? or Windows 8.1 enterprise KMS key?

apply the update KB3058168 and then insert/install the Win10ENT KMShost product key, if you want to issue activations for Win10, the Win8.1ENT KMShost product key cannot issue activations for Win10.

e.g.

to insert/install the KMShost product key;

cscript slmgr.vbs /ipk <Product Key>
cscript slmgr.vbs /ad-activation-online <Product Key> [Activation Object name]

That is great , one final question regarding my existing KMS host which has over 300 activations on it. Is there any way to boost my temporary 8.1 KMS host over the 50 mark? Can I tell it somehow that there are already over 50 activations on my network? The 8.1 host connects to the same VAMT database as the main KMS server.

thanks