KMS license used as a MAK key
Hello,I'm facing an environment where several machines (2008 servers mainly) by accident were activated using theKMS key. Actually they are intented to be KMS clients but in fact they are not, since a local administrator used the KMS key.In the network there is a valid KMS machine but the problem is the servers now considering themselves to be KMS servers.On one of these I tried the slmgr.vbs -upk and was hoping it would become a KMS client but I guess not, it actually considers the server to be unlicensed and will not allow login unless I provide a key (the usual text about the yellow sticker). So I think I have two questions, 1) Would I need to get a MAK for this one server to solve this problem? 2) What would be the best way to solve the other 2008 servers being registered with the KMS key? (will the KMS be invalid if used to many times)? Thanks!Erik, with many, many certs! ;-)
March 2nd, 2009 3:14am

Hello, KMS keys should only be installed on KMS hosts and should not be installed on KMS clients. Run slmgr.vbs -ipk <SetupKey>. The following table shows a table of setup keys that you can use to revert the computer back to a KMS client. These keys are publicly known and are edition-specific. Remember to delete any unnecessary SRV resource records from DNS and restart the computers. KMS Client Setup Keys 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 For more information, please refer to the following articles: Volume Activation 2.0 Deployment Guide http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc303280.aspx#_KMS_Client_Setup Hope it helps. Tim Quan - MSFT
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March 3rd, 2009 6:43am

Hi and thanks for your reply.When performing the slmgr.vbs -ipk followed by the 2008 server Std I successfully changed the product key. Naturally Windows wants to activate. When trying to do so I get the error 0xC004F042. Reading kb/938450 does not really provide a lot of helpful information.I need to add that we do not have any issues with the production KMS host, the other KMS clients successfully activates.Any ideas why we encounter that?Thanks again!Erik, with many, many certs! ;-)
March 9th, 2009 1:20am

Hello, Thank you for the reply. The error code 0xC004F042 indicates that there is a mismatch between the KMS client and the KMS host. Please verify that a KMS host is not trying to activate a client that is running a beta operating system or that you are not trying to activate a client by using a KMS host that is running a beta operating system. This error code can also occur if you enter a incorrect KMS key for your KMS host. The following table lists hosting capabilities for KMS keys associated with each product group. Table: KMS Hosting Capabilities Volume Product Group KMS Key KMS can be hosted on Windows product editions activated by this KMS Vista VL KMS Windows Vista KMS for Windows Server 2003 Windows Vista Business* Windows Vista Enterprise* Server Group A KMS_A Windows Web Server 2008 KMS for Windows Server 2003** Windows Web Server 2008 Vista VL* Server Group B KMS_B Windows Web Server 2008 Windows Server 2008 Standard Windows Server 2008 Enterprise KMS for Windows Server 2003** Windows Server 2008 Standard Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Server Group A Vista VL* Server Group C KMS_C Windows Web Server 2008 Windows Server 2008 Standard Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems KMS for Windows Server 2003** Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Server Group B Server Group A Vista VL* Notes Retail installs of Windows Server 2008 can be converted to VL by changing the product key. * The Vista VL Product Group cannot be activated by beta test editions of Windows Server 2008. Upon release of Windows Server 2008, Vista VL clients are expected to be activated as shown above. ** KMS for Windows Server 2003 will need to be updated to KMS 1.1 before it can host Windows Server 2008 KMS keys. An update for KMS for Windows Server 2003 is planned to coincide with the release of Windows Server 2008. Note that the language versions of the server operating system and the KMS for Windows Server 2003 must match. For example, if you would like to activate Windows Server 2008 Standard clients, you must use a KMS key for Server Group B or Server Group C. If you would like to activate Windows Server 2008 Datacenter clients, you must use a KMS key for Server Group C. Please verify the KMS key on your KMS host whether it supports your clients. Hope it helps. Tim Quan - MSFT
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March 9th, 2009 7:29am

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