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How can I setup a KMS server ?

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KMS (Key Management Server)

What is a KMS server

KMS activates operating systems on your local network, eliminating the need for individual computers to connect to Microsoft. To do this, KMS uses a client/server method of implementation. KMS clients connect to a KMS server, called the KMS host, for activation. The KMS host resides on your local network.

Supported platforms

A KMS server can run on either windows 2008, Windows vista or Windows Server 2003 with SP1 and later, however installing it on Windows 2003 requires you to download the appropriate installation files for KMS v1.1.

Number of PC's required

To activate Windows Vista, you must have at least 25 computers running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 that are connected together; for Windows Server 2008, the minimum is 5 computers. Computers that are activated through KMS must be reactivated every six months by connecting to your organization's network.

KMS Setup

Note: Do all the commands below via a command prompt which has been opened with Administrative privileges.

Installing KMS Server:

Open C:\Windows\system32 and execute the following command

cscript c:\Windows\System32\slmgr.vbs /ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

Obvioulsy replace xxxxx with your key.

You should see the following:

Microsoft Windows Script Host Version 5.7
Copyright Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Installed product key xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx successfully.



How can I activate via Telephone (offline activation)

If activation for the KMS server is necessary then call Microsoft and follow the instructions.

Open C:\Windows\system32 and execute the following command



slui.exe 4

Then

* Show me other ways to activate
* use the automated phone system

And then call Microsoft and follow the instructions. After successful activation, click on close.

Then do as follows:

net stop slsvcnet start slsvc

You should see the following:

The Software Licensing service is stopping.
The Software Licensing service was stopped successfully.

The Software Licensing service is starting.
The Software Licensing service was started successfully.



Open the Firewall for KMS traffic

In Windows Firewall, click on Exceptions and allow the now listed Key Management Services, failure to do this step will mean that your KMS hosts can not talk to the KMS service and therefore will not activate.

KMS listens on port 1688, to change the port you must do as follows:



SLMgr.vbs /SPrt xxxx

where xxxx = the new port number

After you have entered this command you must restart the SLMgr service using:

net stop slsvc
net start slsvc

Test the KMS server configuration

The KMS server should publish its SRV records in your domain DNS, you should verify that these records exist.

Open C:\Windows\system32 and execute the following command



nslookup -type=srv _vlmcs._tcp

You should see output similar to the following:

C:\Users\Niall>nslookup -type=srv _vlmcs._tcp
Server: ad1.server2008.lab.local
Address: 192.168.3.1

_vlmcs._tcp.server2008.lab.local SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 0
port = 1688
svr hostname = kms03.server2008.lab.local
_vlmcs._tcp.server2008.lab.local SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 0
port = 1688
svr hostname = kms01server2008..lab.local
kms01.server2008.lab.local internet address = 192.168.3.3
kms02.server2008.lab.local internet address = 192.168.3.4

 

If not, review the following link for setting up the DNS records or click on this link for troubleshooting KMS activation.

To manually activate a client over the Internet

Any client will automatically try to activate itself every 120 minutes by default, so there is no need to run the acivation command manually. However if you want to test or speed up the process then do as follows.

Open C:\Windows\system32 and execute the following command



cscript C:\Windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato

To change the 120 minutes setting, you must do as follows:

SLMgr.vbs /sai x

where x = the new interval in minutes

After you have entered this command you must restart the SLMgr service using:

net stop slsvcnet start slsvc

Query KMS server

To query the KMS server and see its status open a command prompt and execute the following command.



cscript slmgr.vbs /dli

You should see output similar to below:

Microsoft Windows Script Host Version 5.7
Copyright © Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Name: Windows Server ServerStandard edition
Description: Windows Operating System - Windows Server VOLUME_KMS_B channel
Partial Product Key: xxxxx
License Status: Licensed

Key Management Service is enabled on this machine
Current count: 2
Listening on Port: 1688
DNS publishing enabled
KMS priority: Normal

Key Management Service cumulative requests received from clients
Total requests received: 5
Failed requests received: 0
Requests with License Status Unlicensed: 0
Requests with License Status Licensed: 0
Requests with License Status Initial grace period: 5
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: 0



Microsoft Video showing KMS in action > http://www.microsoft...;DisplayLang=en



License States

A computer can be in one of 5 license states

Initial grace Period
This occurs after the computer is installed and can only last for up to 30 days, this can be reset twice.

Non-Genuine grace Period
This occurs after a computer is found to have a non-genuine or counterfeit Windows operating system installed. This state can last up to 30 days to give you time to reactivate using a genuine copy and License key.

Out-of-tolerance grace period
This can occur when either several hardware changes are made to the computer or when the KMS key has not contacted Microsoft for updates in 180 days. This state can last up to 30 days.

Licensed
This state occurs when everything is ok and the system is activated.

Unlicensed
This state occurs when the activation period has expired and nothing was done about it. The computer will stay in a limited access state until it has been activated.

 

Activating Workgroup Computers

To activate workgroup computers use the following two lines, replace 192.168.0.1 with the ip address of the KMS server

cscript slmgr.vbs /skms 192.168.0.1
cscript slmgr.vbs /ato


Related Reading:-

Windows 7 Specific KMS info. For Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 KMS info please refer to this post.

Key Management Services (KMS) explained - http://www.virtuall....s-kms-explained

Which Key do I use, KMS, MAK, VLK ? IF you are unsure about which key to use for activation then take a look at this post on Technet, the list of keys is printed here

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Gogan,

 

If you have installed VAMT 2 onto the server running KMS, you can add the product keys for Win7 and Office 2010 under the 'Product Keys' listing in the VAMT console.

 

Hope this helps. :)

 

New Bitmap Image.bmp

Hi :

First of all, This site is very informative. Thanks.

 

 

I have one question that I have KMS on WIndows Server 2008 R2 and I am using this for activating WIndows Server 2008 R2 machine, now my company has bought the windows 7 prof and Office 2010 prof licenses, Can I use the same KMS server for activating these two , And How to add these product for activation in the existing KMS. Thanks in advance.

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Gogan,

 

If you have installed VAMT 2 onto the server running KMS, you can add the product keys for Win7 and Office 2010 under the 'Product Keys' listing in the VAMT console.

 

Hope this helps. :)

 

New Bitmap Image.bmp

 

Hopefully I get this right. I should first run the how to attatched at the top of this thread, then I can use VAMT to add keys?

 

How difficult is this with a closed network? I know KMS try's to phone home every so often, is the a problem with KMS?

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Hopefully I get this right. I should first run the how to attatched at the top of this thread, then I can use VAMT to add keys?

 

How difficult is this with a closed network? I know KMS try's to phone home every so often, is the a problem with KMS?

 

KMS-clients phone home to the KMS-Host. KMS-Hosts do not phone home to MS.

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So far this is some good info. But I have a few questions as well.

 

We have converted 2000+ systems to Windows 7 already using a KMS license. But we have been informed that the server running the KMS Host will be de-comissioned. So we need to move the the KMS Host to a new server. How should we go about doing this?

 

Microsoft has just issued us a new Windows 7 KMS license key. Should we use this new key or stick with the old key?

 

When moving to the new KMS Host, will it still take adding 25 "new" systems in order for the license to be come active? Or will our exist Windows 7 system report in and the key will activate with in minutes?

 

Thanks alot.

 

KRA

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