Explain to me what I am doing wrong. Windows 7 serial number weirdnes

[clivebuckwheat]

I am in charge of 6 Windows 7 labs, we have a MAK serial number for Windows 7 and Office 2010 from Microsoft. After imaging we have scripted the activations of Office 2010 and Windows 7 which works perfect. It does the activation over the internet. It's part of our post imaging configurations.

Here is where we run into problems. Everytime we re-image a lab, and activate Windows 7 and Office 2010 using the same post configuration method as described above, we use an additional license. So our count at Microsoft is all screwed up.

Is there anything thing I should be doing on my master pc BEFORE deploying it to my labs, like releasing the license first before making the image etc etc. I wanted to ask here before I call Microsoft. Is there anything specific I should ask Microsoft when I call them. As far as I can see from our license agreement we have a MAK serial number for both Windows 7 and Office 2010.

Any help /advice would be a great asset before I call Microsoft to investigate this

[cluberti]

There's nothing you can do to "release" a used MAK key - you will ultimately have to call Microsoft to get the limit increased, and have them remove old activations. If you are re-imaging the lab regularly, how frequently do you re-image? You can't re-arm Office, but you can re-arm Win7 every 30 days up to 90, so there may be zero need to activate the installations if you are rebuilding every 30 days or less. If you're activating less frequently, but still regularly, you might want to look into using KMS keys instead as these activations don't decrement for every reinstall (they're only keeping track of current activations, one of the benefits of KMS vs MAK).

[clivebuckwheat]

Thank you Cluberti, as always you have help me so much, It is hard to say how much we re-image due to the fact we work in a school and we have class additions at the spur of the moment with software requests. Can you tell me if Office 2010 has KMS key as well?. I am looking for the best possible solution for the college.

There's nothing you can do to "release" a used MAK key - you will ultimately have to call Microsoft to get the limit increased, and have them remove old activations. If you are re-imaging the lab regularly, how frequently do you re-image? You can't re-arm Office, but you can re-arm Win7 every 30 days up to 90, so there may be zero need to activate the installations if you are rebuilding every 30 days or less. If you're activating less frequently, but still regularly, you might want to look into using KMS keys instead as these activations don't decrement for every reinstall (they're only keeping track of current activations, one of the benefits of KMS vs MAK).

[cluberti]

Yes, Office 2010 and Windows 7 both support KMS activation.

[Kelsenellenelvian]

@ cluberti =

How to Rearm Microsoft Office 2010 to Extend Activation

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How to Rearm Microsoft Office 2010 to Extend Activation Grace Period for Another 30 Days

Source

Go to Control Panel -> Administrator Tools -> Services, or type services.msc in Start Search.

Stop the Office Software Protection service.

Open a Command with elevated privileges.

Run the OSPPRUN.exe with the following command:

%SystemDrive%:\Windows\System32\OSPPRUN.exe

Where %SystemDrive% is normally C: or other drive letter that Windows is installed on.

A new prompt will come out. Enter the following commands which precede with > one by one, each follows by Enter:

> Initialize

> Open

> GetInstalledSkuIds

Above command will return the following result, where the application ID number 0 represents AppID for Office 2010:

0. 128a057a-7e95-4063-b296-c54c5f3d3f3a

1. 26adec89-edf3-4adc-a3fc-c865f1a9f71f

OK.

> GetInstalledAppIds 128a057a-7e95-4063-b296-c54c5f3d3f3a

Above command will return result similar to below:

0. 59a52881-a989-479d-af46-f275c6370663

OK.

> GetLicensingStatus 59a52881-a989-479d-af46-f275c6370663 128a057a-7e95-4063-b296-c54c5f3d3f3a

Above command will return the following output, where dwGraceTime is a DWORD value that holds the grace period before the software will stop working and require activation:

SkuId = 128a057a-7e95-4063-b296-c54c5f3d3f3a

eStatus = SL_LICENSING_STATUS_IN_GRACE_PERIOD

dwGraceTime = 1D 23:37

dwTotalGraceDays = 30 days

hrReason = 4004F00C

qwExpiration = 2010/10/31

OK.

In the same prompt, run the following commands (which basically set AppID and SkuID for Office 2010 to enable free 30 days usage before activation), each follows by Enter, to rearm Microsoft Office 2010 to reset, prolong and extend activation grace period for additional 30 days:

> Rearm 59a52881-a989-479d-af46-f275c6370663 128a057a-7e95-4063-b296-c54c5f3d3f3a 1

OK.

Note: Mostly the IDs are the same for similar Office 2010 installation. If your APP ID and/or SKU ID is different, please change accordingly.

> Close

> Initialize

> Open

Note: “Close” command is import to stop the Office Software Protection service (which can also be stopped via Service.msc interface) after rearming and before reinitialize of license data (The activation countdown timer or license requires a service reinitialization or restart to update), or else “Unlicensed” license status with timer at 0 error may occur.

To verify that the Office 2010 rearm is successful, and to check how many days left in activation grace period before activation is required, use the following command, follows by Enter (replace IDs if different):

> GetLicensingStatus 59a52881-a989-479d-af46-f275c6370663 128a057a-7e95-4063-b296-c54c5f3d3f3a

SkuId = 128a057a-7e95-4063-b296-c54c5f3d3f3a

eStatus = SL_LICENSING_STATUS_IN_GRACE_PERIOD

dwGraceTime = 29D 23:37

dwTotalGraceDays = 30 days

hrReason = 4004F00C

qwExpiration = 2010/10/31

dwGraceTime will show the remaining time available to use Office 2010 for free without activation.

Quit the OSPPRUN prompt with following command, follows by Enter:

> Quit

Tip 1: To check how many rearms that is remaining, use the following command:

> GetApplicationInformation 59a52881-a989-479d-af46-f275c6370663 RemainingRearmCount

(DWORD, []) 59a52881-a989-479d-af46-f275c6370663 = 4

OK.

After one rearm of Office 2010, 4 rearms is still possible, to extend the free (evaluation or trial) free usage of Office 2010 to 180 days (6 months or half a year), taking into account the initial 30 days activation free period before first ream is performed.

Tip 2: To check and show how many rearms of Office 2010 have been performed, use the following command:

> GetApplicationInformation 59a52881-a989-479d-af46-f275c6370663 RearmCount

(DWORD, []) 59a52881-a989-479d-af46-f275c6370663 = 1

[clivebuckwheat]

Thank you all for the replies. This board makes me better than I am. I will have more knowledge when I call Microsoft now. Thanks.

Edited September 10, 2010 by cluberti
Please don't quote a long post for no reason. Removed quote.

[clivebuckwheat]

Another question.

Would any of these mak tools help our activation woes at our school? Any advice would help.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=ec7156d2-2864-49ee-bfcb-777b898ad582&displaylang=en

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff793438.aspx

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=311e7e71-ea1d-4ddd-bb36-b68349dd9539&displaylang=en

[cluberti]

No, they would not - you're still running MAK keys, so you're still in the boat of having to re-activate on every rebuild. An environment that does this regularly should be using KMS keys, period. That is what they were designed for (amongst other things).

And thanks to Kels for pointing out the Office tools for re-arm . Very cool stuff indeed.

[clivebuckwheat]

Thank you Cluberti, I did some additional research and you confirmed things for me. A KMS volume activation server is the way to go for the college.

No, they would not - you're still running MAK keys, so you're still in the boat of having to re-activate on every rebuild. An environment that does this regularly should be using KMS keys, period. That is what they were designed for (amongst other things).

And thanks to Kels for pointing out the Office tools for re-arm . Very cool stuff indeed.