Questions about volume windows 7 activations using a kms server.

[clivebuckwheat]

Hi

I have recently set up a kms server for the Office 2010 volume activations in our environment, it is working without any issues. The same server is going to have a dual role for Windows 7 activations as well.

So for I have done the following.

1. I got a kms key for Windows 7 and activated on my server which is a Windows 2008 server R2 server.

2. I have registered the srv record in our dns

The questions I have

1. The windows 7 installation on our master image that we deployed in our environment was activated using a mak key. I believe I need to change these MAK windows 7 installs to KMS Windows 7 installs, do I use the KMS available on tech net to accomplish this?.

is this the command to change the client from MAK TO KMS?.

cscript slmgr.vbs /ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx the key is from technet

2. When making a Windows 7 image, the last thing I should do before making the image is re-arming it by typing

slmgr.vbs /rearm

is this correct?

3. Since I would like to have this process be 0 touch without any user intervention necessary, is there anything else I need to

do to have the auto activation happen for my Windows 7 activations?

4. The command to manually activate Windows 7 in case the auto activations do not work is the following,cscript slmgr.vbs /ato

is this correct?

5. I should not have to run cscript slmgr.vbs -skms <KMS Host Name or IP>:1688 , if the auto activations are working correctly?, is this right?

6. What is the command I run on the server to check the current client count for the Windows 7 activations ONLY?

Thanks for any assistance in helping me with my questions.

Edited November 2, 2010 by clivebuckwheat

[cluberti]

1. The windows 7 installation on our master image that we deployed in our environment was activated using a mak key. I believe I need to change these MAK windows 7 installs to KMS Windows 7 installs, do I use the KMS available on tech net to accomplish this?

Install the gvlk keys listed here to change from MAK to KMS, and then run slmgr /ato to activate.

is this the command to change the client from MAK TO KMS?.

cscript slmgr.vbs /ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

Yes, but you should run slmgr -upk to remove the old key and activation information first.

2. When making a Windows 7 image, the last thing I should do before making the image is re-arming it by typing

slmgr.vbs /rearm

is this correct?

No, you should not be activating your Windows 7 images before you run sysprep /generalize, because it's going to remove the activation anyway - this is one of the reasons Microsoft provides the "default" keys to begin with. As with Office, you shouldn't be activating your Win7 installation before sysprep, making this a moot point. Also, make sure to build and deploy your Windows 7 images using the gvlk key from the article llinked above to avoid problem #1 you posted in the first place.

3. Since I would like to have this process be 0 touch without any user intervention necessary, is there anything else I need to do to have the auto activation happen for my Windows 7 activations?

If you build with the gvlk key, no.

4. The command to manually activate Windows 7 in case the auto activations do not work is the following,

cscript slmgr.vbs /ato

is this correct?

Yes, although again I would check your key to make sure it's the gvlk key from Technet (or, technically, \sources\product.ini from the installation media). I wrote a vbscript a while ago that gathers this (and other) information from a Windows install, so you can use that as you wish to accomplish this if need be.

5. I should not have to run cscript slmgr.vbs -skms <KMS Host Name or IP>:1688 , if the auto activations are working correctly?, is this right?

For domain-joined machines, yes. However, if the machine is not domain-joined, you will have to run -skms to get it to work properly due to permissions on the SRV record created when you installed KMS.

6. What is the command I run on the server to check the current client count for the Windows 7 activations ONLY?

This is not possible with slmgr.vbs. This is what VAMT is for, use it.

Honestly, everything you asked is answered on Technet or MSDN, so I suggest you work on your Technet/MSDN search-fu before asking more VLK and activation questions here in the future. You could have saved yourself quite a bit of time if you had.

[clivebuckwheat]

Cluberti,

I know all the questions I asked are on technet as well, but sometimes I get convoluted answers from my posts on technet. I come to msfn simply because I know the response will be short and concise and to the point. Also I know from experience YOU have never steered me in the wrong direction.

That is why I come to msfn.

[cluberti]

Fair enough, but I think my previous point still stands. If you can, set up a lab and get your hands dirtier with KMS for Windows and Office, as that's the best way to learn. In general, that's how I did it, and I know a few others here with KMS experience who did it this way as well. When you have a question about something, go break it in the lab!

[clivebuckwheat]

I am in the process of doing lab tests now, now that you mention it. I have a question. I understand your point also, but I come to msfn for clear, fast and to the point info.

My Windows 7 images were deployed using a MAK KEY, this was before I even attempted to set up a KMS server.

If I do the following on a windows 7 client machine

cscript.exe c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX--> kms technet key

cscript.exe c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato

The windows 7 station SHOULD NOT activate until the current client count hits 25 on the kms server, is this correct?

Fair enough, but I think my previous point still stands. If you can, set up a lab and get your hands dirtier with KMS for Windows and Office, as that's the best way to learn. In general, that's how I did it, and I know a few others here with KMS experience who did it this way as well. When you have a question about something, go break it in the lab!

[cluberti]

That is correct.