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©2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Volume Activation Deployment Guide

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2
Microsoft Corporation

Published: June 2009

Abstract
Volume Activation helps Volume Licensing customers automate and manage the activation process. This
document is for information technology (IT) implementers who have planned a Volume Activation
deployment and are now ready to review and perform the procedures needed for that deployment.

On This Page

Introduction
KMS Activation
MAK Activation
Reactivating Computers
Appendix A: Optional Configurations
Appendix B: Sample Unattended Installation File

Introduction
This guide describes Microsoft® Volume Activation deployment concepts. Volume Activation consists of
two technologies—Key Management Service (KMS) and Multiple Activation Key (MAK)—that allow
Volume Licensing customers to activate Volume License editions of the Windows® 7 and Windows
Server® 2008 R2 operating systems. The Volume Licensing Service Center at
https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/servicecenter/
[ https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/servicecenter/ ] provides more information about Volume
Licensing.

When planning to use Volume Activation, an organization must choose KMS, MAK, or any combination of
the two. The activation methods chosen depend on the needs of the organization and the network
infrastructure. For more information about planning a Volume Activation deployment, see the Volume
Activation Planning Guide. [ http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=155926 ]

Note This document provides Volume Activation deployment guidance for the Windows 7 and Windows
Server 2008 R2 operating systems. This guide does address interoperability between both generations of
products, however. For more information about deploying Volume Activation for Windows Vista® and
Windows Server 2008, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=75674
[ http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=75674 ] .

Note This guide describes procedures that run scripts and make changes to the registry. These rights
can be delegated to selected information technology (IT) implementers, and the rights to change
product keys and perform activations can even be assigned to users, although Microsoft does not
recommend this practice.

If activation fails, see the Volume Activation Operations Guide [ http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?

LinkId=150084 ] for troubleshooting help. The guide includes an error code reference with steps for
resolving common issues.

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KMS Activation
KMS activation works with minimal administrative intervention. If the network environment has Dynamic
Domain Name System (DDNS) and allows computers to publish services automatically, deploying a KMS
host can require very little effort. If the organization has more than one KMS host or the network does
not support DDNS, additional configuration tasks may be necessary.

Warning Some procedures in this section require changing the registry. Problems can occur if the
registry is modified incorrectly by using Registry Editor or another method, and these problems might
require reinstalling the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be
resolved. IT pros modify the registry at their own risk.

The remainder of this section describes the following key tasks:

1. Configuring KMS hosts

2. Configuring DNS

3. Installing KMS hosts

4. Configuring KMS clients

Configuring KMS Hosts

Software License Manager, sometimes referred to as SL Manager (Slmgr.vbs), is a script used to
configure and retrieve Volume Activation information. The script can be run locally on the target
computer or remotely from another computer, but it should be run from an elevated command prompt.
If a standard user runs Slmgr.vbs, some license data may be missing or incorrect, and many operations
are prohibited.

Slmgr.vbs can use Wscript.exe or Cscript.exe, and administrators can specify which script engine to use.
If no script engine is specified, Slmgr.vbs runs using the default script engine, wscript.exe.

Note KMS requires a firewall exception on the KMS host. If using the default TCP port, enable the KMS
Traffic exception in Windows Firewall. If using a different firewall, open TCP port 1688. If using a non-
default port, open the custom TCP port in the firewall.

The Software Licensing Service must be restarted for any changes to take effect. To restart the Software
Licensing Service, use the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Services snap-in or can run the
following command at an elevated command prompt:

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net stop sppsvc && net start sppsvc

Slmgr.vbs requires at least one parameter. If the script is run with no parameters, it displays help
information. Table 1 lists Slmgr.vbs command-line options along with a description of each. Most of the
parameters in Table 1 configure the KMS host. However, the parameters /sai and /sri are passed to KMS
clients after they make contact with the host. The general syntax of Slmgr.vbs is as follows:

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slmgr.vbs /parameter

Table 1 Slmgr.vbs Parameters

Parameter Description
/sprt PortNumber Sets the TCP communications port on a KMS host. Replace PortNumber with
the TCP port number to use. The default setting is 1688.

/cdns Disables automatic DNS publishing by a KMS host.

/sdns Enables automatic DNS publishing by the KMS host.

/cpri Lowers the priority of KMS host processes.

 /spri Sets the priority of KMS host processes to Normal.

/sai Changes how often a KMS client attempts to activate itself when it cannot find
ActivationInterval a KMS host. Replace ActivationInterval with a number of minutes. The default
setting is 120.

/sri Changes how often a KMS client attempts to renew its activation by contacting
RenewalInterval a KMS host. Replace RenewalInterval with a number of minutes. The default
setting is 10080 (7 days). This setting overrides the local KMS client settings.

/dli Retrieves the current KMS activation count from the KMS host.

Running Slmgr.vbs Remotely

To run Slmgr.vbs remotely, administrators must supply additional parameters. They must include the
computer name of the target computer as well as a user name and password of a user account that has
local administrator rights on the target computer. If run remotely without a specified user name and
password, the script uses the credentials of the user running the script.

The following syntax shows the additional parameters needed to run Slmgr.vbs remotely:

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slmgr.vbs TargetComputerName [username] [password] /parameter [options]

Configuring Windows Firewall for Remote Software License Manager

Operations

Slmgr.vbs uses Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), so administrators must configure the
Windows Firewall to allow WMI traffic:

• For a single subnet, allow the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) exception
in Windows Firewall.

• To allow WMI traffic across multiple subnets, allow the connection for Windows
Management Instrumentation (ASync-In), Windows Management Instrumentation
(DCOM-In), and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI-In). Additionally, allow
remote access in the scope. Configure these settings by using Windows Firewall with
Advanced Security, which is the Administrative Tools folder.

Note By default, Windows Firewall Exceptions in the Private and Public profiles only apply exceptions
to traffic originating on the local subnet. To expand the exception so that it applies to multiple subnets,
change the exception settings in Windows Firewall with Advanced Security or, if joined to an AD DS
domain, choose the Domain Profile.

Remote Operations Targeting Workgroup Computers

Administrators can allow Slmgr.vbs to run remotely against computers that belong to a workgroup. To
do so, create the DWORD value LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy in the registry subkey
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System on
KMS clients. Set this value to 0x01.

Configuring DNS
The following sections describe concepts for configuring DNS to work with Volume Activation:

• If more than one KMS host is used, see the section “Change the Default DNS Permissions for
SRV Records.”

• To enable KMS clients using different DNS servers to find KMS hosts, see the section “Publish
to Multiple DNS Domains.”
 • To manually add SRV resource records for KMS hosts, see the sections “Manually Create SRV
Records in DNS,” “Manually Create SRV Records in a BIND 8.2 or Higher DNS Server,” and
“Disable Publishing of KMS SRV Records to DNS.”

Note DNS changes may not be reflected until all DNS servers have been replicated.

Change the Default DNS Permissions for SRV Records

If you are using only one KMS host, you might not need to configure permissions in DNS. The default
behavior is to allow a computer to create an SRV resource record and then update it. However, if you
have more than one KMS host (the usual case), the other hosts will be unable to update the SRV
resource record unless SRV default permissions are changed.

The following high-level procedure is an example from Microsoft’s own environment. It does not give
detailed steps, which might be different from one organization to another, and it is not the only way to
achieve the desired result:

1. Create a global security group in Active Directory® that will be used for your KMS hosts.
An example is Key Management Service Group.

2. Add each of your KMS hosts to this group. They must all be joined to the same domain.

3. Once the first KMS host is created, it will create the original SRV record. If the first KMS
host is unable to create the SRV resource record, it may be because your organization has
changed the default permissions. In this case, manually create the SRV resource record as
the section “Manually Create SRV Records in DNS” describes.

4. Set the permissions for the SRV group to allow updates by members of the global security
group.

Note A domain administrator can delegate the ability to carry out the preceding steps to
administrators in the organization. To do so, create a security group in Active Directory, give that group
permission to change the SRV records, and then add the delegates.

Publish to Multiple DNS Domains

By default, the KMS host is registered only in the DNS domain to which the host belongs. If the network
environment has only one DNS domain, no further action is required.

If there is more than one DNS domain name, a list of DNS domains can be created for a KMS host to use
when publishing its SRV RR. Setting this registry value suspends the KMS host’s default behavior of
publishing only in the domain specified as the Primary DNS Suffix.

Optionally, add priority and weight parameters to the DnsDomainPublishList registry value for KMS.
This feature enables an administrator to establish KMS host priority groupings and weighting within each
group to define which KMS host to try first and balance traffic among multiple KMS hosts.

Note DNS changes might not be reflected until all DNS servers have been replicated. Changes made
too frequently (time < replication time) can leave older records if the change is performed on a server
that has not been replicated.

To automatically publish KMS in multiple DNS domains, add each DNS domain suffix to whichever KMS
should publish to the multi-string registry value DnsDomainPublishList in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform. After changing the value, restart the Software
Licensing Service to create the SRV RRs.

Note This key has changed from the Windows Vista® location of
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SL.

After configuring a KMS host to publish to multiple domains, export the registry key, and then import it
in to the registry on additional KMS hosts. To verify that this procedure was successful, check the
Application event log on each KMS host. Event ID 12294 indicates that the KMS host successfully
created the SRV RRs. Event ID 12293 indicates that the attempt to create the SRV RRs was
unsuccessful. For a complete list of error codes, see the Volume Activation Operations Guide
[ http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=150084 ] .

Manually Create SRV Records in DNS

If the environment does not support DDNS, the SRV RRs must be manually created to publish the KMS
host. Environments that do not support DDNS should disable publishing on all KMS hosts to prevent
event logs from collecting failed DNS publishing events. To disable auto-publishing, use the Slmgr.vbs
script with the /cdns command-line option. See the “Configuring KMS” section for more information
about the Slmgr.vbs script.

Note Manually created SRV RRs can coexist with SRV RRs that KMS hosts automatically publish in
other domains as long as all records are maintained to prevent conflicts.

Using DNS Manager, in the appropriate forwarding lookup zone, create a new SRV RR using the
appropriate information for the location. By default, KMS listens on TCP port 1688, and the service is
_VLMCS. Table 2 contains example settings for a SRV RR.

Table 2 SRV Resource Record

Name Setting
Service _VLMCS

Protocol _TCP

Port number 1688

Host offering the service FQDN of KMS Host

Manually Create SRV Records in a BIND 8.2 or higher DNS Server

If the organization uses a non-Microsoft DNS server, the needed SRV RRs can be created as long as the
DNS server is compliant with Berkeley Internet Name Domain (BIND) 8.2 or higher. When creating the
record, include the information shown in Table 3. The Priority and Weight settings shown in Table 3 are
only used by Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Table 3 SRV RR Information

Name Setting
Name _vlmcs._tcp

Type SRV

Priority 0

Weight 0

Port 1688

Hostname FQDN of KMS Host

To configure a BIND 8.2 or higher DNS server to support KMS auto-publishing, configure the BIND
server to enable RR updates from KMS hosts. For example, add the following line to the zone definition
in named.conf:

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allow-update { any; };

Note An allow-update statement can also be added in named.conf.options to allow DDNS for all zones
hosted on this server.

Disable Publishing of KMS SRV Records to DNS

KMS hosts automatically publish their existence by creating SRV RRs in DNS. To disable automatic DNS
publishing by a KMS host, use the Slmgr.vbs script with the /cdns command-line option.

Using the Slmgr.vbs script to disable automatic DNS publishing is preferred, but you can also perform
this task by creating a new DWORD value called DisableDnsPublishing in the registry, and set its
value to 1. This value is at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform in the registry. To re-enable the default behavior
for publishing of KMS SRV records to DNS, set the value to 0.

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Installing KMS Hosts

To enable KMS functionality, a KMS key is installed on a KMS host; then, the host is activated over the
Internet or by phone using Microsoft’s activation services. Computers running Windows 7 or Windows
Server 2008 R2 can both serve as KMS hosts.

Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008 can also serve as KMS hosts. The KMS
clients that a KMS host can activate are dependent on the host key used to activate the KMS host. For
more information about KMS host keys, see the Volume Activation Planning Guide
[ http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=155926 ] .

Install and activate a KMS key on a Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 computer by using an
elevated command prompt:

• To install a KMS key, type slmgr.vbs /ipk <KmsKey> at a command prompt.

• To activate online, type slmgr.vbs /ato at a command prompt.

• To activate by using the telephone, type slui.exe 4 at a command prompt.

• After activating the KMS key, restart the Software Protection Service.

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 display the warning shown in Figure 1 any time administrators
install a KMS host key by using the UI (Users will not see this warning if they install a KMS host key by
using the Slmgr.vbs script). This message prevents accidentally installing a KMS key on computers that
administrators do not intend to be KMS hosts.

Figure 1 The KMS key warning

To verify that the KMS host is configured correctly, check the KMS count to see whether it is increasing.
In the Command Prompt window on the KMS host, type slmgr.vbs /dli to display the current KMS
count. Administrators can also check the Key Management Service log in the Applications and Services
Logs folder for event ID 12290. The Key Management Service log records activation requests from KMS
clients. Each event displays the name of the computer and the time stamp of each activation request.

Configuring KMS Clients

This section describes concepts for installing and configuring computers as KMS clients. By default,
Volume License editions of Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, and Windows
Server 2008 R2 are KMS clients. If the computers the organization wants to activate by using KMS are
using either of these operating systems and the network allows DNS auto-discovery, no further
configuration is needed.

If a KMS client is configured to search for a KMS host using DNS but does not receive SRV records from
DNS, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 log the error in the event log.

Manually Specifying a KMS Host

Administrators can manually assign a KMS host to KMS clients by using KMS host caching. Manually
assigning a KMS host disables auto-discovery of KMS on the KMS client. A KMS host is manually
assigned to a KMS client by running:

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slmgr.vbs /skms <value>:<port>

where value is either the KMS_FQDN, IPv4Address, or NetbiosName of the KMS host and port is TCP
port on the KMS host.

Enable Auto-discovery for a KMS Client

By default, KMS clients automatically attempt to discover KMS hosts. Auto-discovery can be disabled by
manually assigning a KMS host to a KMS client. This action also clears the KMS host name from the KMS
client’s cache. If auto-discovery is disabled, it can be re-enable by running slmgr.vbs /ckms at a
command prompt.

Adding Suffixed Entries to KMS Clients

By adding the address of a DNS server containing the SRV RR as a suffixed entry on KMS clients,
administrators can advertise KMS hosts on one DNS server and allow KMS clients with other primary
DNS servers to find it. For more information about configuring a domain suffix search list on KMS clients,
see the Microsoft Help and Support article, “How to configure a domain suffix search list on the Domain
Name System clients,” at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/275553
[ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/275553.aspx ] .

Deploy KMS Clients

The information in this section is for Volume Licensing customers using the Windows Automated
Installation Kit (Windows AIK) to deploy and activate a Windows operating system. Prepare KMS clients
for deployment by using the System Preparation Tool (Sysprep) or the Slmgr.vbs script:

• Sysprep. Before capturing an image, run Sysprep with the /generalize command-line option
to reset the activation timer, security identifier (SID), and other important settings. Resetting
the activation timer prevents the image’s grace period from expiring before the image is
deployed. Running Sysprep.exe does not remove the installed product key, and administrators
are not prompted for a new key during mini-setup. If no rearms are left, the Sysprep
operation completes but the activation timers are not changed and an error is returned that
explains the situation.

• Slmgr.vbs. When building demo virtual machines (VMs) for internal use (e.g., building VMs
for the organization’s sales department or to set up a temporary training environment),
running the Slmgr.vbs script with the /rearm command-line option extends the grace period
another 30 days, which in turn resets the activation timer but makes no other changes to the
computer. The activation timer can be reset three times for computers running Windows 7 or
Windows Server 2008 R2.
Manually Activate a KMS Client

By default, KMS clients automatically attempt to activate themselves at preset intervals. To manually
activate KMS clients (for example, disconnected clients) before distributing them to users, use the
Control Panel System item, or run slmgr.vbs /ato at an elevated command prompt. The Slmgr.vbs
script reports activation success or failure and provides a result code. To perform activation, the KMS
client must have access to a KMS host on the organization’s network.

Converting MAK Clients to KMS and KMS Clients to MAK

By default, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems use KMS for activation. To
change existing KMS clients to MAK clients, simply install a MAK key. Similarly, to change MAK clients to
KMS clients, run:

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slmgr.vbs /ipk <KmsSetupKey>

where KmsSetupKey is one of the setup keys shown in Table 4. After installing the KMS setup key,
activate the KMS client by running cscript slmgr.vbs /ato.

Table 4 KMS Client Setup Keys

Operating System Edition Product Key

Windows 7

Windows 7 Professional FJ82H-XT6CR-J8D7P-XQJJ2-GPDD4

Windows 7 Professional N MRPKT-YTG23-K7D7T-X2JMM-QY7MG

Windows 7 Enterprise 33PXH-7Y6KF-2VJC9-XBBR8-HVTHH

Windows 7 Enterprise N YDRBP-3D83W-TY26F-D46B2-XCKRJ

Windows 7 Enterprise E C29WB-22CC8-VJ326-GHFJW-H9DH4

Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows Server 2008 R2 HPC Edition FKJQ8-TMCVP-FRMR7-4WR42-3JCD7

Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter 74YFP-3QFB3-KQT8W-PMXWJ-7M648

Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise 489J6-VHDMP-X63PK-3K798-CPX3Y

Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems GT63C-RJFQ3-4GMB6-BRFB9-CB83V

Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard YC6KT-GKW9T-YTKYR-T4X34-R7VHC

Windows Web Server 2008 R2 6TPJF-RBVHG-WBW2R-86QPH-6RTM4

Converting Retail Editions to Volume Activation

Retail editions of Windows 7 Professional and Windows Server 2008 R2 can be converted to KMS clients,
provided that the organization has acquired the appropriate volume licenses and conforms to the
Product Use Rights. To convert Windows 7 Professional and all editions of Windows Server 2008 R2 from
retail to a KMS client, skip the Product Key page during operating system installation. When installation
is complete, open an elevated Command Prompt window and type:

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Slmgr.vbs /ipk <SetupKey>

where SetupKey is the KMS client setup key from Table 4 that corresponds to the edition of Windows 7
or Windows Server 2008 R2.

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MAK Activation
MAK activation is used for one-time activation through Microsoft’s hosted activation services, with no
renewals required. For background information about MAK activation, see the Volume Activation
Planning Guide [ http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=155926 ] .

Converting KMS Clients to MAK Activation

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 install automatically as KMS clients. To convert a KMS client to
MAK activation, install a MAK. A MAK can be installed during or any time after operating system
installation.

A MAK key can be installed on a reference image of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 to make all
installations from that image use MAK activation instead of the default KMS activation. Doing so
alleviates the need to specify a MAK in an unattended installation file.

Installing a MAK During Operating System Installation

Administrators can convert a KMS client to a MAK client during the initial installation of Windows 7 or
Windows Server 2008 R2 by including a MAK in an unattended setup (Unattend.xml) file. The
Unattend.xml file can be used with Setup.exe or Windows Deployment Services. For more information,
see the Unattended Windows Setup Reference help file in the Windows AIK at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=136976 [ http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=136976 ] .
For a sample unattended installation file, see “Appendix B: Sample Unattended Installation File.”

Note The MAK is stored in clear text in the Unattend.xml file. During an unattended installation, the
file Unattend.xml or AutoUnattend.xml is copied to the %SystemRoot%\Panther folder of the target
computer. However, at the end of the Setup process, the Setup program replaces it with
“SENSITIVE*DATA*DELETED.”

Installing a MAK After Operating System Installation

A volume edition of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 can be configured to use MAK activation by
using the Control Panel System item or by running the Slmgr.vbs script:

• To install a MAK by using the System application, click the Change your product key link,
and then type the MAK in the Change your product key for activation dialog box.

• To install a MAK by using Slmgr.vbs, run the following command at a command prompt:

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slmgr.vbs /ipk <MultipleActivationKey>

where MultipleActivationKey is the MAK.

If users install a MAK by using the UI, the MAK client attempts to activate itself over the
Internet one time. If the users install a MAK key by using the Slmgr.vbs script, the MAK client
does not try to activate automatically.

Disabling Automatic Activation

To disable automatic activation on any MAK client, set the DWORD registry value Manual to 1. This
value is in the registry subkey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\Activation.

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Activating MAK Clients

The MAK client attempts to activate over the Internet at the next scheduled interval. Administrators can
force immediate activation over the Internet, by telephone, or by using the Volume Activation
Management Tool (VAMT).

To confirm activation, check the system tray for a notification that says, “Windows is activated.”
Alternatively, type slmgr.vbs /dli at a command prompt to view the activation status of a computer.

Activating MAK Clients over the Internet

A MAK client can be activated over the Internet in either of two ways:

• Click the Click here to activate Windows now link in the Control Panel System item.
Windows reports whether the activation was successful. If activation was unsuccessful, a
wizard presents additional options.

• Run slmgr.vbs /ato at a command prompt. Additional options are not presented when using
slmgr.vbs.

Activating MAK Clients Through a Proxy Server

Activation over the Internet may be blocked if the proxy server requires user authentication. In Microsoft
Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server, this setting is called Basic Authentication. Because
activation requests do not present the user's credentials to the proxy server, Microsoft recommends not
using Basic Authentication with ISA Server or other proxy servers. However, if Basic Authentication or a
comparable mechanism must be used on the proxy server, add the following URLs to the Proxy
Authentication exclusion list:

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http://go.microsoft.com/*
https://sls.microsoft.com/*
https://sls.microsoft.com:443
http://crl.microsoft.com/pki/crl/products/MicrosoftRootAuthority.crl
http://crl.microsoft.com/pki/crl/products/MicrosoftProductSecureCommunications.crl
http://www.microsoft.com/pki/crl/products/MicrosoftProductSecureCommunications.crl
http://crl.microsoft.com/pki/crl/products/MicrosoftProductSecureServer.crl
http://www.microsoft.com/pki/crl/products/MicrosoftProductSecureServer.crl

Activating MAK Clients Using the Telephone

To activate computers that are connected to the organization’s network but do not have Internet
connectivity by using Slmgr.vbs. In the Command Prompt window, type:

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slmgr.vbs TargetComputerName <Username> <Password> /dti

To display the information required to complete telephone activation. To obtain the telephone number
for an Activation Call Center in your local region, run slui.exe 4. Use the Interactive Voice Response
system to obtain the confirmation ID (CID); then, run:

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slmgr.vbs TargetComputerName <UserName> <Password> /atp <CID>

To install the CID. If activation is performed frequently or multiple computers are activated, it may be
more useful to automate the process using the Slmgr.vbs script.
Activating MAK Clients Using VAMT

VAMT allows automation of MAK deployment and activation over the network by distributing MAKs from
a centralized console, as Figure 2 shows. VAMT queries Microsoft activation servers to get the number of
remaining activations for a given MAK, then lists the activation status of all MAK-activated systems in
the environment. This count is a snapshot in time, not a real-time count. VAMT version 1.2 is included in
the Windows AIK, which is available from the Microsoft Download Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=136976 [ http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=136976 ] .

Figure 2 The VAMT user interface

Disable Automatic Activation

Automatic activation can be disabled on any KMS client by setting the existing DWORD value Manual to
1. This value is in the registry subkey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\Activation.

Integrating MAKs with Deployment Workbench

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) also provides a solution for deploying MAKs. In Deployment
Workbench, administrators configure the MAK in task sequences, which add the MAK to the
Unattend.xml file used during installation. Administrators can prepare the reference image for KMS
activation, then, during deployment, MDT activates the installation by using a MAK as long as it does not
detect a KMS infrastructure. MDT applies the MAK after installing the image. For more information about
MDT, see Deployment TechCenter at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/deployment/default.aspx
[ http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/deployment/default.aspx ] .

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Reactivating Computers
Periodically, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 check the hardware configuration of the computer
on which the operating system is installed. If the operating system detects that the hardware is
substantially different, reactivation is required. The actual weighting factors and threshold values vary,
because these values must keep pace with the constantly evolving computer hardware market. In
general, computers that use MAK activation use the same reactivation rules as retail activation. KMS
clients focus more on hard disk changes to determine the need for reactivation.

Client activations are valid for 180 days. This period is called the activation validity interval. To remain
activated, KMS clients must renew their activation by connecting to the KMS host at least once every
180 days. By default, KMS client computers attempt to renew their activation every seven days. After a
client’s activation is renewed, the activation validity interval begins again.
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Appendix A: Optional Configurations

Volume Activation supports optional configurations that may work in some environments but are not
recommended for most. The procedures in this appendix require a Software Protection Service restart
before they take effect.

Enabling Standard User Activation

To enable standard user activation on a KMS client, add a new DWORD registry value named
UserOperations and set its value to 1. Create this value in the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform registry subkey.

When complete, administrative rights are no longer required for some operations, such as installing a
product key (slmgr.vbs /ipk), installing a license (slmgr.vbs /ilc), or rearming (slmgr.vbs /rearm).
This means that a standard user can switch a KMS client to MAK activation, manually activate a
computer, and—if necessary—replace an existing MAK with a new MAK. Doing so is not recommended,
however, because it lowers security on the computer.

Note If a standard user installs a MAK or KMS key, the ProductID registry values are not updated.
This behavior primarily affects product support, and Microsoft Customer Support Services (CSS) is aware
of this situation.

Disabling Activation Notifications

Although not recommended, software licensing notifications can be turned off by adding a new DWORD
value named NotificationDisabled with a value of 1 to the registry. Create it in the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\Activation registry subkey. This value disables
all software licensing notifications, including balloons, wizards, and task dialog boxes.

NOTE: This setting is ignored if the grace period has expired. For more information on Grace Period
Expiration behaviors see: What If Systems Are Not Activated? (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-
us/library/dd878528.aspx [ http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd878528.aspx ] )

Registry Key Changes for Activation Features

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 include a new Software Protection Platform (SPP) key in the
registry. For product activation in managed environments, configure the Activate Windows now dialog
box to display an optional Learn About Activation Online link, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3 Learn about activation online

Clicking this custom link loads an administrator-defined URL in the user’s default browser. This URL can
point to a custom Web page or other file stored on the local computer or on a network share. A Volume
Licensing customer can use this link to provide customer-specific information about activation.
Displaying the link requires setting the REG_SZ value AlternateURL to the URL of the Web page to
display when the user clicks it. The value AlternateURL is in the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\ACTIVATION registry subkey.

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Appendix B: Sample Unattended Installation File

Copy Code
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">

<settings pass="windowsPE">

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86"

publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS"
xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">

<UserData>

<AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
 </UserData>

</component>

</settings>

<settings pass="specialize">

<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86"

publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS"
xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">

<ProductKey>MAK Product Key</ProductKey>

</component>

</settings>

<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />

</unattend>

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