KMS activation of Windows 7 using a Windows Server 2008 machine
Hi there,
I’ve received quite a few queries on this subject recently so I believe this might be of interest :)
When activating Windows 7 through KMS, there are 3 “moving targets” you need to consider:
- The KMS host
- The KMS Volume License Key
- DNS
Between Windows Vista / Server 2008 and Windows 7 / Server 2008 R2, the KMS activation protocol was changed slightly and updated from Version 1.1 to 1.2. That means that the KMS host needs to be updated to support the license keys for Windows 7 / Server 2008 R2. You have 3 basic options:
- If your KMS runs on Windows Server 2003 SP2 or higher, install this update: support.microsoft.com/kb/968915/en-us
- If your KMS runs on Windows Server 2008, install this update: support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=968912
- If your KMS runs on Windows Server 2008 R2, no updates are necessary
Now that your KMS host is up to date (by the way, even if it isn’t explicitly noted, a reboot is usually required for those updates to actually come into effect), you need to install the right product key on your KMS host to enable it to activate your computers. KMS keys are downwards compatible, both in family and generation, meaning:
- Family:
- if your key can activate a Datacenter Server, it can also activate Enterprise Server
- if it can activate Enterprise Server, it can also activate Standard Server
- if it can activate Standard Server, it can also activate Web Server
- if it can activate Web Server, it can also activate Windows 7
- Generation
- if your key can activate Server 2008 R2, it can also activate the Server 2008
- if your key can activate Windows 7, it can also activate Windows Vista
(Full details are here: technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd878528.aspx)
Regarding DNS, if all is registered correctly, then this command should find your KMS server when executed from your clients:
nslookup -type=all _vlmcs._tcp
If not, please refer to the technet link above :)