Common Windows Issues: Key Management Server Activation. Last updated on: 2018-12-06. Authored by: Rackspace Support Problem: Periodic activation requests to the Key Management Server (KMS) are rejected and the operating system shows as unlicensed. Cause: Windows cannot locate the KMS after changing the time zone of the cloud server. As a result, your server’s system clock does not sync with the KMS.
Resolution: You must re-sync your cloud server with the KMS server:. Log in to your cloud server as administrator by clicking Start All Programs Accessories. Then, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator. Confirm that you can ping the Rackspace KMS server by running the following command: ping kms.rackspace.com Note: If there is a reply, move on to step 3.
KMS Server Emulator written in Python. Contribute to SystemRage/py-kms development by creating an account on GitHub.
No reply means that there is an interface, hardware, or routing issue. We recommend the following article for help resolving the issue:. Set the KMS manually within the registry: slmgr.vbs /skms kms.rackspace.com:1688. Request activation from the KMS: slmgr.vbs /ato If you recieve the error 0xC004F074 The Key Management Server (KMS) is unavailable, skip to step 9. If the device does not activate then the server may be set to MAK activation instead of KMS activation.
To confirm which activation method is set on the device, run the following command: SLMGR -dlv Look for the Product Key Channel setting. Volume:GVLK means the device is set to KMS activation, Volume:MAK means the device is set to MAK activation.
The following images show sample outputs: KMS Activation Output: MAK Activation Output:. If your device is set to MAK activation then you should set the device back to KMS activation. First find and take note of the appropriate KMS client setup key from Microsoft: To find wich Server edition you are running, run the following command and look for the section labelled OS name: systeminfo findstr OS Example: PS C: Users Administrator systeminfo findstr OS OS Name: Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter.
Set the device to KMS acivation using the key found in the previously referenced article and entering the following command: slmgr /ipk%key% Make sure to replace%key% with the key from the Microsoft document. To activate the device, run the below command: slmgr.vbs /ato.
If step 4 returned the error 0xC004F074 The Key Management Server (KMS) is unavailable, run the following command: w32tm /resync. If the time on the cloud server is drastically different than what is on the KMS, the re-sync will fail. At this point, you should either set the time manually or configure the server to use an NTP instance over the Internet.
Lots of questions and calls for help in the TechNet forums, on the topic of Volume Activation, are related to 'which OS can act as KMShost for product/version XYZ?' , and, 'what patches do I need to setup a KMShost?'
These notes will hopefully help answer a lot of those questions, in one place, since the VA documentation is very comprehensive and there are nuggets of gold scattered in different places throughout TechNet Library, various blogs, KB articles and the MS Download Centre! to find your WS2012R2 KMS Host product key suitable for issuing activations to Windows 10 Logon to the MSFT VLSC Website Relationship Summary pick your Active Licensing ID Product Keys Windows Srv 2012R2 DataCtr/Std KMS for Windows 10 For Microsoft Office KMS Hosts Microsoft Office 2010 KMS Host License Pack WS2003 requires KMS v1.1 or KMS v1.2 prior to installing the Office2010 KMShost pack. Provides KMShost function for these KMSclients:. Office 2010 suites and applications. Visio 2010. Project 2010 Office2010 KMShost Supported Operating Systems:.
Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012 Windows Server 2003, Windows 7 (volume editions), or Windows Server 2008 R2. NB: Windows Small Business Server 2003 is not supported. Microsoft Office 2013 Volume License Pack If your KMShost OS is Win7 or WS2008R2, requires KB2757817 prior to installing the Office2013 KMShost pack. Provides KMShost function for these KMSclients:. Office 2013 suites and applications. Visio 2013. Project 2013 Office2013 KMShost Supported Operating Systems:.
KMS Host: Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7 (volume editions), Windows Server 2012, or Windows 8. Active Directory-Based Activation:.
Set-up and Configuration: Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or newer. Domain controller: Active Directory Domain Services with the Windows Server 2012 schema installed.
WS2012R2 or Win8.1 can perform KMShost functions for Windows KMSclients of equal or lesser version without any updates/packs. WS2012R2 or Win8.1 can perform KMShost functions for Office KMSclients only when the relevant Office KMShost pack is installed on the KMShost computer. Microsoft Office 2016 Volume License Pack If your KMShost OS is Win7 or WS2008R2, requires KB2757817 prior to installing the Office2016 KMShost pack.
Provides KMShost function for these KMSclients:. Office 2016 suites and applications. Visio 2016.
Project 2016 Office2016 KMShost Supported Operating Systems: - KMS Host: Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7 (volume editions), Windows Server 2012, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012R2, Windows 8.1, Windows 10. Active Directory-Based Activation:. Set-up and Configuration: Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or newer. Domain controller: Active Directory Domain Services with the Windows Server 2012 schema installed. WS2012R2 or Win8.1 or Win10 can perform KMShost functions for Windows KMSclients of equal or lesser version without any updates/packs.
WS2012R2 or Win8.1 or Win10 can perform KMShost functions for Office KMSclients only when the relevant Office KMShost pack is installed on the KMShost computer. KMSclient product keys (Generic Volume License Keys):. Windows GVLK:. OFF2010 GVLK:.
OFF2013 GVLK: MAK MAK activation scenarios do not include customer-hosted activation services (KMS, AVMA, ADBA), and must be activated via Microsoft online web services. VAMT can be used in 'MAK Proxy' situations, where the MAK-configured computer communicates indirectly with Microsoft online web services (via the VAMT computer). Technet Library links:. Volume Activation 2.0 (WinVista & WS2008):. Volume Activation 2.1 (Win7 & WS2008R2):. Volume Activation 3.0 (Win8 & WS2012):.
Volume Activation Office2010:. Volume Activation Office2013: Blogs:. Office Deployment Support:. Ask PFE Platforms:. Supporting Windows:.
AskCore:. AskCore:. AskCore:. Ask PFE Platforms: Useful Forum threads: (telephone activation example, for non-internet-connected KMShost setup).