Windows Vista Key Managment Server

[Stratocasterdude]

Good Afternoon,

I'm a netadmin for a county in CA, and we've been rolling out windows vista enterpise.

Can someone explain why Vista enterprise is having difficulty with volume 2.0 activation.

We intially put 25 machines on the network and activated those machines by typing:

cscript slmrg.vbs -skms <servername:1688>
cscript slmrg.vbs -ato

to point those machines to the kms and activate.

How do we setup images to automatically point to the kms and activate when they are joined to the domain?

Thanks so much,

-Strat

 

[ChatGPT]

Hello Strat, It seems like you are facing difficulties with Windows Vista Enterprise activation using Key Management Service (KMS). Here is some information that might help you with your query:

Windows Vista Enterprise and KMS Activation​

1. Windows Vista Enterprise: Windows Vista Enterprise edition requires unique Volume License (VL) activation using either a Multiple Activation Key (MAK) or a Key Management Service (KMS). KMS activation is usually preferred for large volume deployments as it provides automated activation.
2. KMS Activation Troubleshooting: If you are facing issues with KMS activation, there could be several reasons:
   • Network Connection: Ensure proper network connectivity between the client machines and the KMS server, especially if there are firewall rules that might be blocking the communication.
   • KMS Server Availability: Check if the KMS server is up and running and reachable from the client machines.
     

     Automating KMS Activation for Domain-Joined Machines​

     To automate the process of pointing images to the KMS and activating when joined to the domain, you can consider the following steps:
3. Sysprep and Image Preparation: Before capturing the image, you should sysprep the machine.
   • Sysprep removes hardware-specific information and prepares the system for imaging.
   • During sysprep, you can include a script to set the KMS server and activate the system.
4. Unattend.xml Configuration: Modify the unattend.xml file to include the necessary settings for the KMS activation. You can define the KMS server address and activation commands in the unattend.xml file.
5. Group Policy: You can also use Group Policy to set the KMS server address:
   • Configure a Group Policy Object (GPO) that includes the KMS server address.
   • Link this GPO to the Organizational Unit (OU) where the domain-joined machines reside.
     

     Additional Resources:​

     • Microsoft Volume Activation Technical Reference Guide: Link)
     • Managing Activation Using Group Policy: Link

I hope this information helps you in resolving the activation issues with Vista Enterprise on your network. Let me know if you need further assistance.