Geoff @ UVM

I recently helped a colleague with a Windows Vista Activation problem. The client system, running Vista Enterprise SP1, was unable to activate against our KMS Server. Since the system had SP1, the client was spared Reduced Functionality Mode, but she was getting frequent Windows Genuine warnings.

Here are some troubleshooting steps — for my future reference as much as anyone else’s — for for gathering information for diagnosing and resolving Vista activation issues. I recommend opening a text editor and copying all the commands and output into a file, which you can send to us if you need additional help resolving the activation issue.

Quick Fix: Try this first!

Most Vista activation issues I’ve encountered are resolved by entering the Vista Enterprise Volume product key VKK3X-68KWM-X2YGT-QR4M6-4BWMV (not a secret; see below). If you’re in Reduced Functionality mode, one of the options on the Windows Activation dialog box is to re-type or enter a new product key.

Reduced Functionality mode has been removed from Vista SP1; however, alerts will still be presented. A new product key can be entered in the System control panel.

In either case, enter the code above and attempt to reactivate. If it works, you should be all set. If it doesn’t, the following steps will help identify the issue.

Gathering Information.

Note: All these steps require running commands from a console window (cmd.exe). If the system already is in reduced functionality mode, you may need to get to a command prompt by using Internet Explorer’s File-Open dialog.

1. Run ipconfig /all to capture current IP configuration information.

This could tell us whether the system is in a netreg-ed subnet and needs to register at http://netreg.uvm.edu, or if there are other basic network configuration problems. We really just need the ethernet adapter, assuming that’s what is being used to connect the system to the network. We don’t need all the additional tunneling adapters, etc. If someone is using a wireless adapter, possibly with the VPN client, then info about those adapters also should be captured.

2. Run a DNS query to make sure the system. (Note the space between srv and _vlmcs):

C:\> nslookup -q=srv  _vlmcs._tcp

This command should return our campus KMS info [1] :

Server:  ns1.uvm.edu
Address:  132.198.201.10

_vlmcs._tcp.uvm.edu     SRV service location:
          priority       = 0
          weight         = 0
          port           = 1688
          svr hostname   = kms1.campus.ad.uvm.edu
uvm.edu nameserver = ns2.uvm.edu
uvm.edu nameserver = ns1.uvm.edu
kms1.campus.ad.uvm.edu  internet address = 132.198.xxx.xxx
kms1.campus.ad.uvm.edu  AAAA IPv6 address = xxxx:xxxx:xxxx::xxxx:xxxx
ns1.uvm.edu     internet address = 132.198.201.10
ns2.uvm.edu     internet address = 132.198.202.10

3. Capture licensing status with slmgr.vbs

This command changes the default script host to cscript, so that output will go to the command prompt instead of a pop-up dialog box.

C:\> cscript /h:cscript

Then capture the output of

C:\> slmgr.vbs -dlv

On a system where activation is working, the output should resemble the following:

Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.7
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Software licensing service version: 6.0.6001.18000
Name: Windows(TM) Vista, Enterprise edition
Description: Windows Operating System – Vista, VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channel
Activation ID: [long string]
Application ID: [long string]
Extended PID: [long string]
Installation ID: [long string]
Partial Product Key: 4BWMV
License Status: Licensed
Volume activation expiration: 243420 minute(s) (169 day(s))

Key Management Service client information
    Client Machine ID (CMID): [long string] 
    DNS auto-discovery: KMS name not available
    KMS machine extended PID: [long string]
    Activation interval: 120 minutes
    Renewal interval: 10080 minutes

Capturing these pieces of information is important in helpling us identify whether there’s a problem with a machine or two, a systemic problem that affects many people, or even an infrastructure failure.

Resolving Problems

1. IP configuration.

This volume licensing process depends on a regular functioning connection to the campus network. Without this connectivity, a system’s activation will expire, leading to reduced functionality mode prior to Service Pack 1, and annoying out-of-compliance non-genuine warnings if the system has SP1.

So regular network troubleshooting steps may come into play. If a system is going to be off site for extended periods of time, we have another mechanism that we can use to provide a perpetual (non-expiring) license.

2. DNS query doesn’t return valid KMS information

If the information is missing or incorrect, the client system won’t know where to go to obtain an activation. Since Vista (and Windows Server 2008) volume license 2.0 requires periodic renewal of the activation, this issue should be addressed, or the activation will fail in the future.

A quick fix, though, is to tell Vista what server to use, thusly:

C:\> slmgr.vbs -skms kms1.campus.ad.uvm.edu

assuming the client system can resolve that name to the right IP. And then force an activation attempt:

C:\> slmgr.vbs -ato

But if client does correctly receive the DNS response and still can’t activate, other things to could be going on…

3. Problems with license configuration

I have seen situations where the “slmgr.vbs -dlv” shows an unlicensed Retail version of Vista (i.e., the description of the version of Vista reads “Description: Windows Operating System – Vista, RETAIL channel”) rather than a volume license as shown above.

By running “slmgr.vbs -dlv all”, you can review the status of many (all?) the different possible license options for this installation of Windows Vista. You may see that the “Vista, VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channel” entry looks something like this:

Name: Windows(TM) Vista, Enterprise edition
Description: Windows Operating System – Vista, VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channel
Activation ID: [long string]
Application ID: [long string]
Extended PID:
Installation ID:
This license is not in use.
License Status: Unlicensed

To fix this, you need to install the generic product key for KMS volume activation ( again, not a secret. It’s available from MS [2] ). You can do this using the “enter a new product key” option from the RFM window, from the System properties/control panel, or from an elevated command prompt, btw:

slmgr -ipk VKK3X-68KWM-X2YGT-QR4M6-4BWMV

Then force activation

slmgr -ato

If this still results in an error, please save the output of all these commands in a file and attach it to a footprint ticket.

–Geoff

[1] KMS service info: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490214.aspx

[2] Volume license keys are listed at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc303280.aspx. They activate against a license server (kms) that we enable with a private license key. No sensitive keys have been divulged in the creating of this document.