Windows 2008 Server R2 activation from a template

[gheywood]

Hello,

I am deploying Windows 2008 Server R2 images from a template. Currently we are using a MAK key, but this will certainly change to KMS in the future (unless there is a reason not to do so).

What is the best way to handle this?

Can (or should) I activate the VM before converting it to a template?

Should I just do activation manually afterwards?

I did try putting the MAK key into the customisation script without a lot of luck, but I seem to recall that from the 2003 templates too, and just trying it a few times seemed to work..

Any recommendations?

[vmroyale]

Hello.

What is the best way to handle this?

Can (or should) I activate the VM before converting it to a template?

Should I just do activation manually afterwards?

I've been using a Customization Specification to add the MAK as part of the deployment from template and then activating afterwards. I haven't had any problems with this approach at all.

Good Luck!

[gheywood]

Thanks. When you do the activation, does it not ask you to enter the product key again anyway?

On the "Windows Licence" part of the guest customization, I have:

Product Key: xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx (so the actual product key complete with dashes)

"Include server licence information" is ticked.

The server mode is per seat.

Should that work? It just seems that when the image is deployed, I still get the message about having three days to activate, and when I chose "activate" it prompts me for the key anyway, making putting it in the customization wizard a bit worthless...

[vmroyale]

Thanks. When you do the activation, does it not ask you to enter the product key again anyway?

No. I just click "Activate" and it goes and does it's thing.

On the "Windows Licence" part of the guest customization, I have:

Product Key: xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx (so the actual product key complete with dashes)

"Include server licence information" is ticked.

The server mode is per seat.

Should that work? It just seems that when the image is deployed, I still get the message about having three days to activate, and when I chose "activate" it prompts me for the key anyway, making putting it in the customization wizard a bit worthless...

This is the exact same way I have mine set up, and it works fine. I do see the "3 days to activate" message, but once I start the process it does not ask for the key again. Something is weird for sure.

[amvmware]

I have a very similar type question, and would like to know the answer as we have a lot of windows 2008 VM to create. I have since seen info on the VAMT kit from microsoft to manage the licensing of MAK keys, but the current version does not inject the license key remotely - currently the v2.0 in beta does this.

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1502978#1502978

[amvmware]

For the template VM did you license it and then converted it to a template or did you convert it without activating a license. I am wondering if this might be the issue - ie We are using a template VM that has already been licensed with the MAK key and perhaps the customisation file is ignoring the license key details supplied in the file - any thoughts would be appreciated.

[vmroyale]

Hello.

For the template VM did you license it and then converted it to a template or did you convert it without activating a license.

Yes, I converted it to template without activating it first.

Good Luck!

[amvmware]

Thanks for the response.

I have tried testing in my own lab and i got exactly the same issues as i am getting on my customers site. DId you do anything special with your VM before converting it to a template.

At the end of the day it is not a major issue to address, but it would be nice if the activation of the server could be done without having to keep retyping the license key, especially when we are building a lot of windows 2008 VM's.

[Rumple]

I've seen that same problem and everytime it was because the wrong key (or an invalid format of the key was used in the customization template). I use MAC keys and as long as I put the key in with the correct format (its usually the dash's that screwed me up) then it customizes just fine and then auto activated itself after the 3 days (or if I do it manually).

I've also seen people add in the kms key into the customization script instead of the mak key by mistake as well.

KMS is only good if you have at least 5 physical Windows 2008 boxes (or 25 physical Vista/Windows 7 boxes), otherwise you must use the MAK keys...

[gheywood]

Thanks for all the replies. It is definitely the MAK key for me though, and definitely correct.

I can take the same key, cut and paste it into Notepad, and from there, cut and paste it into a VM and it activates, but when I cut and paste the same key into the customisation script, it doesn't. And we don't use KMS yet but definitely not a KMS key.

[Rumple]

Have you tried putting key into customization without the dashes? I will check my vc later on but I though for one key (maybe 2003) I needed to remove dashes for key to work.

Have you recreated script just for giggles?

[gheywood]

Can't remember, but I will give it a go and let you know.

[Rumple]

I checked my system and they key does include the dashes, I do have the include server checkbix checked, although I use per server licensing.

Have you switched it to server vs seat licensing just for giggles...

Mark Hodges

Calgarynet

403-333-1275

[amvmware]

I have also tried 2 valid MAK keys - The issue is not the MAK key. Tomorrow i will try recreating the template with the dashes removed as i did a straight cut and paste including the dashes.

[amvmware]

I have tried applying the license key without the dashes and the script fails during the customisation of the server.

When i run slmgr/dli a windows script host box appears with the license information for the server including the last 5 charcters of the license key i have included in the customisation file. So i think the fact that the license key window is blank means nothing, the relevant registry key details have been updated and the server will license correctly if i activate it either manually with the license box empty or wait for it to do it automatically.

I am now off for easter holiday, but will confirm this is the case when i go back to the customers site on the 12th - unless someone can confirm this before hand.

[amvmware]

I have tried applying the license key without the dashes and the script fails during the customisation of the server.

When i run slmgr/dli a windows script host box appears with the license information for the server including the last 5 charcters of the license key i have included in the customisation file. So i think the fact that the license key window is blank means nothing, the relevant registry key details have been updated and the server will license correctly if i activate it either manually with the license box empty or wait for it to do it automatically.

I am now off for easter holiday, but will confirm this is the case when i go back to the customers site on the 12th - unless someone can confirm this before hand.