Migrating KMS Host for Windows Activation

Two types of activation for Microsoft OS, MAK (Multiple Activation Key) and KMS (Key Management Service). The former activation is mainly used for less than 5 servers. If you use KMS, the first four hosts won't be activated until the fifth is activated. Earlier, we did a mistake of keying in the KMS host license key into some of our servers instead of the KMS client keys. As a result, multiple SRV of _VLMCS._tcp. appears on the DNS servers. Furthermore, the current KMS server is not supposed to have Internet access. Hence, we decided to migrate the KMS to another VM.

Note: If you just need to install a new KMS server, jump straight to step 5.

Steps to migrating the KMS:

1. Uninstall the KMS host key first by running the following command:

slmgr -upk

2. Then, install the default kms key by running the following command:

slmgr /ipk [KMS Client Setup Key]

The default KMS client setup keys for W2K8 R2 Enterprise is 489J6-VHDMP-X63PK-3K798-CPX3Y. As for the rest, the default KMS client keys can be found here.

3. Delete the old SRV record from the DNS:

Open DNS console:

Expand _tcp node under the domain.com. There will be a record _VLMCS. Delete this record.

4. The KMS server is uninstalled.

5. To install KMS on a new server, enter:

cscript C:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk

then to activate the KMS host, enter:

cscript C:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato

6. After activation is complete, restart the Software Licensing Service by running "net stop sppsvc && net start sppsvc"

7. Verify that the record is created for the new server in the DNS.

To verify that the KMS host is configured correctly, you can check the KMS count to see if it is increasing. Run slmgr.vbs /dli on the KMS host to obtain the current KMS count. You can also check the Key Management Service log in the Applications and Services Logs folder for 12290 events, which records activation requests from KMS clients. Each event displays the name of the computer and the time-stamp of an individual activation request.
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Windows 7 and Server 2008 KMS Client Keys
Windows 7 Professional - FJ82H-XT6CR-J8D7P-XQJJ2-GPDD4
Windows 7 Professional N - MRPKT-YTG23-K7D7T-X2JMM-QY7MG
Windows 7 Enterprise - 33PXH-7Y6KF-2VJC9-XBBR8-HVTHH
Windows 7 Enterprise N - YDRBP-3D83W-TY26F-D46B2-XCKRJ
Windows 7 Enterprise E - C29WB-22CC8-VJ326-GHFJW-H9DH4

Windows Server 2008 R2 HPC Edition - FKJQ8-TMCVP-FRMR7-4WR42-3JCD7
Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter - 74YFP-3QFB3-KQT8W-PMXWJ-7M648
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise - 489J6-VHDMP-X63PK-3K798-CPX3Y
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems - GT63C-RJFQ3-4GMB6-BRFB9-CB83V
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard - YC6KT-GKW9T-YTKYR-T4X34-R7VHC
Windows Web Server 2008 R2 - 6TPJF-RBVHG-WBW2R-86QPH-6RTM4