2008 Activation!

[techyphil]

We've had a copy of Windows Server 2008 running in a live environment form Ramesys. Only I installed it once in a VM and then again onto the actual server. Afer a few days I went to active it and it says its already been done and can not be activated. So I phone ramesys and he says he will send me another key. Unfortunatily hes gone on holiday and the other guys there said "We dont distribute Windows 2008 that needs activating..."

As far as im aware, Windows 2008 / Vista even volume licensing requires activation every 6 months and that MS will be releasing their activation server soon to activate in-house workstations without contacting mothership.

Anyways, our server is going to expire in a few days and they havent given me another key.

They said i've gotta reinstall with their version even though it is.

[SYNACK]

As a stopgap measure I would suggest this which should give you an extra 180 days under the initial trial. It is the same kind of rearm procedure that MS put into Vista.
How to run Windows Server 2008 for 240 days without activation

As you are already running 2008 server you should be able to use this tool for any Vista clients
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en
As to the other server I would simply ring the MS licensing help desk number that it gives you when it fails activation and explain it to them. Depending of which version of 2008 you have it may come with virtualisation rights already in which case they should be able to ok your activation or point you in the right direction.

[AlexPilot]

Hi I am having the exact same problem, except this time with the key provided by Pugh. They have sent me three keys in total all of which come up with the same results. None of which microsoft activation phone line recognise. Pugh said they would install server 2008 on a virtual machine using the same media they hand out, and they have the same results in that it did not accept the keys. They then told me I should re install 2008 and that should solve my problem. I asked how, seeing as they just did a fresh install and still didnt work. They said they would get back to me. They are now not responding to my emails and the guy I ws dealing with is always "out of the office".

Im stuck as to what to do.

[TronXP]

Give this a try,

goto the system page and tell it to change key. Type in your previous key and then try to re activate. I did this on my 08 server and it re activated fine.

[AlexPilot]

Give this a try,

goto the system page and tell it to change key. Type in your previous key and then try to re activate. I did this on my 08 server and it re activated fine.

Could you just clarify what you mean by previous key?

[TronXP]

The original key you were given by ramesys. I have one key provided by MS and last time it would not activate, I just re entered that key and clicked activate.

[AlexPilot]

Oh I see well I did not get my key from them and none of them work.

[DMcCoy]

I just click buttons on the volume licensing site to get a MAK or KMS key, I have 50 datacenter MAK keys at the moment :P

[AlexPilot]

I belive my trial will end during the holidays when I am not around. When I come back after the holidays I belive 08 will have completely shut down? Will I be able to sort out a product key, enter the key and have 08 back as it was before the trial ended?

[SYNACK]

I belive my trial will end during the holidays when I am not around. When I come back after the holidays I belive 08 will have completely shut down? Will I be able to sort out a product key, enter the key and have 08 back as it was before the trial ended?

Yes you should be able to just enter a valid product key and have it fire up properly. You won't be able to use the activation reset method to extend the trial if it has expired though.

[AlexPilot]

Yes you should be able to just enter a valid product key and have it fire up properly. You won't be able to use the activation reset method to extend the trial if it has expired though.

I will be giving the reset a go on the last day. It was no installed on a critical server so hopefully aslong as I can get it back once I have sorted the product key out (struggling to get funding for it) in september.

[techyphil]

heh, well i emailed my contact about it at ramesys explaining the problem and as soon as he was back from holiday he'd emailed me a new valid key for free.

Apparently schools all share keys and a key can be activated X amount of times. Kinda sucks though if Windows Server needs activation every 6 months like vista as the key may expire alot sooner for schools then originally thought?