Hello all,
With Windows Vista and 7 you can use MAK or KMS activation. KMS is easier and more automated, however, after a certain time has passed (I believe 180 days) the client will attempt to 'check in' again with the KMS server.
Is this correct and are you using MAK or KMS activation? I presume you can still manually activate a VLK where required?
As I understand it that is correct. I have sets of MAK and KMS keys. I hop to use the KMS solution once we deploy Windows 7 and Office 2010 here.
Michael (19th July 2011)
KMS for Office, but I'm lame and using MAK for Windows 7 still, as I haven't hit the 25 unique connections needed for it to work. Note - use Generalize when sysprepping!
i dont think you can manually activate a kms key (you can force it to look at a server but if its a teachers laptop it would have to be brought back to school to activate im pretty sure as your kms server has your key and is found via dhcp. Least it means staff have to network their pcs from time to time
You're right, but what I meant was activating using the more traditional VLK method. Enter the key, then activate online.i dont think you can manually activate a kms key
using the phone activation service is labour intensive...
I have had to use the phone service years ago to activate XP. Labour intensive is an understatement!
Had to do phone activation for Server 2008 on our test network... slow and painful!
Used KMS on our Office 2010 installation... doesn't sound good for any device that won't see the network for a while though
fun isnt it had a trolley of win7 laptops i had to phone activate by the end of it i never wanted to do it againOriginally Posted by Michael
kms all the way
We actually use the KMS timeout as a feature that means teachers don't go too long between bothing to bring their laptops in and connecting them to the network. They leave it too long and they get the evil black background along with the you must activate dialogue which is usually scary enough that they bring it in to be 'fixed'. Cue a 'teachable moment' where you plug it in to the network, boot it, reboot it and then remind the teacher about the mandate that they need to bring their laptops in and connect them to the network within a reasonable timeframe so as to keep software up to date/secure, documents synced etc.
Of course those with VPN access quietly reactivate as needed over the VPN in the background without hassel.
Could someone clarify, when you've been given a separate VLK for Windows Server 2008, Windows 7 and Office 2010, can these keys be used when setting up a KMS server, or are KMS keys different? Microsoft state the default activation type is KMS and not MAK.
I just find Microsoft's licensing models/security really complicated with no clear answers anywhere online! And I do consider myself quite an advanced IT user
I don't know the answer to this yet. I hope to find out during the Summer break [by experimentation?]Could someone clarify, when you've been given a separate VLK for Windows Server 2008, Windows 7 and Office 2010, can these keys be used when setting up a KMS server, or are KMS keys different? Microsoft state the default activation type is KMS and not MAK.
I just find Microsoft's licensing models/security really complicated with no clear answers anywhere online! And I do consider myself quite an advanced IT user
this might help:Could someone clarify, when you've been given a separate VLK for Windows Server 2008, Windows 7 and Office 2010, can these keys be used when setting up a KMS server, or are KMS keys different? Microsoft state the default activation type is KMS and not MAK.
I just find Microsoft's licensing models/security really complicated with no clear answers anywhere online! And I do consider myself quite an advanced IT user
How to Implement KMS - Key Management Services
Good so it's not just me that thinks this! Stupid MS
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