Windows activations

[mikeprice]

Hi all

 

I have been wondering abou tthis for a while

anyway - a few PCs have had to have Windows re-installed on them - and then they need the license key input and activated. I am assuming that this uses up 1 license slot every time I do it - is this correct or does the system identify the PC has been activated before and not count it?

 

Thanks

 

Mike

[mikkydoos]

Check in your MS license centre. That'll tell you.

 

I think it depends on your licensing scheme too.

 

https://www.microsoft.com/Licensing/servicecenter/default.aspx

[dry]

Yep, check VLSC. If you've been using MAK, you'll have been using up your allocation. I think this can be increased by contacting Microsoft.

 

If you have over 25 devices at your school, look into moving to KMS activation.

[Blue_Cookeh]

A key and an activation count on the MS VLSC site, doesn't mean licensed.

 

Ignore the number and go by the licenses you have purchased on paper, if you hit it you can ring MS and they'll up the limit for you (they originally only gave us 50 on our EES agreement before I had it upped to 250 per key). Reimaging a machine != losing a license.

[Joanne]

the license gets 'put back' if the machine hasn't checked in with MS for 6 months... but that could just be legend...

[CAWJames]

KMS all the way, we haven't used MAK's in years, apart from one off activations for testing purposes. Although for some products you now have to ask for the key for KMS activation, whereas you used to get it automatically