KMS count is insufficient

[fiza]

Just installed KMS on 2012 R2. Have a mixture of 2008 R2 and 2012 R2 servers plus a new 2016 Server. I have obtained a server 2016 KMS key from MS and installed it using VAMT. I have also installed KB3175614 but the 2016 server will not activate. On the server itself I get "We can't activate Windows on this device at the moment. You can try activating again later". On the VAMT console I get "The Software Licensing Service reported that the product could not be activated. The count reported by your KMS is insufficient". All the other servers have activated.

 

What have I missed?

[pete]

^ It needs to see/receive a certain amount (5 servers or 25 workstations IIRC) of activations directed to itself before it can start answering queries.

 

Is your previous KMS server still operational? If it is (and answering queries), you may want to modify the _VLMCS records in DNS so the new one gets priority (and sees more requests than the older one).

[markwilfan]

25 "things" need to request activation before the kms becomes active. Set a startup script to do this then reboot a load of pcs

[3s-gtech]

To be honest, I've turned my KMS server off now and just use AD Activation - I find it easier to manage and a bit more robust. For KMS, please bear in mind the following from MS:

 

"The organization must have at least five computers to activate Windows Server 2012 R2 and at least 25 computers to activate client computers that are running Windows 10. These minimums are referred to as activation thresholds."

 

This document didn't mention Server 2016, but it may be picked up as Windows 10 in which case you're going to need more clients. It would certainly explain what you're seeing.

[fiza]

I have already changed the DNS to point to the new KMS. The new KMS has picked up all the existing servers so the counts should be well over the minimums.

 

Edit: Ok just checked DNS again. Both servers are listed. How do I permanently remove KMS from the old server?

Edited September 22, 2017 by fiza

[sted]

I have already changed the DNS to point to the new KMS. The new KMS has picked up all the existing servers so the counts should be well over the minimums.

 

Edit: Ok just checked DNS again. Both servers are listed. How do I permanently remove KMS from the old server?

 

id its still running theres an slmgr command slmgr.vbs /cdns that stops it publishing itself to dns as a kms server (you still need to delete the dns record iirc and it still works as a kms server just dosent advertise anymore so machines that have activated with it and cant find an advertised dns server can still use it. if its gone just delete the dns entry for it

[Norphy]

To be honest, I've turned my KMS server off now and just use AD Activation - I find it easier to manage and a bit more robust.

 

Which is all very well and good but requires Windows 8 or newer. If someone is using Windows 7, KMS is going to be their only choice.

[3s-gtech]

Absolutely - KMS needs to be working. However, the issue here was with the newer OSs, and you can run KMS and ADA together as a transition.

[fiza]

Thank you all. It was the previous KMS still advertising that was causing the issue. @sted - stopped it advertising and now the new KMS activated the 2016 server.