Windows 10 LTSC 2019 Activation

[J_Worth]

Hello everyone,

 

Struggling to get Windows 10 LTSC 2019 Activated using AD-based Activation. I have added the Server 2019 DataCtr/Std KMS key to Volume Activation Tools on our Server 2012 R2 Domain Controller.

 

It flat out refuses to activate. Have I used the correct host key?

 

Has anyone managed to get it working?

 

Many thanks in advance.

[caffrey]

Could be related to http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-10/199913-sw_dvd5_win_ent_ltsb_2016_64bit_english_mlf_x21-07421-iso-5.html#post1708278

[J_Worth]

Could be related to http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-10/199913-sw_dvd5_win_ent_ltsb_2016_64bit_english_mlf_x21-07421-iso-5.html#post1708278

 

That looks very similar to the issue I'm experiencing. Seems as though I need to spin up a Server 2019 server and inject the KMS key into AD from that

[J_Worth]

Yep! Spin up a Server 2019 VM - join to domain - slmgr /ad-activation-online then slmgr /ato

 

Windows 10 LTSC 2019 now activates successfully.

 

Weirdly when you run slmgr /ao-list it shows VOLUME_KMS_WS16 CHANNEL. Would've thought it would say WS19, but never mind...it works!!

[Sheridan]

I'm having a similar issue but I can't get the KMS key installed:

 

Its shows in VLSC as 'Windows Srv 2019 DataCtr/Std KMS' but when I try and add it using slmgr it says its an invalid key? I also now have a 'Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 KMS' key but that won't add either.

 

Do I need a different key, I seem to remember there is also a KMS host key but I can't see that in my VLSC?

[J_Worth]

I'm having a similar issue but I can't get the KMS key installed:

 

Its shows in VLSC as 'Windows Srv 2019 DataCtr/Std KMS' but when I try and add it using slmgr it says its an invalid key? I also now have a 'Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 KMS' key but that won't add either.

 

Do I need a different key, I seem to remember there is also a KMS host key but I can't see that in my VLSC?

 

I had that when adding the key to our Server 2012 R2 domain controller. I had to run Windows Update and make sure all the latest updates were installed. I believe it's one of the cumulative updates that allows the key to be added.

 

However, as mentioned it seems the only way of getting it working properly is to inject it into AD (when using ADBA) from a Server 2019 machine and that allows Enterprise LTSC 2019 to activate.

[Sheridan]

Its got the latest updates, but its just Server 2012 Std, so I think only R2 upwards is supported. Looks like I need to rebuild KMS on a newer server, and I suppose at this point AD is the better option

[Sheridan]

Hmm - after all the updates etc I still get an error adding KMS keys for LTSC 2019 and Server 2019

 

"The Software Licensing Service reported that the product key is invalid” Error: 0xC004F050"

 

I can't find a specific mention but it looks like you can't do this on Server 2012 Std (maybe R2 would work) so it looks like a new 2019 Server and ADBA is the next step.

[Arthur]

Hmm - after all the updates etc I still get an error adding KMS keys for LTSC 2019 and Server 2019

The following instructions may help (once you have upgraded your VM)...

 

KMS Activation in Windows Server 2019 « Ask Premier Field Engineering (PFE) Platforms

 

KMS Activation for Windows Server 2019 can be run from the following Operating Systems with the appropriate prerequisites:

 

Windows Server 2012 R2

 

• July 2016 Servicing Stack Update: KB3173424
   
  
• 11 September 2018 Cumulative Update: KB4457129
  

*Note* – If you’re reading this after a subsequent Patch Tuesday, the most recent Cumulative Update will include these changes as well. They were originally introduced in KB4343891.

 

Windows Server 2016

 

• May 2018 Servicing Stack Update: KB4132216
   
  
• 30 August 2018 Cumulative Update: KB4343884
  

*Note* – You can install any future Windows Server 2016 Cumulative update and get these fixes. Most Organizations would have installed KB4457131 as part of their patching process. All fixes for Windows Server 2016 are cumulative.

 

A couple of caveats as far as AD Based Activation:

 

• Your systems need to be able to reach the Forest root DC’s if this is in a child domain.
  
• You need to have extended the AD Schema to at least Windows Server 2012.
  

[Sheridan]

I managed to get the LTSC 2019 KMS key on (after updates had completed on a 2016 server!) but my test 2019 LTSC box fails activation with the error 0xc004f074. I assume this means either the key is wrong, or its just W10 being W10....

[Arthur]

I assume this means either the key is wrong, or its just W10 being W10....

I think it's another bug.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4462917/windows-10-update-kb4462917

 

Symptom

After installing this update, installing Window Server 2019 Key Management Service (KMS) host keys (CSVLK) on Window Server 2016 KMS hosts does not work as expected.

 

Workaround

Microsoft is working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release.

[caffrey]

What on earth is going on over at Microsoft ? Seems like nothing is working lately !

[Sheridan]

What on earth is going on over at Microsoft ? Seems like nothing is working lately !

 

It seems that since W10 (and Server 2016 as they're the same thing) MS don't test so much anymore - the fact they've pulled two updates this year suggests this is their new approach.

 

On my failing LTSC 2019 client I can see the KMS keys using slmgr /ao-list and the DNS query shows both my newer ADBA server and the older KMS server as contactable - so it does look like I'm waiting for MS to sort out this bug.

Edited October 10, 2018 by Sheridan

[Jaan]

Any joy on this.

 

I also can not get W10 LTSC to activate using ADBA

 

cheers

[Zoom7000]

I'm having issues today too. Trying to activate LTSC 2019 with my VLSC MAK key and getting this error:

 

The product key that you entered didn't work. Check the product key and try again, or enter a different one. (0xc004f050).

 

I've just tried logging in to VLSC and I'm getting the following error when trying to click on any key request:

 

We are unable to complete your action

Error code:1001 [d611b71f-0a90-4169-97d9-a03c3fbb47ee]

[Dickens]

OK, add my name to the list of people struggling to activate W10 LTSC !

 

Can I just clarify a few things (mostly to ensure we're not missing anything)...

 

We're running a KMS Host on Server 2016 using KMS rather than ADBA. Everything was fine until we decided to take a look at W10 LTSC and found it wouldn't activate. We go through the usual rigmarole of contacting the VLSC and requesting the Server 2019 KMS Key (why do they not automatically assign it to you if you've requested it each year for the previous xx years ???). The chap also gave me the W10 LTSC KMS key as well as he thought we may need it. I go on to the KMS Server and install and activate the Server KMS Host key through the Volume Activation Tools which all works perfectly. We try to activate our test machine and get Error: 0xc004f074.

 

I can see above that KB4462917 has introduced a bug in 2019 Server key activation, so assume we are awaiting a fix for this before we can continue ??

 

My questions are:

 

From reading https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started-19/activation-19 (thanks Mark Wilfan), the new 2019 key can't activate Windows 7 and neither can ADBA - thanks for completely screwing this one up Microsoft - after all who could possibly want to use W10 LTSC and possibly have a few Win7 legacy clients still in existence. So does this mean we're now forced to keep using KMS and the old Server 2016 key to keep our remaining few Win 7 clients activated, and also run ADBA in parallel with the new key (once MS releases a fix) to activate W10 LTSC ??? It would appear that the 2019 Server Key has overwritten our 2016 Server key, so I presume i'll start seeing failed win7 activations shortly ? I guess we can't have both keys in KMS together (since they both appear to be called "VOLUME_KMS_WS16") ?

 

The solution to spin up a 2019 VM and activate presumably only works for ADBA, is there a known workaround for KMS whilst we wait for MS ?

 

Is anyone running both KMS and ADBA on the same server, do they play nicely, are we better off leaving the Office activation in KMS or moving this over to ADBA ?

Edited November 21, 2018 by Dickens

[Jaan]

I know this wont help, but we are in the same scenario as you.

 

We currently have 2016 KMS activating our 7 machines and want to do ADBA for 10 LTSC.

 

I currently have a 2016 kms VM doing the legacy stuff and have added ADBA to our Domain. The ADBA isn't working, exactly the same as your issue.

 

I guess we have to sit on our hands again!

[Arthur]

So does this mean we're now forced to keep using KMS and the old Server 2016 key to keep our remaining few Win 7 clients activated

Could you switch your remaining Windows 7 clients over to MAKs?

[k-strider]

I had to add a 2019 VM server add the Activation tools and insert the 2019 Datacenter Key using ADBA and my Win10 LTSC clients do seem to activate. the key shows up as WS16 Channel though

[Dickens]

That's not a bad idea - either that or we use it as the excuse to move the final few staff members that are clinging on to W7 into the big scary world of W10.

[Jaan]

Before a spin up a 2019 vm with ADBA.... has anybody managed to activate 1809 with ADBA on server 2016?

 

Just added the adksetup for 1809

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/get-started/adk-install

 

still no joy.

 

Although i am on LTSC but that shouldn't matter i assume?

 

cheers

[Jaan]

Just to report back here.

 

After spinning up a Server 2019 VM and adding the KMS key via ADBA, all my LTSC clients started activating!

[HelpImAnAdmin]

KUDOS to jahilton, did the same and worked for me.

[supportman]

Finally got mine activated with MAK using this command, there seems to be a bug stopping you entering a MAK key if you dont have a KMS server. This works though:

 

Open powershell as administrator

 

cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk **enter product key here**

Edited December 6, 2018 by supportman

[Davida1992]

I know this is an older thread, but we have Server 2016 DCs and we cannot get Windows 10 LTSC 2019 to activate at all!!

Is the solution to install this role on a Server 2019 box then? What a faff Microsoft

Also if this is the case, can anyone confirm that having ADBA running on 2 servers will not break things? We activate office etc and stuff too via the existing 2016 box.

 

Thanks