What is going on with my KMS server ??

[mikkydoos]

Hi all,

 

Got a weird one regarding Windows activation on a KMS server.

 

I'm deploying Windows LTSC images via WDS server with KMS providing the keys.

This has been in action for absolutely ages working perfectly.

 

Suddenly any new installs are activating in S mode and machine are not joining the domain (because of the version).

 

It started after I was injecting drivers into the boot image using DISM.

Thinking I'd borked the WDS image I restored the VM... but it still activating the wrong version.

 

Funnily enough the KMS server is showing Enterprise S but they're the same keys as I've always used.

 

 

Keys are from here as normal.....

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/kms-client-activation-keys

 

 

 

Any ideas as to what's going on here ???

 

 

 

Cheers in advance.

Edited December 6, 2021 by mikkydoos

[Jawloms]

We too are deploying LTSC 1809 via WDS with KMS doing the activations and have also noticed that newly downloaded images are not joining the domain.

[mikkydoos]

We too are deploying LTSC 1809 via WDS with KMS doing the activations and have also noticed that newly downloaded images are not joining the domain.

 

Are they activating @Jawloms ?

 

I can't even open a command prompt in S mode. Gives me a 'This app can't open' error.

 

 

Microsoft haven't pulled the serials have they ?

[Jawloms]

Yes, they activate, and as far as I know we aren't in S mode either. We then manually join the domain after a reboot.

[mikkydoos]

@Jawloms would you mind having a quick look to see which version your KMS is listing against your keys? Mine is stating Enterprise S. Can't remember what it listed before.

 

 

Cheers

[Jawloms]

Where do you see that screen?

[mikkydoos]

Where do you see that screen?

 

.....On the Products page in KMS.

 

 

 

 

Update though.... just fired up a new test VM and it activated and joined AD no problem.

 

 

What going on with the machine I'm working on? It is a re-install so I wonder if the database is borked.

 

It's not showing up in the console though.

 

 

Hhhmmm.

[Jawloms]

Well that's what I thought, but mine doesn't even mention LTSC!

[mikkydoos]

@Jawloms

 

That's not the license info. Those are my notes for each license.

[mikkydoos]

Well that was a funny one. Persistent stale MAC address table entry on a switch causing the switch to broadcast the wrong VLAN.. hence couldn't contact AD.

 

How the heck did it go all the way through the install so many times?

 

Sorted anyway. God that took a bit of digging.