Windows 7 Licencing

[Quackers]

According to this table

 

http://i.zdnet.com/blogs/license-and-media-matrix.png?tag=col1;post-1514

 

Windows 7 Volume Licence version does not need activating, is this true, have they got rid of that annoying MAK key thingy that they introduced in Vista and gone back to how XP worked with volume licence?

[Soulfish]

As with Vista if you don't want to use a MAK key, and you have 25 or more PCs that will be running Windows 7 then you can use a KMS key (key management server) instead.

 

You have to set up a Key Management Server and all Windows 7 PCs will contact this key management every 180 (I think that's correct) days to keep themselves activated.

Edited November 4, 2009 by Soulfish
Making it slightly clearer!

[Dos_Box]

Moved to licensing forum.

[willv28]

Right, you still have the OPTION of getting MAK keys. But the KMS licensing has been improved and a traditional volume license no longer applies. Essentially you need one machine to serve as a KMS server. MS has divided licenses for 2008/Win 7 into groups A, B and C. Group A being bottom and C top. Server 2008 products are in tiers B and C depending on edition (Ent/Datacenter, etc). Any Server 2008 KMS key can activate anything in that group or lower. So, you can install a 2008 server use the KMS key to activate that server to MS and it will activate the Win 7 machines as well.

 

But like above, Win 7 machines won't start activating until your KMS server detects that there's 25 of them. Just remember, do NOT use your KMS key to activate directly to MS unless that machine is intended to be a KMS server. You get only 6 online activations per key. Of course, you can "rearm" and/or talk to MS.

 

Wow, I hope I made that make sense... I doubt it.

[ranj]

Would someone kindly tell me where I can go about installing a KMS server?

 

We have a schools agreement and I think setting up a KMS server may be best and then I can get all the domain computers/laptops to connect to the KMS server.

 

If you do image deployment such as ghost, I assume you would also use a KMS key, as soon as each PC comes online with different GUID, it will contact the KMS server once joined to the domain?

 

If someone could clarify that it would be most appreciated.

 

Thanks

[ZeroHour]

KMS I think can be installed/enabled on 2008 (with an update for 7) and on 2008 R2. Not sure about 2003.

Basically you build the box I believe without a key and when the PC is built it gets 30 days grace to contact your KMS to activate. It finds the KMS from a DNS entry I think but until your KMS has 25 pc's waiting to activate it wont authorise any of them. Once you hit 25 all of them should start activating. I am pretty sure you dont use the kms key in the windows 7 installer but I am not sure.

[IanT]

Bink.nu | Volume Activation Management MMC Tool 2.0 (Beta) - Bink.nu

[willv28]

Would someone kindly tell me where I can go about installing a KMS server?

 

We have a schools agreement and I think setting up a KMS server may be best and then I can get all the domain computers/laptops to connect to the KMS server.

 

If you do image deployment such as ghost, I assume you would also use a KMS key, as soon as each PC comes online with different GUID, it will contact the KMS server once joined to the domain?

 

If someone could clarify that it would be most appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

The good news is installing a KMS is simple! It requires no work as well. When you install Server 2008 SP2/R2 and you activate the server using your code, when it looks to MS for validation and is successful it will automatically act as a KMS server. This is why you don't use your KMS volume key on every server you install. Just remember the 5 server minimum before the KMS will start activating servers.

 

Remember, if you're using 2008 SP2 you must install the KMS update so you can install a KMS 2008 R2 license onto that machine. You should try to maintain only one KMS for everything.