Anyone found a utility that flips license mode from OEM to Retail or VLK?

[YeOldeStonecat]

Got a client that I have to nurse 1x more year out of an existing server of theirs, and sadly it's an OEM Server 2003 Standard install on an HP Proliant 350 that needs to be retired. I'm trying to suck them into a new Hyper-V box that I've migrated their other servers to.

It's really too complicated of a server to rebuild from scratch, Canon imageWare document cabinet, plus 2x other SQL databases which were proprietary. So I'm getting desperate in just flipping this to a hyper-v guest.

They have the VLK licensing...from another server that got retired. As far a legality with the Microsoft police I'm fine.

I've attempted the "repair install"....which I've done in the past with VMWare and it worked...bring over the VHD files, copy a Server 2k3 ISO over...mount, bootup..do the repair install, enter the new key, reboot..re-catch up on a ton of Windows updates and installed apps and settings remain and you're good.

This one ain't working...keeps getting stuck in a loop where I go back to "setup is restarting" and I select the time zone 'n keyboard and install the key...and it proceeds for "32 minutes remaining"...goes for a while, reboots, repeat cycle.

As you know, booting up an OEM Server 2003 instance...you get to login, type in the password...and within a few seconds you're faced with a screen that forces you to activate...either online, or by calling Microsoft. Which denies you because it's OEM. If you can't satisfy that screen you can't go further, only choice is to shut down.

Man I can't stand OEM server licenses! One of several examples why we stay away from them for our clients...but in this case, I'm stuck with this scenario.

 

[Paul Rodgers]

I remember the new IE versions tend to goof up the activation process. Maybe try going back to IE 6.

 

[AndyM]

I seem to remember something happening like this with XP. Did a quick search and came up with:

http://trycatch.be/blogs/pdtit/arch...-34-minutes-quot-installing-devices-quot.aspx

and from TechNet for XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/828267

I realize these are both "34 Minutes Remaining"

I'm sure you've tried both. Just throwing some ideas out there.

Andy

 

[JustInspired]

Not sure if this relates to Server but... in a pinch, on XP we used to boot into Safe Mode With Command Prompt, run Sysprep and get past the 'you have to activate now but can't for some insane reason' scenario.

 

[PCX]

I am not sure if this will help, but i had a somewhat similar situation the other week and his is what had to do.

http://community.spiceworks.com/how...ndows-xp-activation-after-a-windows-xp-repair

Its a bandaid, but maybe it wil get you a little further.

 

[JustInspired]

I am not sure if this will help, but i had a somewhat similar situation the other week and his is what had to do.

http://community.spiceworks.com/how...ndows-xp-activation-after-a-windows-xp-repair

Its a bandaid, but maybe it wil get you a little further.

Kinda similar to what I used above except I simply used sysprep to reseal thus rearming the activation.

 

[Maniaman]

If Server 2003 is like XP you can usually change the licensing mode by editing HKLM\System\Setup\PID

http://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Product_IDs

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Some suggestions to book mark and experiment with, thanks for posting them, good to have a few tricks up the sleeve to try down the road if needed again.

Ended up getting her to activate online via an OEM key and back in product, so missed an opportunity to try more of these suggestions, but I think I will make a point to try them. Reason being, with the growing popularity of DattoBackup....we'll come across some clients that will have OEM Server installs and we'll have to cross this bridge if we have to virtualize their servers in a disaster.