Windows server activation problems

[HCHTech]

I'm setting up a small Hyper-V server with 2 VMs, a Domain Controller and an Application Server. I have a retail license of Server 2022 Standard.

The Host installation activates fine.

The first VM did not activate straight away, (as expected, I've been down this road before a few times and kept good notes). I followed the procedure that worked the last time I ran into this:

• Uninstall existing key with this command: slmgr /upk
• Set OS edition with this command: DISM /Online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
• Install new key with this command: slui /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
• Attempt online activation with this command: slmgr /ato

I didn’t get any errors, but after going into the activation screens in the Settings app I could see that it was not activated - even though the last 5 characters displayed for the key there were correct. I clicked on the "Troubleshoot" link and the machine successfully activated.

The 2nd VM, unfortunately will not activate despite following this same procedure. I’m getting an error message that the key has already been used on another installation. I KNOW that a single Server Standard license supports one Host installation and 2 VMs, so I figured phone activation was the only way.

Unfortunately, the phone activation number for the US (855-801-0109) has been ringing busy since Saturday morning. I tried at least a dozen times form 9am through 10:30pm on Saturday, a few times on Sunday just for fun, and a several times this morning. I just get a busy signal. I even tried consecutive attempts one after the other for about 10 minutes, got a busy signal every time.

If I run the slmgr.vbs /dlv command, it just confirms that the activation could not complete because the product key has already been used.

Attempting the slmgr /ato command on its own gives a windows script dialog that says “The product key could not be used”

If I go back to the activation screen in settings, there is an error message there:

“We can’t activate Windows on this device because the product key was already used on another device. If you think it wasn’t used on another device, select Troubleshoot below. Error code: 0XC004C008. That error code means the key has been used too many times, exceeding the activation limit."

The machine is fully up to date, has been rebooted, and the time is correct. The Application log is full of SPP errors stating the same thing as the activation screen.

The obvious solution is to use phone activation, but that number is still ringing busy, so I’m stuck. I suppose I have 180 days to figure this out, but I'm not really keen on installing the box at the client's in this state.

Any chance there is a 2nd secret phone activation number I could try?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Yup Standard server license includes 2x babies in its belly when running Hyper-V role....so technically 3x sessions. (1x host, not to do ANYthing else other than Hyper-V, and 2x guests)

In my notes, for the earlier 2019 installs which had a bug...I used this... at an elevated CMD prompt.
cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk <product-key>

 

[HCHTech]

Yup - that's the same command as "slui /ipk <product-key>" that "installs" the new key. Installing the key isn't the hangup here, it's Microsoft thinking I've used it too many times when I haven't. Once you get into that corner with a key, I don't think there is any escape other than doing the telephone activation, and that appears to be broken - either that or else they are down to one poor ******* on the back of a donkey somewhere with Starlink service answering all of the calls.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I thought it was "same" as the command you used also, but..I jotted this one down in our KB because..the usual way didn't work ...at least on server 2019 initially (maybe some patch fixed the bug). Was just curious if the way it shoved it in...made any difference in how it saw it and it might succeed using this method.

 

[cypress]

Curious if you have tried these commands? This is what I have in my notes from Server setups when running across this.

Powershell commands look a little different than what you posted but generally the same thing.

Remove the key: slmgr -upk
Set the key: slmgr -ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

 

[Sky-Knight]

Just posting to confirm the way has been shown, this is how it works as long as you're working with MLK activation. The only time this changes is if you're running a KMS server, and that's not going to happen in the SMB space.

This happens frequently when OEM licensing is used, which is why I recommend CSP licensing.

 

[HCHTech]

Well after close to 50 attempts yesterday, I got through about 11pm, and as with other trips down this road, got the confirmation code straight away. This was a retail key, although the issue wasn't with the key or the procedure, it was with the inability to get through on the activation line.

I would also say I'm not ready to agree that "this is the way it always works". I know I have setup small Hyper-V servers like this before without having to call MS for activation of the Host and 2 VMs. I certainly have had to call sometimes, but I've never had the case where it took 3 full days of effort to reach the automated phone activation. I even searched for a some kind of status page to see if the activation system was down for maintenance or something, but didn't find anything useful. I only do a couple of these a year, so that's not enough to build any meaningful statistics.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Yeah I've done many...many server activations. We 100% avoid OEM, we only...ONLY...do volume licensing....and you get many activations per key. We don't abuse that at all, but say..the "3x activactions" you'll get for a Hyper-V plus 2x guests install....never challenged for a phone call, it all silently went online. Only thing was the bug in 2019 early versions.

In the days of volume licenses before CSP, we'd log into our volume license partner portal to view all of the keys we purchased for our clients, and you'd see the licenses and keys for each client...and the amount of activations that "phoned home". And they would show a generous amount of actual activations allowed per key. Microsoft was smart enough to do that to give you allowances for reinstalls, restores, whatever. And it was a crazy high limit, like...100 or more.

 

[Sky-Knight]

@HCHTech I'm a little concerned, because there is no such thing as a Retail license for Windows Server.