How to Install & Configure KMS (Key Management Service) - Server 2008

Requirements:

1. You need 1 KMS host/server -Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
2. You need 25 clients Windows7 client or 5 Windows Server 2008 client
3. Windows7 client KMS Setup Key
   http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff793421.aspx
   
   

   Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2
   Windows 7 Professional	FJ82H-XT6CR-J8D7P-XQJJ2-GPDD4

   
   
   
   
4. MS Office 2010 Professional KMS Setup Key
   http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee624355.aspx#section2_
   3
   
   

   MS Office Suit 2010 Client Key
   Office Professional Plus 2010	VYBBJ-TRJPB-QFQRF-QFT4D-H3GVB

5. Update Windows KMS Host(Windows Server R2) and KMS Client(Windows7) & Restart both of them
6. Allow TCT port:1688 and Key Management Service in Windows Firewall

What to avoid:

1. There is a difference between Windows7 KMS key and Windows7 KMS setup key. Do not install Windows7 KMS key on the Windows7 Client. 
2. You do not need a Volume Activation Management Tools - VMAT for KMS Installation & Configuration.

Setup Windows Server R2 as KMS Server/Host:

1. Download & Install the update - KB968912.
2. Run command promt as Administrator, type the following command and press enter
   slmgr /ipk windows7_KMS_Key
3. Type the following command and press enter to activate the KMS host:
   slmgr /ato
4. Type the following command and press enter to see what mode KMS is running and status:
   slmgr /dlv 
5. Type the following command and press enter stop & restart the software licensing service:
   net stop slsvc
   net start slsvc
6. To setup KMS office Host
    To trigger activation manually on the KMS client, runospp.vbs /act

Setup KMS Client:

1. Run command promt as Administrator, type the following command and press enter:
   slmgr /ipk windows7_KMS_Setup_Key
2. Type the following command and press enter to see what mode KMS is running and status:
   slmgr /ato
3. Type the following command and press enter to see what mode KMS is running and status:
   slmgr /dlv 

Troubleshooting:

Problem:

If you run the command slmgr /ipk windows7_KMS_Key in the Windows7 client PCs then all PCs will become KMS server or KMS host. 

Solution:

In order to make Windows7 as KMS client 

1. Run command promt as Administrator, type the following command and press enter:
   slmgr /rearm
2. Type the following command and press enter:
   slmgr /ipk windows7_KMS_Setup_Key

Problem:

KMS client cannot find the KMS host.

Solution:

To manually create a KMS SRV record in a Microsoft DNS server

1. On the DNS server, open DNS Manager. To open DNS Manager, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click DNS.
2. Click the DNS server on which you need to create the SRV resource record.
3. In the console tree, expand Forward Lookup Zones, right-click the domain, and then click Other New Records.
4. Scroll down the list, click Service Location (SRV), and then click Create Record.
5. Type the following information:
• Service: _VLMCS
• Protocol: _TCP
• Port number: 1688
• Host offering the service: <FQDN_of_KMS_Host>
6. When you are finished, click OK, and then click Done.

Set the permission on the DNS Server to allow updates by members of the KMS host security group.

What it means is right-click the initial, your first KMS host in DNS under _tcp, select Properties and under the security tab, add the newly created security group and give it full control. Reboot second kms host server and the DNS will update with a new _VLMCS record.

- Set the permissions for the SRV group to allow updates by members of the
global security group


Test the KMS server configuration on Client Machine

The KMS server should publish its SRV records in your domain DNS, you should verify that these records exist.
Open C:\Windows\system32 and execute the following command

nslookup -type=srv _vlmcs._tcp

ipconfig /all

If you run /remhst, then /act, then /dhistorykms, is there a list of machines that are tried?

You should see output similar to the following:

Quote

DNS request timed out.

timeout was 2 seconds.

Server: UnKnown

Address: 192.168.3.1

_vlmcs._tcp.windows-noob.local SRV service location:

priority = 0

weight = 0

port = 1688

svr hostname = sccm2007.windows-noob.local

sccm2007.windows-noob.local internet address = 192.168.3.1

Troubleshooting:

SLMGR.VBS

From an elevated command prompt, type SLMGR.vbs /dlv. This will give you verbose output of the Software Licensing service. The screenshot below is from my machine, a KMS client within Microsoft.

Problem: Suddenly KMS server client count has gone down:
Solution:
1. Just rearm 25 pcs and restart.

Reference:

1. http://www.windows-noob.com/forums/index.php?/topic/649-how-can-i-setup-a-kms-server/
2. http://sysadministrivia.blogspot.com/2010/07/windows-kms-setup-keys.html
3. Troubleshooting: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee939272.aspx#EFAA