Fixing Windows 2008 R2 Activation Errors
Ran into an issue where a server lost it’s Windows activation to the KMS server. Normally just issuing slmgr.vbs /ato command it should reactivate. The following scenarios are only if you are using a KMS server in your organization.
Occasionally there are errors caused by communications or settings that will cause Windows Activation to fail. The command that all license key and Windows activation is controlled by is slmgr.vbs.
Location is at C:\windows\system32\Slmgr.vbs
/ckms = clear all KMS servers in cache and set to auto discover /skms : = Specify a KMS host server /ipk = Enter in a new license key /ato = Activate the new key /dlv = Display license information
First open a command prompt and try to register a license key. This example is for Windows 2008 R2 Enterprise Edition.
C:\> Cd c:\windows\system32 C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /ipk C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /ato
If you receive activation successful you are complete. If you receive a 0xC004F074 error do the following.
C:\> Cd c:\windows\system32 C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /ckms C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /ipk C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /ato
If you receive activation successful you are complete. If you receive a 0xC004F074 error again or another error do the following.
C:\> Cd c:\windows\system32 C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /rilc Reboot C:\> Cd c:\windows\system32 C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /ckms C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /ipk C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /ato
More information can be found at Configuring KMS Clients
Wonderful…Great info.
I pick this random which solved issue;
C:\> Cd c:\windows\system32
C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /ckms
C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /ipk
C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /ato
Note: i am running windows 2008 R2 standard 64 bit SP1
works great thanks very much