The Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT) can be used to perform volume activation using the Key Management Service (KMS). You can use the VAMT to activate KMS client keys on products accessible to the VAMT. The KMS client keys are the default product keys used by the volume-license editions of Windows Vista®, Windows 7, Windows Server® 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2, and Microsoft Office 2010. KMS client keys are already installed in volume-license editions of these products.
Requirements
Before configuring KMS activation, ensure that your network and the VAMT installation meet the following requirements:
- KMS host is setup and enabled.
- KMS clients can access the KMS host.
- The VAMT is installed on a central computer
with network access to all client computers.
- The products to be activated have been added
to the VAMT.
- The VAMT has administrative permissions on
all computers to be activated, and Windows Management
Instrumentation (WMI) is accessible through the Windows Firewall.
For more information, see Configure Client
Computers.
To configure computers for KMS activation
- Open the VAMT Microsoft Management Console snap-in.
- Select the products to be activated by selecting individual
products in the product list view in the center pane.
- Right-click the selected products to display the
context-sensitive Actions menu, or choose from the
Action menu on the top menu bar, or choose from the
Selected Items menu from the right-hand pane.
- On the menu, click Activate and then click KMS
Activation to display the Configure KMS host and port
dialog box.
- Select one of the two activation options:
- Auto-Discover KMS host using DNS. The
VAMT will first clear any previously configured KMS host on the
target computer and instruct the computer to query the Domain Name
Service (DNS) to locate a KMS host and attempt activation. If the
client contains a registry key with a valid KMS host, that value
will be used instead.
- Use specific KMS host and port. For
environments which do not use DNS for KMS host identification, the
VAMT will set the specified KMS host name and KMS host port on the
target computer, and then instruct the computer to attempt
activation with the specific KMS host.
- Auto-Discover KMS host using DNS. The
VAMT will first clear any previously configured KMS host on the
target computer and instruct the computer to query the Domain Name
Service (DNS) to locate a KMS host and attempt activation. If the
client contains a registry key with a valid KMS host, that value
will be used instead.
- If you are activating products that require administrator
credentials different from the ones you are currently using, select
the Use Alternate Credentials check box.
- Click OK.
- The VAMT will display the Activating products dialog box
until it completes the requested action. If you selected the
Alternate Credentials option, you will be prompted to enter
the credentials.