In addition to interactively manage the products via the Microsoft® Management Console snap-in, the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT) allows IT professionals to schedule work using scripts. Typical usage includes nightly or weekly automatic updates to the products collection list or embedding VAMT tasks into other automated tasks
VAMT Command-Line Options
The following command-line options are available for the VAMT.
Vamt /Option <Parameter>
A parameter enclosed by angle brackets(<>)is a required parameter, whereas a parameter enclosed by square brackets([]) is an optional parameter.
The table below lists the supported command-line options. The following are general behaviors of the command-line interface:
- All command-line interface options are single
character preceded by either a slash (/) or a hyphen (-).
- Options are case insensitive.
- Since the VAMT is not a service, each command
only accomplishes a specific task without remembering the state
when VAMT.exe exits. Users must save the operational results into
CIL files.
- The VAMT command-line interface returns a
non-zero error code for crashes and other fatal errors. Operational
errors, such as not able to connect to a target machine, return a
zero exit code. Users must visually inspect any error information
in the CIL files.
- Redirecting a file or output from another
process to the VAMT as input is not supported.
| Category | Option | Description | Required Input/Output Parameters | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
General Input/Output and credential parameters |
/i <input CIL file path> |
Specify input CIL file |
N/A |
N/A |
|
/o <output CIL file path> |
Specify output CIL file |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Alternative credentials |
/user <username> /password <password | *> |
Specify alternate credential (wherever applicable) |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Computer and product discovery |
/a <search criteria> |
Add computers |
/i /o |
<search criteria> may be one of the following: /LDAP <query string> /AD <domain=domain.name.com;filter=filter_string> /WG <workgroup=workgroup_name;filter=filter_string> /COMPUTERS <computer name or IPv4 address separated by commas, semi-colons, or spaces> |
|
/r |
Update status/Discover products |
/i /o |
Alternative credentials may also be specified. |
|
|
Product Key Management |
/e /key <5x5 product_key> /description <product_key_description> |
Add a product key to the product keys list |
/o |
|
|
/p /key <25 character product_key> |
Install a product key to the selected product(s) |
/i /o |
Alternative credentials may also be specified. |
|
|
CIL file merger |
/m /merge <source CIL file> |
Import and merge a CIL file |
/i /o |
|
|
Activation |
/s [/host "KMSHostName“ /port "KMSHostPortNumber"] |
Activate using KMS |
/i /o |
Alternative credentials may also be specified. |
|
/d |
Activate online |
/i /o |
Alternative credentials may also be specified. |
|
|
/t /thumbprint <certificate Thumbprint> |
Activate using a token |
/i /o |
Alternative credentials may also be specified. |
|
|
/x |
Export Installation ID for Proxy Activation |
/i /o |
||
|
/u |
Acquire Confirmation ID from Microsoft activation server |
/i /o |
The Confirmation IDs will be applied toward the products found in the CIL file. |
|
|
/c |
Apply Confirmation IDs to the products in the CIL file |
/i /o |
Alternative credentials may also be specified. |
|
|
Help |
/h /? /<option> /h |
Access help content |
N/A |
When no option is specified, VAMT will display a list of help topics for all available options. If an option is specified, a more-detailed help message pertaining to the option is displayed. |
Usage Samples
Display the VAMT 2.0 help
VAMT Or Vamt /r /h
Add computers using an Active Directory query, append the results to an existing CIL file, and refresh the product status after computer discovery:
VAMT /a /AD domain=mydomain.mycompany.com;filter="mymachine" /i myproducts.CIL /o vamtout.CIL
Refresh product status for an existing CIL file and use an alternative credential"
VAMT /r /i myproducts.CIL /o vamtout.CIL /user mydomain\myusername /password *
Install a product key to the KMS client products in the products CIL file and perform KMS activation:
VAMT /p /key "GVLKS-GVLKS-GVLKS-GVLKS-GVLKS" /i myproducts.CIL /o vamtout.CIL
Open an existing CIL file and export the IIDs for proxy activation:
VAMT /x /i myproducts.CIL /o myproxyIID.CIL
Load a CIL file, attempt to proxy activate and receive the CIDs from Microsoft:
VAMT /u /i myproxyIID.CIL /o myproxycid.CIL
Import a CIL file that contains the CIDs and merge it with the corresponding CIL file:
VAMT /m /i myproducts.CIL /merge myproxycid.CIL /o mymergedCIL.CIL
Apply the received CIDs to the computers in the above step:
VAMT /c /i mymergedCIL.CIL /o myproducts.CIL