Kurt Shintaku's Blog

(I’m blatently copying the content from one of our Technet newsletters here but I just got finished watching this thing and it’s pretty darned good.)

“Find out what is changing with product activation in Windows 7 versus previous versions of the operating system in this short new video on TechNet Edge titled Volume Activation Changes in Windows 7. Also, for upcoming Windows 7 volume activation guidance, visit the Widows Volume Activation page.”

• VIDEO:
  http://edge.technet.com/Media/Volume-Activation-changes-in-Windows-7/

Here’s some of my notes from the video:

Existing Windows Vista Customers will need to:

1. Install Windows 7 patch on existing KMS servers running on Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008:
   – Update for Windows Server 2003 (KB968915)
   – Update for Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition (KB968915)
2. Get Windows 7 KMS keys from the licensing portal (http://www.microsoft.com/licensing)
3. Install and activate the keys on existing KMS host

Single KMS server will be able to activate Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.  In the future, it will activate Microsoft Office 2010.

In Windows 7, the activation threshold of 25 machines can be a combination of physical and virtual machines.

MAK key behaves like a retail key, activating each individual computer via:

1. Internet or phone
2. VAMT tool by proxy (For use if your client machines do NOT have Internet access – common in secured environments, government installations, etc.)
3. Note:  Volume Activation Management Tool 2.0 is part of the Windows Automated Installation Tookit

VOLUME ACTIVATION PLANNING GUIDE:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd878528.aspx

VOLUME ACTIVATION CALL CENTER: (US)
888-352-7140

ONLINE RESOURCES:
http://www.technet.com/volumeactivation