Windows server 2008 R2 , customization wizard & activation keys

[amvmware]

We are using ESX 4 u1 and deploying a lot of windows 2008 R2 VM's

I have created a template and a customisation file using the customization wizard and everything seems to work except the license key. When the VM boots i find the server is not activated and the license key box is clear - i supply the same license key that i put in the customisation wizard and i register the server manually without a problem.

Is this correct? - i have seen some articles that suggest the changes MS have made to the activation process for windows 2008 means you have to manually activate each VM you create from a template.

Is there any way to automate this process so the VM's are activated as part of the initial configuration from a template.

[Ytsejamer1 · Accepted solution]

I'm currently going through the same thing... The only thing I have run across, was this:

"If you anticipate needing to generalize the computer more than a

few times, you can specify that the Windows Software Licensing Rearm

program be skipped:

1. Set the Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP\SkipRearm unattend

setting value to 1. This specifies that the computer will not be

rearmed, and it will not be restored to its original, out-of-box state.

All activation-related licensing and registry data will remain and will

not be reset. Similarly, any grace-period timers will not be reset."

Now, this was talking abot deploying it from a WAIK platform...one of the folks replied that he did it in his VMware set up and "it worked great"...but I don't really know if he was speaking about the vm lab WAIK system or the VMWare Template itself. I at this moment am trying the SkipRearm setting to 1 and converting to template...then will test deploy from there. I activated the VM already using my MSDN key (this will be in my lab). Hopefully when Sysprep runs, it leaves the system activated.

The key in question is: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform and HKLM\Software\Wow6432NodeMicrosoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform.

I changed both SkipRearm DWord entries to 1...we'll see what happens.

[amvmware]

Thanks for the reply.

I tested the deployment of windows 2008 using customisation files and found that the license key is added to the registry of the server. When i want to license the server i just select the license tab and even though the license key box is empty the server is licensed as the registry key data is used.

I can leave the server "unlicensed" and it will automatically do it in 3 days as well again using the license key information added to the registry to license the server.

For responding to the question you can have the points.

Thanks

[Ytsejamer1]

Thanks for the points...unfortunately, the sysprep and customization wizard process still removed the activation on my template machine. I had to activate via phone for my lab. Oh well...

So in your customization wizard spec for your 2008R2 template, did you leave the key blank? Were you then prompted for it when deploying from the template when sysprep ran?

i hate activation...

[amvmware]

I added the MAK license key into the customisation file with the hypens.

It does get a little confusing with windows 2008 as microsoft have changed the licensing requirements to ensure every server licensed is accountered for by a MAK - so licensed via Microsoft or an internal license server - my understanding is you need a SA or enterprise agreement or one of the other options to deploy an internal license server.

[ijwrighty]

A work around I found works was letting Windows activate via the command line.

During the customisation wizard at the run once add the line slmgr.vbs /ato

Works a treat