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cjtwestwood
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Cannot activate Office 365 after running VMware Optimization Tool

We are unable to activate Microsoft Office 365 apps (now called Microsoft Apps for Enterprise) after running the VMware Optimization Tool with the latest "Windows 10 1809-2004-Server 2019" template version 5.22. If I roll back the optimizations in the tool it does not resolve the issue but if I restore a snapshot prior to running the tool for the first time, I am able to activate.

I have followed the instructions in the Best Practices for Delivering Microsoft Office 365 in VMware Horizon 7 document and I have tried with both normal activation and "Shared Computer Activation" but both pop up the same error immediately after trying to sign in: We are unable to connect right now. Please check your network and try again later.

Does anyone know which specific options in the optimization template cause this?

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vBritinUSA
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Try clearing the reg entries at:

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetworkConnectivityStatusIndicator

and set "Network Location Awareness service" is set to auto on the master image

Please mark helpful or correct if my answer resolved your issue.

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sjesse
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I don't, but I do suggest if you don't, save snapshots on your gold image so if you need to you can roll back pre optimization so you can apply them. What I'd do is get to right before the optimization part and clone the gold image. Then take a snapshot of the clone and do the optimization, install office, and roll back testing each one.

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cjtwestwood
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I am following a similar process right now to try and isolate which optimization or optimizations are preventing Office activations from occurring. If I find it, I will reply to this thread.

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vBritinUSA
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Try clearing the reg entries at:

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetworkConnectivityStatusIndicator

and set "Network Location Awareness service" is set to auto on the master image

Please mark helpful or correct if my answer resolved your issue.
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awpudlak
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I also came across this issue tonight after running the optimization tool. Have you had any luck isolating the setting causing this behavior? I to will be starting to try and track it down.

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JohnTwilley
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Via  https://flings.vmware.com/vmware-os-optimization-tool#comments

Graeme Gordon • Jul 24, 2020

I haven't heard of anything but you might try unselecting Group Policy - Turn off NCSI.
This can be found under HKLM.

We added it in 5.21 but it appears to be causing some to have issues with Office apps not thinking they have internet connectivity.

We are changing this in the next release so that this is not selected by default.

Retched1 • Jun 22, 2020

For anyone that runs this and gets "No Internet" and/or Outlook complains about no internet -

One of the optimizations is to disable NCSI, you will need to set the local policy back to Not Configured to fix this. Settings GPO won't override the locally set gpo.

Computer Configuration->Policies->Administrative Templates->System->Internet Communication Management->Internet Communication Settings->Turn off Windows Network Connectivity Status Indicator active tests. – This must be set to Not Configured (or disabled)

Brandon Koehler • Jun 22, 2020

Got it! Had to clear the reg entries at:

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetworkConnectivityStatusIndicator

Gold master is now much happier. Time to test recompose.

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cjtwestwood
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Thank you! Clearing the registry entries you specified appears to have resolved the issue.

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetworkConnectivityStatusIndicator\DisablePassivePolling

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetworkConnectivityStatusIndicator\NoActiveProbe

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