KMS Server for activating Win7/2008R2 ?

[Lanz]

We currently have a Windows 2003 KMS 1.1 that activates Vista clients. But it seems with Windows 7, you need a 2008 KMS server.

Do you think MS will update KMS for Win2003 to support Win7/R2 or will we have to ditch it and setup a Win2008 KMS server?

 

[Little_Crow]

Yes, there is/will be an update.

From http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/existing-customers/product-activation-faq.aspx:

What is the process to update an existing KMS host to support Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 KMS clients?

In the case of updating a Windows Server 2003 KMS host, all necessary files will be contained within the KMS 1.2 downloadable package, which will be available through the Microsoft Download Center at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads at RTM. Once applied, a KMS key that is designed to support Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 can be installed on the updated host and activated. Note that a KMS key supporting these new versions of Windows provides backward support for all previous versions of Volume License editions of Windows acting as KMS clients.

 

[Lanz]

Ah, well spotted. Guess I'll just have to wait.

I notice that you no longer need 25 phyical clients for KMS to become active, you can now use VM's too, which is handy.

 

[Little_Crow]

That's a nice change, we didn't go to Vista and chose to stick with XP, but I'm eager to get hold of the Windows 7 RTM build to test at work.

The 25 client limit was just ridiculous, and destroyed any change of a small-scale test. That's certainly a welcome move.

 

[Lanz]

We did a year of Vista development (setup 25 PCs in our testlab), but then through it away, as most of our staff PCs ran like a dog. So we're ready to roll with Windows 7, as a lot of the hard work has already been done.

Just need this KMS 1.2 to appear, as the iso's and Win7 Keys are available now.