Update for Windows 7 & Windows Server 2008 R2 KMS hosts to support Windows 8 & Windows Server 2012

This update extends the Key Management Service (KMS) for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 to allow enterprise licensing of Windows 8 and of Windows Server 2012.
KMS provides support for the following KMS client activations:

• Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows 8
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows 7 and Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Vista and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Key Management Service (KMS) uses a KMS host key to activate KMS on a KMS host, and to establish a local activation service in your environment. This update extends support for KMS to provide activation for Windows 8 and for Windows Server 2012.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.
If the hotfix is available for download, there is a “Hotfix download available” section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.
NoteIf additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, go to the following Microsoft website:

NoteThe “Hotfix download available” form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Installation instructions

If you have a KMS host that is running Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 or Windows 7 SP1, follow these steps to perform an upgrade:

1. Install this update (KB2691586).
2. Restart the computer when you are prompted.
3. To install a new KMS host key for Windows 8 activation or for Windows Server 2012 activation, run the following command:
   cscript %windir%system32slmgr.vbs /ipk <KMS host key>

   Note In this command, replace <KMS host key> with the new KMS host key for Windows 8 activation or for Windows Server 2012 activation.
   ImportantEvery KMS host key is associated with a group of Windows editions. Additionally, a KMS host key that is associated with Windows client operating systems cannot be installed on Windows server operating systems, and vice-versa. This is true for all Windows operating systems except for Windows Server 2003. If you install a KMS host key on a Windows operating system that is not associated with that host key, you receive the following error message:

   0xc004f015: The Software Licensing Service reported that the license is not installed. SL_E_PRODUCT_SKU_NOT_INSTALLED

   For example, you receive this error message if you try to install a KMS host key for Windows 7 on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2.
   For more information about KMS host keys and about associated groups of Windows editions, see Table 5 in the “Determine Product Key Needs” section of the Volume Activation Planning Guide

         (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd878528.aspx#E3IAC)

   .

4. To activate the new KMS host key on the host computer, run the following command:
   cscript %windir%system32slmgr.vbs /ato

Prerequisites

You can apply this update on a volume licensed edition of Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1). For more information about how to obtain a Windows 7 or a Windows Server 2008 R2 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Registry information

To apply this hotfix, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this update.

Update replacement information

This update does not replace a previously released update.

File information

The English (United States) version of this update installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 file information notes

• The files that apply to a specific product, SR_Level (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.
  Collapse this tableExpand this table

  Version	Product	SR_Level	Service branch
  6.1.760 1. 21xxx	Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2	SP1	LDR

• GDR service branches contain only those fixes that are widely released to address widespread, very important issues. LDR service branches contain hotfixes in addition to widely released fixes.
• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the “Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 R2 and for Windows 7” section. MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are very important for maintaining the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows 7

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2

For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2