Windows / Office Licencing

[george1421]

@Joe-Gill Really You didn’t mention if you were using MAK or KMS keys. But most places will use a KMS key server since all of the licensing is done locally (without the client computers having direct access to the internet). The KMS server also allows you to revoke keys and upgrade/downgrade activation.

But to answer your question you can create a setupcomplete.cmd and put the following lines in it.

cscript “C:\Windows\System32\Slmgr.vbs” /ipk [Windows KMS Key if not already in your image]
cscript “C:\Windows\System32\Slmgr.vbs” /ato

That will activate the workstation after setup has complete and before the first logon happens.

If you have a local KMS server insert the following command between the two above.
cscript “C:\Windows\System32\Slmgr.vbs” /skms [IP_Address]
cscript “C:\Windows\System32\Slmgr.vbs” /ato

This code should be executed on the target computer not your reference image.

[Wayne Workman]

I should add that the fog client activates windows fine with MAC keys, as far as I know.

KMS is a different animal, and I’ve not tested it what-so-ever with the new client. For KMS, I’d go George’s route.

[Joe Gill]

@george1421

I’ll keep that in mind. I’m going to try the Trunk option that Wayne mentioned first.

No KMS here. I’m assuming it’s MAK. I’m the new guy still so I’m learning as I go.

Thanks!!

Cheers,

Joe Gill

[Joe Gill]

@Wayne-Workman

Do the images need to be sysprepped in order to go the FOG client route?

[george1421]

@Joe-Gill Understood.

Just realize that MAK keys are churn and burn (i.e. you only get one activation per MAK key and those key’s (license) can’t be reclaimed if you dispose of the hardware. They are a one time use key). With KMS keys when you dispose of a system the KMS key returns to the license pool.

No sysprep is not required for the FOG client.

[Wayne Workman]

@Joe-Gill said in Windows / Office Licencing:

@Wayne-Workman

Do the images need to be sysprepped in order to go the FOG client route?

Nah. You’re good to go.

[Joe Gill]

We must use KMS. The keys we have we can re-use until the pool fills up. Then you have to release some. I’ll have to ask the other admin. Thanks!

[george1421]

@Joe-Gill The actual keys used doesn’t matter for your task at hand. The systems activate the same way. The MAK vs KMS is part of your internal IT governance process (license management).

[Joe Gill]

@george1421

Thanks for the explanation. I come more from a Unix / Linux background where licensing is simpler. We use MAK for certain. We do not have KMS set up here.

[Joe Gill]

How about MS Office activation? Is their anyway to automate that?

@Developers FYI The Trunk ver. of the client works like a charm for Windows Activation! Thanks!!! You guys rock!

[Wayne Workman]

@Joe-Gill said in Windows / Office Licencing:

How about MS Office activation? Is their anyway to automate that?

Powershell snapin that runs activation for you. If you associate a snapin with a host, that snapin will run automatically after every imaging task on said computer.

[george1421]

@Joe-Gill This script will activate office 2010. You will need to adjust the path for office 2016 and for system arch (x64 or x86). You can just create the vbs script and deploy as a snapin or if you are creative you can package with the office 2016 snapin, or use the office setup took and just add the key into the setup configuration and let office do that.

cscript “c:\program files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OfficeSoftwareProtectionPlatform” ospprearm.exe
cscript “c:\program files\Microsoft Office\Office14\ospp.vbs” /inpkey:[Office KMS Key]
cscript “c:\program files\Microsoft Office\Office14\ospp.vbs” /sethst:[IP Address]
cscript “c:\program files\Microsoft Office\Office14\ospp.vbs” /act

[Joe Gill]

@george1421

Thanks!! You have been very helpful!

[gnoetzel]

I have 8 computers that have ‘pre-install’ MS Office 2016. I have separate keys for each machine. However, I used FOG to image 1 computer that was already activated.
When I re-image another computer - I was not able to use Office since the Key already used and could not be activated.
I tried Repair Office - and it was cumbersome and I don’ think doing the repair would work on the 3rd computer.
Does the CSCRIP if put into FOG Snapin - work during the imaging?
MS Office 2016 requires activation via internet with a user name/password.

I appreciate everyone suggestions or recommendations.

thanks

[Wayne Workman]

@gnoetzel Make a new image with MS Office unactivated, and use that. Others may have better advice, so stay tuned.

[Joe Gill]

@gnoetzel

We are using Office 2016.

So I went through all of what is listed here before and what I ended up doing was activating said office on pre-image. Then sysprepping. After I pushed the new image, office will prompt you to setup update service and licence on first use. It will licence as normal over the internet.

It’s still not the best solution, but… Until 2016 has KMS licence available, this is what I’m doing.

Good luck!!

Joe

[datastream]

@george1421 If I run this script as a snapin but change the second line to include a MAK instead of a KMS and then take out the third line, would that work for me?

[george1421]

@datastream Yes it should as long as the target computer has direct access to the internet to activate the MAK key. You can do some things if you have a proxy server between your target computers and the internet to make it work too, but its a bit more complicated.

[datastream]

@george1421 I have also followed the path in the first line and the path is empty. According to the command shouldn’t ospprearm.exe be in that folder?

[george1421]

@datastream well I can’t say for absolute since we use kms keys and we have it setup to auto activate.

I did just find these instructions that doesn’t use rearm.

cd c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey:XXXXX-YYYYY....
cscript ospp.vbs /act

You might want to see if you can manually activate office. You will need to chagne the office path based on the version of office you are trying to activate.