Server 2022 KMS host key bug; Can't activate Win10 Enterprise LTSB/LTSC

[ajc196]

We recently dropped our new Server 2022 KMS host key onto our KMS server. After the necessary update to accept the 2022 key and activating the new 2022 host key, we were able to activate our most common OS types in a quick test afterward -- Win10 Education 21H1, Server 2022, Server 2019, etc.

In the next few days, and even more today, we've been getting reports that Win10 Enterprise LTSB/LTSC  across some signage devices and laboratory machines stopped activating. Sure enough, I could reproduce the issue from a known good network.

Just this morning I spun up entirely fresh VMs and verified all the above is still reproducible with the following results:

Windows Server 2022 = Successfully activated

Windows Server 2019 = Successfully activated

Windows Server 2016 = Successfully activated

Windows 10 Education 21H1 = Successfully activated

Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 = FAILED ACTIVATION (0xC004F074: License server reported that the computer could not be activated.)

Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 = FAILED ACTIVATION (0xC004F074: License server reported that the computer could not be activated.)

Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB = FAILED ACTIVATION (0xC004F074: License server reported that the computer could not be activated.)

Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB = Successfully activated (odd, after the previous two)

Windows 8.1 Enterprise = Successfully activated

Windows 7 Enterprise = Successfully activated

Anyone else seeing this or could possibly test and confirm? I feel like this **has** to be a bug with 2022 host keys, but it's so new that I can't find anyone else in the same boat. I have a Premier ticket open for this.

[#2]

Sorry, to clarify: AD is at a functional level of 2012 R2. Using ADBA for 2019 LTSC I'm having this same issue, as described.

[#3]

Hello Ryan, I do not believe there is a functional relation between KMS and the Forest or Domain Functional level. Do you have found anything in docs.microsoft.com stating this relation?
Do I understand correctly that ADBA is not working for you either?

@ajc196 is your issue as posted in the OP fixed by today, if yes do you know how? Sorry this topic is quite long. 

[#4]

@Karl_Wester-Ebbinghaus_business More meaning all DCs are 2012 R2. Though I was obscure in my response, it does make me wonder how ADBA works if you have - for instance - a Server 2022 DC and a 2012 R2 DC. Do clients intermittently activate - only when they hit the 2022 server? I digress...

Yes, ADBA isn't working on 2012 R2 DCs to activate 2019 LTSC (0xC004F074). Works fine with 2016 LTSB.

[#5]

KB5010427 for Server 2019 back in February fixed the issue in our environment and it has not recurred, at least not to my knowledge. Only extra thing we had to do was re-activate our 2022 host key after installing the patch.

[#6]

@ajc196 cheers!

@SaintFrag afaik it is only important to use the latest VAMT which is currently part Windows 11 22H2 ADK.

The used KMS key in VAMT needs to match the latest OS you are going to activate.

Means KMS Key provided via ADBA for WS 2022 will activate WS2022 and earlier (down to WS2012).

[#7]

@Karl_Wester-Ebbinghaus_business I installed the latest version of VAMT, just to test.  Same exact error on 2019 LTSC.  We're rolling out 2022 soon-ish, so I suppose I can just wait until then.  Just frustrating, as we've all experienced.

[#8]

Wondering if there was ever a solution to getting 2022 to activate?

[#9]

KB5010427 fixed this post's specific issue back in February 2022. If you're facing problems, it's likely another root cause.

[#10]

Cheers @ajc196 for the update on this update #punintended.

do you know if this said KB also fixed the issue that ADK may not import WS 2022 and / or WS 2019 GVLK into VAMT? Depending the version of ADK you could only import WS 2019 or 2022 keys, which led me to create a DB as template for customers.

[#11]

@Karl_Wester-Ebbinghaus_business That's ADK restriction / design

OS updates don't fix or changed it

[#12]

Sorry, I'm unaware about that particular item.

[#13]

thank you @abbodi1406 for confirming this once again. 

So there is no hope this will be fixed in VAMT (as part of ADK) in the future?

[#14]

@Karl_Wester-Ebbinghaus_business Who knows.

the upcoming Windows ADK for Windows Server, version 23H2 (build 25398) is around the corner, we shall see