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]

@xwinger61 The fix is for the KMS Host Server

the key is not and do not need to be changed, it just need to reactivate to consume the updated licenses after installing relevant update

Server 2016: KB5010359 or later

Server 2019: KB5009616 or later

Server 2022: KB5010421 or later

[#3]

I can confirm that after installation of KB5010427 and reactivation of KMS slmgr.vbs /ato it is working. (maybe KB5009616 was enough but I did not reactivate at that time). The reactivation is mandatory so it seems.

[#4]

I can confirm this also. After applying KB5010421 to our 2022 server (with KMS role) and re-installing the key, slmgr /dli now displays ...VOLUME_KMS_WS22. However, it still wouldn't activate 2016LTSB, 2019LTSC and 2021LTSC clients. But after using slmgr.vbs /ato on the kms host itself, it now successfully activates all the versions.

Thank you all for keeping at this. Premier support was absolutely no help on this issue. This discussion thread saved the day.

[#5]

Thanks I'll see what happens, I know you can only use the keys 5 times and I have activated it 3 times for sure. Twice on one server and once one the 2nd server.

[#6]

Anyone using ADBA verified this works with the 2022 KMS key for all LTSC/B?

[#7]

@Carlin Zotz 

We never had a problem with the 2022 key and LTSC/B clients using ADBA. 

Prior to the fix, clients on our domain would activate (via ADBA) while those that were not (using KMS) would generate the error.  

My ltsc/b test clients would fail activation against the KMS. I would then join them to the domain, and they would successfully activate.

[#8]

Installed KB5009616 on our 2019 KMS and ran slmgr /ato to reactivate it and now everything is working. Been able to activate Win10 enterprise, win 10 pro, LSTC, Win11, server 2012, 2016, 2019 and 2022. So were good. (ADBA is not an option on campus)

[#9]

Thank you!

[#10]

Well well... Server 2022 KMS Key bug strikes again.
The Server 2019 February 2022 Updates fixed the problem. UNFORTUNATELY, the Server 2019 March 2022 Updates broke KMS again. I was hoping that the April updates would fix that, nope.

Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019, 2021 and Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB cannot activate again. Other versions activate just fine.

Should I upgrade my KMS Server to Server 2022 and expect the problem to go away?
Anyone experiencing the same problem again?

[#11]

@Armando_Rivera with the myriad of issues KMS are stunning.

Mind that KMS, and so also ADBA are out of door. CSP (New Commerce Experience) licensing won't give you any KMS keys anymore which is a pity IMHO. KMS will reside for classic licensing models and big customers having EA(S). Also notice that service providers don't want to give you KMS keys anymore. 

So you must go down the route with MAK Keys and VAMT 3 from the lastet ADK to have centralized and easy management. 

Also Domain Join is going out the door as Microsofts target are Azure AD joined only endpoints (not talking about Windows Server yet). VAMT can handle activation of domain joined and non-domain joined devices. 

Interestingly it is not pushed in the docs. My recent PR on docs on KMS has been closed after sitting for months. 

Armando, can you confirm that the devices you try to activate are domain joined?

[#12]

@kwester-ebbinghaus-business 

Thanks for your reply.
We handle thousands of Windows computers, unfortunately because our unique environment ADBA is not an option, so KMS fits the bill. Regarding your question, yes the clients that are trying to register are domain joined, also non domain joined.

As I previously commented above, the issue with the Server 2022 Key is that it broke the activation of Windows 10 LTSC and LTSB activations, while other versions of Windows activated just fine. Reverting to the Server 2019 key fixes the problem, but then Server 2022 and Windows 11 clients won't be able to activate. This KMS problem was fixed with the release of the February 2022 Windows Server 2019 updates. Unfortunately the happiness lasted only one month, because the March 2022 update broke KMS again, as in unable to activate Windows 10 LTSC and LTSB clients again. I was hoping that the April 2022 updates brought the fix back, that did not happen.

This is not the first time Microsoft has reintroduced a bug in Windows, to be then fixed at a later time. Whoever is tracking code changes being published to the right branch is doing a very bad job. It is very frustrating.

[#13]

Our KMS server is still working fine after the March updates, did you try running slmgr.vbs /ato on your KMS server yet?  We had to do that after the February updates and it's been fine ever since.

[#14]

Thanks for your fast reply!
So I did what you asked and this was the output:
Error: 0x80072EE2 On a computer running Microsoft Windows non-core edition, run 'slui.exe 0x2a 0x80072EE2' to display the error text.

Running slui.exe 0x2a 0x80072EE2
Pops up a Window with:
Windows activation. An error has occurred. Contact Microsoft by phone to resolve the problem.
Expanding the details section says: Description: The Operation has timed out.

Now I am puzzled. slui.exe Shows that Windows IS activated.

[#15]

Along with your suggestion and this OLD post from 2015 fixed the problem.
A simple ipconfig /flush dns and then slmgr.vbs /ato
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/ie/en-US/cd90cc53-1800-40ca-bf68-85abc678aa74/sluiexe-0x...

[#16]

It's not just you, ours is doing the exact same thing.

Issue was fixed after KB5010427 back in February, and I never looked back at it. Now that I see your comment, I tried activating a test Win10 10 Ent. LTSC 2019 VM, and nope. Failed to activate, back to square one all over again.

Good God, Microsoft...

[#17]

ajc, I suggest you try flushing the DNS on your KMS server (ipconfig /flushdns) and then run on the KMS slmgr.vbs /ato. Then try again the activation on your Windows 10 LTSC.

TBH what threw me off is that the GUI said that KMS was successfully activated, but via the CLI it wasn't.
Running the 2 steps above fixed my problem.
I am wondering if the march updates messed up something on the dns cache on KMS.

[#18]

Solid, that worked thanks! I missed your response above saying as much, happy it was that simple.

Now if it would quit doing that, that'd be fine too. :p

[#19]

@ajc196@Armando_Rivera great to see it is solved. And once again "It's always DNS"

[#20]

Is anyone having this issue with 2012 R2 and activating 2019 LTSC?  I've got the exact same issue described and both client and AD hosts have all their updates.  I don't, however, install previews.  I'm at a loss.

[#21]

KMS Host (and other) licenses for Server 2012 R2 had not changed or updated since November 2018