To resolve a KMS activation issue for an Microsoft Office 2010 or Microsoft Office 2013 client, please refer to the relevant section for your symptom(s) listed below.
Office Software Protection Platform Service or Software Protection Service not started (error 0x80070422 or 0x80070426)
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.
When you try to activate Microsoft Office you receive either of the following errors:
For Office KMS activation to occur, the following services need to be enabled (based on Office version plus Windows version combination):
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| Office version | Windows version | Service required |
| Office 2010 | Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP | Office Software Protection Platform |
| Office 2013 | Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP | Office Software Protection Platform |
| Office 2013 | Windows 8 | Software Protection |
Follow these steps to enable the service required
for your combination of Microsoft Office and Microsoft Windows.
- Office Software Protection Platform service
- Open the Services snap-in (Services.msc).
- Click Start and then click Run.
- Type Services.msc and then press ENTER.
- Double-click Office Software Protection Platform.
- Make sure that the setting for Startup type is Automatic (Delayed Start).
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- Click Start if the Service status is Stopped.
- Click OK.
- Software Protectionservice (Office 2013 + Windows 8)
- Start Registry Editor.
- On the Desktop, press the Windows key + R.
- Type regedit in the Open box, and then press ENTER.
- Locate and select the following registry key.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\sppsvc
- Right-click the Start value and then click Modify.
- Change the Value Data to 2, and then click OK.
- Close Registry Editor.
KMS activation applies to Office 2010 and later versions of Office
Activating an Office client by using KMS is only applicable to Office 2010 and later versions. If you have an earlier version of Office, for example the 2007 Office system, then KMS activation cannot be used to activate Office.
See the following article for more information about this limitation.
How to obtain a volume license key for enterprise editions of Office 2010, the 2007 Office system, and Office 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/828378
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/828378)
If you are troubleshooting KMS activation issues with products such as Microsoft Visio or Microsoft Project, please see the following troubleshooting resources, assuming they are either version 2010 or 2013.
NOTE: If you are troubleshooting an Office KMS host issue where you do not usually have either Office 2010 or Office 2013 installed, the information in this article is still relevant.
This is because the error messages returned by a client-side activation failure can point to KMS host issues such as DNS misconfiguration, client-side KMS host entries in the registry, or ports blocked firewall rules. Therefore, we recommend that you try to activate an Office client, note the error code returned, and then follow the guidance in this article for that error code. In many situations, the steps provided by this article will ultimately resolve the KMS host problem.
Volume License version of Office not found
If you have a
non-Volume License version of Office installed, you cannot activate your Office client by using KMS. Types of non-Volume License versions include
Retail and
Subscription versions.
To determine the license 'type' of your Office installation, follow these steps:
- Open an elevated command-line window.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
By default, the folder is:
- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run the following command:
Cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus
- Review the value specified on the LICENSE DESCRIPTION line of the results.
A Volume License version of Microsoft Office will have "Volume" in the description. For example:LICENSE DESCRIPTION: Office 14, VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channel
LICENSE DESCRIPTION: Office 15, TIMEBASED_SUB channel
LICENSE DESCRIPTION: Office 14, RETAIL channel
If you need to activate your non-Volume Licensed copy of Office by using KMS, you must follow these steps:
- Using the Programs and Features control panel (or Add/Remove Programs in Windows XP), uninstall your current non-Volume License version of Microsoft Office.
- Install a Volume License version of Microsoft Office.
Please see the
Volume Licensing Service Center at the following address if you have any questions about your volume licenses.
KMS Activation is 'Licensed' (error 0x0)
The current KMS activation status of an Office client can be determined by using the following steps on the Office client:
- Open an elevated command-line window.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
By default, the folder is:- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run the following command:
Cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus
- Note the values on the LICENSE DESCRIPTION and LICENSE STATUS lines. The description should mention 'KMS' and the status should say LICENSED.
An Office 2010 client in a licensed state for KMS activation is shown in the following example:SKU ID: 6f327760-8c5c-417c-9b61-836a98287e0c
LICENSE NAME: Office 14, OfficeProPlus-KMS_Client edition
LICENSE DESCRIPTION: Office 14, VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channel
LICENSE STATUS: ---LICENSED---
ERROR CODE: 0 as licensed
NOTE: If your Office client is already in a Licensed state by using KMS activation, you do not have to perform any of the troubleshooting steps provided in this article.
Machine is an Office 2010 KMS Host
As long as the KMS host machine with Office 2010 installed does
not also have Office 2013 installed, the Office 2010 installation can be activated by the KMS host running on the same machine.
Note: While you may activate an Office 2010 client that's also a KMS host in some scenarios, this is not a recommended way to activate an Office client and this scenario is blocked in later versions of Office.
However, if Office 2013 is also installed on this configuration, then you will
not be able to successfully activate Office 2010 using the KMS host running on the same machine. To activate the Office 2010 installation on this machine you can either activate it with a MAK key or you can point the machine to a different KMS host (if one exists). The steps for either option are provided in the previous section called
Machine is an Office 2013 KMS Host. The only change in these steps for Office 2010 is the path for Ospp.vbs. For Office 2010, Ospp.vbs is in the \
Office14 folder.
Office has already been activated on this computer by means (MAK) other than KMS
If you have already activated Office using a MAK key, activation using KMS will fail. You can tell you have activated already with a MAK key by using the following steps.
- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
By default, the folder is:- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run the following command:
Cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus
- Examine the line in the output for Active License.
If you see "MAK" listed on this line, then the Office client has already been activated using a MAK key. The following is an example of an active MAK license:Active License Office 14, OfficeProPlus-MAK edition
If you want to activate this client using KMS activation instead of MAK activation, use the following steps.
- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
By default, the folder is:- 32-bitWindows +32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run the following command:
Cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey:<GVLK key>
Troubleshoot volume activation for Office 2013
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee624355(v=office.15).aspx)
Troubleshoot volume activation for Office 2010
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee624355(v=office.14).aspx)
- Run the following command to activate Office using KMS activation:If you receive an error activating Office using KMS activation, please refer back to the table at the beginning of this article and click the error code in the table that matches your error code. You will jump to the section of this article to help you troubleshoot the KMS activation problem.
Missing information in the Windows Registry (error 0x80070001)
When you run the command
cscript ospp.vbs /act on an Office client, you receive the error
0x80070001 and the error description text is "
An unspecified error has occurred. Your request cannot be processed at this time. Please try again later. (0x80070001)".
You can resolve this problem by running the Fix it solution in the following article:
The article also has steps you can take to manually fix this problem.
Possible permissions issue in the Windows Registry (error 0x80070005)
When you run the command
cscript ospp.vbs /act on an Office client, you receive the error
0x80070005.
To resolve this problem, please review the information in the following blog:
NOTE: The information in this blog pertains to both Office 2010 and Office 2013.
Possible permissions issue in the Windows Registry or other Windows system problems (error 0x8007000D)
When you run the command
cscript ospp.vbs /act on an Office client, you receive the error
0x8007000Dand the error description text is "
An unspecified error has occurred. Your request cannot be processed at this time. Please try again later. (0x8007000D)."
To resolve this problem, please review the information in the following blog:
NOTE: The information in this blog pertains to both Office 2010 and Office 2013.
Unable to locate an SRV record in DNS for the Office KMS host server (error 0x8007232B or 0x8007251D)
When you run the command
cscript ospp.vbs /act on an Office client, you receive an error
0x8007232B and the error description text is "
DNS name does not exist." Or, you receive the error
0x8007251D and the error description text is "
No records found for given DNS query."
These errors occur when:
- An Office client is unable to locate an SRV record in DNS for a KMS host server, and
- The client has not been configured to communicate with a specific KMS host server
There are several solutions and workarounds to this problem. Please select one of the following methods that best fits your topology.
NOTE: Each of the following methods assumes you have
already set up a KMS host server for Office activation. This host configuration process requires you to take the following actions on a KMS host:
- Install the Office host files.
- Activate the host using either Online host activation or offline activation via telephone.
If you have not yet set up a KMS host server for Office activation, please follow the steps in the following resources and then return to this article only if your Office clients are still unable to activate using KMS.
Method 1: Configure a KMS host server to publish an SRV record in DNS
The most common configuration for KMS activation is to set up a KMS host that publishes an SRV record in DNS. This way, Office clients can locate KMS host servers by querying DNS before attempting to activate.
The first step in troubleshooting this problem is to verify the existence of an SRV record in DNS for your KMS host.
- Open a command-prompt window on your KMS host.
- Run the following command:
nslookup -type=all _vlmcs._tcp
- Examine the output.
If you have an SRV record for your KMS host, the output will contain an entry similar to the following:_vlmcs._tcp.contoso.com SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 0
port = 1688
svr hostname = kms-server.contoso.com- If there is an SRV record in DNS for your KMS host, then it's possible your DNS topology is configured in such a way that the Office client is not able to reach a DNS server with this SRV record. In this situation, you can either reconfigure or troubleshoot your DNS settings, or you can force the Office client to use a hard-coded KMS host without using a DNS query.
See Method 2 below for details on hard-coding a KMS host name on your Office clients.
See Method 3 below for details on troubleshooting DNS-related issues on an Office client.
- If you do not have an SRV record in DNS for your KMS host, the next step is to check the KMS host configuration to see if DNS publishing is enabled or disabled.
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.
Use the following steps on your KMS host:
NOTE: The following steps apply to a KMS host on a machine with Windows Server 2008 R2. The registry path for the DisableDnsPublishing value may be different on other versions of Windows. If you are unable to locate the DisableDnsPublishing value using the registry key path specified below, please search the registry under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive for DisableDnsPublishing to see if it exists on your KMS host.
- Locate and then select the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform
- Examine the values listed under this key to see if the following item exists:
DWORD: DisableDnsPublishing
Use the following chart to determine if your KMS host is configured to publish an SRV record to DNS.
Collapse this tableExpand this table
| Value of DisableDnsPublishing | DNS publishing is enabled or disabled |
| 1 | Disabled |
| 0 | Enabled |
DisableDnsPublishing does not exist
(this is the default configuration) | Enabled |
The next steps you take depend on whether DNS publishing is enabled or disabled on your KMS host.- DNS publishing is not enabled
If DNS publishing is not enabled on your KMS host, use the following steps to enable publishing.
- Open an elevated command-line window on your KMS host.
- Run the following command:
Cscript c:\Windows\System32\slmgr.vbs /sdns
- Restart the Software Protection service on your KMS host.
- DNS publishing is enabled
If DNS publishing is enabled on your KMS host but you do not find an SRV record in DNS, then your DNS Server service may not support dynamic updates. In this case, the "VLMCS._TCP, SRV" record may be manually registered. To manually create a KMS SRV record in a Microsoft DNS server, follow these steps:- On the DNS server, open DNS Manager.
- Click the DNS server where you have to create the SRV resource record.
- In the console tree, expand Forward Lookup Zones , right-click the domain, and then click Other New Records.
- Scroll down the list, click Service Location (SRV) , and then click Create Record .
- Enter the following details:
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| Parameter | Value |
| Service | _VLMCS |
| Protocol | _TCP |
| Port number | 1688 |
| Host offering the service | <FQDN of the KMS host> |
- Click OK and then click Done.
Note: If your organization uses a non-Microsoft DNS server, you can create the needed SRV records using the following details as long as the DNS server is BIND 9.x compliant.
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| Parameter | Value |
| Name | _vlmcs.TCP |
| Type | SRV |
| Priority | 0 |
| Weight | 0 |
| Port | 1688 |
| Hostname | <FQDN of the KMS host> |
Also, to configure a BIND 9.x DNS server to support KMS auto-publishing, configure the BIND server to enable resource record updates from KMS hosts. For example, add the following line to the zone definition in Named.conf or in Named.conf.local:
Note: The Priority and Weight fields are not used by KMS and are ignored by the KMS client. However, they must be included in the zone file.
Method 2: Assign a KMS host to your Office client
By default, KMS clients use the automatic discovery feature and query DNS for a list of servers that have published the _VLMCS record within the membership zone of the client. DNS returns the list of KMS hosts in a random order. The client then picks a KMS host and tries to establish a session on it. If this attempt works, the client (with default settings) caches the name of the KMS host server and tries to use it for the next renewal attempt. If the session setup fails, the client picks another server randomly.
We highly recommend that you use the automatic discovery feature. However, you can manually assign a KMS host server to your Office client using the following steps.
- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office (2010 or 2013) client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
By default, the folder is:- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run the following command:
Cscript ospp.vbs /sethst:<value>
- (Optional) If you also need to configure a port other than the default (1688), then run the following command:
Cscript ospp.vbs /setprt:<port>
Method 3: Troubleshoot DNS issues on the Office client
If the previous methods have not resolved the issue, the problem may lay in the inability of the client to resolve or connect to the KMS server. If the problem is the inability of the client to resolve the DNS name of the KMS server or to connect to the KMS server, follow these steps on your Office client unless otherwise noted:
- At a command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:
- From the command results, note the assigned IP address, the DNS server address, and the default gateway address.
- Verify basic IP connectivity to the DNS server by using the ping command. To do this, run the following command:
ping <DNS_Server_IP_address>
Troubleshooting TCP/IP
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727023.aspx)
- Verify that the search list of the primary DNS suffix contains the DNS domain suffix that the KMS host registered.
For the computers that have joined the domain, the DNS automatic discovery of KMS requires that the DNS zone contains the SRV resource record for the KMS host. This DNS zone is the DNS zone that corresponds to either the primary DNS suffix of the computer or to the domain of the Active Directory DNS.
For workgroup computers, the DNS automatic discovery of KMS requires that the DNS zone contains the SRV resource record for the KMS host. This DNS zone is the DNS zone that corresponds to either the primary DNS suffix of the computer or to the DNS domain name that is assigned by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). This domain name is defined by the option that has the code value of 15 as defined in Request for Comments (RFC) 2132.
- Verify that the KMS host SRV records are registered in DNS.
- Open an elevated command-line window.
- Run the following command:
nslookup -type=all _vlmcs._tcp
- Examine the output.
The output should resemble the following example output:_vlmcs._tcp.contoso.com SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 0
port = 1688
svr hostname = kms-server.contoso.com - Verify the IP address, host name, and the port of the KMS host.
Note 1: If the Nslookup command finds the KMS host, it does not mean that the Office client can find the KMS host. If the Nslookup command finds the KMS host, and you still cannot activate your Office client with the KMS host server, check the other settings such as the primary DNS suffix and the search list of the DNS suffix.
Note 2: The SRV records are registered in the DNS zone that corresponds to the KMS host domain membership. For example, assume that a KMS host joins the contoso.com domain. In this scenario, the KMS host registers its VLMCS._TCP SRV record under the contoso.com DNS zone. Therefore, the VLMCS._TCP.CONTOSO.COM record is created. If the clients are configured to use a different DNS zone, automatically publish KMS in multiple DNS domains. To do this, configure the DnsDomainPublishList registry value on your KMS host. The following resource provides details on this registry data:
Volume Activation Technical Reference Guide - Registry and Group Policy Object Settings
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff793431.aspx)
The above resource is for KMS hosts with Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. For KMS hosts on Windows Vista, the registry path is different (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SL)
Method 4: Activate Office using a Multiple Activation Key (MAK)
If you are unable to remedy your KMS activation issues, another option available to you is activation via a MAK key. This can be done using the following steps on an Office client.
NOTE: If you use a MAK key, Office 2013 client computers are activated online by using the Microsoft hosted activation servers or by telephone.
- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
By default, the folder is:- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run the following command on another computer where a different Office client has already been successfully activated using KMS.
Cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus
- Note the Partial Key value in the results returned by the command in step 3, and then return back to the computer where you are trying to activate Office.
- Run the following command:
cscript ospp.vbs /unpkey:xxxxx
- Run the following command:
cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey:<MAK key>
Please see the
Volume Licensing Service Center at the following address if you have any questions about obtaining MAK keys.
No product keys are installed on your Office client (error 0xC004F014)
When you run the command
cscript ospp.vbs /act on an Office client, you receive the error
0xC004F014 and the error description text is "
The Software Licensing Service reported that the product key is not available".
To resolve this problem, please try the following steps:
- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
By default, the folder is:- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run the following command:
cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey <GVLK>
NOTE: Replace <GVLK> with the Generic Volume License Key for your version of Office and your Office product.
For example, the command for Office 2010 Professional Plus is:
cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey VYBBJ-TRJPB-QFQRF-QFT4D-H3GVB
The Generic Volume License Keys for each Office product are found in the following articles:
Office 2013 - http://technet.microsoft.com/library/dn385360.aspx
(http://technet.microsoft.com/library/dn385360.aspx)
Office 2010 - http://technet.microsoft.com/library/ee624355(v=office.14).aspx
(http://technet.microsoft.com/library/ee624355(v=office.14).aspx)
(toward the bottom of the article page)
- Run the following command:
Activation count on the KMS host is less than 5 (error 0xC004F038)
Before an Office client can successfully activate with a KMS server, the server must have activation requests from 5 or more computers with unique Client Machine IDs. Otherwise, KMS clients will encounter errors when attempting to activate. The error code returned by
Cscript Ospp.vbs /act on these clients will be
0xC004F038 and the error description is "
The Software Licensing Service reported that the computer could not be activated. The count reported by your Key Management Service (KMS) is insufficient. Please contact your system administrator."
To resolve this issue, you may just have to wait for more Office client activations to occur.
Please run the following command on your KMS
host to review the
Current count value provided under the
Key Management Service is enabled on this machine section of the output.
- Office 2013: cscript slmgr.vbs /dlv 2E28138A-847F-42BC-9752-61B03FFF33CD
- Office 2010: cscript slmgr.vbs /dlv BFE7A195-4F8F-4F0B-A622-CF13C7D16864
The ‘Current count’ value is a reflection of the number of Office clients that have attempted to activate with this host. You can see in the example shown in the following figure that there has only been one Office 2013 client activation attempt made with this KMS host.
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If you know there have been multiple activation requests from Office clients but the 'Current count' value does not increase with each activation attempt, the Office clients may have the same
Client Machine ID (
CMID). KMS activation determines client
uniqueness by the CMID value from each client, and if you used an imaging process that created Office clients with the same CMID, the 'Current count' value will not increase to the needed value of 5.
Use the following steps to determine the CMID value of an Office client.
- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
By default, the folder is:- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run the following command:
- Repeat steps 1-3 on another Office client to compare the CMID values.
- If the Office clients have the same CMID value, please see the following articles for possible solutions.
KMS activation request not answered by the Office KMS host (error 0xC004F039)
When you run the command
cscript ospp.vbs /act on an Office client, you receive an error
0xC004F039 and the error description text is "
The Software Protection Service reported that the computer could not be activated. The Key Management Service (KMS) is not enabled."
This error most commonly occurs when the TCP port (default = 1688) used by KMS is blocked or otherwise filtered and the client request is not answered by the KMS host. Therefore, you will probably want to start with the firewall on the KMS host being used by your Office clients.
If you are publishing SRV records in DNS for your KMS host(s), use the following command on any machine to see the DNS records.
nslookup -type=srv _vlmcs._tcp
The results will look similar to the following example:
Server: labsrv64.wingtiptoys.com
Address: 192.168.0.20
_vlmcs._tcp.Wingtiptoys.com SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 0
port = 1688
svr hostname = wingtip-dc.wingtiptoys.com
wingtip-dc.wingtiptoys.com internet address = 192.168.0.10These example results tell us multiple important items:
- DNS server = labsrv64.wingtiptoys.com
- KMS host server = wingtip-dc.wingtiptoys.com
- Port number for the KMS host = 1688 (TCP)
NOTE: If your results return multiple KMS host servers, you can examine the Application event log on an Office client to determine the exact KMS host server and port number used in the activation request. Filter the Application event log for Event ID =
12288 to see these events. The following figure is an example of an event 12288.
Collapse this imageExpand this image
You can then focus your troubleshooting on the specified server to make sure the port is open and the
KMS Activation Service has a firewall exception. In the Windows Firewall control panel, click
Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall to see the basic setting for the Key Management Service.
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You may have to manually check the Inbound and Outbound rules configured as well. In the Windows Firewall control panel, click
Advanced settings to access these advanced firewall rules.
Collapse this imageExpand this image
Also, notice the port number (1699) in the above example is a non-default port number for KMS activation. If your DNS configuration is using a port number other than the port number specified in this activation request, you will want to make sure the client is using the correct port number. If the port number is incorrect in the SRV record in DNS, then make the change there. However, if the Office client request indicates the wrong port number, the Office client may have been previously configured using switches for Ospp.vbs that control KMS host name and KMS port number used by the client.
The following switches for Ospp.vbs can be used to either set or reset the KMS host and KMS port on an Office client:
- /sethst:value
Set a KMS host name with the specified value. This value is stored in the registry of the Office client.
- /setprt:value
Set the KMS port number with the specified value. This value is stored in the registry of the Office client.
- /remhst
Remove the previously set KMS host name and port number from the registry of the Office client.
NOTE: If you are not using DNS to publish your KMS host server information, then you will want to use the above switches for Ospp.vbs to configure the correct KMS host (/sethst:value) and possibly the port number if using a port other than 1688 (/setprt:value) on each Office client.
The Office KMS host server is not activated (error 0xC004F041)
When you run the command
cscript ospp.vbs /act on an Office client, you receive an error
0xC004F041 and the error description text is "
The Software Licensing Service determined that the Key Management Service (KMS) is not activated. KMS needs to be activated. Please contact system administrator."
To resolve this problem, you will want to:
- Determine the KMS server used by Office activation
- On the Office client, open the Application Event log and filter the log on Event ID = 12288.
- Note the server name listed on the General tab for the latest event. This is the KMS host server used by Office activation.
The following example event log shows the KMS host server is Wingtip-dc.wingtiptoys.com and the port number is 1688 (TCP).
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- Ensure the KMS server used by the Office client is the correct server
If the KMS server found in the Event 12288 on the Office client is correct, then you can skip ahead to the next section "Review the configuration and activation status of the KMS host server".
If the KMS server found in Event 12288 is incorrect, then you will want to continue with the following steps.
- In a command-prompt window, run the following command:
nslookup -type=srv _vlmcs._tcp
Server: labsrv64.wingtiptoys.com
Address: 192.168.0.20
_vlmcs._tcp.Wingtiptoys.com SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 0
port = 1688
svr hostname = wingtip-dc2.wingtiptoys.com
wingtip-dc2.wingtiptoys.com internet address = 192.168.0.30- DNS server used to retrieve this information = labsrv64.wingtiptoys.com
- KMS host server = wingtip-dc2.wingtiptoys.com
NOTE: There may be more than one KMS server listed in the Nslookup results.
- Compare the KMS server name listed in the Event 12288 on the Office client with the KMS servers returned by the Nslookup tool.
- Server and in Event 12288 matches information returned by the Nslookup tool
If the server information found in the Event 12288 on the Office client matches the information returned by Nslookup, then you will want to have your DNS and KMS administrators ensure the specified KMS host server is correctly configured.
Please proceed to the next section "Review the configuration and activation status of the KMS host server".
- Server and port in Event 12288 does not match information returned by the Nslookup tool
If the server information found in the Event 12288 on the Office client does not match the information returned by Nslookup, then the Office client may have KMS information stored in the registry. For example:- There is no KMS server information returned by Nslookup
- The KMS server in Event 12288 is not listed in the Nslookup information
If the server found in the event 12288 data is the correct KMS host for Office clients, then proceed to the next section "Review the configuration and activation status of the KMS host server".
If the server found in the event 12288 data is not the correct KMS host for Office clients, then use the following steps to either remove or reconfigure the KMS server information in the registry on the Office client.- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run one or more of the following commands to either reconfigure or remove KMS host server details from the Office client.
- Configure the KMS host server name in the registry on the Office client
Cscript ospp.vbs /sethst:<hostname>
- Configure the KMS host port number in the registry on the Office client
Cscript ospp.vbs /setprt:<port#>
- Remove both KMS host server and KMS host port information from the registry
Please see the following resources for configuring KMS server information in the registry on an Office client.
Tools to configure client computers in Office 2010
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee624350(v=office.14).aspx)
Tools to manage Office 2013 volume activation
(http://technet.microsoft.com/library/ee624350(v=office.15).aspx#section1)
- Proceed to the next section "Review the configuration and activation status of the KMS host server".
- Review the configuration and activation status of the KMS host server
The last step is to ensure the KMS host server used by Office clients is fully activated.
- Open an elevated command-line window on your KMS host.
- Run the following command (based on your Office version):
- Office 2013
cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /dlv 2E28138A-847F-42BC-9752-61B03FFF33CD
- Office 2010
cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /dlv BFE7A195-4F8F-4F0B-A622-CF13C7D16864
- Examine the License Status value in the output.
A fully activated KMS host for Office will have a value of Licensed, as shown in the following example figure.
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An un-activated KMS host for Office will have a value of Unlicensed, as shown in the following example figure.
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If your KMS host for Office is unlicensed, please use the following resources to ensure you have the Office host files installed and you have properly activated your Office KMS host.
Office 2013
Prepare and set up the Office 2013 KMS host
(http://technet.microsoft.com/library/dn385356(v=Office.15).aspx)
Note, if you are sure you have properly installed the Office 2013 host files on your KMS host server and you have used the appropriate KMS host key for Office 2013, you can try the following command from an elevated command-prompt on your KMS host to activate the Office 2013 host.
Cscript slmgr.vbs /ato 2E28138A-847F-42BC-9752-61B03FFF33CD
Office 2010
Prepare and configure the KMS host
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee624357(v=office.14).aspx#section2)
section in the article Deploy volume activation of Office 2010
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee624357(v=office.14).aspx)
Note, if you are sure you have properly installed the Office 2010 host files on your KMS host server and you have used the appropriate KMS host key for Office 2010, you can try the following command from an elevated command-prompt to activate the Office 2010 host.
Cscript slmgr.vbs /ato BFE7A195-4F8F-4F0B-A622-CF13C7D16864
The KMS host server that was contacted does not support Office activation (error 0xC004F042)
When you run the command
cscript ospp.vbs /act on an Office client, you receive an error
0xC004F042 and the error description text is "
The Software Licensing Service determined that the specified Key Management Service (KMS) cannot be used."
This error occurs when a KMS client contacts a KMS host that cannot activate the client software. This can be common in mixed environments that contain application and operating system-specific KMS hosts.
The first step to fix this problem is to determine the name of the KMS host server contacted by the Office client. To do this, please use the following steps:
- On the Office client, open the Application Event log and filter the log on Event ID = 12288.
- Note the server name listed on the General tab for the latest event. This is the KMS host server contacted by Office activation.
The following example event log entry shows the KMS host server is
Wingtip-dc-wingtiptoys.com (and the port number is 1688 TCP).
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The next steps you take depend on whether the server found in the event 12288 is intended to support Office client activation or if it is only supposed to support KMS activation for Windows.
- KMS host found in event 12288 is intended to support Office client activation
If the KMS host specified in the event 12288 on the Office client is supposed to support KMS activation for Office clients, you will want to take the following steps on the KMS host to verify and correct its configuration.
- Open an elevated command-line window on your KMS host.
- Run the following command (based on your Office version):
- Office 2013
cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /dlv 2E28138A-847F-42BC-9752-61B03FFF33CD
- Office 2010
cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /dlv BFE7A195-4F8F-4F0B-A622-CF13C7D16864
- Examine the License Status value in the output.
A fully activated KMS host for Office will have a value of Licensed, as shown in the following example figure.
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An un-activated KMS host for Office will have a value of Unlicensed, as shown in the following example figure.
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If your KMS host for Office is unlicensed, please use the following resources to ensure you have the Office host files installed and you have properly activated your Office KMS host. - Once your KMS host is licensed for Office and it is publishing an SRV record to DNS, try once again to activate your Office client using the following command on the client from an elevated command-prompt.
- KMS host found in event 12288 is not intended to support Office client activation
If the KMS host that is specified in the event 12288 on the Office client is not intended to be used as an Office KMS host server, please use the following steps to determine the next course of action to take.- Determine if the KMS host server has an SRV record published to DNS by running the following command in a command-prompt window on the Office client.
nslookup -type=srv _vlmcs._tcp
Server: labsrv64.wingtiptoys.com
Address: 192.168.0.20
_vlmcs._tcp.Wingtiptoys.com SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 0
port = 1688
svr hostname = wingtip-dc2.wingtiptoys.com
wingtip-dc2.wingtiptoys.com internet address = 192.168.0.30 - Compare the KMS host server name found in the event 12288 with the server(s) that have SRV records in the results returned by the Nslookup tool.
- The KMS host server has an SRV record in DNS and this is a correct DNS configuration
In this scenario, there are KMS host servers publishing to DNS that are not configured for Office KMS activation. To activate Office clients in this topology you have two basic options:- Install the Office KMS host files on the server and then activate your KMS host
- Please use the following resources to install the Office host files and properly activated your Office KMS host.
- Office 2013: Prepare and set up the Office 2013 KMS host
(http://technet.microsoft.com/library/dn385356(v=Office.15).aspx)
- Office 2010: Prepare and configure the KMS host
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee624357(v=office.14).aspx#section2)
- Once you have activated your KMS host as an Office KMS host and it is publishing an SRV record to DNS, then you can activate your Office clients. In this configuration, the Office clients will be using the default KMS host lookup process through DNS.
- Configure your Office clients to activate without using DNS
If you cannot configure the KMS host(s) that are publishing SRV records in DNS for Office KMS activation, then you can use the following steps on Office clients to refer them directly to a specific Office KMS host server.- Identify the KMS host server(s) in your organization that are activated as Office KMS host(s).
If you do not yet have any KMS hosts activated as Office KMS hosts, please use the following resources to install the Office host files and properly activated your Office KMS host.
- Office 2013: Prepare and set up the Office 2013 KMS host
(http://technet.microsoft.com/library/dn385356(v=Office.15).aspx)
- Office 2010: Prepare and configure the KMS host
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee624357(v=office.14).aspx#section2)
Once you have activated your KMS host as an Office KMS host, then you can point your Office clients to this particular KMS host for Office activation (continue with step 2).
- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
By default, the folder is:
- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run the following command:
Cscript ospp.vbs /sethst:<hostname>
- Try again to activate your Office client.
- The KMS host server has an SRV record in DNS and this record should not exist
In this scenario, you will have to determine the reason for the existence of the SRV record.
For example, if the server is a decommissioned KMS host, then you will have to manually remove the SRV records from DNS. The steps required to remove a record from DNS vary. Please see your DNS administrator for assistance.
Or, if the server is still an active KMS host but it is not supposed to be publishing SRV records to DNS, then you will need to disable KMS host publishing on the KMS host. Use the following command from an elevated command-prompt window on the KMS host to disable KMS publishing to DNS:Cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /cdns
Once you have removed the DNS records for the KMS host servers that should not have SRV records published, try again to activate your Office clients.
- The Nslookup results did not include the KMS host server referenced in event 12288
If the Nslookup results did not include the KMS host server found in the event 12288 on the Office client, then the Office client more than likely has been configured to use a specific KMS host in the client registry. Use the following steps to either force Office to activate with a different Office KMS host or to remove the registry data referencing the incorrect KMS host.- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run one of the following commands, depending on the desired change.
- Stop using the current KMS host specified in the registry and instead use DNS to locate an Office KMS host :
Note, after running the above command, make sure the KMS host servers listed in the Nslookup results are configured as Office KMS hosts.
- Specify a different KMS host for the Office client to use for activation (without using DNS):
Cscript ospp.vbs /sethst:<hostname>
- Attempt to activate your Office client.
The Office client was unable to reach a KMS host server (error 0xC004F074)
When you run the command
cscript ospp.vbs /act on an Office client, you receive an error
0xC004F074 and the error description text is "
The Software Licensing Service reported that the computer could not be activated. No Key Management Service (KMS) could be contacted. Please see the Application Event Log for additional information."
The resolution to this error depends on your installation:
- Office 2013 is installed on a computer that is also configured as a KMS host
Click here if you are attempting to activate Office 2013 on a computer that is also a KMS host
- Office 2013 is installed on a computer that is not also a KMS host
Click here if you are attempting to activate Office 2013 on a computer that is not also a KMS host
Note: If you are not sure if your computer with Office 2013 has been installed on the same computer as a KMS host, please use steps 1 & 2 under
Office 2013 is installed on a computer that is not also a KMS host to determine the name of the KMS host being used.
If it is the same computer name as your Office 2013 client, then follow all of the steps under Office 2013 is installed on a computer configured as a KMS host.
Otherwise, continue following the steps under Office 2013 is installed on a computer that is not also a KMS host.
In this configuration, activating Office 2013 on a computer that is also configured as a KMS host will fail.
To resolve this problem, follow the steps in either of the following methods.
Method 1: Activate Office by using a Multiple Activation Key (MAK)
One solution to this problem is to activate this Office client by using a MAK key instead of using KMS. You can follow these steps to activate the Office client by using a MAK key.
NOTE: If you use a MAK key, Office 2013 client computers are activated online by using the Microsoft hosted activation servers or by telephone.
- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
By default, the folder is:- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office, or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Run the following command on a computer where a different Office client has already been successfully activated by using KMS:
Cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus
- Note the Partial Key value in the results returned by the command in step 3, and then return to the computer where you are trying to activate Office.
- Run the following command:
cscript ospp.vbs /unpkey:xxxxx
- Run the following command:
NOTE: Replace <MAK key> in the above command with your 25-digit MAK key and include the dashes (xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx)
Please see the Volume Licensing Service Center at the following address if you have any questions about how to obtain MAK keys.
Volume Licensing Service Center
(https://www.microsoft.com/Licensing/servicecenter/default.aspx)
Method 2: Activate Office by using a different KMS hostIf you have
more than one KMS host in your organization, you can configure your Office client to point to a specific KMS host by using the following steps.
NOTE: You must change the host computer being used by the client where you cannot activate Office to a different KMS host. If you only have one KMS host available, you will have to use MAK activation (see Method 1 above).
- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
By default, the folder is:- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office, or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Run the following command:
Cscript Ospp.vbs /sethst:<FQDN of the KMS host>
NOTE 2: To determine whether the KMS host that you specify has the Office 2013 volume license pack installed and activated, run the following command on that particular KMS host server from an elevated command-prompt.Cscript slmgr.vbs /dlv 2E28138A-847F-42BC-9752-61B03FFF33CD
Prepare and set up the Office 2013 KMS host
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn385356.aspx)
- If you have verified the target KMS host is ready to handle Office 2013 activation, then run the following command on your Office client to attempt activation.
Office 2013 is installed on a computer that is not also a KMS hostIn this configuration, error 0xC004F074 occurs because Office activation contacted a KMS host server but the server does not exist, or there is no KMS service running on that server, or the required update is not installed on that server.
Use the following steps to first determine the KMS Host server used by Office for KMS activation:
- On the Office client, open the Application Event log and filter the log on Event ID = 12288.
- Note the server name listed on the General tab for the latest event. This is the server used by Office activation.
The following example event log shows the KMS host server is Wingtip-dc.wingtiptoys.com and the port number is 1699 (TCP).
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<
Windows 8.1 clients only>
If your Office client is on a computer with Windows 8.1, the next step is to review the first error code in that same Event log entry (ID=12288). The location of the error code is shown in the following figure.
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If the error code shown in the event is
0x8007000D, then your KMS Host server does not have the following update installed:
Update adds support for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 clients to Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2012 KMS hosts
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2885698
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2885698)
Please install the above update on the KMS Host server identified in the event 12288. Then, try again to activate your Office client.
<All Windows clients>If your Office installation meets either of the following criteria, then continue with the steps in this section.
- The Windows version is anything other than Windows 8.1
- The Windows version is Windows 8.1, but you do not see error 0x8007000D in event 12288
The next step in troubleshooting this problem is to identify the means by which Office activation is determining the KMS host server to use. The KMS host server information may be coming from the Windows registry on the Office client or it may be coming from DNS.
Use the following steps to first examine the KMS server information that is (or is not) being published to DNS.
- In a command-prompt window, run the following command:
nslookup -type=srv _vlmcs._tcp
Server: labsrv64.wingtiptoys.com
Address: 192.168.0.20
_vlmcs._tcp.Wingtiptoys.com SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 0
port = 1688
svr hostname = wingtip-dc.wingtiptoys.com
wingtip-dc.wingtiptoys.com internet address = 192.168.0.10- DNS server used to retrieve this information = labsrv64.wingtiptoys.com
- KMS host server = wingtip-dc.wingtiptoys.com
- Port number for KMS = TCP 1688
NOTE: There may be more than one KMS server listed in the Nslookup results.
- Compare the KMS server name and port number listed in the Event 12288 on the Office client with the KMS servers and port numbers returned by the Nslookup tool.
Telnet request to KMS host server failed over the currently configured port
In order for KMS activation to succeed, the Office activation process must be able to reach a KMS host over a specific port. If the KMS host is unreachable, you want to determine the server and port details being used by the Office client for KMS activation and then use the Telnet tool to verify the KMS activation port is open between the client and KMS host.
- Determine the KMS host and port used by an Office client for KMS activation
The first step in troubleshooting connection issues between an Office client and a KMS host is to determine the name of the KMS host and port number being used by Office activation.
- On the Office client, open the Application Event log and filter the log on Event ID = 12288.
- Note the server name and port number listed on the General tab for the latest event. This is the KMS host server used by Office activation.
The following example event log shows the KMS host server is Wingtip-dc.wingtiptoys.com and the port number is 1688 (TCP).
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- From a command-prompt window on the Office client, run the following command:NOTE: Replace hostname and port with the details from the event 12288 on the Office client.
On some versions of Windows, you may have to first install the Telnet client before you can use it. For example, use the steps below on a Windows 7 client.
- Click the Start button , click Control Panel, click Programs, and then click Turn Windows features on or off.
- If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
- In the Windows Features dialog box, select the Telnet Client check box, and then click OK.
If the Office client is unable to reach the specified host over the port number, the Telnet tool will return an error similar to the following example.Connecting to wingtip-dc...Could not open connection to the host, on port 1689: Connect failed
- Determine the port number configured on the KMS host
You can use the following steps on your KMS host to determine the currently configured port number for KMS activation.
- Open an elevated command-line window on your KMS host.
- Run the following command (based on your Office version):
- Office 2013:
cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /dlv 2E28138A-847F-42BC-9752-61B03FFF33CD
- Office 2010:
cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /dlv BFE7A195-4F8F-4F0B-A622-CF13C7D16864
- Examine the value specified on the Listening on Port line in the output.
The following example output shows a KMS host configured to use port 1689, which is a non-default port.
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- Ensure the port number specified in the output is the correct number and also make sure your firewall has correctly configured rules for this port.
NOTE 1: Use the following command on your KMS host if you need to specify a different port number.
Cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /sprt <port#>
NOTE 2: If the port number being used by your Office client is different from the one configured on the KMS host, you will need to reconfigure your settings so they match. The Office client can either get its port number from a DNS query or it can get it from the registry on the Office client. Use the steps in the next sub-section to first examine the SRV records found in DNS.
- Determine the KMS host server name and port number published to DNS
By default, Office clients use a DNS query to locate SRV records containing KMS host names and port numbers. Use the following steps to review any SRV records currently found in DNS.
- In a command-prompt window, run the following command:
nslookup -type=srv _vlmcs._tcp
Server: labsrv64.wingtiptoys.com
Address: 192.168.0.20
_vlmcs._tcp.Wingtiptoys.com SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 0
port = 1689
svr hostname = wingtip-dc.wingtiptoys.com
wingtip-dc2.wingtiptoys.com internet address = 192.168.0.30
- Examine the server hostname(s) and port number(s) specified in the output from the Nslookup tool.
- If your KMS host servers are using the default configuration where publishing to DNS is enabled, then make any necessary changes to the KMS host configuration so updated DNS records get published (see the previous section Determine the port number configured on the KMS host for details).
- If your KMS host servers are configured to not publish information do DNS, then you will have to make any DNS changes manually. See your DNS administrator for details on making these changes.
If your KMS host and DNS configuration settings are correct, then you will probably want to examine settings on the Office client. The next sub-section provides the relevant troubleshooting steps for an Office client.
- Reconfigure Office client registry information containing KMS host name and port number
If your KMS host is configured correctly, and your firewall rules are open for the right port, and your DNS records are correct, then you can use the following steps on your Office client to either reconfigure or remove KMS information stored in the client registry.
- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
By default, the folder is:
- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run one or more of the following commands to either reconfigure or remove KMS host server details from the Office client.
- Remove the KMS host server and the KMS host port number
It might be best to first remove a KMS host server name and port number currently stored in the registry. To do this, use the following command:NOTE: If the Office client does not have the KMS host server name and port number stored in the registry, running the above command will simply run without making any changes.
- Configure the KMS host server name
If you are using the default KMS activation functionality of DNS querying for KMS hosts, then you do not need to specify the KMS host server on your Office client. However, if you are not using this DNS functionality for KMS activation, then you will need to specify the name of an activated KMS host using the following command:Cscript ospp.vbs /sethst:<hostname>
- Configure the KMS host port number
If you are using the default KMS activation functionality of DNS querying for KMS hosts, then you do not need to specify the KMS host port on your Office client. However, if you are not using this DNS functionality for KMS activation, then you will need to specify the KMS host port if your KMS host is using a non-default port (default = 1688). Use the following command to specify the port number used for KMS activation by a client.Cscript ospp.vbs /setprt:<port#>
If you are sure your KMS host, DNS, and Office client configuration is correct, then you will want to examine your firewall rules to make sure they allow KMS activation communication over the specified port. The next sub-section provides some details on the Windows firewall.
- Examine firewall rules to ensure KMS activation can occur over the configured port
Use the following steps to examine the firewall rules provided by Windows Firewall on a KMS host running Windows Server 2008 R2. Please see the documentation for other versions of Windows or for any third-party firewalls you may be using in your environment.
- On the Start menu, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
- Select Inbound Rules in the left panel.
- In the list of Inbound Rules, double-click Key Management Service (TCP-In) with Profile = Domain.
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- On the General tab, make sure the rule is Enabled and that the Action = Allow the connection. Click OK after making any changes.
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No SRV records returned by NSLookup
By default, KMS clients use the automatic discovery feature and query DNS for a list of servers that have published the _VLMCS record within the membership zone of the client. DNS returns the list of KMS hosts in a random order. The client then picks a KMS host and tries to establish a session on it. If this attempt works, the client (with default settings) caches the name of the KMS host server and tries to use it for the next renewal attempt. If the session setup fails, the client picks another server randomly. Therefore, in order for Office clients to successfully activate using the default KMS behavior/configuration, you will want to make sure DNS has an appropriate SRV record for your KMS host(s).
Use the following steps on an Office client to determine the SRV records, if any, published to DNS.
- Open a command-prompt window on your Office client.
- Run the following command:
nslookup -type=all _vlmcs._tcp
- Examine the output.
If you have an SRV record for your KMS host, the output will contain an entry similar to the following example:_vlmcs._tcp.contoso.com SRV service location:
priority = 0
weight = 0
port = 1688
svr hostname = kms-server.contoso.com
If there are no SRV records found in DNS, then the next steps you take depend on your KMS configuration and DNS topology.
- KMS host should be publishing records to DNS
If your KMS host should be publishing an SRV record to DNS, but you do not find a record, use the following steps on your KMS host to examine its configuration and possibly make configuration changes.
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.
NOTE: The following steps apply to a KMS host on a machine with Windows Server 2008 R2. The registry path for the DisableDnsPublishing value may be different on other versions of Windows. If you are unable to locate the DisableDnsPublishing value using the registry key path specified below, please search the registry under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive for DisableDnsPublishing to see if it exists on your KMS host.
- Locate and then select the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform
- Examine the values listed under this key to see if the following item exists.
DWORD: DisableDnsPublishing
Use the following chart to determine if your KMS host is configured to publish an SRV record to DNS.
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| Value of DisableDNSPublishing | DNS publishing is enabled or disabled |
| 1 | Disabled |
| 0 | Enabled |
DisableDNSPublishing value does not exist
(Note, this is the default KMS host configuration) | Enabled |
The next steps you take depend on whether DNS publishing is enabled or disabled on your KMS host.- DNS publishing is not enabled
If DNS publishing is not enabled on your KMS host, use the following steps to enable publishing.
- Open an elevated command-line window on your KMS host.
- Run the following command:
Cscript c:\Windows\System32\slmgr.vbs /sdns
- Restart the Software Protection service on your KMS host.
- DNS publishing is enabled
If DNS publishing is enabled on your KMS host but you do not find an SRV record in DNS, then your DNS Server service may not support dynamic updates. In this scenario, the "VLMCS._TCP, SRV" record may be manually registered. To manually create a KMS SRV record in a Microsoft DNS server, follow these steps
- On the DNS server, open DNS Manager.
- Click the DNS server where you have to create the SRV resource record.
- In the console tree, expand Forward Lookup Zones , right-click the domain, and then click Other New Records.
- Scroll down the list, click Service Location (SRV) , and then click Create Record .
- Enter the following details:
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| Parameter | Value |
| Service | _VLMCS |
| Protocol | _TCP |
| Port number | 1688 |
| Host offering the service | <FQDN of the KMS host> |
- Click OK and then click Done.
Note If your organization uses a non-Microsoft DNS server, you can create the needed SRV records using the following details as long as the DNS server is BIND 9.x compliant.
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| Parameter | Value |
| Name | _vlmcs.TCP |
| Type | SRV |
| Priority | 0 |
| Weight | 0 |
| Port | 1688 |
| Hostname | <FQDN of the KMS host> |
Also, to configure a BIND 9.x DNS server to support KMS auto-publishing, configure the BIND server to enable resource record updates from KMS hosts. For example, add the following line to the zone definition in Named.conf or in Named.conf.local:Note: The Priority and Weight fields are not used by KMS and are ignored by the KMS client. However, they must be included in the zone file
- KMS host should not be publishing records to DNS
If you have intentionally disabled DNS publishing by your KMS host, you will need to manually register the SRV record in DNS. In this scenario, use the steps provided in the previous sub-section to manually configure your DNS settings. Click here to jump to the steps.
An alternative approach to manually creating DNS records for your KMS host(s) is to configure each Office client with the name of the KMS host. This information is stored in the registry on the client and you will have to run the Ospp.vbs script on each client to make this configuration change. Use the following steps if this is the solution you elect to use for your environment.- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office (2010 or 2013) client.
- Change to the folder in which Ospp.vbs is located.
- 32-bit Windows + 32-bit Office or 64-bit Windows + 64-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14
- 64-bit Windows + 32-bit Office
- Office 2013: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15
- Office 2010: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office14
- Run the following command:
Cscript ospp.vbs /sethst:<value>
- (Optional) If you also need to configure a port other than the default (1688), then run the following command:
Cscript ospp.vbs /setprt:<port>
KMS host caching is not enabled on the Office client
By default, KMS clients query DNS for KMS service information. The first time a KMS client queries DNS for KMS service information, it randomly chooses a KMS host from the list of SRV RRs that DNS returns. If the KMS host that a client selects does not respond to an activation request, the KMS client removes that KMS host from its local list of SRV RRs and randomly selects another KMS host from the list. When a KMS host responds, the KMS client caches the name of the KMS host and uses this host for subsequent activation and renewal attempts. If the cached KMS host does not respond on a subsequent renewal, the KMS client discovers a new KMS host by querying DNS again for KMS SRV RRs.
The default configuration for a KMS client is to have KMS host caching enabled. Disabling DNS caching is not necessarily problematic, but we recommend you leave it enabled unless your Office clients experience activation issues with host caching enabled.
You can use the following steps to re-enable KMS host caching on a KMS client:
- Open an elevated command-line window on your Office client.
- Run the following command:
Cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /skhc
Product Key has been blocked (error 0xC004C003)
When you run the command
cscript ospp.vbs /act on an Office client, you receive the error
0xC004C003 and the error description text is "
The activation server determined the specified product key has been blocked."
This error can occur if you are trying to activate a product that does not require activation. For example, the following products will generate this error when you attempt to activate them through KMS.
LICENSE NAME: Office 14, OfficeStarter-ByPass edition
LICENSE NAME: Office 14, OfficeAccessRuntime-ByPass edition
LICENSE NAME: Office 14, OfficeSPD-ByPass edition
LICENSE NAME: Office 14, OfficeProPlusSub-SubPrepid edition
Note, the above items are what you would see in the output from running
cscript ospp.vbs /act .
There is no need to activate these particular products, so the 0xC004C003 error can be ignored for them.
'Product was activated but the owner should verify the Product Use Rights' informational warning (error 0x4004F040)When you run the command
cscript ospp.vbs /act on an Office client, you receive the error
0x4004F040 and the error description text is "
The Software Licensing Service reported that the product was activated but the owner should verify the Product Use Rights."
If the 'License Status' value in the Ospp..vbs output is
LICENSED, then your Office license is correctly established and this error can safely be ignored.
