SLMgr Commands and Options with Windows Vista Product Key Activation

Windows Vista incorporates enhance anti piracy feature in the form of Software Protection Platform that incorporates Windows Product Activation (WPA) and Windows Genuine Advantage Validation for retail users. Beside, corporate customers with volume licensing agreement now also have to activate each of the computers in their network under Volume Activation 2.0 with either Multiple Activation Keys (MAK) or on-premise volume license key-management service (KMS) host or server for networked environments with 25 or more machines. Beside, OEM computer products preinstalled in factory is protected with System Locked Preinstallation (SLP 2.0) where BIOS is included with signed Windows Marker and SLIC table for instant activation. All these activation processes make use of Software Licensing Manager (SLMgr) module in Windows Vista, a VBScript called slmgr.vbs that keeps track of licensing details.

SLMgr script allows users to query the current installation and see details about Windows Vista installation and its activation and licensing status. slmgr.vbs can also be used to input or change 25-character product key that determines which Vista edition allowed to install and activate, and which also tells the Setup program whether you’ve purchased a full or upgrade license. To activate online or against KMS server users or Windows Vista GUI need to make use of the SLMgr module too.

Most of the licensing operating in Windows Vista can be done via graphical user interface. If you’re power user, you can access to all options, flags and settings of the slmgr.vbs command script. To run the script, logon with an user account with administrator rights, and open an elevated Command Prompt window.

The syntax and options that are available for slmgr.vbs command:

Syntax of SLMgr

slmgr [machinename [username password]] [option]

machinename is local or remote computer or PC that wants to administer. By default, if no machine name, user name and password is specified, current local machine is assumed.

username is administrator equivalent user account to login into the computer.

password is password for the user account.

Example: slmgr vista_computer administrator password -dli

Options of SLMgr

slmgr -dli (display the current license information of Windows Vista with activation status and last 5 characters of partial product key)

slmgr -dlv (stands for display license information, verbose, similar to -dli switch but with more information)

slmgr -ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx (enter a new or replace the current product key with the new product key supplied at xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx)

slmgr -xpr (shows expiration date of current license state if Windows Vista is not permanently activated)

slmgr -upk (uninstall current installed product key and return license status back to trial state)

slmgr -ato (activate Windows Vista license and product key against Microsoft’s server)

slmgr -skms activationservername

slmgr -skms port

slmgr -skms activationservername:port (set the KMS server and the port used for KMS activation for Windows Vista Business edition and Windows Vista Enterprise edition)

For example: slmgr -skms 192.168.1.1:8888 or slmgr -skms KMSHost:8090

slmgr -rearm (reset the licensing status and activation state of the machine)

slmgr -ckms (clear the name of KMS server used to default and port to default)

Note: If when you enter slmgr command and an error returns that ’slmgr’ is not a recognized internal or external command, the cause is due to \Windows\System32 directory is not inside your environment’s path. Simply type the full path of (assuming C: is Windows Vista volume) C:\Windows\System32\slmgr, or change directory to \Windows\System32 before issuing the slmgr command.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, March 4th, 2007 at 9:50 pm and is filed under Windows Vista. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.