Mar 4, 2007
My Digital Life Editorial Team

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 -dli

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

slmgr -dlv

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 -xpr

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.

Related posts:

  1. Crack to Activate Windows Vista as OEM for Acer Motherboard/BIOS
  2. Windows Vista Brute Force Product Key Keygen for Activation
  3. Hack to Activate Windows Vista with VLK Product Key with Patched KMS Server
  4. Activate Windows Vista RTM 6000 by Phone Activation with CPP Product Key from RC1 or Beta Release
  5. Official Way to Install and Use Windows Vista without Activation for Free for 120 Days

6 Comments

  • I am so confused. All I know is that I got this laptop (HP G70) as an 18th birthday present from my dad who bought it in New Jersey I believe and it is a genuine Windows Vista Home Premium. I just started having trouble with it maybe a couple months ago saying an unauthorized change was made to the system with error: 0x0C004D401 and I have no idea what to do because now I just got a notification that I have 30 days to fix the "not genuine" issue and the validation check process at: http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/validate/?displa… won't ever finish. I really need help and I want to access my computer like normal! I DO have a genuine Windows Vista bought from a U.S. store. Please help me! Thank you!

    • You can try to use product key printed on the sticker to activate the system if you lost OEM activation.

  • is dat true

  • a little off topic

    can you rearm the slmgr

    so that you can reset the 30 day activation thing

    ma buddy told me that you can

    go into admin cmd and tipe

    slmgr -rearm and reset it

  • [...] Quote: Originally Posted by GophaKyorselv 1.5… Yes and it really does not work! Run this command from an elevated command prompt.slmgr -dlv You will get something that loks like this: It will show that there still is an expiration date. It does make it active and does remove it from Winver but it still will expire. Source [...]

  • [...] a product key is found, try to activate Windows Vista with the following SLMgr command to see if the product key been accepted by Microsoft activation system and able to pass WGA [...]

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