NOTE: This information is only for the Enterprise edition of Vista obtained via the Campus Agreement and does not apply to the Ultimate edition of Vista. Windows Vista Ultimate uses retail activation (i.e. each set of media uses it's own unique key) and does not work with the KMS activation method. NSIT recommends using Vista Ultimate for any covered machine that will not be on campus and connected to the campus netwotk.
With Windows Vista, Microsoft has rolled out a new licensing procedure. Prior volume-license versions of Windows (such as those we have used here at the University of Chicago via the Campus Agreement) used a single volume license key. If the volume-license key from these earlier versions of Windows were to somehow be used by pirated versions, there was no way to invalidate that key without invalidating all copies of Windows installed using that key. Microsoft has introduced a new system for activation that no longer requires distribution and entering of such keys, called KMS (Key Management Service).
For systems that are connected to the University of Chicago network (wired, wireless or via VPN), Vista machines will activate via the KMS server supported by NSIT. This will simplify administration and minimize the likelihood that our license keys will be used by unauthorized parties. Once the steps listed later in this document are taken, no further action will be required to activate Vista machines. KMS activation does not require that the system contact Microsoft for activation, nor will any action be required if the hardware changes, but KMS activation will only work for machines connected to the University of Chicago network - you will not be able to activate with our KMS from off-campus unless you connect via the VPN.
For systems that are not connected to the University of Chicago network, or in cases where firewall rules are required that block access to the KMS server, the option to obtain a different editions of Windows Vista exists. Our Campus Agreement permits Faculty and Staff to also use the Vista Ultimate version of Windows, so this can be used in cases where KMS activation is not possible or undesirable. Vista Ultimate media uses retail activation , which means that each set of Windows Vista Ultimate media comes with it's own unique key that permits only ONE activation - you cannot install on multiple machines from one set of media, nor can you move the installation from one machine to another. If you choose to use Vista Ultimate for your on-campus Vista installations, you will need to purchase one set of media for each machine you want to install Vista Ultimate on.
For Deparmental IT groups planning a sizable deployment of systems off-campus or otherwise not connected to the University network, other options may be possible please contact the NSIT Site Licensing Office about this.
Windows Vista Enterprise must be activated within 30 days of installation. Three days after having been installed, the Vista Enterprise installation will begin attempting to contact a KMS and continue trying every two hours until it successfully activates. If you are connected to the campus network via NSIT-operated wireless or DHCP, then your Vista Enterprise installation should find the KMS automatically and activate. If your machine belongs to an Active Directory Domain which is aware of the location of the KMS, then your Vista Enterprise installation should find the KMS automatically and activate. If your machine does not belong to an Active Directory Domain and is using a static IP, you will need to ensure that you have properly configured Windows Vista Enterprise with sufficient information about the default domain it belongs to, so it can locate the KMS and activate. Once Vista Enterprise has successfully activated via the KMS it will remain activated for 180 days and attempt to renew this activation once every seven days.
Unlike the prior Departmental versions of Windows distributed on campus, Windows Vista does not require a license key to complete the installation. Following installation, Vista enters a grace period and will function normally for up to 30 days before it enters a reduced-functionality mode (RFM). To ensure full-functionality following the grace period the computer must be activated by the KMS prior to the end of the 30-day grace period. A client in RFM can only browse the web using the default browser set for their profile - no other programs can be run, nor can any other data on the machine be accessed. While in RFM, you cannot add/change/modify network connections (i.e. initiate a VPN connection, change the wireless SSID/network you are using, change IP address, etc.) so unless you are already on the uchicago.edu network with Vista able to locate and communicate with the KMS, going into RFM while connected off-campus will REQUIRE an OS re-installation.
When a Windows Vista Enterprise machine is attached to a network, it will attempt to activate automatically by looking for a KMS server using the DNS information it has been configured to use. The DNS servers operated by NSIT have had the KMS service record published into them for the domains over which NSIT has control, which are:
Windows Vista Enterprise installations attempt to determine their domain for the purposes of KMS Activation through a variety of methods. If the Vista installation has been joined to an Active Directory domain, then it will check with the AD for the KMS name - the NSIT operated ad.uchicago.edu contains the KMS server information (Administrators of other Active Directory domains will need to add the KMS record to their domains for automatic KMS discovery to work). Vista Enterprise installations which belong to no Active Directory domain, but which use the NSIT DNS servers and are in one of the domains listed above should automatically discover the KMS, but need to have their domain suffix set correctly. Non-AD Vista installations connected to the network via the DHCP servers operated by NSIT - this includes wireless connections - should have their domain suffix set correctly and automatically discover the KMS and activate. Non-AD Vista installations configured with static IPs may need to have their domain suffix set manually for automatic KMS discovery to work. You can manually set the domain suffix as follows:
From the Start Menu, go to Control Panel → System and Maintenance → System
In the "Computer name, domain, and work group settings" section, click Change settings. The Systems Properties screen appears with the Computer Name tab open.
Click on Change. The Computer Name/Domain Changes screen appears.
Click on More. The Primary DNS Suffix should show uchicago.edu (or one of the domains listed above). If it doesn’t, enter uchicago.edu (or one of the domains listed above) and click OK.
You can also identify what you have set for the <default-domain-name> by running the ipconfig program on the Vista machine and looking at the Connection-specific DNS Suffix.
If the KMS is found and can be reached, the Vista machine will request a six-month activation. At no point in this process does the Vista client machine communicate with Microsoft regarding activation. After one week, the Vista machine will automatically try to obtain a new six-month activation from the KMS server. So long as the KMS server is available, the Vista machine will always remain activated. If the Vista machine is unable to reach the KMS prior to the expiration of the six-month activation, it will enter a 30-day grace period, following which it will enter a reduced-functionality mode (RFM).
To find Vista Enterprise's current activation status and activate it:
Go to Control Panel → System and Maintenance → System. The View basic information about your computer screen appears.
If Vista is already activated, the last section on the screen, Windows Activation, displays the message "Windows is activated."
If Vista is not activated, the screen shows the number of days remaining in the grace period to get activated.
Click the Activate Windows now link. The Activate Windows now screen appears.
Click Activate Windows online now. The next screen confirms that the activation was successful.