Windows 7 Enterprise Key showing as non-genuine

We're fighting with this too at the moment. We actually had our KMS server die, and so I'm trying to rebuild the infrastructure. The way I understand it if you're using an MAK key you have to have either a KMS host or a MAK proxy running on your network. Win7 does a periodic check to see if it still valid and if it can't access the KMS host then it will announce that it is invalid. You'll probably need to put up a KMS host.

Here is the TechNet section on KMS hosts: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff793419

During the activation process, (or just prior to it) you have the option to change key or provide a different key.... Select that (sorry I can't recall the exact phrase).... so choose "Change Product Key" and re-enter the same key (your enterprise one) and try again......  

Also found this http://support.microsoft.com/kb/974998 which might help?  (if different than the above link I now see has been provided)

Whenever we have had a problem with activation looking for KMS (we don't have one), the following KB article's "Method 1" has worked every time.  Hope it helps!

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929826

We use MAK keys and have never had a KMS server.  KMS is optional.  If you push out Windows to a ton of machines and don't want to have to go around and activate each one by hand, you can open up KMS and activate all of them, or have it done automatically.  You can even switch keys from the KMS server to numerous machines.  Very handy in a large environment.  

Alex, try this command:

slmgr /dli

That will display your current licensing status.  

I would try, as Kelly suggested, re-entering the product key.  That has fixed most issues for me.  I do know that some updates have broken the activation for some machines here, but not all.  Very weird.  Re-entering the key worked every time so far.  

Hi guys I've just tryed to retype my Keys and for some reason they all start with 0 (Zero), when attempting to type a 0 (Zero) then it says "unexpected key", as in it's asking for a Letter first so I put a O and it still didn't allow this..

What am I meant to do now.

Try the COA below the UPC code, not the number above it......  (I just looked at one and the number starting with the 0, at least on the one I am looking at, is not the COA)

Still havn't figured out a way, I just re-imaged the machines ^^

Alex.Gibbs wrote:

Still havn't figured out a way, I just re-imaged the machines ^^

you re-imaged just to change a key?

Yeah, it was a new PC anyway only mounted last week to give to one of our new staff starting on the 9th so it was quicker :)

I had mistaken the Product ID for the key in the first place which was the problem, so I was a bit of an idiot really.... damn those busy days

The other thing is KMS won't even work until you try to activate a key 25 times I believe is the magic number for workstations.  I know you don't use KMS, but I thought I would throw this out there, for anyone who runs across this.