You can create a new database while providing the correct SQL server name and the SQL instance. When you first run the tool, it needs to connect to the database.After installation completes, run the tool from start.You can download the package to the installing server or on a separate server.
So, with each Windows 10 update cycle, ADK version is getting updated. VAMT package comes with Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit, this is basically supported with tools for Windows 10.Click next until the wizard completed successfully.Run the setup and select new SQL installation and proceed with the wizard.After download click Open folder and run the setup to extract the files.Select Express Advanced and click Download.Run the downloaded setup and click download media.Navigate to the following URL and click download SQL Express 2017.Here I’m downloading and installing SQL express 2017.
When comparing with the previous version, latest VAMT requires you to download and install SQL database as a prerequisite, if you have SQL server you can use it or you can use the SQL Express version which is free to use. Activations can be proxied through the VAMT installed machine, which means end-user machines does not require an internet connection. The tool can be loaded with your volume licensing keys and when required each machine can be queried for its license state and activate from the preloaded keys. VAMT can manage volume activation using Multiple Activation Keys (MAKs) or the Windows Key Management Service (KMS). What is VAMT - Microsoft Volume Activation Management Toolkit is a free tool to manage and apply Microsoft licenses over the network. So, in this article, I will update my previous post ( here) with the changes so you can use the latest VAMT. However, with the new releases of the VAMT, there have been slight changes to the implementations and license configurations. It has become a very popular topic and I got good feedback on the article.
Configuring clients for KMS activation ( and the required KMS infrastructure on your network) is most appropriate for client devices that rarely if ever leave the corporate network.A few years back I wrote a comprehensive guide on how to install, configure and activate product licenses using VAMT 3.1 tool ( here). The disadvantage is that KMS clients must reconnect to the licensing server on semi-regular basis. Eventually expired activations return to the KMS server and increase the available activation count. The advantage of this method is that you can’t permanently waste KMS keys through a constant cycle of re-imaging or OS reinstallation.
The “activation count” will automatically increase on the Software Licensing server and the client will see itself as not activated until it reconnects to the server and reactivates. KMS activations expire after a set period (180 days). Your clients will use DNS to find the licensing server and activate against it instead of connecting to Microsoft’s licensing service over the Internet. This is the only device that will actually need to connect to the Internet to verify its product key. You must configure a server within your corporate network with the Software Licensing Service and your KMS key. We configure KMS Clients (Windows Vista, 7, or 8 devices) with a generic product key that tells the Activation process to activate using KMS. The difference lies in how we configure and process KMS activation. Like MAK keys KMS keys are good for a specific number of activations. MAK is most appropriate on clients that spend a significant amount of time disconnected from the corporate network. Because activation counts are not “returned” when you wipe a hard drive or reinstall your operating system, MAK keys are best suited for situations where machines are not reinstalled or re-imaged often. When you try to activate your MAK-configured software it will connect to Microsoft’s activation service, verify the key, and subtract 1 from the number of activations still available. You configure a MAK key by typing it in during Windows Setup or by changing it through the System dialog after installation. Each MAK key is a good for a specific number of device activations.
When Microsoft released Windows Vista they also released a new volume licensing model using two different types of software license keys: MAK and KMS. It is provided as-is, and we will no longer provide support on this topic. Reich Web Consulting has narrowed it’s focus to the web and no longer offers tech support services, so we’ve moved all of our tech support content off site. Note: This article was originally written on.