Windows 2012r2 Cant Activate Try Again Later

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I left out some details above. After step ix I cloned the VM using vCenter and and so powered information technology up.

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I'yard confused, which i never activated? the original or the clone?

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Neither would activate automatically. I kept receiving the error about the wrong key even though the fundamental works with telephone activation.

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Then you lot demand to speak to Microsoft or your reseller most it, at that place is little we can do to assistance as information technology's going to be downwards to Microsoft's activation servers.

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I am not looking for assist here. I was only attempting to consolidate the knowledge that I gained over the past several days and then that it might provide some help to someone else with similar issues.

I am slowly trudging along in creating the multiple VMs and activating them by phone.

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That fault usually indicates that the cardinal doesn't match the media blazon you are using. Trying to use a VL key with oem media so forth.

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I fifty-fifty tried various different disks/ISOs to no avail.

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I'd notice out why activation is falling. If this is a VL license and you downloaded the iso from the VLSC, I'd contact Microsoft and accept so generate a new key. If OEM I'd tell the hardware vendor that the key they provided is non working.

Eventually you lot are going to have activation issues, even going the telephone route.

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haultj wrote:

Neither would activate automatically. I kept receiving the error about the incorrect fundamental even though the fundamental works with phone activation.

Not sure if this is the same thing, only there'due south a post in the Windows 7 group about online activation being down correct now. Information technology'southward a known result and MS is working on it.

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Da_Schmoo wrote:

I'd find out why activation is falling. If this is a VL license and you downloaded the iso from the VLSC, I'd contact Microsoft and have then generate a new key. If OEM I'd tell the hardware vendor that the fundamental they provided is not working.

Eventually you are going to accept activation bug, fifty-fifty going the telephone route.

That would suck if information technology happened. I am planning on betwixt 8 and 12 VMs for this installation.

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LarryG. wrote:

haultj wrote:

Neither would activate automatically. I kept receiving the mistake about the wrong central fifty-fifty though the key works with telephone activation.

Not certain if this is the same thing, but at that place's a post in the Windows 7 group about online activation being down right now. It'south a known result and MS is working on it.

That would exist simply wonderful. But my luck that activation is down the calendar week that I try to build this server.

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If information technology'due south giving you lot the invalid cardinal when yous enter information technology, that'south a key/media mismatch, a bogus key or you have a typo. If it fails when you tell it to activate online, that would indicate a blocked key or a trouble with the activation servers.

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Da_Schmoo wrote:

If information technology's giving yous the invalid key when you lot enter it, that's a central/media mismatch, a artificial key or you lot have a typo. If information technology fails when you tell it to actuate online, that would indicate a blocked primal or a problem with the activation servers.

The key is accepted during the installation which tells me that the key matches the media. The result is that I receive the message "This key didn't piece of work, please check it and try again, or try a unlike key." when I attempt to run the activation from the system backdrop folio. Based on what Larry is saying higher up this looks like an activation server issue.

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Usually when the activation servers are down, it simply will tell you something to the effect that it can't activate at this time, try again afterwards. The specific message saying the key is bad makes me think it's blocked. All the same, one would call up phone activation wouldn't work either. All the same, I'd suspect a bad key and would go back to the vendor. If yous purchased from one of the "cheap" online places, those are always doubtable.

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Run this command and past the output: dism /online /get-currentedition

That will report your epitome version and edition.

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pure capsaicin

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You said cloned - every bit in using the clone option?

Did yous sysprep information technology afterward?

Why not create the main image as a template and deploy from information technology?

haultj wrote:

I do not believe that Microsoft intends for anyone to use Datacenter with ESXi.

Do you demand datacentre edition?

The version probable has null to do with where information technology is installed, if they didn't desire you using it, they wouldn't allow it

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I'm using datacenter with ESXi........

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I bet this is related to the thread about Win7 activation being downwardly. Difficult to say when things volition exist functional again though. I mean I know they were never perfect... Only less broken.

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Rod-Information technology wrote:

Y'all said cloned - equally in using the clone option?

Did you sysprep it after?

Why not create the main image as a template and deploy from information technology?

haultj wrote:

I practice not believe that Microsoft intends for anyone to utilize Datacenter with ESXi.

Do yous need datacentre edition?

The version likely has zero to do with where it is installed, if they didn't want yous using information technology, they wouldn't allow information technology

Cloning from vCenter is supposed to do the same as a sysprep. Just to be certain that this was not the consequence I did a sysprep on 1 of the VMs and it fabricated no difference.

Datacenter was a price constructive choice. Same as Standard but allows unlimited VMs on i physical box.

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If you were sold it at the same price as Standard, something is wrong and that may exist why yous are having activation issues. Datacenter should toll at least 4x as Standard.

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Da_Schmoo wrote:

If you lot were sold it at the same toll every bit Standard, something is wrong and that may be why y'all are having activation bug. Datacenter should cost at to the lowest degree 4x as Standard.

That was my point. When yous are creating more than than 6 VMs and potentially over x, Datacenter makes more than sense. If I were only doing three or 4, Standard is a no brainer.

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Ahh. Idea you meant it price the same every bit a single re-create of Standard. :)

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pure capsaicin

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haultj wrote:

Datacenter was a cost effective selection. Same as Standard but allows unlimited VMs on one concrete box.

I'm not certain if I am dislocated, or you are confused hither.

Yep a DC license allows unlimited VMs merely y'all don't accept to install that edition, information technology covers other editions as well.

"Volume Licensing gives you downgrade and down-edition rights. If you take a Datacenter license, you can use Standard in its identify. If you have Windows Server 2012 R2 licenses, you tin can use Windows Server 2008 R2. This is truthful for both the physical instance and whatever guest instances."

Not that this matters as this does not impact activation, with that said if you lot have more than 25 machines (servers and workstations) y'all should wait in to a KMS and actuate it in-house.

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pure capsaicin

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Rod-IT wrote:

Exercise yous need datacentre edition?

I should have elaborated here. I didn't mean the license, I meant the installed version.

Encounter my mail higher up.

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tfl

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mace

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haultj wrote:

I have spend the last few days edifice, updating, failing to actuate and deleting VMs on a new ESXi 6 box. Start let me say that from all of this feel and research I practice not believe that Microsoft intends for anyone to use Datacenter with ESXi.

A poor workman often blames his tools.

At that place is nothing in the design of Server 2012 R2 that in any fashion hampers information technology existence used in a VMware environment. Aye,there are some interesting pricing and licensing challenges, but no technical reason why it can't all be washed.

Make sure you are installing the right version of the server and off you go.

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tfl

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mace

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Gary D Williams wrote:

I'm using datacenter with ESXi........

As an bated, yous don't demand to run DC in a VM. The functions and features within SE and DC are identical inside a VM. The merely divergence really is the licensing, and licensing cost. If you are buying retail, then the price of running DC in a VM is HUGE for no do good.

The benefit of the DC edition today is licensing. DC is designed to be the server running on your hardware, your Hyper-V host. It and so provides licensing for an unlimited number of VMs on that host.

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haultj wrote:

Rod-Information technology wrote:

You said cloned - equally in using the clone option?

Did you sysprep it afterward?

Why not create the principal image equally a template and deploy from it?

haultj wrote:

I do non believe that Microsoft intends for anyone to use Datacenter with ESXi.

Practise you demand datacentre edition?

The version likely has aught to practice with where information technology is installed, if they didn't want you using it, they wouldn't allow it

Cloning from vCenter is supposed to practice the aforementioned as a sysprep. Just to exist certain that this was not the event I did a sysprep on 1 of the VMs and it made no difference.

No, information technology's not. Sysprep resets the SID, resets the proper name and then on. a clone doesn't, A clone is literally a re-create.

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tfl wrote:

Gary D Williams wrote:

I'chiliad using datacenter with ESXi........

As an bated, yous don't need to run DC in a VM. The functions and features inside SE and DC are identical inside a VM. The only difference really is the licensing, and licensing price. If y'all are buying retail, then the cost of running DC in a VM is HUGE for no benefit.

The do good of the DC edition today is licensing. DC is designed to be the server running on your hardware, your Hyper-V host. It then provides licensing for an unlimited number of VMs on that host.

What? DC allows unlimited VMs on the aforementioned physical box, no thing what host y'all are using. Hyper-five, Xen, VMware - doesn't matter. It's do good is indeed licensing - if you are going to run a lot of VMs on the aforementioned box, information technology's cheaper than buying Standard.

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Gary D Williams wrote:

haultj wrote:

Rod-Information technology wrote:

You said cloned - every bit in using the clone option?

Did you sysprep it later on?

Why not create the principal paradigm as a template and deploy from information technology?

haultj wrote:

I do not believe that Microsoft intends for anyone to use Datacenter with ESXi.

Exercise you demand datacentre edition?

The version probable has nada to exercise with where information technology is installed, if they didn't want you lot using it, they wouldn't permit it

Cloning from vCenter is supposed to do the same every bit a sysprep. Just to exist certain that this was not the effect I did a sysprep on ane of the VMs and it made no difference.

No, information technology's not. Sysprep resets the SID, resets the name and so on. a clone doesn't, A clone is literally a copy.

Evidently my prior research was incorrect. I still cannot activate after sysprep.

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LarryG. wrote:

tfl wrote:

Gary D Williams wrote:

I'm using datacenter with ESXi........

Equally an bated, you don't need to run DC in a VM. The functions and features inside SE and DC are identical inside a VM. The only divergence really is the licensing, and licensing cost. If yous are ownership retail, then the cost of running DC in a VM is HUGE for no benefit.

The benefit of the DC edition today is licensing. DC is designed to be the server running on your hardware, your Hyper-V host. It then provides licensing for an unlimited number of VMs on that host.

What? DC allows unlimited VMs on the same physical box, no matter what host y'all are using. Hyper-v, Xen, VMware - doesn't affair. Information technology's benefit is indeed licensing - if yous are going to run a lot of VMs on the aforementioned box, it'due south cheaper than buying Standard.

That was my reasoning for the DC purchase. The up forepart cost is high but the long term gain is huge. Just retrieve the 2 physical processor limit.

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haultj wrote:
I still cannot actuate after sysprep.

You made a clone of the DC install, which had the DC fundamental in it, correct? Then you ran sysprep, which should remove the primal. Then, later the sysprep, you added the key again and tried to Cyberspace actuate and it failed?

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LarryG. wrote:

haultj wrote:
I still cannot activate after sysprep.
You made a clone of the DC install, which had the DC key in it, right? And so yous ran sysprep, which should remove the key. So, after the sysprep, you added the key again and tried to Internet activate and it failed?

All right. This also was happening while Microsoft was plainly experiencing issues with some, if not all, of their activation servers. I will create more VMs this week and see how it goes.

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Oh, I idea you lot meant you had only tried once again. Definitely permit us know how it goes side by side time.

FYI - although I uncertainty this will exist of whatsoever assist to you... if you lot use Hyper-5 as your host, as a office on a DataCenter install, all the VMs activate against the host, never needing to contact MS.

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