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![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(19.2, 31%, 11%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3ESK%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Hi,
I have a Windows server 2022 standard host with two VMs installed in its Hyper-v (both VMs are Windows server 2022 as well).
I successfully activated the product key on the host(the machine with Hyper-v) and also on one of the VMs but when trying to activate the product key on the second VM, I get an error that" We can't activate Windows on this device because the product key was already used on another device". As per Microsoft, I should be able to activate all the three Windows servers with one single product key.
So I wonder if you have any idea why this is happening and what's the resolution for that?
Thank you,
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(60.8, 16%, 15%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3ESV%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Are you using licensed installation media (not evaluation)? Is it a domain controller? What channel is the product key (OEM, retail, volume)?
I initially installed Windows manually in evaluation mode. Also installed a couple of roles e.i. DNS, Remote Desktop Licensing, IIS, and some features like Bit locker Drive Encryption, SNMP, Windows server backup, etc. but it is not acting as a domain controller.
When you use evaluation media (and assuming a retail channel product key) you'll need to convert evaluation to full
Dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx /AcceptEula
Thank you DSPatrick for your response. Here are the steps I took to activate the Windows:
1- slmgr /upk ---> successful
2- Dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx /AcceptEula ---> successful
3- slmgr /ipk PRODUCT_KEY ---> successful
4- slmgr /ato ---> at this stage I get the error that " We can't activate Windows on this device because the product key was already used on another device"
So, I'm wondering if you have any idea about this?
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(22.400000000000002, 24%, 12%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3ENS%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Hello, I also have the same issue while trying to go from EVAL version to STANDARD version.
I have tried the commands mentionned above without success.
I have a message :
error 1605
The given product key specified is not valid for the target edition.
We have purchased 3 retail keys and 2 of them don't work for activation.
This server is hosted on an ESX. The VM has access to internet.
To sum up :
slmgr /upk ---> successful
2- Dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx /AcceptEula ---> unsuccessful
3- slmgr /ipk PRODUCT_KEY ---> unsuccessful
4- slmgr /ato
I don't undertand what is going wrong ??
Thank you for the help.
I'd start a new thread.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(9.6, 7.000000000000001%, 10%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EPK%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
We didn't use eval media. We used the iso from volume license. We have always used the AVMA keys for the guests on the 2 windows standard hyper-v machines. It worked for one, but not the other. Does standard only come with 1 vm now?
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(102.4, 17%, 19%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
If you install it on 2019 Hyper-V Server then you would be able to run 2 VM's.
If you installed it on 2022 Std Server then the "server" uses one of the 2 "installs", leaving you with 1 VM you can run (which runs on top of the "server").
I am far from knowing what I am doing but I believe that above to be the case.