Microsoft Hosted Volume Activation Guide

Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft® Volume Activation helps Volume Licensing customers automate and manage the activation process of Volume Licensing media. Volume Licensing customers and special program subscribers such as the Microsoft Partner Program, MSDN®, and Microsoft TechNet are eligible for Volume Licensing software and media. This guide is for IT pros whose organizations are planning to deploy Volume Activation versions of the Windows® 7 and Windows Server® 2008 R2 operating systems using Multiple Activation Keys.

This guide is presented in sections. You may download the entire guide. This guide also has been localized into several languages.

Understanding MAK Activation
Determining Product Key Needs
Using MAK Activation
Reactivating Computers

Microsoft® Volume Activation is a configurable solution that helps IT pros automate and manage the product-activation process on computers running the Windows Vista®, Windows® 7, Windows Server® 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems licensed under a Microsoft Volume Licensing program and other programs that provide Volume Licensing editions of Windows.

This guide provides planning, deployment, and operations information specifically for the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems. This guide is for organizations activating products using Multiple Activation Keys (MAKs).

Note   This guide provides Volume Activation guidance for the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems. For more information about planning Volume Activation for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, see Volume Activation 2.0 Technical Guidance at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=75674. This guide does address interoperability between both generations of products.