Error when installing ESU product key for Windows Server 2012 R2 or Windows Server 2012

Symptoms

To configure your system for End of Service Updates (ESU), you have to install ESU product keys. In the following circumstances, you might receive error messages when you install the product keys:

• After you enter the product key, you receive the following error message:

  Error: 0xC004E016 on a computer running Microsoft Windows non-core edition, run slui.exe 0x2a 0xC004E016 to display the error
  0xC004E016: The Software Licensing Service reported that the product key is invalid.

• When you use the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT) to install an ESU product key, you receive the following error message:

  Unable to verify product key
  The specified product key is invalid, or is unsupported by this version of VAMT. An update to support additional products may be available online.

• When you use VAMT to acquire confirmation IDs as part of the MAK Proxy scenario, you receive an error message that resembles the following message:

  Successfully acquire confirmation ID's for 0 out of X products. The action was not applicable for 0 products in the file
  The results were saved back to : filename.cilx

  Note

  The quantities and the filename are specific to your situation. However, "the action was not applicable" is consistent in this message.

Cause

Windows doesn't recognize the ESU key.

Resolution

To resolve these errors, install and configure the following prerequisites for ESU:

• Licensing Preparation Package.

  • Windows Server 2012 R2: KB5017220: Update for the Extended Security Updates Licensing Preparation Package for Windows Server 2012 R2.

  • Windows Server 2012: KB5017221: Update for the Extended Security Updates Licensing Preparation Package for Windows Server 2012.

    Note

    Check the Microsoft Update Catalog to make sure that you have the most recent Licensing Preparation Package updates.

• Update to the VAMT configuration files (if you are using VAMT).

  1. Download VAMT - Configuration, and then extract the files from the download.

  2. Put the files into the following folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\VAMT3\pkconfig.

     Note

     Overwrite any existing files.

  3. If VAMT is running, close the tool, and then restart it.

More information

For more information about ESU for Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2012, see KB5031043: Procedure to continue receiving security updates after extended support has ended on October 10, 2023 - Microsoft Support.