DCO > Knowledge Base

Copies of Windows 7 that are connected to the EECS or CSE hard-line networks should connect to the University KMS server and activate automatically. However, in some situations, automatic activation will fail and Windows will need to be activated manually using the steps below.

Force Automatic Activation

If you receive a message indicating that Windows failed to activate, you can force it to retry by following these directions. Please note that Windows will not be able to activate without a working network connection (ensure that your LAN drivers are installed).

• Open the start menu and select Control Panel
• Click on the green System and Security link
• Click on the green System link
• In the window that opens, scroll down to the bottom and click the activation button.

If you are connected to the network and these steps fail to work correctly, you may need to manually activate. Please follow the steps below to do so.

Manual Activation Instructions

• Open the start menu, and search for 'cmd'.
• When the results appear, right click on 'cmd.exe' and select 'Run As Administrator'.
• Run the following commands to set the KMS server:

c:\windows\system32> cscript slmgr.vbs /skms mskms.umich.edu 
c:\windows\system32> cscript slmgr.vbs /ato

If the above steps fail, you may need to reset the Windows product key. To do so, follow these steps:

• Open the start menu, and search for 'cmd'.
• When the results appear, right click on 'cmd.exe' and select 'Run As Administrator'.
• Run the following command to set the product key:

c:\windows\system32> cscript slmgr.vbs /ipk 33PXH-7Y6KF-2VJC9-XBBR8-HVTHH

• Repeat the steps in the top section.

Notes

Please note that in order to stay activated, the computer must connect to the University network at least once every 210 days. If the machine is used primarily off campus, the VPN client can be used.

Reminder: Copies of Microsoft products obtained through DCO can only be used/installed on machines purchased and owned by the University of Michigan.

Do you need further assistance? We're here to help. Give us a call, send an email, or just stop by one of our offices.