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Error 0xC004F015 when you activate Windows 10 Enterprise on a Windows Server 2012 R2 KMS host

  • Article
  • 01/15/2025

This article provides a solution to a 0xC004F015 error that occurs when you activate Windows 10 Enterprise on a Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2008 R2 KMS host.

Original KB number:   3086418

Symptoms

On a computer that is running a volume-licensed installation of Windows 10 Enterprise, you cannot activate Windows if you are using a Customer Support Volume License Key (CSLVK). Additionally, the following error entry is logged in the event log as Event ID 12290:

0xC004F015

Error details
0xc004f042 - SL_E_VL_KEY_MANAGEMENT_SERVICE_ID_MISMATCH

The Software Licensing Service determined that the specified Key Management Service (KMS) cannot be used.

Cause

This problem can occur if you use the Windows 10 KMS host product key in a Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2008 R2 environment. You must use the updated WS2012R2+Win10 KMS host product key if the following conditions are true.

  • Client CSVLKs are installed on client computers.
  • Server CSVLKs are installed on server computers.

Prerequisites to activate Windows 10 Enterprise

To activate Windows 10 Enterprise in a Windows Server 2012 R2 environment, the following prerequisites apply:

  • You must have Windows Server 2012 R2 with the Volume Activation role installed.
  • You must have update 3172614 installed.

To activate Windows 10 Enterprise in a Windows Server 2008 R2 environment, the following prerequisites apply:

  • You must have Windows Server 2008 R2 with the Volume Activation role installed.
  • You must have update 3079821 installed.

Resolution

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

  1. Log on to the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC).
  2. Click License.
  3. Click Relationship Summary.
  4. Click License ID of their current Active License.
  5. After the page loads, click Product Keys.
  6. In the list of keys, locate Windows Srv 2012R2 DataCtr/Std KMS for Windows 10.
  7. Install this key on the KMS host.

More information

For the client KMS host, this problem should not occur on a client KMS host server.

Activation of Windows 10 is not supported if you are running a KMS host on any of the following operating systems:

  • Windows Vista
  • Windows Server 2008
  • Windows Server 2003

The Generic Volume License Key (GVLK) for Windows 10 editions can be located at Appendix A: KMS Client Setup Keys.

Data collection

If you need assistance from Microsoft support, we recommend you collect the information by following the steps mentioned in Gather information by using TSS for deployment-related issues.

Additional resources