UPDATED: June 7 2023

If you have Server 2016 Data Center your server likely came with a single COA (Certificate of Authenticity) sticker containing a single DataCenter CD Key.  If you then try to use that Key to activate new Server 2016 or Server 2012 Standard VM’s it will fail.  This is because Server 2012 R2 and Server 2016 VM’s use a different activate process than previous versions of Windows Server.

amva-vm-hyperv-activation-componentServer 2012 R2 and Server 2016 now use “Automatic Virtual Machine Activation” or AVMA which means that the VM’s have a special driver loaded that lets them confirm the host version is licensed and activated properly.  If it is, the VM’s will use the following “free” Product Keys:

Windows Server 2022 AVMA key
Datacenter W3GNR-8DDXR-2TFRP-H8P33-DV9BG
Datacenter
Azure Edition
F7TB6-YKN8Y-FCC6R-KQ484-VMK3J
Standard YDFWN-MJ9JR-3DYRK-FXXRW-78VHK

_____________________________

Windows Server 2019 AVMA key
Datacenter H3RNG-8C32Q-Q8FRX-6TDXV-WMBMW
Standard TNK62-RXVTB-4P47B-2D623-4GF74
Essentials 2CTP7-NHT64-BP62M-FV6GG-HFV28

_____________________________

Windows Server 2016  –  1909, 1903, 1809
AVMA key
Datacenter H3RNG-8C32Q-Q8FRX-6TDXV-WMBMW
Standard TNK62-RXVTB-4P47B-2D623-4GF74

_____________________________

Windows Server 2016 –  1803 1709 AVMA key
Datacenter TMJ3Y-NTRTM-FJYXT-T22BY-CWG3J
Standard C3RCX-M6NRP-6CXC9-TW2F2-4RHYD
Essentials B4YNW-62DX9-W8V6M-82649-MHBKQ

_____________________________

Windows Server 2012 R2 AVMA key
Datacenter Y4TGP-NPTV9-HTC2H-7MGQ3-DV4TW
Standard DBGBW-NPF86-BJVTX-K3WKJ-MTB6V
Essentials K2XGM-NMBT3-2R6Q8-WF2FK-P36R2

_____________________________

amva-vm-integration-services-data-exchange

To get this function to work, your VM needs to have the DATA EXCHANGE, Integration Service enabled, which most do by default.

If you want to enter a Product Key using PowerShell use the following command:

slmgr –ipk <productkey>

for example:

slmgr –ipk TMJ3Y-NTRTM-FJYXT-T22BY-CWG3J 


5 Comments

Doreen · January 24, 2023 at 5:12 am

Thanks a lot。

Suresh · August 11, 2020 at 6:56 am

Thanks a lot

codey spades · April 3, 2020 at 12:02 am

for 2016 standard:

dism /online /set-edition:ServerStandard /productkey:WC2BQ-8NRM3-FDDYY-2BFGV-KHKQY /accepteula

Naibaf · July 18, 2019 at 7:29 am

Thanks so much! excellent post!.
But, 2016 standard key does not work.

james · October 31, 2018 at 6:48 am

Awesome!

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