IBM provided Windows 2003 media appears to not include a product key for activation. Both the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) product key and user provided Volume License, retail, or Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) product keys fail to work with IBM-provided media.
Source
RETAIN tip: H195749
Symptom
The IBM-provided Windows 2003 recovery media appears to not include a product key for activation. Both the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Certificate of Authenticity (COA) product key and user provided Volume License, retail, or Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) product keys fail to work with IBM-provided media.
Affected configurations
The system is configured with at least one of the following:
- Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, any Service Pack
- Microsoft Windows 2003 Server for 32-bit Servers, any Service Pack
- Microsoft Windows 2003 Server for 64-bit Servers, any Service Pack
- Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, Datacenter Edition, any Service Pack
- Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, EE x64, any Service Pack
- Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, x64 Edition, any Service Pack
This tip is not hardware specific.
This tip is not option specific.
The system has the symptom described above.
Note: This does not imply that the network operating system will work under all combinations of hardware and software. Please see the compatibility page for more information: http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/serverproven/compat/us/
Workaround
The product key is embedded within the IBM-provided media. The product key affixed to the system on the COA will not allow successful electronic (Internet) activation.
When using automated deployment methods, do not include a product key in the unattended installation file. When installing manually, the product key will not be requested. When installing with ServerGuide, skip entry of the product key when requested, instead clicking the "no product key" radio button.
If IBM-provided Windows 2003 media is being used to facilitate downgrade rights, as allowed by the terms of the Microsoft end user license agreement, do not use the product key from a Windows 2008 COA. Product keys from Windows 2008 do not work for Windows 2003.
If the product key included on an OEM Windows 2003 COA is used, the Operating System (OS) will install, but activation will be required. Electronic (Internet) activation will fail and the user will be required to perform telephone activation instead.
Microsoft also provides an alternate workaround at the following URL:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd727762.aspx
Additional information
There are several different kinds of media available to install Windows Server 2003.
All of these media types, such as retail, Volume License, OEM, and MSDN contain the same OS bits, but use different product key ranges. OEM media also can contain additional code that automatically activates the OS. IBM's media takes advantage of this OEM pre-activation feature and includes a special OEM product key embedded within the media.
This key is not available from IBM support or Microsoft licensing, as it is a special OEM key.
System x:Windows Server 2003
System x:Windows Server 2003 x86-64
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