What is windows 8 mak key

What is a MAK key? MAK keys are available on the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center website for your organization provided that you are licensed to obtain such keys. A computer must be re-activated within 30 days if you are using KMS activation, but is permanently activated when using a MAK key. Windows 8 Enterprise is designed so that it searches for a KMS server to activate the operating system.

When a KMS server is unavailable, or if the computer has not reactivated against a KMS server within 30 days, a MAK key must be used to permanently activate Windows against Microsoft's licensing servers.

Home Windows Windows 8 How-tos. If you got Windows 8 Pro through your employer or university, it is likely a volume license copy using MAK. Was this reply helpful? Yes No. Sorry this didn't help. Thanks for your feedback. As you are using a MAK key to activate Windows 8. If you are activating computers that require administrator credentials different from the those you are currently using, select Use Alternate Credentials.

If you selected Use Alternate Credentials , you will be prompted to enter the credentials prior to these dialog boxes. The following steps describe how to use the VAMT tool for proxy activation:. Enter a Group name such as Isolated Lab Group to identify the group of computers you are activating.

Select the Workgroup option, and specify the name of the workgroup, and then click OK. For the VAMT to discover client computers in a workgroup, the network discovery Windows Firewall exception must be enabled. Click OK. When prompted, provide the credentials for an account that has local administrative rights on the selected workgroup computers. In addition, for workgroup computers, a registry key must be created to enable remote administrative actions under UAC.

This feature requires Internet access. If you are activating computers that require administrator credentials different from the those you are currently using, select Use Alternate Credentials , and then click OK. If you selected Use Alternate Credentials, you will be prompted to enter the credentials prior to this dialog box. This must be done with care. If the pre-SP1 version of Windows Vista has been installed on the computer for more than 30 days, then its Initial Grace period has expired, and the computer will enter Reduced Functionality Mode RFM if activation is not completed successfully before the next logon.

Right-click the selected group or computers, and then click Export Computers to display the Save the Computer Information List dialog box. Locate and select IsolatedLabGroup. This displays the previously discovered computers and their license states in the computer list view pane.

Saving this file is critical for reimaging scenarios. It is strongly recommended that you back up this file and protect it from being overwritten. CIL file. Clear this check box if the hardware has changed but you would still like VAMT to attempt a reactivation using the previously stored CID.

Note that Windows might not be successfully reactivated in this scenario. Once a MAK product key is been used to activate many machines, most administrators will probably lose count of actual times of remaining activations that can be done with the serial codes.

Go to Product Keys in the left pane.