Microsoft Operating System Forum

Raj

I recently installed Windows Server 2008, using a MSDN Volume
License.
Now every few days, windows tries to activate itself and fails. The
error I get is

Error Code 0x80072558
Description:
DNS name contains an invalid character.


Do I even need to activate, since I installed from a MSDN CD with a
volume license?

If I do, how do I activate my Windows License?


Any and all help appreciated.


Best,


Raj.

Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]

Raj <rnmalhotra@gmail.com> wrote:
> I recently installed Windows Server 2008, using a MSDN Volume
> License.

There's no such thing - volume licenses are not MSDN :-)

> Now every few days, windows tries to activate itself and fails. The
> error I get is
>
> Error Code 0x80072558
> Description:
> DNS name contains an invalid character.
>
>
> Do I even need to activate, since I installed from a MSDN CD with a
> volume license?

Yes, you do.
>
> If I do, how do I activate my Windows License?

I haven't seen the error you're gettingbefore, but what's your DNS name?
>
>
> Any and all help appreciated.
>
>
> Best,
>
>
> Raj.

Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

Hello Raj,
You need to change your Product Key to the MSDN product key.
By default this is Volume Licensed media, so activation is querying the DNS
server for a KMS host machine.
With MSDN you get a MAK key to use for activation, however you need to
change your product key to that MSDN key.
Right-click on Computer on the Start Menu, choose Properties and use the
change key option.


Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
| >From: Raj <rnmalhotra@gmail.com>
| >Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
| >Subject: Server 2008 Activation problem - Error code 0x80072558
| >Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:23:41 -0800 (PST)
| >Organization: http://groups.google.com
| >Lines: 25
| >Message-ID:
<ae05f769-672f-42dd-9ff8-c2f8738af964@f37g2000pri.googlegroups.com>
| >NNTP-Posting-Host: 165.1.27.121
| >Mime-Version: 1.0
| >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
| >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
| >X-Trace: posting.google.com 1226600621 7798 127.0.0.1 (13 Nov 2008
18:23:41 GMT)
| >X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com
| >NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:23:41 +0000 (UTC)
| >Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com
| >Injection-Info: f37g2000pri.googlegroups.com; posting-host=165.1.27.121;
| > posting-account=pwYDQQoAAAAFtDj3XtMFGKY-19niad0A
| >User-Agent: G2/1.0
| >X-HTTP-UserAgent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0;
SLCC1;
| > .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.5.21022; InfoPath.2; .NET CLR 3.5.30729;
.NET
| > CLR 3.0.30618),gzip(gfe),gzip(gfe)
| >Bytes: 1650
| >Path:
TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSF TFEEDS02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTFE
EDS01.phx.gbl!newsfeed00.sul.t-online.de!t-online.de!border2.nntp.dca.gigane
ws.com!nntp.giganews.com!postnews.google.com!f37g2 000pri.googlegroups.com!no
t-for-mail
| >Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
microsoft.public.windows.server.general:47811
| >X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
| >
| >I recently installed Windows Server 2008, using a MSDN Volume
| >License.
| >Now every few days, windows tries to activate itself and fails. The
| >error I get is
| >
| >Error Code 0x80072558
| >Description:
| >DNS name contains an invalid character.
| >
| >
| >Do I even need to activate, since I installed from a MSDN CD with a
| >volume license?
| >
| >If I do, how do I activate my Windows License?
| >
| >
| >Any and all help appreciated.
| >
| >
| >Best,
| >
| >
| >Raj.
| >
| >
| >

Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

Hello Lanwench,
MSDN is using Volume License media for Windows Server 2008.
The MSDN product key for Windows Server 2008 is a MAK product key
| >> Error Code 0x80072558
| >> Description:
| >> DNS name contains an invalid character.
This error message means the default installation key for volume license is
installed on that machine.
When default key is installed ( VL installs this key by default) goes to
activate it queries DNS for locating a KMS host machine.
It queries for DNS for _VLMCS (KMS host name is what is expected)
It's getting a response, however the data in the response not valid.
So the DNS is server has a value for this but it's not a valid response.
Since this is MSDN, the odds are there isn't a KMS host machine available.
So the user more than likely needs to enter his MSDN key which is a MAK
product key.


Thanks,
Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
--------------------
| >From: "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
<lanwench@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatya hoo.com>
| >References:
<ae05f769-672f-42dd-9ff8-c2f8738af964@f37g2000pri.googlegroups.com>
| >Subject: Re: Server 2008 Activation problem - Error code 0x80072558
| >Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:59:32 -0500
| >Lines: 34
| >X-Priority: 3
| >X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
| >X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.3138
| >X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3350
| >X-RFC2646: Format=Flowed; Original
| >Message-ID: <#VdjzLdRJHA.1160@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl>
| >Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
| >NNTP-Posting-Host: cpe-66-108-169-73.nyc.res.rr.com 66.108.169.73
| >Path: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSF TNGP02.phx.gbl
| >Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
microsoft.public.windows.server.general:47822
| >X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
| >
| >Raj <rnmalhotra@gmail.com> wrote:
| >> I recently installed Windows Server 2008, using a MSDN Volume
| >> License.
| >
| >There's no such thing - volume licenses are not MSDN :-)
| >
| >> Now every few days, windows tries to activate itself and fails. The
| >> error I get is
| >>
| >> Error Code 0x80072558
| >> Description:
| >> DNS name contains an invalid character.
| >>
| >>
| >> Do I even need to activate, since I installed from a MSDN CD with a
| >> volume license?
| >
| >Yes, you do.
| >>
| >> If I do, how do I activate my Windows License?
| >
| >I haven't seen the error you're gettingbefore, but what's your DNS name?
| >>
| >>
| >> Any and all help appreciated.
| >>
| >>
| >> Best,
| >>
| >>
| >> Raj.
| >
| >
| >
| >

Raj

Darrell,

Thank you so much for your informative response. Put in the MSDN
key, and the OS activated without any problems. Thanks, again.

Best Regards,

Raj.


On Nov 13, 3:06*pm, Darre...@online.microsoft.com ("Darrell Gorter
[MSFT]") wrote:
> Hello Raj,
> You need to change your Product Key to the MSDN product key.
> By default this is Volume Licensed media, so activation is querying the DNS
> server for a KMS host machine.
> With MSDN you get a MAK key to use for activation, however you need to
> change your product key to that MSDN key.
> Right-click on Computer on the Start Menu, choose Properties and use the
> change key option.
>
> Thanks,
> Darrell Gorter[MSFT]
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
> --------------------
> | >From: Raj <rnmalho...@gmail.com>
> | >Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
> | >Subject: Server 2008 Activation problem - Error code 0x80072558
> | >Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:23:41 -0800 (PST)
> | >Organization:http://groups.google.com
> | >Lines: 25
> | >Message-ID:
> <ae05f769-672f-42dd-9ff8-c2f8738af...@f37g2000pri.googlegroups.com>
> | >NNTP-Posting-Host: 165.1.27.121
> | >Mime-Version: 1.0
> | >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> | >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> | >X-Trace: posting.google.com 1226600621 7798 127.0.0.1 (13 Nov 2008
> 18:23:41 GMT)
> | >X-Complaints-To: groups-ab...@google.com
> | >NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:23:41 +0000 (UTC)
> | >Complaints-To: groups-ab...@google.com
> | >Injection-Info: f37g2000pri.googlegroups.com; posting-host=165.1.27.121;
> | > *posting-account=pwYDQQoAAAAFtDj3XtMFGKY-19niad0A
> | >User-Agent: G2/1.0
> | >X-HTTP-UserAgent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0;
> SLCC1;
> | > *.NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.5.21022; InfoPath.2; .NET CLR 3.5.30729;
> NET
> | > *CLR 3.0.30618),gzip(gfe),gzip(gfe)
> | >Bytes: 1650
> | >Path:
> TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSF TFEEDS02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTFE
> EDS01.phx.gbl!newsfeed00.sul.t-online.de!t-online.de!border2.nntp.dca.gigane
> ws.com!nntp.giganews.com!postnews.google.com!f37g2 000pri.googlegroups.com!no
> t-for-mail
> | >Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
> microsoft.public.windows.server.general:47811
> | >X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
> | >
> | >I recently installed Windows Server 2008, using a MSDN Volume
> | >License.
> | >Now every few days, windows tries to activate itself and fails. The
> | >error I get is
> | >
> | >Error Code 0x80072558
> | >Description:
> | >DNS name contains an invalid character.
> | >
> | >
> | >Do I even need to activate, since I installed from a MSDN CD with a
> | >volume license?
> | >
> | >If I do, how do I activate my Windows License?
> | >
> | >
> | >Any and all help appreciated.
> | >
> | >
> | >Best,
> | >
> | >
> | >Raj.
> | >
> | >
> | >

Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]

"Darrell Gorter[MSFT]" <Darrellg@online.microsoft.com> wrote:
> Hello Lanwench,
> MSDN is using Volume License media for Windows Server 2008.
> The MSDN product key for Windows Server 2008 is a MAK product key
>>>> Error Code 0x80072558
>>>> Description:
>>>> DNS name contains an invalid character.
> This error message means the default installation key for volume
> license is installed on that machine.
> When default key is installed ( VL installs this key by default) goes
> to activate it queries DNS for locating a KMS host machine.
> It queries for DNS for _VLMCS (KMS host name is what is expected)
> It's getting a response, however the data in the response not valid.
> So the DNS is server has a value for this but it's not a valid
> response. Since this is MSDN, the odds are there isn't a KMS host
> machine available. So the user more than likely needs to enter his
> MSDN key which is a MAK product key.
>
>
> Thanks,
> Darrell Gorter[MSFT]

OK. I downloaded my MSDN copy and simply got the key from the download page,
so I didn't have any problems.

>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights --------------------
>>> From: "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> <lanwench@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatya hoo.com>
>>> References:
> <ae05f769-672f-42dd-9ff8-c2f8738af964@f37g2000pri.googlegroups.com>
>>> Subject: Re: Server 2008 Activation problem - Error code 0x80072558
>>> Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:59:32 -0500
>>> Lines: 34
>>> X-Priority: 3
>>> X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
>>> X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.3138
>>> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3350
>>> X-RFC2646: Format=Flowed; Original
>>> Message-ID: <#VdjzLdRJHA.1160@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl>
>>> Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
>>> NNTP-Posting-Host: cpe-66-108-169-73.nyc.res.rr.com 66.108.169.73
>>> Path:
>>> TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl!TK2MSFTNGP01.phx.gbl!TK2MSF TNGP02.phx.gbl
>>> Xref: TK2MSFTNGHUB02.phx.gbl
> microsoft.public.windows.server.general:47822
>>> X-Tomcat-NG: microsoft.public.windows.server.general
>>>
>>> Raj <rnmalhotra@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> I recently installed Windows Server 2008, using a MSDN Volume
>>>> License.
>>>
>>> There's no such thing - volume licenses are not MSDN :-)
>>>
>>>> Now every few days, windows tries to activate itself and fails. The
>>>> error I get is
>>>>
>>>> Error Code 0x80072558
>>>> Description:
>>>> DNS name contains an invalid character.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Do I even need to activate, since I installed from a MSDN CD with a
>>>> volume license?
>>>
>>> Yes, you do.
>>>>
>>>> If I do, how do I activate my Windows License?
>>>
>>> I haven't seen the error you're gettingbefore, but what's your DNS
>>> name?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Any and all help appreciated.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Best,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Raj.