Method #1:

Begin by finding Command Prompt (type cmd into your Window Search field) then open it as Administrator (right-click the Command Prompt shortcut and choose “Run As Administrator” if UAC is turned on), and then type in the following command and hit enter:

C:\Windows\System32\cscript slmgr.vbs -skms your.kms.server:1688

You only need to run this command once since it saves the server you point to. Windows waits about 3 days after you install it before it will even try to activate.

You can force it to attempt an immediate activation by opening an Administrator command prompt again and entering:

C:\Windows\System32\cscript slmgr.vbs -rearm

After rearm, restart your computer. Now open an Administrator Command Prompt again and enter:

C:\Windows\System32\cscript slmgr.vbs -ato

One can also find out the current activation status by entering:

C:\Windows\System32\cscript slmgr.vbs -dli

 

Method #2:

If Method #1 does not work, please try the following. Begin by finding Command Prompt (type cmd into your Window Search field) then open it as Administrator (right-click the Command Prompt shortcut and choose “Run As Administrator” if UAC is turned on), and then type in the following command and hit enter:

slmgr -rearm

After rearm, restart your computer. Now open an Administrator Command Prompt again and enter:

slmgr -ato

 

Method #3 (requires MAK):

If Method #1 or #2 doesn’t work, just register using the volume license key.

cscript //b c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

cscript //b c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato