Volume License Key Question?

I have a new client that purchased a volume license key via Dell for SBS
2003 R2 Standard (T72-01675) and 5 additional cals (T74-00245). I called to
register the authoirization number and license agreement number and I was
sent an email with 2 Product Keys so I am thinking all looks good.

Since the only purchase was for volume keys and no media I used media I had
from another installation (this media was from a retail box of the same
thing) figuring I just use the new keys from the volume license, but no go.
I am told during the initial install that the keys sent to me in the email
were invalid product keys. What am I missing here? What do I do?

Stephen
Thu Mar 27 04:48:22 PDT 2008

Richard,

I believe your issue is the media. My volume license keys came with
Enterprise media. In general you can't mix and match. OEM keys don't
work with Retail (Box) media, etc. You most likely have good product
keys, they're simply invalid for the media you currently have. Check
with some of your associates, other clients,etc. All you need is a
copy of the enterprise media to use with your keys, you are not going
to step on their license. You can obtain a copy from Microsoft as well
for essentially the cost of shipping and handling, very low dollars.

Jim
Thu Mar 27 05:10:04 PDT 2008

On Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:21:50 -0400, "Richard K" <Rkokoski@gmail.com>
wrote:

>I have a new client that purchased a volume license key via Dell for SBS
>2003 R2 Standard (T72-01675) and 5 additional cals (T74-00245). I called to
>register the authoirization number and license agreement number and I was
>sent an email with 2 Product Keys so I am thinking all looks good.
>
>Since the only purchase was for volume keys and no media I used media I had
>from another installation (this media was from a retail box of the same
>thing) figuring I just use the new keys from the volume license, but no go.
>I am told during the initial install that the keys sent to me in the email
>were invalid product keys. What am I missing here? What do I do?

Different media. You need to order volume media.
See what SBS support is working on
http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/default.aspx
Check your SBS with the SBS Best Practices Analyzer
http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/tags/BPA/default.aspx

Lanwench
Thu Mar 27 06:13:16 PDT 2008

Richard K <Rkokoski@gmail.com> wrote:
> I have a new client that purchased a volume license key via Dell for
> SBS 2003 R2 Standard (T72-01675) and 5 additional cals (T74-00245). I
> called to register the authoirization number and license agreement
> number and I was sent an email with 2 Product Keys so I am thinking
> all looks good.
> Since the only purchase was for volume keys and no media I used media
> I had from another installation (this media was from a retail box of
> the same thing) figuring I just use the new keys from the volume
> license, but no go. I am told during the initial install that the
> keys sent to me in the email were invalid product keys. What am I
> missing here? What do I do?

You can't use retail media with a volume license key.....I suggest you pay
the $30 or whatnot and get the media. The client should have their own copy
anyway. I always get media when I do any volume license purchase - it sucks
to arrive at an office ready to set up something only to discover you don't
have all the pieces.

RichardK
Thu Mar 27 06:38:01 PDT 2008

I figured as much but this is just dumb. Media is media. Product Keys are
what explains the installation. What's more dumb is Dell talked him into the
OL to save a few bucks but then did not tell him to get media. I told the
client to order retail and even provided him with the right skus.

All told it's me who has to take more time to get this server up and running
but so is life! <g>

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:

> Richard K <Rkokoski@gmail.com> wrote:
> > I have a new client that purchased a volume license key via Dell for
> > SBS 2003 R2 Standard (T72-01675) and 5 additional cals (T74-00245). I
> > called to register the authoirization number and license agreement
> > number and I was sent an email with 2 Product Keys so I am thinking
> > all looks good.
> > Since the only purchase was for volume keys and no media I used media
> > I had from another installation (this media was from a retail box of
> > the same thing) figuring I just use the new keys from the volume
> > license, but no go. I am told during the initial install that the
> > keys sent to me in the email were invalid product keys. What am I
> > missing here? What do I do?
>
> You can't use retail media with a volume license key.....I suggest you pay
> the $30 or whatnot and get the media. The client should have their own copy
> anyway. I always get media when I do any volume license purchase - it sucks
> to arrive at an office ready to set up something only to discover you don't
> have all the pieces.
>
>
>

Lanwench
Thu Mar 27 08:56:19 PDT 2008

Richard K <RichardK@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> I figured as much but this is just dumb. Media is media. Product
> Keys are what explains the installation.

No, and the media is never 100% identical. This has always been the case.

> What's more dumb is Dell
> talked him into the OL to save a few bucks but then did not tell him
> to get media. I told the client to order retail and even provided
> him with the right skus.

Well - I don't generally have my clients talk to vendors except to give them
payment . Everything else, is my responsibility - spec out
hardware/software, get quotes, etc.
>
> All told it's me who has to take more time to get this server up and
> running but so is life! <g>

And it's billable time, isn't it? Next time maybe they'll decide to have you
do the work to ensure it gets done right, and on time. :-)


>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>
>> Richard K <Rkokoski@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> I have a new client that purchased a volume license key via Dell for
>>> SBS 2003 R2 Standard (T72-01675) and 5 additional cals (T74-00245).
>>> I called to register the authoirization number and license agreement
>>> number and I was sent an email with 2 Product Keys so I am thinking
>>> all looks good.
>>> Since the only purchase was for volume keys and no media I used
>>> media I had from another installation (this media was from a retail
>>> box of the same thing) figuring I just use the new keys from the
>>> volume license, but no go. I am told during the initial install
>>> that the keys sent to me in the email were invalid product keys.
>>> What am I missing here? What do I do?
>>
>> You can't use retail media with a volume license key.....I suggest
>> you pay the $30 or whatnot and get the media. The client should have
>> their own copy anyway. I always get media when I do any volume
>> license purchase - it sucks to arrive at an office ready to set up
>> something only to discover you don't have all the pieces.

kj
Thu Mar 27 10:49:07 PDT 2008


"Richard K" <RichardK@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D61E45BA-D523-4052-89BC-8B79D4B1AA82@microsoft.com...
>I figured as much but this is just dumb. Media is media. Product Keys are
> what explains the installation. What's more dumb is Dell talked him into
> the
> OL to save a few bucks but then did not tell him to get media. I told the
> client to order retail and even provided him with the right skus.
>
> All told it's me who has to take more time to get this server up and
> running
> but so is life! <g>


Life is leason. You get to learn this one about VL media and your time
should be at your cost. The delay and any associated cost by the client
because they listened to Dell and disregarded your advise should be the
clients.

One of the main reasons was VL media didn't have the activation requirments
in earlier versions, so MS wanted to limit avalability to legitmate
corporate customers who had issues with activations.


>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>
>> Richard K <Rkokoski@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > I have a new client that purchased a volume license key via Dell for
>> > SBS 2003 R2 Standard (T72-01675) and 5 additional cals (T74-00245). I
>> > called to register the authoirization number and license agreement
>> > number and I was sent an email with 2 Product Keys so I am thinking
>> > all looks good.
>> > Since the only purchase was for volume keys and no media I used media
>> > I had from another installation (this media was from a retail box of
>> > the same thing) figuring I just use the new keys from the volume
>> > license, but no go. I am told during the initial install that the
>> > keys sent to me in the email were invalid product keys. What am I
>> > missing here? What do I do?
>>
>> You can't use retail media with a volume license key.....I suggest you
>> pay
>> the $30 or whatnot and get the media. The client should have their own
>> copy
>> anyway. I always get media when I do any volume license purchase - it
>> sucks
>> to arrive at an office ready to set up something only to discover you
>> don't
>> have all the pieces.
>>
>>
>>

Richard
Fri Mar 28 06:59:31 PDT 2008

In this case the client already had an account with Dell. I did provide
them with a spec and quote from Newegg for the retail product. They just
ordered another computer from Dell and the rep got involved to make the
sale. I didn't plan on that. This is the first time I have done OL for SBS
so I was not familiar with the media requirements. So it's a learning
lesson on my part and I'm not charging the client for that time. What I do
like about the OL concept is speed. If I have the media I can order an OL
product key and pretty much have it within hours to get started. Now if the
Dell rep was just smart enough to sell the client media with the OL then
this would not have been a problem..... he missed the sell on that one. <g>




"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
<lanwench@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:uFeDofCkIHA.944@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Richard K <RichardK@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>> I figured as much but this is just dumb. Media is media. Product
>> Keys are what explains the installation.
>
> No, and the media is never 100% identical. This has always been the case.
>
>> What's more dumb is Dell
>> talked him into the OL to save a few bucks but then did not tell him
>> to get media. I told the client to order retail and even provided
>> him with the right skus.
>
> Well - I don't generally have my clients talk to vendors except to give
> them payment . Everything else, is my responsibility - spec out
> hardware/software, get quotes, etc.
>>
>> All told it's me who has to take more time to get this server up and
>> running but so is life! <g>
>
> And it's billable time, isn't it? Next time maybe they'll decide to have
> you do the work to ensure it gets done right, and on time. :-)
>
>
>>
>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>>
>>> Richard K <Rkokoski@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> I have a new client that purchased a volume license key via Dell for
>>>> SBS 2003 R2 Standard (T72-01675) and 5 additional cals (T74-00245).
>>>> I called to register the authoirization number and license agreement
>>>> number and I was sent an email with 2 Product Keys so I am thinking
>>>> all looks good.
>>>> Since the only purchase was for volume keys and no media I used
>>>> media I had from another installation (this media was from a retail
>>>> box of the same thing) figuring I just use the new keys from the
>>>> volume license, but no go. I am told during the initial install
>>>> that the keys sent to me in the email were invalid product keys.
>>>> What am I missing here? What do I do?
>>>
>>> You can't use retail media with a volume license key.....I suggest
>>> you pay the $30 or whatnot and get the media. The client should have
>>> their own copy anyway. I always get media when I do any volume
>>> license purchase - it sucks to arrive at an office ready to set up
>>> something only to discover you don't have all the pieces.
>
>
>

kj
Fri Mar 28 08:15:40 PDT 2008

Richard K wrote:
> In this case the client already had an account with Dell. I did
> provide them with a spec and quote from Newegg for the retail
> product. They just ordered another computer from Dell and the rep
> got involved to make the sale. I didn't plan on that. This is the
> first time I have done OL for SBS so I was not familiar with the
> media requirements. So it's a learning lesson on my part and I'm not
> charging the client for that time. What I do like about the OL
> concept is speed. If I have the media I can order an OL product key
> and pretty much have it within hours to get started. Now if the Dell
> rep was just smart enough to sell the client media with the OL then
> this would not have been a problem..... he missed the sell on that
> one. <g>

Yes, and not a fist for Dell. Another advantage, is the media can be
replaced and the licenses are online for safe keeping.

You can also add on Software Assurance so that SBS2008 is theirs when it's
released. If the Dell rep missed that too, then your client has a limited
time to add that on *now*.

>
>
>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> <lanwench@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote in
> message news:uFeDofCkIHA.944@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> Richard K <RichardK@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>> I figured as much but this is just dumb. Media is media. Product
>>> Keys are what explains the installation.
>>
>> No, and the media is never 100% identical. This has always been the
>> case.
>>> What's more dumb is Dell
>>> talked him into the OL to save a few bucks but then did not tell him
>>> to get media. I told the client to order retail and even provided
>>> him with the right skus.
>>
>> Well - I don't generally have my clients talk to vendors except to
>> give them payment . Everything else, is my responsibility - spec out
>> hardware/software, get quotes, etc.
>>>
>>> All told it's me who has to take more time to get this server up and
>>> running but so is life! <g>
>>
>> And it's billable time, isn't it? Next time maybe they'll decide to
>> have you do the work to ensure it gets done right, and on time. :-)
>>
>>
>>>
>>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>>>
>>>> Richard K <Rkokoski@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> I have a new client that purchased a volume license key via Dell
>>>>> for SBS 2003 R2 Standard (T72-01675) and 5 additional cals
>>>>> (T74-00245). I called to register the authoirization number and
>>>>> license agreement number and I was sent an email with 2 Product
>>>>> Keys so I am thinking all looks good.
>>>>> Since the only purchase was for volume keys and no media I used
>>>>> media I had from another installation (this media was from a
>>>>> retail box of the same thing) figuring I just use the new keys
>>>>> from the volume license, but no go. I am told during the initial
>>>>> install that the keys sent to me in the email were invalid
>>>>> product keys. What am I missing here? What do I do?
>>>>
>>>> You can't use retail media with a volume license key.....I suggest
>>>> you pay the $30 or whatnot and get the media. The client should
>>>> have their own copy anyway. I always get media when I do any volume
>>>> license purchase - it sucks to arrive at an office ready to set up
>>>> something only to discover you don't have all the pieces.

--
/kj