OEM Key for Server 2012 R2 Essentials?

Discussion in 'Windows Server' started by Knife, Feb 1, 2015.

  1. Knife

    Knife MDL Novice

    Feb 23, 2010
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    So, I have been looking for an OEM Key for Server 2012 R2 Essentials and can't seem to find one. Neither here, in the "Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2 OEM SLP Keys" thread (or elsewhere on the forum), and it appears that Daz' Loader doesn't have a key for 2012 R2 Essentials, either.

    I have a Dell PE 2950 that I have modded the latest BIOS w/ SLIC 2.3 on. I have the Dell BIOS SLIC table installed and I have the Dell Cert, but I can't find an OEM key for 2012 R2 Essentials.

    Before everyone jumps in with helpful suggestions to simply go with the Toolkit and emulated KMS, I did that (and it worked... Thanks!), but since I took the effort to mod the BIOS and I have the Cert, I'd love to try and get Server 2012 R2 Essentials up and running "clean" with a fully OEM install.

    It seems like the "Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2 OEM SLP Keys" thread has OEM keys for almost every different flavor of Server 2012, other than 2012 R2 Essentials. There are keys for 2012 Essentials (NOT R2) and keys for 2012 R2 (Standard, Datacenter, etc.) but not 2012 R2 Essentials. I did try a couple of those keys for different versions just to see and, not surprisingly, none of them worked.

    Somebody has got to have an OEM Key for Server 2012 R2 Essentials, no?

    Am I missing something?

    A p.m. would be great, if we're not posting OEM keys anymore.

    Thanks in advance!
     
  2. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
    Staff Member

    Nov 30, 2009
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    No official OEM SLP key is leaked yet for this SKU, but we can make one yourself (which is not recommended).

    :D
     
  3. Knife

    Knife MDL Novice

    Feb 23, 2010
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    #3 Knife, Feb 1, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2015
    (OP)
    Thanks for the quick reply (and for all of your good work) Tito!

    I can't believe no one has seen an OEM install of Server 2012 R2 Essentials and managed to extract the OEM key, yet.

    Yeah, I won't be using a generated key.

    BTW, just a question about "activated" versions of Windows Server: Is anyone actually using either a BIOS-modded "OEM" install, an "loader activated" install or a MS Toolkit dummy KMS activated install of Windows Server in a commercial, production environment? Does anyone feel comfortable using a non-MS-authorized activation method in a real-world deployment and not just in a testing or educational setting?
     
  4. EFA11

    EFA11 Avatar Guru

    Oct 7, 2010
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    I would be comfortable "using" the tools, but because of constraints at the work place, there is no chance of using them for me. I can assure you many are using them however lol
     
  5. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    While it makes really no difference what activation you use, for the simplicity business most likely has active KMS on the LAN, so no need to use anything different then VL products.

    But if the business is so small that does not have KMS then one can do whatever really

    And the generated key works on 2012 R2 with no issue... so far (in home setup)

    sebus
     
  6. Threat

    Threat Lord of the Files

    Feb 23, 2014
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    Why use essentials? Why not use std which has a leaked oem key? Works perfect on dell 2950 with slic 2.3 modded bios.
     
  7. ZaForD

    ZaForD MDL Expert

    Jan 26, 2008
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    Essentials comes with 25 CAL's built-in.
    Standard or Datacentre used to have a few CAL's built-in, but now you have to buy them.
     
  8. Threat

    Threat Lord of the Files

    Feb 23, 2014
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    But if he's using it illegally anyway..
     
  9. kelorgo

    kelorgo MDL Addicted

    Oct 29, 2012
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    Exactly. Server CALs are an issue on paper only, they are not enforced with technological measures. (RDP CALs are a different matter...) If you are using an unlicensed copy of Windows Server, there is no reason at all to use Essential over Standard or Datacenter. The latter two include the Essential experience as an option.
     
  10. EFA11

    EFA11 Avatar Guru

    Oct 7, 2010
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    and the only chance of getting caught usually requires an audit by MS iirc.
     
  11. ZaForD

    ZaForD MDL Expert

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    WHAT!!! Someones using Server illegally... :eek:

    OK, I give up, CAL's was all I could think of. :confused:
     
  12. leebo_28

    leebo_28 MDL Senior Member

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    Server2012R2 has an Essentials role that can be turned on..it has limited functionality and I dont know anything about the licensing.
     
  13. EFA11

    EFA11 Avatar Guru

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    #13 EFA11, Feb 2, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
  14. Threat

    Threat Lord of the Files

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    Well i am assuming this is a home lab and not a business.

    If this is a business then he should go and buy it legally imho.
     
  15. leebo_28

    leebo_28 MDL Senior Member

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    #15 leebo_28, Feb 2, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
  16. Threat

    Threat Lord of the Files

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    only sometimes? :g:
     
  17. leebo_28

    leebo_28 MDL Senior Member

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    Well in their defense , their labs are thorough enough :empathy3:
     
  18. Knife

    Knife MDL Novice

    Feb 23, 2010
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    Wow. Perhaps I should have started a new thread, just about the whole "Who is actually using a non MS-Licensed application of Server?" topic.

    Not that anyone cares but, to respond to some of the points/questions made:

    1) To set the record straight, I will not be deploying a non MS-licensed instance of Server 2012 in a commercial environment, for a number of reasons. I really can't. I asked the question simply because I was wondering if anyone has or knows of folks who have.

    2) In response to the points raised between Threat, ZaForD and KeyLorgo regarding why use Essentials (for which we have no OEM key) instead of full Standard or Datacenter editions (for which OEM keys are available), it goes to the issue of CALs. If I AM going to move to Server 2012, I probably would do it as Essentials because of the included CAL's. Essentials is the right level for the little shop I have, that only has a handful of users and devices. Accordingly, I'm just trying to set up Essentials to play with it, learn it and make sure I can migrate my existing setup to it, without any issues.

    3) The discussion about "who cares about CALs if you're using non MS-licensed Server anyway" I think misses the point I was really driving at. I haven't ever been audited by MS (and likely never will), but I understand that MS software audits are on a sharp increase and that they come in various iterations, some of which can be pretty stringent - where MS demands that you run their system auditing software and even have one of their "authorized licensing partners" go into your establishment and run the audit.

    The days of MS not caring, or even of them merely politely asking about it, and accepting your informal "I have 200 users, and I have 500 CALs, thanks!" response seem to be ending.

    So, the scenario I was thinking about was kind of this:

    If you are running an "OEM install" (i.e. there are no loaders or KMS emulators residing on your server), would that pass a MS software audit?

    Further, I wonder if they can (or would, if they can) cross-reference your hardware to the software. Like, in my case, could they look at it and see that I was running 2012+ software as an "OEM install" on hardware that has been out of production since before that software was developed and released?

    If you are running an "OEM install" of say, Server 2012 Datacenter, and you actually buy the necessary CALs (which are far cheaper than the full Server Datacenter OS itself) for your network/users, are the proper number of CALs all they will see or care about?

    Finally, if you are running a loader or a KMS emulator, I assume they would be able to see that, if they ran a full audit, right?

    Anyway, thanks for all the responses - and for all the good work everyone in this forum does.

    Let me know if a discussion about installation techniques vs. MS software audits should have it's own thread.
     
  19. timster

    timster MDL Senior Member

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    unless you could prove that you had paid for the software, then no it wouldn't pass the audit.
     
  20. Knife

    Knife MDL Novice

    Feb 23, 2010
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    I don't understand how that could be, for a number of reasons.

    First, I can buy a server with the OS pre-installed today from any number of OEM suppliers and I don't buy the software as separate item. Indeed, the actual cost of the software may not even be broken out in the invoice (which invoice I have no duty to retain, for licensing/auditing purposes, in any event). That is precisely what is involved in an OEM installation. MS licenses the manufacturer to be able to install the OS. The end-user gets a machine, packaged with the OS - the license to the OS is included by the OEM manufacturer. In an OEM install, you're not buying the OS. Indeed, a consumer CAN'T buy/"pay for" an OEM version of the OS, itself.

    Going further, again, my question is, assuming you're just running a SAM audit for MS: Does an "OEM install" pass the SAM audit? I don't know (and that's what I'm asking) but, my guess is that it would. I imagine that a clean install that presents itself as an OEM licensed version would simply show the auditing software that you had an OEM installation of the OS which (see point one, above) I think would be assumed to be a legitimate installation made by the licensed OEM manufacturer and for which no seprate purchase evidence would be necessary.