Terminal Services Licensing Problems After Upgrade to Release Version of Windows 2000 (248409)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
This article was previously published under Q248409

SYMPTOMS

After you upgrade an existing installation of a prerelease version of Windows 2000 to the release version of Windows 2000, the following problems may occur:
  • Terminal Services clients are unable to connect.
  • Terminal Services Licensing Client Access License codes may not install and may return the error message "Invalid Serial #."

CAUSE

This issue occurs because the Terminal Services licenses for the pre-release versions of Windows 2000 are not compatible with the Terminal Services licenses for the final release version of Windows 2000.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue:
  1. Ensure that Terminal Services are installed on any server being configured as a terminal server.
  2. Ensure that Terminal Services Licensing is installed on any server being configured as a license server.
  3. Discard any pre-release Terminal Services license codes.
  4. In the Component Services administration tool, click Local Services, and then click Terminal Services Licensing. Stop the service. Start the Component Wizard, and then click to clear the Terminal Service Licensing check box to remove the service. Finish the Component Wizard to let the changes take effect. Start the Component Wizard again, and then click to select the Terminal Service Licensing check box to install the service with the release code. Finish the Component Wizard to let changes take effect.
  5. Obtain and install all required retail version client licenses (Terminal Services Client Access licenses and Terminal Services Internet Connector licenses).
  6. Ensure License Service servers and Terminal Services servers are using the final release version of Windows 2000.
NOTE: If you need to maintain a pre-release version of Windows 2000 Terminal Services, you should create a separate environment using the appropriate versions of Terminal Services and License Server services.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Points to Remember

  • License codes obtained by using beta kits or from Microsoft Release Candidate (RC) license code Web site for testing are not valid with the retail version.
  • Retail version terminal servers will not recognize licenses deployed during RC testing. If retail version client licenses are not obtained and installed, a denial-of-service may result.
  • The 90-day temporary license issued by a License server is still available with the retail version.
  • A final release version terminal server will be unable to communicate with a pre-release version License server, and vice versa. Additionally, final release version License servers will not communicate with pre-release version License servers.
  • Retail version terminal servers will operate for 90 days without locating a license server. After 90 days, the terminal server will not permit unlicensed devices to begin a terminal session.
  • In a Windows 2000 domain, a license server must also be a domain controller.
  • In a non-Windows 2000 domain, a license server can be any member Windows 2000 server.
  • A single server can be configured as both a license server and a terminal server. Refer to the Deployment Planning Guide for architecture considerations.
  • When a pre-release version license server is upgraded to retail version license server, the pre-release version licensing database will be deleted and replaced with a "clean" licensing database. All information about pre-release license deployment will be lost.
  • The 90-day grace period is reset during the upgrade to the retail version of Windows 2000.
  • 90-day temporary retail version client licenses are available.
For more information about Terminal Services Licensing in Windows 2000, please see your on-line documentation, the Deployment Planning Guide, and the following Microsoft Windows 2000 Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/Windows2000/technologies/terminal/default.mspx

For additional information about Windows 2000 Terminal Services and Licensing issues, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

237801 Windows 2000 Terminal Services requires Licensing service

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/9/2006
Keywords:kbnetwork kbprb KB248409
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