Terminal Server Licenses

[NikeGuy23]

Hi all, I have an issue with our Terminal Server. We have appx 40 pc's stil running NT4.0 connecting to a Citrix Farm. When some of these NT4 boxes connect to the Terminal Server they get the error message that "Your Terminal Server license will expire in x days". We have tried Microsoft Qdoc 248430 which talks about deleting the LICENSE001 or 00X where x is the TS CAL. Well it works on some PC's and others it still gives us the same message when the user connects to the Terminal Server. Any ideas on how to get rid of these messages? I was told to put this post in this group as I may get better response!
Thanks

 

[PBurcin]

See Microsoft tech articles 315262, 315404, and 287687. They will probably help.

 

[jamor1999]

Go to your terminal services licensing server. Log onto a domain controller and go to administrative tools and look for terminal services licensing. In there, click on the View menu and click properties. Choose the Connection Method tab and select telephone. Look for a telephone # in your area and give them a call. Refer to KB article 248430 and tell them you need licenses "reissued." They'll ask you how many you need and what type of License package you have and the authorization # for it, company name, etc. They will assign you a new license set. This should fix your problem.

 

[NikeGuy23]

Now does this new License set permanently fix the problem? Or do I have to do this every 90 days? Also which clients require a temp TS Cal? From my understanding 2K and XP Pro do not use temp as they have permanent Cals? What about NT 4 boxes? These are the ones that are causing us problems!

 

[jamor1999]

I'm not sure about NT workstations. 98 and 95 definately need cals. You will have to do this whenever you run low, just keep an eye on it. I've had about 30 licenses reissued (in 3 intervals of 10) and I haven't run low since.

 

[NikeGuy23]

How do you know which ones you need to reissue? I mean I hope I am not coming across as not knowing anything but please explain that to me! We don't have any 95 or 98's just NT4's XP and 2K's it's the NT4's that are causing the problems!

 

[jamor1999]

So I guess we have our answer. They do not have cals. And you won't need to know which ones you have to reissue. If you are receiving this message: Terminal Server license will expire in x days, then you definately need licenses.

Log onto a domain controller and go to administrative tools and look for terminal services licensing. When that screen opens (may take a sec) double click on the server with the green check next to it (that's your licensing server). In that screen you'll see how many licenses are available (all types, not just temporary). If you're low (and that'll depend on how many users you have, but I'd say 2 licenses left is definately low) then call up microsoft in the way I described in my fist post and ask them for as many licenses as you think you need. You'll also see in that screen how many permanent licenses you have. Decide on a number that less than the total permanent licenses you had to begin with. And don't worry if you don't get it right the first time and need to call for more.

If I haven't been clear on something or you have anymore questions, just post them here.

 

[NikeGuy23]

Ok here's the deal, I log in and look for everything you say to look for ok and this is what I get:
Existing Windows 2000 Licenses
Total-Unlimited Available-Unlimited Issued-90

Temp Licenses for Win2K CAL
Total-(-) Available-(-) Issued-87

And yes the numbers in total and available are just dashes (-).
What do you make of that?

 

[jamor1999]

That looks ok. What happens is, any pc that does not have a cal will take one of the permanent licence (if you have any) otherwise, it will take a temp and the temporary license will run out if the pc is never able to aquire a permanent license. You don't look like you have any perm licenses from what you've posted. Is it possible that someone purchased these and never told you about them? You will need to purchase some otherwise. Find out if anyone ever did purchase these in which case, you can just add the license number in that same screen.

Do you see anything on that screen that says Windows 2000 Terminal services client access license total and available?? This is what you need.

The Existing Windows 2000 Licenses
Total-Unlimited Available-Unlimited Issued-90
is referring to clients that already have cals (win2k machines) and that's why their unlimited.

Post back and we can take it from there.

 

[NikeGuy23]

No I don't see anything that says Windows 2000 Terminal Services client access license total! What i put down is what we got? I checked it over with the other guys and no one has purchased anything else! Are we missing something?

 

[jamor1999]

If you're certain that noone purchased these and didn't tell you about them, you'll need to purchase windows terminal services CAL license pack.

When did this license server first go online? Is it old, did you just start implementing Terminal Services? That will give us an idea of the likely-hood that someone did or did not make that purchase. If you just started using ts, then chances are no one needed to make that purchase.

 

[NikeGuy23]

No one has made any purchases since last April 29th to be exact. This is an OLD server and we have been using TS for about 3-4 years! but it has been about a year since we have upgraded the box from NT Server to 2K server! If that makes any difference. I am looking over our E-open Product summary, what should I be looking for?

 

[jamor1999]

Perfect. The license may not have been transferred from the NT box to the 2000 box, and I do believe you can do that - I don't remember exactly it's been awhile.

Look through e-open at the license details for all your licenses(unfortunately I don't do purchasing and don't have access to this screen - I only have a print out with the info I need). The product description should say Windows Trmnl Svcs CAL 2000 but I'm not sure what it would say for NT. If you have the license, it should be listed there. You might want to call up your reseller and chat with them about this.

I would also try calling up Microsoft. They have a lot of information about you - the problem is they may not want to give it to you. Go into Terminal services licensing and look up a number for Microsoft. Call them up and make them figure it out for you. Tell them the story about the NT box that was running fine, and now, no licenses.... They may give you a hard time, but you may find someone kind enough to help.

Get their number by going through the steps in my first post.

 

[JeffHicks]

Are you saying that you can transfer a NT Terminal Server CAL to Windows 2000? I am not a Microsoft representative, but in my experience that is the farthest thing from the truth. That would be like them saying you could upgrade from Windows NT 4 to Windows 2000 at no cost. In my opinion, if you have upgraded your Windows NT 4 terminal servers to Windows 2000 with Terminal Services and did not purchase Windows 2000 Terminal Services CALs, you are operating in an unlicensed mode and need to purchase Windows 2000 Terminal Services CALs. Sorry for the bad news.

 

[jamor1999]

JeffHicks, I did not say I was certain of that. Which is why I suggested calling a rep.

The license may not have been transferred from the NT box to the 2000 box, and I do believe you can do that - I don't remember exactly it's been awhile.

Thanks for your input though. In the future, might not want to be so rude -I was just trying to help.

 

[NikeGuy23]

Jamor Thanks for all your help here is what I have found before calling my VAR or Microsoft. I did a little test on about 4 or 5 of the NT 4 boxes that were giving me the error. I set the PC system date and time to be that of a day or two after the CAL was supposed to expire and did the same on the server! Identical date and time. I then logged the user into citrix and they did not receive an error message, however the CAL in ther license window did not update or show that it issued a new one! I did that with 4 other PC's and got the same results. I then set the date and time back to normal, on both the PC and server and when they logged back in they got the error again! So I guess after it expires it just automatically issues a new one? Don't get it but it works!