Windows and Office Activation Key Management System
The following information applies to licenses purchased from and/or distributed by UNM's IT Software Distribution department. If you are uncertain of the origin of your license, please contact your systems administrator. Newer versions of the Windows Operating System and the Office Suite, use a new version of volume activation. They do not use traditional product keys. In order to activate the newer versions of Windows and Office, a Key Management Service (KMS) will need to be used.
Activation will work for x86 (32-bit, x64 (64-bit) and ia64. In order to connect to the KMS server, you will need to confirm with your department systems administrator that the perimeter firewall is open to port 1688 UDP/TCP.
To process the activation request to the KMS server, download the activation file from the IT Download page, save it to the desktop, then right-click and run with as the administrator.
Your computer will need to be connected to one of the UNM wired subnets. This includes main campus and branch campuses. After the initial activation, the computer will contact the KMS server once every seven (7) days to validate your license. The validation process is performed automatically. If your computer is not on any of the UNM wired subnets for more than 180 days, the computer will go into reduced functionality mode.
If software is not activated using the process above, check the following:
- Your computer is connected to a UNM wired subnet (Main or Branch campus).
- If you are using a laptop, you are connected to a UNM wired subnet and wireless is turned off.
- Your local client firewall is not blocking connections to port 1688.
- Your antivirus is not blocking connections to port 1688.
- Your departmental perimeter firewall is open to port 1688.
- Please contact your systems administrator if you are uncertain.
- The windows time service is in sync on your local computer. Check that the time listed in the bottom right corner of your computer's monitor reflects the actual time, within 5 minutes.
- You are using an authentic version of Windows, distributed by IT Software Distribution.
- The processes above were run with elevated privileges. Right-click, “Run as Administrator.”
If your computer is joined to either colleges.ad.unm.edu or hsc.unm.edu, activation will process automatically.