Releasing SBS2K licenses back to floppy

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Brian - 13 Nov 2007 01:50 GMT

I am replacing the OS on a Win2KSBS server with Win2003, making it a member
server of the domain (I have already replaced the DC with a Win2003SBS DC,
demoted this Win2K SBS server, and physically isolated it from the network).

I have four SBS2000 CAL diskettes, and I recall reading that there is a way
to return the licenses to the floppies from the server , but that they have
to be done in reverse order - the last floppy first - but I cannot find
instructions on how to do it.

This is just so I have the licenses available in the unlikely case I need a
Win2K SBS somewhere else. I have not yet wiped out the OS on the old server,
but need to do it soon.

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Merv Porter [SBS-MVP] - 13 Nov 2007 02:32 GMT

I don't believe this is going to be possible without the assistance of the
MS Licensing people as the CALs are tied to the SBS NIC once the CAL setup
program is run from them. I think they have a tool or the ability to
recapture or transfer the licenses, though.

The bit with applying "the last floppy first" sounds like the reinstall
procedure for the CALs if you rebuild the server... you don't have to insert
each floppy in order, you just insert the last CAL floppy that was used and
it restores all the previously installed CALs.

Signature

Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]
============================

>I am replacing the OS on a Win2KSBS server with Win2003, making it a member
> server of the domain (I have already replaced the DC with a Win2003SBS DC,
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> server,
> but need to do it soon.

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Brian - 13 Nov 2007 02:49 GMT

Thanks. Probably not worth the effort to keep SBS2K licenses around.

> I don't believe this is going to be possible without the assistance of the
> MS Licensing people as the CALs are tied to the SBS NIC once the CAL setup
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> > server,
> > but need to do it soon.

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Eugene Tan - 18 Nov 2007 19:00 GMT

hi Brian,

It might be worth a small sum as license costs for version upgrade SBS CALs
are less than half the price of normal SBS CALs. Unless the SBS2000 CALs
are OEM CALs, which are stuck to the originally supplied hardware.

Eugene Tan
SBS MVP

============================

> Thanks. Probably not worth the effort to keep SBS2K licenses around.

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SuperGumby [SBS MVP] - 13 Nov 2007 08:04 GMT

You cannot restore SBS 2000 CALs to an SBS2003 server. You needed to also
purchase 'CAL upgrades' equivalent to your SBS2000 CAL count (or that part
of it you wanted to retain on the SBS2003, theoretically you don't have to
upgrade all).

Though involving transition from SBS2000 to SBS2003 I think the question
would be better put to the 2003 group.
SBS public Newsgroups:

SBS 4.x: microsoft.public.backoffice.smallbiz
SBS 2000: microsoft.public.backoffice.smallbiz2000
SBS 2003: microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs

if your current news server does not carry the mentioned groups you should
be able to connect directly to news.microsoft.com

and from the sounds of it you have bitten off a big mouthful of trouble in
your upgrade procedure.

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Brian - 18 Nov 2007 20:20 GMT

Actually, a good portion (probably 20) of the SBS2K CAL's were purchased in
the last couple of years as SBS2003 CALs & downgraded to SBS2K. However, I
went ahead & purchased a full complement of 75 SBS2003 CAL's, so the only use
for the licenses off the SBS2K box would be to transfer to another SBS2003
box - likely not worth the effort of trying to get them back - especially
since I had to proceed with reformatting the SBS2K box & reconfiguring it as
a Win2003 member server in the new SBS2003 domain.

> You cannot restore SBS 2000 CALs to an SBS2003 server. You needed to also
> purchase 'CAL upgrades' equivalent to your SBS2000 CAL count (or that part
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
> > server,
> > but need to do it soon.

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