Issue: I have moved my server to a datacenter VM and re-activated the product key, how do I free up the original product key?

Dear Joe,

Thank you for reaching out and providing a clear overview of your licensing scenario. We understand how important it is to manage activation keys efficiently, especially after migrating from a physical server to a virtual machine.

Running slmgr /upk is the correct step to uninstall the product key from the original server. However, in some cases, the key may still appear as “in use” due to activation records stored on Microsoft’s activation servers. This can happen if the deactivation wasn’t fully registered or if the system wasn’t connected to the internet during the process.

To release the key for reuse, we recommend the following:

• Ensure the original server is no longer using the key and is permanently offline or repurposed.
• Contact Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) or your licensing provider to request manual release of the key.
• If the key was part of a retail or OEM license, please note that transferability may be limited.

We understand your concern regarding the support fee. If the license was purchased through a Microsoft partner or reseller, they may be able to assist you without additional cost.

Let me know how it goes, and if this answer helps, feel free to hit “Accept Answer” so others can benefit too 😊 T&B, Domic Vo.