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Event ID 17 — Remote Desktop License Server Activation

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2

To install and issue Remote Desktop Services client access licenses (RDS CALs), a Remote Desktop license server must first be activated. When the license server is activated, Microsoft provides the license server with a limited-use digital certificate that validates server ownership and identity. Microsoft uses the X.509 industry standard certificate for this purpose. Using this certificate, a license server can make subsequent transactions with Microsoft.

Event Details

Product: Windows Operating System
ID: 17
Source: Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-Licensing
Version: 6.1
Symbolic Name: TLS_W_STARTUPCORRUPTEDCERT
Message: One or more of the RD Licensing certificates on the Remote Desktop license server "%1!s!" are corrupted. Therefore, the Remote Desktop license server will only issue temporary licenses until it is reactivated.

Resolve

Reactivate the license server

To resolve this issue, reactivate the Remote Desktop license server.

Note:  The automatic reactivation method requires Internet connectivity from the computer running the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool. Internet connectivity is not required from the license server itself. This method uses TCP/IP (TCP port 443) to connect directly to the Microsoft Clearinghouse. You can also reactivate the license server by using a Web browser or by using the telephone. For more information about these activation methods, see "Reactivate a Remote Desktop License Server" in the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager Help in the Windows Server 2008 R2 Technical Library (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=177764).

To perform this procedure, you must have membership in the local Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.

To reactivate the license server automatically:

  1. On the license server, open Remote Desktop Licensing Manager. To open Remote Desktop Licensing Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
  2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Yes.
  3. Ensure that the connection method for the license server is set to Automatic connection (recommended) by right-clicking the license server that you want to reactivate, and then clicking Properties. On the Connection Method tab, change the connection method if necessary, and then click OK.
  4. Right-click the license server that you want to reactivate, point to Advanced, and then click Reactivate Server. The Reactivate Server Wizard starts.
  5. On the Welcome page, click Next.
  6. On the Information Needed page, provide the requested information, including the reason for the reactivation, and then click Next.
  7. Your request to reactivate the license server is sent to the Microsoft Clearinghouse for processing, and the license server is reactivated.
  8. On the Completing the Reactivate Server Wizard page, click Finish.

Verify

To verify that the Remote Desktop license server is activated, use the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool.

To perform this procedure, you must have membership in the local Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.

To verify that the license server is activated:

  1. On the license server, open Remote Desktop Licensing Manager. To open Remote Desktop Licensing Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
  2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Yes.
  3. In the left pane, click All Servers.
  4. In the right pane, the Activation Status for the license server should be listed as Activated.

Remote Desktop License Server Activation

Remote Desktop Services