Where is my 25 digit Client Access License (CAL) code?
[Today’s post comes to us courtesy Girish Rajan.]
Very often you may find yourself in situations where you have purchased SBS 2003 CALs however you can’t find the 25 Digit code to install it or you may have that the 25 Digit code however you are unable to install it let alone activate it successfully. With this post we are laying down some basic things that you might want check before picking up the phone.
Scenario 1: You have bought SBS 2003 CALs however you cannot find the 25 digit CALs code.
Possible Reasons:
1> You may have bought the wrong product and hence did not receive the 25 digit code.
2> You may not be aware that you could retrieve that information from eopen website using the authentication and the license code provided to you with your open license.
3> The required paper work is missing.
Scenario 2: You have the 25 Digit code however you can’t install it to activate the same.
Possible Reasons:
1> You have bought the wrong product. In some cases our customers receive the complete Operating system media instead of the CALs product key wherein the 25 digit code is for OS and not CALs.
2> You may be reading and entering the key incorrectly. We don’t blame you, sometimes the 8 looks like B and vice versa.
Flowchart for Scenario 1:
Flowchart for Scenario 2 (Basically Scenario 1 becomes Scenario 2.)
We hope this helps.
Couple of pointers;
1> If you have lost or misplaced OEM CALs, then it is very unlikely that Microsoft representatives would be able to help you retrieve them. Contacting the reseller and Manufacturer should be the first option.
2> If you still don’t get help from either of those resources then you could call following departments at Microsoft, provided you have the Proof of Purchase.
Response Management Team: 08706 010 200
Microsoft Direct Services: 08000 324 479
*the above are UK numbers.