Server 2008 Activation problem - Error code 0x80072558

[Raj]

I recently installed Windows Server 2008, using a MSDN Volume
License.
Now every few days, windows tries to activate itself and fails. The
error I get is

Error Code 0x80072558
Description:
DNS name contains an invalid character.

Do I even need to activate, since I installed from a MSDN CD with a
volume license?

If I do, how do I activate my Windows License?

Any and all help appreciated.

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

There's no such thing - volume licenses are not MSDN :-)

Yes, you do.

[Darrell Gorter[MSFT]]

You need to change your Product Key to the MSDN product key.
By default this is Volume Licensed media, so activation is querying the DNS
server for a KMS host machine.
With MSDN you get a MAK key to use for activation, however you need to
change your product key to that MSDN key.
Right-click on Computer on the Start Menu, choose Properties and use the
change key option.

[Darrell Gorter[MSFT]]

This error message means the default installation key for volume license is
installed on that machine.
When default key is installed ( VL installs this key by default) goes to
activate it queries DNS for locating a KMS host machine.
It queries for DNS for _VLMCS (KMS host name is what is expected)
It's getting a response, however the data in the response not valid.
So the DNS is server has a value for this but it's not a valid response.
Since this is MSDN, the odds are there isn't a KMS host machine available.
So the user more than likely needs to enter his MSDN key which is a MAK
product key.

[Raj]

Thank you so much for your informative response. Put in the MSDN
key, and the OS activated without any problems. Thanks, again.

OK. I downloaded my MSDN copy and simply got the key from the download page,
so I didn't have any problems.

[raffin01]

I changed the key number to the one I have on the eOpen web site and then I was able to activated .