Recommend on all Horizon View Images Prior to Provisioning: Provisioning VMware Horizon View desktops fails with error: View Composer Agent initialization error (16): Failed to activate software license

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1026556

Provisioning VMware Horizon View desktops fails with error: View Composer Agent initialization error (16): Failed to activate software license

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Details

By default, the View Composer QuickPrep process uses Microsoft Key Management Service (KMS) to activate Windows 7 and Windows Vista guest operating systems. To ensure that View Composer properly activates the operating systems on linked-clone desktops, you must use KMS license activation on the parent virtual machine.

 

QuickPrep does not use other volume activation methods such as Multiple Activation Key (MAK) licensing.

 

If you are using MAK based licensing, you may not be able to deploy pools and you may see this error when deployment fails:

 

view composer agent initialization error (16): Failed to activate software license (waited 0 seconds)
 

Note: This error may also occur with KMS licensing if the View desktop time is not properly synchronized with the domain. To resolve this issue, correct the time synchronization issue and redeploy the pool.

Solution

View Composer does not natively support MAK license activation.

Workaround

Note: Before applying the workaround, ensure:

• You must obtain and comply with the licenses required to operate any third party software, including Windows guest operating systems.
• Use MAK license activation with a View Composer at your own risk, as it is not supported by VMware Technical Support.
• Each recompose operation can increase the MAK license count. This may result in the unexpected depletion of MAK licenses.
• For information on activation errors, see Windows 7 KMS activation fails on View virtual desktops (2009481) and Linked-Clone pool deployment fails when Windows volume license does not activate in pool desktop (1035519).

To enable QuickPrep to activate licenses:

1. In the guest operating system on the parent virtual machine, start the Windows Registry Editor and navigate to this registry key:
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\vmware-viewcomposer-ga
    
2. Navigate to the AllowActivateMAKLicense registry value. The default value is 0.
3. Set the value to 1.

To skip the license activation step:

1. In the guest operating system on the parent virtual machine, start the Windows Registry Editor and navigate to this registry key:
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\vmware-viewcomposer-ga
    
2. Navigate to the SkipLicenseActivation registry value. The default value is 0.
3. Set the value to 1.

Note: This allows you to deploy Horizon View Desktops in a non activated state, which must be manually activated.

For Windows 10 OS to locate SkipLicenseActivation navigate to:
 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet001\Services\vmware-viewcomposer-ga