Unable To Connect To Windows Server 2008R2 or 2012R2 Due to Licence Errors in XenApp

Users are seeing licence errors or are unable to connect to a Windows Server 2008R2 or 2012R2 Operating System

First the location of the RDS license server is located here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services

In 2008 R2 you can verify the RDS license information by opening the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration. Here you can validate the server is pointing to a RDS server and there are no issues with the RDS licensing.

In 2012 R2 the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration does not exist but you can open “RD License Diagnoser” feature once installed by running the following:

%windir%\system32\lsdiag.msc

If it is not installed open the Server Manager which can be accessed in opening control panel and click "Turn Windows feature on or off", "Add role or feature", Under features "Remote Server Administration Tools", "Role Administration Tools", "Remote Desktop Services Tools", "Remote Desktop Licensing Diagnoser":

Also know Windows will require a different license file for 2012 R2 than it will for 2008 R2. While on the RD license server run the command %windir%\system32\licmgr.exe to open the RD Licensing Manage.

Only having one license type but two different version of the Operating system can cause users to say the applications or desktops will launch on a 2008 R2 VDA but not a 2012 R2 VDA or vice versa.

Most of the time if a customer opens an application with an issue with RDS licensing they will just see the Citrix Receiver launch window instantly close with no error or explanation other than an event in the System event log 1130 which can make users point to Citrix.

Citrix does not troubleshoot issues with RDS licensing, the customer will have to go to Microsoft troubleshooting however these tools should help you rule out Citrix the root cause.

Know logging into the console does not consume an RDS license so logging on this way will bypass RDS issues.

Finally know that whether in your environment or on a customers, they should have a 120 day grace period for using RDS, however it could be extended by deleting the REG_BINARY in

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\RCM\GracePeriod however this is NOT a permanent solution nor recommended.