How To Reset 120 Day Grace Period on Server RDS — The Steps
Note: RDS(Remote Desktop Services)
Option 1: Using GUI
Step 1: Win key + R
Step 2: Type in regedit and click ok
Step 3: Navigate to this folder path
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\RCM\GracePeriod
Step 4: Delete the REG_BINARY
Step 5: Restart the Server for changes to take effect(For grace period to be restored back to 120 Days)
Option 2: Remote desktop license reset grace period to 120 days through PowerShell script (Note: Does not require restarting the host server as in option one for changes to take effect)
## This Script is intended to be used for Querying remaining time and resetting Terminal Server (RDS) Grace Licensing Period to Default 120 Days.
Clear-Host
$ErrorActionPreference = “SilentlyContinue”
## Display current Status of remaining days from Grace period.
$GracePeriod = (Invoke-WmiMethod -PATH (gwmi -namespace root\cimv2\terminalservices -class win32_terminalservicesetting).__PATH -name GetGracePeriodDays).daysleft
Write-Host -fore Green ======================================================
Write-Host -fore Green ‘Terminal Server (RDS) grace period Days remaining are’ : $GracePeriod
Write-Host -fore Green ======================================================
Write-Host
$Response = Read-Host “Do you want to reset Terminal Server (RDS) Grace period to Default 120 Days ? (Y/N)”
if ($Response -eq “Y”) {
## Reset Terminal Services Grace period to 120 Days
$definition = @”
using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
namespace Win32Api
{
public class NtDll
{
[DllImport(“ntdll.dll”, EntryPoint=”RtlAdjustPrivilege”)]
public static extern int RtlAdjustPrivilege(ulong Privilege, bool Enable, bool CurrentThread, ref bool Enabled);
}
}
“@
Add-Type -TypeDefinition $definition -PassThru
$bEnabled = $false
## Enable SeTakeOwnershipPrivilege
$res = [Win32Api.NtDll]::RtlAdjustPrivilege(9, $true, $false, [ref]$bEnabled)
## Take Ownership on the Key
$key = [Microsoft.Win32.Registry]::LocalMachine.OpenSubKey(“SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\RCM\GracePeriod”, [Microsoft.Win32.RegistryKeyPermissionCheck]::ReadWriteSubTree,[System.Security.AccessControl.RegistryRights]::takeownership)
$acl = $key.GetAccessControl()
$acl.SetOwner([System.Security.Principal.NTAccount]”Administrators”)
$key.SetAccessControl($acl)
## Assign Full Controll permissions to Administrators on the key.
$rule = New-Object System.Security.AccessControl.RegistryAccessRule (“Administrators”,”FullControl”,”Allow”)
$acl.SetAccessRule($rule)
$key.SetAccessControl($acl)
## Finally Delete the key which resets the Grace Period counter to 120 Days.
Remove-Item ‘HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\RCM\GracePeriod’
write-host
Write-host -ForegroundColor Red ‘Resetting, Please Wait….’
Start-Sleep -Seconds 10
}
Else
{
Write-Host
Write-Host -ForegroundColor Yellow ‘**You Chose not to reset Grace period of Terminal Server (RDS) Licensing’
}
## Display Remaining Days again as final status
tlsbln.exe
$GracePost = (Invoke-WmiMethod -PATH (gwmi -namespace root\cimv2\terminalservices -class win32_terminalservicesetting).__PATH -name GetGracePeriodDays).daysleft
Write-Host
Write-Host -fore Yellow =====================================================
Write-Host -fore Yellow ‘Terminal Server (RDS) grace period Days remaining are’ : $GracePost
Write-Host -fore Yellow =====================================================
## Cleanup of Variables
Remove-Variable * -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Using CMD(Command Prompt)
Recommendation: This process should be initiated at least 5 days before the initial period ends.
