Consider the following scenario:

• You enable the License server security Group Policy on a Terminal Services Licensing (TS Licensing) server that is running Windows Server 2008.
• You add a terminal server to the "terminal server computers" group on the TS Licensing server.
• You create a terminal server session to the terminal server by using a domain administrator account or a local administrator account.

In this scenario, you receive one of the following warning message balloons when you log on to the terminal server:

• Cannot find a valid Terminal Services License Server
  
  Terminal Services will stop working because this computer is past its grace period and has not connected to a valid terminal services license server. Click this message to launch the Terminal Services Configuration tool to specify a valid license server.
• Cannot find a valid Terminal Services License Server
  
  Terminal Services will stop working if this computer does not connect to a valid Terminal Services license server within 2 days. Click this message to launch the Terminal Services Configuration tool to specify a valid license server.

Note If you run the Licensing Diagnosis tool in the Terminal Services Configuration MMC snap-in (Tsconfig.msc), you notice that the terminal server is connected to the TS Licensing server successfully.

This issue occurs because the Tlsbln.exe (Windows Terminal Services Balloon Reminder) on the terminal server incorrectly performs a security check and reports a false warning message.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must be running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2). Additionally, the Terminal Services role must be installed on the computer. For more information about how to obtain a Windows Server 2008 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

File information

The global version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows Server 2008 file information notes

Important Windows Vista hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only "Windows Vista" is listed on the Hotfix Request page. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows Vista" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

• The files that apply to a specific product, SR_Level (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.
  Collapse this tableExpand this table

  Version	Product	SR_Level	Service branch
  6.0.600 1 . 22xxx	Windows Server 2008	SP1	LDR
  6.0.600 2 . 22xxx	Windows Server 2008	SP2	LDR

• Service Pack 1 is integrated into the release version of Windows Server 2008. Therefore, RTM milestone files apply only to Windows Vista. RTM milestone files have a 6.0.0000.xxxxx version number.
• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008" section. MUM files and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are veryimportant to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008

To work around this issue when you log on to a terminal server as a domain administrator, use one of the following methods. To work around this issue when you log on to the terminal server as a local administrator, use only Method 1 or Method 2:

Method 1

Ignore the false warning message balloon. Then, use the Licensing Diagnosis tool to check whether the terminal server discovers the TS Licensing server.

Method 2

Use Task Scheduler to disable Tlsbln.exe. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, type Task Scheduler in the Search box, and then click Task Scheduler.
2. In Task Scheduler, expand Task Scheduler Library, expand Microsoft, expand Windows, expand termsrv, and then click licensing.
3. Right-click TlsWarning that is displayed on the right side column of the Task Scheduler, and then click Disable.

Method 3

Add the domain administrators group to the "terminal server computers" group on the TS Licensing server.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

This hotfix only corrects the warning balloon message if you log on to the terminal service session as a domain administrator. If you want to log on to the terminal service session as a local administrator, use the applicable workarounds that are described in the "Workaround" section.


For more information about TS Licensing, visit the following Microsoft website: For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008