{"id":313,"date":"2022-02-16T12:26:17","date_gmt":"2022-02-16T12:26:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bene.webtopia.ch\/?p=313"},"modified":"2022-02-16T12:26:17","modified_gmt":"2022-02-16T12:26:17","slug":"windows-server-2016-converting-evaluation-to-licensed-version","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bene.webtopia.ch\/?p=313","title":{"rendered":"Windows Server 2016: Converting Evaluation to Licensed Version"},"content":{"rendered":"

Windows Server 2016: Converting Evaluation to Licensed Version<\/h2>\n

To upgrade Windows Server Evaluation to a full version, you need to use the public KMS (GVLK) key for Windows Server 2016<\/a>. The conversion is performed via the command prompt using the built-in DISM tool. For example, to upgrade your Eval edition to the Retail version of Windows Server 2016 Standard, use the command:<\/p>\n

dism \/online \/set-edition:ServerStandard \/productkey:WC2BQ-8NRM3-FDDYY-2BFGV-KHKQY \/accepteula<\/code><\/p>\n

\"dism<\/a><\/p>\n

If you specify your retail or MAK key instead of a public GVLK key in the DISM command, an error will appear:<\/p>\n

Error 1168\r\nThe specified product key could not be validated.\r\nCheck that the specified product key is valid and that it matches the target edition.<\/pre>\n
\"Error<\/a><\/p>\n
Always use the Microsoft GVLK key when upgrading the Windows Server edition. You will later replace it with your own product key.<\/p>\n
Some users complain that sometimes when you run a DISM \/set-edition<\/code> command, it hangs by 10%. In this case, we recommend you find and stop the Software Protection Service<\/strong> (Stop-Service<\/a> sppsvc -Force<\/code>) and disable Internet access (you can even disconnect the Ethernet LAN cable).<\/div>\n
After you run this command, wait for the message Command completed successfully<\/code> (in some cases it may take several hours!!!). After that restart your server and make sure you have a full Standard edition installed.<\/p>\n
winver.exe<\/code><\/p>\n
\"winver\"<\/a><\/p>\n
To upgrade Windows Server 2016 Eval to the Datacenter edition, you need to use another GVLK key. The command will look like this:<\/p>\n
DISM \/online \/Set-Edition:ServerDatacenter \/ProductKey:CB7KF-BWN84-R7R2Y-793K2-8XDDG \/AcceptEula<\/code><\/p>\n
If a KMS server is deployed<\/a> in your local network (What is Volume KMS activation?<\/a>), you can use it to activate your Windows Server OS with the following commands:<\/p>\n
slmgr \/ipk WC2BQ-8NRM3-FDDYY-2BFGV-KHKQY<\/code> (this is the GVLK key for Windows Server 2016 Standard, another product key is used for Datacenter, it is listed above)
\nslmgr \/ato<\/code><\/p>\n
If there is no KMS server, you can specify your MAK or Retail product key for Windows Server and activate the OS as usual: via the Internet or by phone.<\/p>\n
Remove the current key:<\/p>\n
slmgr.vbs \/upk
\nslmgr.vbs \/cpky<\/code><\/p>\n
Enter your MAK or retail product key:<\/p>\n
slmgr.vbs \/ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx<\/code><\/p>\n
Activate a Windows Server instance:
\nslmgr.vbs \/ato<\/code><\/p>\n
Windows Server 2019: Upgrade Evaluation to Full Version<\/h2>\n
To convert Windows Server 2019 EVAL to a full edition, you need to use the GVLK (KMS) keys for Windows Server 2019. You can upgrade Windows Server 2019 edition the same way.<\/p>\n
Convert Windows Server 2019 Evaluation to Windows Server 2019 Standard:<\/p>\n
dism \/online \/set-edition:ServerStandard \/productkey:N69G4-B89J2-4G8F4-WWYCC-J464C \/accepteula<\/code><\/p>\n
In order to convert Windows Server 2019 Evaluation to Windows Server 2019 Datacenter edition:<\/p>\n
dism \/online \/set-edition:ServerDatacenter \/productkey:WMDGN-G9PQG-XVVXX-R3X43-63DFG \/accepteula<\/code><\/p>\n
Confirm the command, restart the server. After rebooting, make sure your Windows Server Eval edition is converted to full retail.<\/p>\n
Windows Server 2022: Converting Evaluation to the Retail Edition<\/h2>\n
Although the official RTM version of Windows Server 2022 has not yet been released, Microsoft has already published the public KMS client setup keys (GVLKs) for this OS version.<\/p>\n
The command to convert Windows Server 2022 Evaluation edition to Standard:<\/p>\n
dism \/online \/set-edition:serverstandard \/productkey:VDYBN-27WPP-V4HQT-9VMD4-VMK7H \/accepteula<\/code><\/p>\n
Convert eval instance to Windows Server 2022 Datacenter:<\/p>\n
dism \/online \/set-edition:serverdatacenter \/productkey:WX4NM-KYWYW-QJJR4-XV3QB-6VM33 \/accepteula<\/code><\/p>\n
A complete list of public KMS client setup keys from Microsoft for all supported Windows versions is available here http:\/\/technet.microsoft.com\/en-us\/library\/jj612867.aspx<\/a>.<\/div>\n
Possible DISM errors<\/strong>:<\/p>\n