Hi, An evaluation version can only be activated using a retail key, if the key was from volume center then you'll need to use volume distribution media that can be downloaded from volume licensing center over here: https://www.microsoft.com/Licensing/servicecenter/default.aspx To activate your Windows Server:
1.
Enter key via GUI or run the command: slmgr.vbs /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX To get the available editions:
1. Open an elevated command prompt.
2. Run the following command: DISM.exe /Online /Get-TargetEditions To set your Windows Server to a higher edition:
1. Run the following command: DISM.exe /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX /AcceptEula
(Use key from table below if this is a MAK/Volume license key) Windows Server 2022 - KMS Client Setup Key Windows Server
2022 Datacenter
- WX4NM-KYWYW-QJJR4-XV3QB-6VM33 Windows Server 2022 Standard
- VDYBN-27WPP-V4HQT-9VMD4-VMK7H Windows Server 2019 - KMS Client Setup Key Windows Server 2019 Datacenter
- WMDGN-G9PQG-XVVXX-R3X43-63DFG Windows Server 2019 Standard
- N69G4-B89J2-4G8F4-WWYCC-J464C Windows Server 2019 Essentials
- WVDHN-86M7X-466P6-VHXV7-YY726 Windows Server 2016 - KMS Client Setup Key Windows Server 2016
Datacenter
- CB7KF-BWN84-R7R2Y-793K2-8XDDG Windows Server 2016 Standard
- WC2BQ-8NRM3-FDDYY-2BFGV-KHKQY Windows Server 2016 Essentials
- JCKRF-N37P4-C2D82-9YXRT-4M63B Note: It may take some time for the command to complete.
If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you! Best regards,
Leon anonymous user
Hi, If you install Evaluation edition of Windows Server it will expect a Retail key when doing the straight conversion. For those of us with Volume license keys the upgrade path involves first using DISM ONLINE Set edition using a KMS key, Then on reboot use slmgr /ipk using your Volume key and then finally run slmgr /ato. You can get the KMS keys
here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/kmsclientkeys For example DISM /Online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:N69G4-B89J2-4G8F4-WWYCC-J464C /AcceptEula After reboot then slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX (your OWN VLSC MAK key) then activate slmgr /ato If that doesn't work, you have to reinstall 2019 with
the NON EVAL ISO. Hope above information can help you. ============================================
If the Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.
Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. When you try to activate Windows server 2019 from evaluation version, do you always get an error message “the product key you entered didn’t work. Check the product key and try again, or enter a different one. (0x80070490)”? Today, I am going to show you how to install license key to activate Windows Server 2019 from Evaluation version. Let’s follow steps to activate your windows server 2019 (it also can be use for activating Windows Server 2016). Note: you
cannot use slmgr /ipk command with VLSC MAK key or Retail to activate evaluation edition server directly. - Login to Windows Server 2019.
Open Settings and then select System. Select
About and check Edition. - If it shows Windows Server 2019 Standard or others non-evaluation edition, you can activate it without reboot.
Don’t use GUI to activate it, you will get error
message most of time. - Run command prompt or PowerShell as administrator.
Type following command. slmgr /ipk your_product_key
It will pop up Windows Script Host window and shows “install product key
xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxx successfully. Click OK to close the window. Type following command to activate license key. slmgr /ato
It will pop up Windows Script Host window and shows
“Activating Windows ®, ServerStandard edition (xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxx).. Product activated successfully”. Click OK to close the window. - That’s it, you have already activated your server without
reboot.
But when you check your server edition and it shows Windows Server 2019 Standard Evaluation, you need more steps to activate it and need to reboot server. You cannot use slmgr
command to install product key(Retail or VLSC MAK key) to evaluation edition server, you will get error message “Error:0xC004F069 On a computer running Microsoft Windows non-core edition….” To
upgrade evaluation edition server to standard (or Datacenter) edition, you cannot use VLSC MAK key, you will got error message “Error 1168 the specified product key could not be validated……” - You need a
KMS clients Activation and product Keys—Key Management Services (KMS) client activation and product keys for Windows Server and Windows | Microsoft Docs ( and use DISM command to upgrade Edition from evaluation edition to standard (or Datacenter) edition
Type following command to upgrade evaluation edition to standard (or Datacenter) edition. Standard
Edition: DISM /Online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx /AcceptEula
Datacenter Edition: DISM /Online /Set-Edition:ServerDatacenter /ProductKey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx /AcceptEula
- Click Y and restart the server. if you own VLSC MAK license not
retail, you need to following steps to install your VLSC MAK key and activate for your server.
- Login the server after reboot.
- Run command prompt or PowerShell as administrator,
Type following command. slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX (your VLSC MAK key)
It will pop up Windows Script Host window and shows “install product key xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxx successfully. Click OK to close the window. Type following command to activate license key slmgr /ato
It will pop up Windows Script Host window and shows “Activating Windows ®, ServerStandard edition (xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxxx).. Product
activated successfully”. Click OK to close the window. - That’s it, you have already change product key from Retail key to VLSC MAK key and activated your server without reboot.
Hope you
enjoy this post. Cary Sun Twitter: @SifuSun Web Site: carysun.com Blog Site: checkyourlogs.net Blog Site: gooddealmart.com
Can you activate Windows Server evaluation?
Select About and check Edition. If it shows Windows Server 2019 Standard or others non-evaluation edition, you can activate it without reboot. Don't use GUI to activate it, you will get error message most of time. Run command prompt or PowerShell as administrator.
Can Windows Server 2012 evaluation be activated?
Windows Server 2012 Evaluation problem needs to first be converted to a full retail version before it can be activated with a serial key.
Can Windows Server 2016 evaluation be activated?
As you know all Evaluations versions is available for testing for 180 days and after that period you must convert the Evaluation version to Licensed first and to use a valid product key in order to activate Windows Server 2016 (or Server 2019)and use all its features without problems.
Can you upgrade Windows Server evaluation?
You can convert the evaluation version of Windows Server to the retail version. If you have installed the evaluation of Standard edition, you can convert it to the retail version of either the Standard edition or Datacenter edition.
| 
