I posted the detailed instruction on how to activate Windows Server for totally free with a legal KMS client key a month ago. However, there are a lot of people left comments or sent me emails saying that they had a problem in following my instruction. As I replied at that time, Windows Server you got from Microsoft homepage is evaluation version and it has been attached 180-day trial license. As a result, you can not install another key on your machine, in this case, KMS client key. For that reason, today I will show you how to convert the evaluation version to the retail one.
Step 1: Determine your edition of Windows you are using.
Open the command prompt as administrator then execute this command.
In this case, I am using Windows Server 2019 Standard Evaluation.
Step 2: List the editions that you can convert
your one to.
Run the following command.
As you can see, I can convert my OS to the retail version of the Standard edition or upgrade it to the Datacenter one.
Step 3: Convert your Windows to the edition you want.
Execute the command below to start a conversion process.
“<-Edition->” and “X-X-X-X-X” are the version of Windows you want to convert to in the 2nd step and the correlative KMS client key.
Here is
the list of all product keys.
I just want to make a conversion, not an upgrade so the above command is.
Step 4: Restart your
machine then check the properties again.
After completing the 3rd step, you will be asked to reboot your server. Just answer ‘Y’.
All done! Now you can back to this post then try activating your Windows again.
If you would have any questions or concerns, please leave your comments. I would be glad to explain in more details. Thank you so much for all your feedback and support!
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If it doesn't work and getting an error like: Error: 0xC004F069 orError 1168 the specified product key could not be validated, You need a Retail product key (which you will get if purchased from us) and use DISM command to upgrade Windows Server Edition from evaluation edition to Standard or Datacenter edition.
Sometimes you may need to uninstall the previous key by this command:slmgr /upk
Please be sure that your server is running Up to Date on the current version, so complete all update before the conversion!! For this issue, please check this link to be sure about your server version and the current version or use the following both command on PowerShell/Command Prompt - Run as Administrator:
DISM /online /get-currentedition
DISM /online /get-targeteditions
Type following command on command prompt or PowerShell/Windows Terminal to upgrade your Windows Server Standard or Datacenter evaluation version to Retail version.
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 system and it's done. Please note: This method only work with Retail License for upgrading from Windows Server Evaluation version to Retail & Licensed version. If you purchased from us and going to implement your server on the environment by our given Server OS and License, simply skip it. It's only required for whom, who already installed Windows Server Evaluation version.
Still have the issue? Please use/install the Generic Volume License Keys (GVLK) at first which you will get from this link, and take a restart of your server and then try again with your purchased Retail License which you will get from us(if purchased from us) or from another retail seller. Otherwise you can contact withMicrosoft Support also for fixing the issue.
If the server is running an evaluation version of Windows Server Standard/Datacenter as Domain Controller, you can convert it to a retail version as follows:
If the server is a domain controller, you cannot convert it to a retail version. In this case, install an additional domain controller on a server that runs a retail version and remove AD DS from the domain controller that runs on the evaluation version. For more information, see //technet.microsoft.com/library/hh994618.aspx.
Read the license terms.
From an elevated command prompt, determine the current edition name with the command DISM /online /Get-CurrentEdition. Make note of the edition ID, an abbreviated form of the edition name. Then run DISM /online /Set-Edition:<edition ID> /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX /AcceptEula, providing the edition ID and a retail product key. The server will restart twice. Example: DISM /Online /Set-Edition:ServerDatacenter /ProductKey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx /AcceptEula
For the evaluation version of Windows Server Standard, you can also convert to the retail version of Windows Server Datacenter in one step using this same command and the appropriate product key. For more information about Dism.exe, see //go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=192466.
Nothing works? Please use the Generic Volume License Keys (GVLK) first which you will get from this link, and take a restart of your server and then try again with your purchased Retail License which you will get from us(if purchased from us) or other Microsoft Partner/Seller. Otherwise you can contact withMicrosoft Support also for fixing the issue as you will have a genuine license for activation.
Seems like complicated? Why not reinstalling the server over your current server? It will give you an option to keep old data while installing the server.