Strange behavior of Windows Server 2019 Essentials in licensing

Question

Hi.

I am an IT technician. English is not my native language, so I am sorry for any bad syntax.

To begin with, a client of mine has bought a new Dell PowerEdge Server for its company, to migrate someday its data and services (mostly file sharing inside the company through LAN) from the old server machine with Windows Server 2008 R2 on it.

So, the newly purchased Dell Server came with no OS installed. Therefore, I downloaded a 180-days trial version of Windows Server 2019 Essentials from Microsoft’s web site and I installed it to it.

Then, after some days (and after successful installation, updates, drivers, etc.) I run some programs on this system (mostly for files backup) to be sure as far as concern compatibility of these programs with 2019. Then, for some months (about 3-4 months) the server worked fine with the trial version installed. At about the 4th-5th month my client powered it off due to a problem with the room temperature and air-conditioning. The server was switched-off all the time, until 3 days ago (that is, 6-7 months after the initial installation of Windows).

So, before 3 days I switched it back on and Windows told me that there were updates. I did all updates and after 2-3 restarts the license changed by its own and became Windows Server 2019 Standard Evaluation!

My client meanwhile bought a Windows Server 2019 Essentials license and when I tried to put this Product Key for activation, the activation gives me instantly an error and the Windows cannot be licensing!

Why Windows became automatically from Essentials, a Standard version?

Is it a common situation?

How can I roll-back to Essentials and to activate the newly purchased license?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Open an Administrator Command Prompt Window

Run follwing command,
slmgr.vbs /cpky

Then install your product key again
slmgr.vbs /ipk #####-#####-#####-#####-#####

Then activate your OS with follwing command and check the statsu
slmgr.vbs /ato

For more command reference, please check following,
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-R2-and-2012/dn502540(v=ws.11)

Answer 2

Sounds like the evaluation expired and you'll need to clean install it again.

--please don't forget to Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Answer 3

@Dave Patrick if the evaluation period has expired, then why Windows did not lock? It should not give the ability (for any user) to use the OS without license or with an expired license...

Why Windows instead of locking, became different version?

@udara peiris I am not in the company now, I will visit the company and my client at about a week, so I can not run any commands now. But I have some questions:

1) Are these commands legal to activate my product? (I mean, will my product going to be activated legally and have a legal license registered to it with this way?)

2) About the Windows version, how can I downgrade Windows from Standard to Essentials first and then to activate my product? Because If I don't do this, I believe that even with these commands my product will not be able to activate (I believe I will have errors...).

Answer 4

why Windows did not lock?

That's just not how it works. When installed Windows 2019 it gives you 180 days to use. After that time in the right bottom corner, you will be greeted with message Windows License is expired and your Windows Server machine will start shutting down.

--please don't forget to Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Answer 5

Hi George,

Following guidance may be helpful to you.

Licensing_brief_PLT_Downgrade_Rights.pdf