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I can not upgrade 2008r2 to 2012r2 with the purpose of upgrading to 2022. We have licenses needed but not able to move forward.

Anonymous
2024-08-07T17:10:45+00:00

We have licenses needed but the error I am seeing is the following:

Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard cannot be upgraded to Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard (Server with a GUI). You can choose to install a new copy of Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard (Server with a GUI) instead, but this is different from an upgrade, and does not keep your files, settings, and programs. You’ll need to reinstall any programs using the original installation discs or files. To save your files before installing Windows, back them up to an external location such as a CD, DVD, or external hard drive. To install a new copy of Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard (Server with a GUI), click the Back button in the upper left-hand corner, and select “Custom (advanced)”.

It is critical that the files are moved over, and the size of the servers are over 80TB. We have a few servers that are already 2012r2 and they were easily upgraded but the 2008r2 servers are giving us issues. Any guidance appreciated.
Windows for business | Windows Server | Devices and deployment | Set up, install, or upgrade

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-08-08T00:22:55+00:00

    Hello  Guy Couture，

    Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community forum.

    Upgrading from Windows Server 2008 R2 directly to Windows Server 2012 R2 with the GUI option is not supported as indicated by the error message you received. Since it's critical to retain your files and the server size is substantial, here's a recommended approach to manage this:

    1. Backup: First, ensure that all critical data on your Windows Server 2008 R2 is backed up. This is extremely important, especially given the size of your servers. Consider using external hard drives, network-attached storage (NAS), or another server for the backup.
    2. In-Place Upgrade Path: It may be beneficial to check the in-place upgrade path supported by Microsoft. Typically, you may need to perform a multi-step upgrade (e.g., upgrading from 2008 R2 to 2012, then from 2012 to 2012 R2).
    3. Minimal Server Installatio: During the upgrade, consider temporarily switching to an installation option that supports the transition. You can perform the upgrade with the "Server Core" installation option, then convert it back to the GUI later if needed.
    4. Test Environment: It’s crucial to test this upgrade process in a controlled environment with a non-production server that has similar configurations to identify and resolve potential issues before performing it on your production server.

    I hope the information above is helpful.

    If you have any question or concern, please feel free to let us know.

    Best Regards,

    Haijian Shan

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-08-09T14:00:24+00:00

    Good Day,

    Thank you for your reply. Backing up the files will be difficult as any of these servers are located at different sites. The In-Place Upgrade path stated the following:

    2008r2 can jump to 2012r2 directly

    2012r2 can then jump to 2019

    That is why I am stumped to see this error. A simple OS upgrade should be straight forward but only the 2008r2 servers are causing this issue.

    I will try the 2012 upgrade first then the 2012r2, hope this works and I will also try the server core upgrade and the GUI upgrade at a later version. I will keep posting.

    Regards,

    Guy

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-12-12T17:14:13+00:00

    Were you able to upgrade? We are having the same issues.

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-12-13T15:36:11+00:00

    Good Day,

    2008r2 I was finally able to upgrade to 2012 but not 2012r2. From 2012 I was able to upgrade to 2019. Odd but I was able to keep all files and programs. We only had to reset NIC settings (teaming, domain, IP address) and system name.

    Guy

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-12-24T07:47:11+00:00

    you used the license of 2008r2 or a new licenses for 2012?

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