Server 2012 32 bit

Question

Hello,

i am upgrading one of my servers that has windows server 2008 right now. I am trying to upgrade it to 2016 but i know i have to install 2012 first. My issue is that i cant find a 2012 R2 ISO in 32 bit. The 2008 server OS is currently a 32 bit system. Do you know where i can find a Server 2012 R2 32 bit or a work around?

Answer 1

An in-place upgrade of a 32 bit operating system to 64 bit is not possible to do. A cleaner and much safer option (assuming a domain controller) is a migration.

The two prerequisites to introducing the first 2019 or 2022 domain controller are that domain functional level needs to be 2008 or higher and older sysvol FRS replication needs to have been migrated to DFSR

I'd use dcdiag / repadmin tools to verify health correcting all errors found before starting any operations. Then stand up the new 2019 or 2022, patch it fully, license it, join existing domain, add active directory domain services, promote it also making it a GC (recommended), transfer FSMO roles over (optional), transfer pdc emulator role (optional), use dcdiag / repadmin tools to again verify health, when all is good you can decommission / demote old one.

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Answer 2

2008 (vista kernel) was the last 32 bit server operating system. The only option for upgrade is a 64 bit OS.

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