In-place upgrade of Windows Server 2019 Essentials ROK to Windows Server 2019 or 2022 Standard

Question

Hi,

I'm trying to find out whether I can do an in-place upgrade of the current Server OS ( = Windows Server 2019 Essentials ROK) to 2019 or 2022 Standard and which is the correct server license I need to purchase for this upgrade?

I contacted 2 separate suppliers and one of them is referring to a Windows Server Standard 2019 OLP license, which would mean I will have to reïnstall the server which would raise the cost of this exercise to over 4000 EUR as I need to involve a third-party to re-install software which is hosted on this server.
The other supplier is not sure whether an upgrade from 2019 Essentials ROK to 2019/2022 Standard is possible.

When I visit the activation page in the Server OS, I have the possibility to enter a new product key, so I would assume something is possible.

The 2019 Essentials ROK was purchased with the hardware, but the license conflicts with the rest of our setup (max 25 connections and it's detecting 90+ connections when the software on it is retrieving data from AD). Because of the license conflict, the server shuts down every 7 days.

Thanks for your input !

Answer 1

Hello,

You can convert Windows Server 2019 Essentials (retail) to Windows Server 2019 Standard (retail), you will need to purchase a Windows Server 2019 Standard license.

More information about the license conversion can be found here:

Install, upgrade, or migrate to Windows Server

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/install-upgrade-migrate#license-conversion-1

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server-essentials/migrate/transition-from-windows-server-2012-essentials-to-windows-server-2012-standard

It applies to Windows Server 2019 the same way.

Purchase a Windows Server Standard license
Open an administrative PowerShell command
Run the following command to verify the target edition:
dism /online /Get-TargetEditions
You should see Target Edition : ServerStandard or something similar
Run the following command to complete the upgrade:
dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX /AcceptEula

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Answer 2

An in-place upgrade from essentials to Standard would not work. You may be able to convert it
Dism /Online /Get-TargetEditions
Dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /AcceptEula /ProductKey:12345-67890-12345-67890-12345
but this seems risky as far as the domain is concerned.

The simplest solution may be to stand up a new one and migrate the domain over.

The two prerequisites to introducing the first 2019 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
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Storage-at-Microsoft/Streamlined-Migration-of-FRS-to-DFSR-SYSVOL/ba-p/425405

I'd use dcdiag / repadmin tools to verify health correcting all errors found before starting any operations. Then stand up the new 2019, 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.

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