- Feb 14, 2004
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This guide is specifically for when you are trying to convert Server 2019 EVAL to Standard (or Datacenter) & it refuses to take your license key to perform the version upgrade & activation.
Situation:
1. You install the Server 2019 Evaluation Edition from Microsoft onto your hardware or VM
2. You purchase a license for Windows Server 2019 & try to activate it (change key, slmgr.vbs, DISM, etc.)
3. It won't take it & says it's invalid
The problem lies in the Evaluation version:
1. You have to upgrade it from Evaluation to the full version (as per normal, if using the MS Eval ISO)
2. If it specifically gives you the error about the key not being valid, you have to use a special GLVK key to activate it first (to upgrade), and THEN use your official license key (to activate)
Open an elevated Command Prompt: (Start > search "cmd" > right-click & open as administrator)
1. Run "DISM /Online /Get-CurrentEdition" and it should say "Current Edition: ServerStandardEval" (or DatacenterEval). This verifies that you are running 2019 Evaluation edition.
2. Run "DISM /Online /Get-TargetEditions" and it should say TargetEdition: ServerStandard and ServerDatacenter (assuming you're running StandardEval, it will give you the option for both). This verifies that you can upgrade to either Standard or Datacenter (using the proper method).
3. You now have to convert the OS using a temporary GVLK (Generic Volume License Key) key from Microsoft. They are listed on the KMS page from Microsoft:
Command to convert Server Standard 2019 from Evaluation to Retail: (again, do this within an elevated CMD prompt) * Mod note: this is an official GLVK or "temp KMS" code from Microsoft, see MS link above
DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:N69G4-B89J2-4G8F4-WWYCC-J464C /AcceptEula
Command to convert Server Datacenter 2019 from Evaluation to Retail: (again, do this within an elevated CMD prompt) * Mod note: this is an official GLVK or "temp KMS" code from Microsoft, see MS link above
DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerDatacenter /ProductKey:WMDGN-G9PQG-XVVXX-R3X43-63DFG /AcceptEula
This will take awhile, even on a fast server. Datacenter takes longer than Standard because it has to remove the Standard Edition package. Once completed, the DOS prompt will ask you to reboot, so type in Y and hit enter to do that. It will go to the update-upon-reboot bluescreen & say it's installing features, then go into cleanup mode, and then reboot.
4. After it reboots & you log back in, now you can activate your actual key. At this point, if you go into Windows Activation from Settings in the Start Menu, it will say that it's the Standard Edition instead of the Evaluation version, but that it can't find your organization's activation server. This is fine, because we're going to put in our own license now. Specifically, this happens because we used the GVLK key, which looks for a local KMS server (basically a LAN bulk-activation server). Go down to the Activation tab on the left to change your Windows key, punch in your purchased key, and wait for it to activate. Do a quick reboot to ensure that the key is good to go.
This was a new issue for me & took a couple hours to figure out. Usually you can just do the version upgrade from eval to standard using DISM, no problem. I don't know if this is because of the most recent 2019 updates or what. I had this happen on two separate servers with two separate licenses, both running the latest 2019 install & patches, so my assumption is that something changed recently in the activation methodology. So the trick is pretty much just to use the GVLK key and THEN use your purchase license key.
Situation:
1. You install the Server 2019 Evaluation Edition from Microsoft onto your hardware or VM
2. You purchase a license for Windows Server 2019 & try to activate it (change key, slmgr.vbs, DISM, etc.)
3. It won't take it & says it's invalid
The problem lies in the Evaluation version:
1. You have to upgrade it from Evaluation to the full version (as per normal, if using the MS Eval ISO)
2. If it specifically gives you the error about the key not being valid, you have to use a special GLVK key to activate it first (to upgrade), and THEN use your official license key (to activate)
Open an elevated Command Prompt: (Start > search "cmd" > right-click & open as administrator)
1. Run "DISM /Online /Get-CurrentEdition" and it should say "Current Edition: ServerStandardEval" (or DatacenterEval). This verifies that you are running 2019 Evaluation edition.
2. Run "DISM /Online /Get-TargetEditions" and it should say TargetEdition: ServerStandard and ServerDatacenter (assuming you're running StandardEval, it will give you the option for both). This verifies that you can upgrade to either Standard or Datacenter (using the proper method).
3. You now have to convert the OS using a temporary GVLK (Generic Volume License Key) key from Microsoft. They are listed on the KMS page from Microsoft:
Key Management Services (KMS) client activation and product keys for Windows Server and Windows
Get the product keys needed for setup and activation of Windows Server and other Windows products from a KMS host server.
docs.microsoft.com
Command to convert Server Standard 2019 from Evaluation to Retail: (again, do this within an elevated CMD prompt) * Mod note: this is an official GLVK or "temp KMS" code from Microsoft, see MS link above
DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:N69G4-B89J2-4G8F4-WWYCC-J464C /AcceptEula
Command to convert Server Datacenter 2019 from Evaluation to Retail: (again, do this within an elevated CMD prompt) * Mod note: this is an official GLVK or "temp KMS" code from Microsoft, see MS link above
DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerDatacenter /ProductKey:WMDGN-G9PQG-XVVXX-R3X43-63DFG /AcceptEula
This will take awhile, even on a fast server. Datacenter takes longer than Standard because it has to remove the Standard Edition package. Once completed, the DOS prompt will ask you to reboot, so type in Y and hit enter to do that. It will go to the update-upon-reboot bluescreen & say it's installing features, then go into cleanup mode, and then reboot.
4. After it reboots & you log back in, now you can activate your actual key. At this point, if you go into Windows Activation from Settings in the Start Menu, it will say that it's the Standard Edition instead of the Evaluation version, but that it can't find your organization's activation server. This is fine, because we're going to put in our own license now. Specifically, this happens because we used the GVLK key, which looks for a local KMS server (basically a LAN bulk-activation server). Go down to the Activation tab on the left to change your Windows key, punch in your purchased key, and wait for it to activate. Do a quick reboot to ensure that the key is good to go.
This was a new issue for me & took a couple hours to figure out. Usually you can just do the version upgrade from eval to standard using DISM, no problem. I don't know if this is because of the most recent 2019 updates or what. I had this happen on two separate servers with two separate licenses, both running the latest 2019 install & patches, so my assumption is that something changed recently in the activation methodology. So the trick is pretty much just to use the GVLK key and THEN use your purchase license key.
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