Convert Server 2012 Standard to Datacenter with a Simple Command (Evaluation to Retail)

Before you attempt to convert from evaluation to retail, verify that your server is actually running an evaluation version. To do this, do either of the following:

• From an elevated command prompt, run slmgr.vbs /dlv; evaluation versions will include “EVAL” in the output.
• From the Start screen, open Control Panel. Open System and Security, and then System. View Windows activation status in the Windows activation area of the System page. Click View details in Windows activation for more information about your Windows activation status.

DISM /online /Get-CurrentEdition.

DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerDatacenter /ProductKey:XXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX/AcceptEula

Converting a current volume-licensed version to a current retail version

At any time after installing Windows Server 2012, you can freely convert it between a volume-licensed version, a retail version, or an OEM version. The edition remains the same during this conversion.

To do this, from an elevated command prompt, run:

slmgr /ipk <key>

Where <key> is the appropriate volume-license, retail, or OEM product key.

Windows Server Installation and Upgrade

Upgrading to Windows Server 2012 R2

For details, including important caveats and limitations on upgrade, license conversion between editions of Windows Server 2012 R2, and conversion of evaluation editions to retail, see Upgrade Options for Windows Server 2012 R2.

Quick reference table of supported upgrade paths from older Windows Server retail editions to Windows Server 2012 R2 retail editions:

If you are running:	You can upgrade to these editions:
Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter with SP1	Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise with SP1	Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard or Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard with SP1	Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard or Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter
Windows Web Server 2008 R2 with SP1	Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard
Windows Server 2012 Datacenter	Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter
Windows Server 2012 Standard	Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard or Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter
Hyper-V Server 2012	Hyper-V Server 2012 R2

License conversion

You can convert Windows Server 2012 Standard (retail) to Windows Server 2012 Datacenter (retail).

You can convert Windows Server 2012 Essentials (retail) to Windows Server 2012 Standard (retail).

You can convert the evaluation version of Windows Server 2012 Standard to either Windows Server 2012 Standard (retail) or Datacenter (retail).

Upgrading to Windows Server 2012

For details, including important caveats and limitations on upgrade, and conversion of evaluation editions to retail, seeEvaluation Versions and Upgrade Options for Windows Server 2012. 

Quick reference table of supported upgrade paths from older Windows Server retail editions to Windows Server 2012 retail editions:

If you are running:	You can upgrade to these editions:
Windows Server 2008 Standard with SP2 or Windows Server 2008 Enterprise with SP2	Windows Server 2012 Standard, Windows Server 2012 Datacenter
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter with SP2	Windows Server 2012 Datacenter
Windows Web Server 2008	Windows Server 2012 Standard
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard with SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise with SP1	Windows Server 2012 Standard, Windows Server 2012 Datacenter
Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter with SP1	Windows Server 2012 Datacenter
Windows Web Server 2008 R2	Windows Server 2012 Standard

License conversion

You can convert Windows Server 2012 Standard (retail) to Windows Server 2012 Datacenter (retail).

You can convert Windows Server 2012 Essentials (retail) to Windows Server 2012 Standard (retail).

You can convert the evaluation version of Windows Server 2012 Standard to either Windows Server 2012 Standard (retail) or Datacenter (retail).

Upgrading to Windows Server 2008 R2

For details, including important caveats and limitations, see Windows Server 2008 R2 Upgrade Paths.

Quick reference table of supported upgrade paths from older Windows Server retail editions to Windows Server 2008 R2 retail editions:

From Windows Server 2003 (SP2, R2)	Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2
Datacenter	Datacenter
Enterprise	Enterprise, Datacenter
Standard	Standard, Enterprise

From Windows Server 2008 (RTM-SP1, SP2)	Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2
Datacenter	Datacenter
Datacenter Core	Datacenter Core
Enterprise	Enterprise, Datacenter
Enterprise Core	Enterprise Core, Datacenter Core
Foundation (SP2 only)	Standard
Standard	Standard, Enterprise
Standard Core	Standard Core, Enterprise Core
Web	Standard, Web
Web Core	Standard Core, Web Core

From Windows Server 2008 (RC, IDS, RTM)	Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2
Datacenter	Datacenter
Datacenter Core	Datacenter Core
Enterprise	Enterprise, Datacenter
Enterprise Core	Enterprise Core, Datacenter Core
Foundation	Standard, Foundation
Standard	Standard, Enterprise
Standard Core	Standard Core, Enterprise Core
Web	Standard, Web
Web Core	Standard Core, Web Core