Many users encountered an error when they tried to license their installed Windows 2016 Server trial version. Since the installed version is an Evaluation edition, thus the version cannot be licensed as a paid edition unless you convert it.
If you try to enter your paid license product key, you will encounter the following error message,
Here are the steps to convert and activate your paid Windows 2016 Server license from trial edition
- First you’d need to verify the current installed version. Open an elevated Command Prompt and type the following command,
C:\>DISM /online /Get-CurrentEdition
In the above example, a Windows 2016 Standard Evaluation edition is installed.
- You can also verify your installed version by typing the following command,
C:\>winver
- Your next step is to convert the evaluation edition into licensed version. You’d need to check the available versions whether to straight conversion from Standard evaluation to Standard license or upgrade from Standard evaluation to Data Center version. On your elevated Command Prompt, type in the following,
C:\>DISM /online /Get-TargetEditions
On the example above, the installed evaluation can be converted into Standard version or upgraded to Data Center version. Please note that your installed Windows 2016 Server evaluation must be fully patched with latest Windows Updates. Otherwise, the conversion will not be completed and stuck at 10%.
- To convert the version, type the following command,
C:\>DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX /AcceptEula
(You need to insert your paid license product key)
- To convert your installed Data Center evaluation or upgrading your installed Standard evaluation, you’d need to type the following command,
C:\>DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerDatacenter /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX /AcceptEula
- To complete the conversion or upgrade, type Y to reboot your server.
- Once the server has been rebooted, check your installed version with the following command,
C:\>DISM /online /Get-CurrentEdition
On certain system, you may still get the message on the lower right corner your server needs to be activated. If this is the case, you can manually activate the server by launching the activation GUI with the following command,
C:\>slui 3
When you enter your paid license product key, you now will not get the “This edition cannot be upgraded” error.
