How to Upgrade Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard to Datacenter
Note: This process only allows upgrading from Windows Server Standard to Windows Server Datacenter. Downgrading from Datacenter to Standard is not possible.
Note: You will not lose your documents, installed programs, or other files during the upgrade. However, it is recommended to back up your information to prevent data loss due to unexpected issues.
Follow these steps:
- Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box. Type CMD and press Enter.
- In the Command Prompt window, type the following command: dism /online /set-edition:serverdatacenter /productkey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX /accepteula. Replace the Xs with your product key and press Enter.
- Once the activation process is complete, restart your server to finalize the upgrade. Your Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter will then be ready for use.