Convert Server 2019 Essentials to Standard

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plinley

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This is in regards to RDS, and working around the changes in the 2019 editions, so it may be more appropo in another topic, but most of the ones I have found are closed.

Not realizing RDS will no longer work on Server Essentials version (2019), we built a single VM to host RDS (we have a 10-pack license) and got all software installed.
We have purchased a 2019 Standard key and can't seem to convert
What we have tried to activate:
  • Activate Microsoft's standard VL key with "Dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /AcceptEula /ProductKey:<removed>"
  • then: "slmgr /ipk"
This seemed to work the first time, but we were too hasty and got our product keys mixed up... we put the Essentials key in again with the slmgr command... it was successful, but after several reboots, and retries, we cannot even do the dism command anymore... with the kms key or our purchased key - we get "error 0xc004f069"

we have also tried "cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

.... so if we can't get the conversion to take, we are wondering if this will work:
  • Leave the 2019 Essentials VM alone as the Domain Controller VM
  • Install an additional VM running Server 2019 Standard (as a member server on the same domain)
  • Setup the 2019 Standard VM as the RD Connection Broker, RD Web Access Server, and RD Session Host (for our 10 RDS licenses)
  • Have (up to) those 10 users RDS into the 2019 Essentials VM?
(or is it a requirement that the server you are 'RDS-ing' into, have the RD Session Host role installed - which apparently isn't possible with Essentials?)

Also in this case, since the Essentials is currently the DC, will the domain architecture require the new 2019 Standard to be the DC? If so, will a 2019 Standard DC have the option to run the required RDS roles, or must those be on yet another 2019 Standard VM that is NOT the DC?

Thanks in advance!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If you have a good backup, have you already tried an in-place upgrade to 2019 Standard using the installation media?
 
Command Prompt

Warning: this fix is specific to the user in this thread. No one else should follow these instructions as it may cause more harm than good. If you are after assistance, please start a thread of your own.

  1. Click on the Start
    Start%20Orb.jpg
    button and in the search box, type Command Prompt
  2. When you see Command Prompt on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator
  3. When command prompt opens, copy and paste the following commands into it, press enter after each

    dism /online /Get-CurrentEdition

    dism /online /Get-TargetEditions

  4. Right-click on the Command Prompt window and click Select All, this will invert all of the colours by selecting the text, now press enter. All of this text is now copied.
  5. Paste (Ctrl+V) it into your next post please.
 
I think it's still running the default MS KMS key, but I actually gave up on this particular conversion, and installed a separate VM using my 2019 STD key, but may still try to upgrade this Essentials VM to STD because I would still like to know and document the solution for future use!
Also, I am not sure if the domain is going to be happy with the lower-version "Essentials" server holding all the PDC/FSMO roles now that there is a STD server setup as an AD member??????
If the domain is 'cool' with that, and I don't convert it, I suppose I need to get the Essentials key running on it again.

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.17763.1637]
(c) 2018 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>dism /online /Get-CurrentEdition

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.17763.1518

Image Version: 10.0.17763.1637

Current edition is:

Current Edition : ServerSolution

The operation completed successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>dism /online /Get-TargetEditions

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.17763.1518

Image Version: 10.0.17763.1637

Editions that can be upgraded to:

Target Edition : ServerStandard

The operation completed successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>

---------Thanks!
 
Very good, looks like it is still essentials. Do you know if it is LTSC / LTSB or Semi Annual?
One strange thing I have noticed is that I had to disconnect some machines from the network before they would accept the generic KMS key for upgrades.

On your test copy, try the Dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /AcceptEula /ProductKey:
command again without a network connection, be sure to use the KMS key for Server 2019 Standard.
 
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