In-Place upgrade Server 2008R2 to 2012R2

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ChrisBogdanovich-0686 asked Mar 17, '22 ChrisBogdanovich-0686 commented Mar 23, '22

In-Place upgrade Server 2008R2 to 2012R2

In trying to perform an in-place upgrade on a 2008R2 file server (Enterprise Ed) to 2012R2 Datacenter. With the end goal to migrate the file servers to Azure files. FYI: We had purchased and installed the Server-ESU-Year 2 add on, which has now expired. However, I keep getting the error, "Windows cannot find the Microsoft software license terms. Make sure the installation sources are valid and restart the installation."

I wasn't with the company when these servers were stood up, but I noticed they used KMS keys and not MAK keys and I read that can cause this issue. So I uninstalled the KMS keys and installed a MAK key the tried the IPU again. Still same error.
Steps taken:
1. Uninstalled the key - slmgr /upk (After which I ran the command slmgr /dlv and see the only license installed is the Server-ESU-Year2 add-on.)
2. Clear the key from the registry - slmgr /cpky
3. set the new key slmgr /lpk (Dialogue box said "Installed product key successfully)
Now when I run slmgr /dlv I see licenses for both Server-Year 2 add-on AND Windows ServerDatacenter edition, VOLUME_MAK_C channel.

I also read that not reserving the memory can cause issues in Hyper-V environments... We are running these servers as VM's in ESXi environment (all guest memory has been reserved).

Do anyone have any tips?

Thanks,
Chris

windows-server windows-server-2012

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Answer 1 · 2022-03-17T14:15:52.127Z

DSPatrick answered Mar 17, '22 ChrisBogdanovich-0686 commented Mar 17, '22

Some things to try,
different licensed installation media
make sure the virtual machine has no virtual floppy drives.

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ChrisBogdanovich-0686 · Mar 17 at 02:36 PM

I've tried installing from both attached CDROM media and .iso files. There are no floppy drives installed.

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DSPatrick · Mar 17 at 02:48 PM

Where did the 2012 R2 come from? Is it licensed install media or evaluation?

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ChrisBogdanovich-0686 DSPatrick · Mar 17 at 02:51 PM

All of our software is licensed we do NOT use evaluation software.

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Answer 2 · 2022-03-17T14:56:06.42Z

DSPatrick answered Mar 17, '22 DSPatrick commented Mar 21, '22

Something here could help.
http://woshub.com/windows-cannot-find-microsoft-software-license-terms/

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DSPatrick · Mar 21 at 12:48 PM

Just checking if there's any progress or updates?

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Answer 3 · 2022-03-22T11:31:12.583Z

ChrisBogdanovich-0686 answered Mar 22, '22

No progress, same error.
There is NO floppy drive connected.
RAM is NOT dynamically set.
RAM = 4 gigs
Internet, I've tried both ways, connect to and disconnected from.
As I've mentioned before, we are using licensed software. I downloaded fresh iso's from Microsoft with the same error result. I think it has to do with the Server-ESU-Year 2 add-on because I can perform an in-place upgrade on a test server that doesn't have the Server-ESU-Year 2 add-on.

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Answer 4 · 2022-03-22T22:40:58.67Z

DSPatrick answered Mar 22, '22 ChrisBogdanovich-0686 commented Mar 23, '22

You could be right about that. Given the end goal; maybe you don't need to do this.
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/migrating-your-files-to-azure-has-never-been-easier/
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/azure-storage-blog/migrate-the-critical-file-data-you-need-to-power-your/ba-p/3038751

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DSPatrick · Mar 23 at 12:34 PM

Just checking if there's any progress or updates?

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ChrisBogdanovich-0686 DSPatrick · Mar 23 at 12:43 PM

Nope no update, I'm still searching for a way to perform the in-place upgrade. Specifically, how to remove the Server-ESU-Year 2 add-on. I'm thinking if I can remove that the in-place upgrade will work.

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