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Windows Server 2012/R2: Extended Security Updates

Poornima_Priyadarshini's avatar
Poornima_Priyadarshini
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Nov 09, 2023
Editor’s note 12.01.23: We have added a note to clarify prerequisites for different scenarios. You can now get three additional years of Extended Security Updates (ESUs) if you need more time to up...
Updated Dec 01, 2023
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security
servicing and updates
markallard64's avatar
markallard64
Copper Contributor
Dec 07, 2023

Hi folks

I'm having a little difficulty with my ONE WIndows Server 2012 on-prem VM (ESXi). All my WIndows Server 2012 R2 are fine


It will not activate the ESU, citing "Error: 0x80072F8F On a computer running Microsoft Windows non-core edition, run 'slui.exe 0x2a 0x80072F8F' to d
isplay the error text."


If I try to run the license install and activation from the KMS Server, it returns a "Security error occurred'

 

Diving deeper, the OS license returns as 'Licensed' and shows the correct 'License status last refreshed'. HOWEVER, the return for the ESU shows a time 8 hours previous (FYI, we are UTC +8) - How are the times even different? (I checked an alternative server (WIndows 2012 R2) and the times for the OS License and ESU license are the same)

 

What I was hoping to do was uninstall the ESU License, uninstall the OS Product Key and start from scratch

So, the ultimate question, unless anyone knows a fix for the 'time' issue above, or at least where to look, is "does anyone know how to unisnatll the ESU?" 9I have tried slmgr /upk with and without the ESU license key - to no avail

Thanks in advance