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Windows Server News and Best Practices
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Introducing Windows Server 2025!

Jeff-Woolsey's avatar
Jeff-Woolsey
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Jan 26, 2024
Introducing Windows Server 2025! Today, we are thrilled to announce the official name of the next release of Windows Server, Windows Server 2025. Windows Server 2025 is driven by your feedback and ...
Updated Jan 26, 2024
Version 1.0
sysadminNC's avatar
sysadminNC
Copper Contributor
Jan 17, 2025

Hi all,

I just spent all day on the phone with Microsoft trying to get pricing, migration and hardware compatibility info on Server 2025. It was THE worst phone support service I have ever experienced. I had one agent tell me that Server 2025 was not available yet and she could only sell me Server 2022...even after I told her where to find the documentation on Microsoft's website showing the patch releases and trial ISO's... all that being said, where can I actually get info on this? We are looking to upgrade our non-virtualized local data server from Server 2019>2025.

Any help is appreciated

  • Karl-WE's avatar
    Karl-WE
    MVP
    Jan 19, 2025

    Hi sysadminNC

    I am sorry for this poor experience. 

    The procedere to upgrade a hardware server to Windows Server 2025 is very simple :

    • check with your OEM, if the Server Hardware already supports Windows Server. Dell for example has lists for that. So give them a call. Checking Support pages and looking if WS 2025 OS Downloads are available is a good indicator. 
    • Make sure you have the correct licensing before upgrade. For File Server you also need Server CAL for Windows Server 2025 or CAL Equivalency through Microsoft 365. Check product terms for CAL Equivalency. If you have active Software Assurance or CSP Subscription you are good to go. 
    • SA or CSP Subscription allow you to get a number of free Windows Server Arc Management products. 
    • Have a valid / working full Backup of data and OS disks with system state. 
    • If you own Hardware from Dell (OMIMSWAC) or Lenovo (XClarity) contact your reseller or OEM for a one time license for HW Lifecycle Support through Windows Admin Center. For example Dell OMIMSWAC perpetual license if you don't have it. This allows you to easily patch firmware and drivers before the upgrade using Windows Admin Center (WAC). 
    • Check Msinfo32 if you have Secure boot enabled 
    • Check in Server Manager, Storage and Shares > Volumes if your OS drive is GPT 
    • If not convert to this using mbr2gpt and setup your Server BIOS accordingly. 
    • Also in Server Manager check free space on OS disk 15-20 GB are recommended.
    • Optionally but recommended data disks should be all GPT. Conversion requires 3rd party Software. 
    • Check NIC teaming in Server Manager, remove LFBO teaming 
    • If you have LFBO teaming reconsider why. SMB multichannel does not require teaming, it's even contradictive. If you require teaming install Hyper-V feature and use WAC to team the same adapters / ports. This will create a SET teaming, compatible with Windows Server 2025. 
    • Mount Windows Server 2025 ISO and upgrade. Windows Server supports N+4 upgrades. Means you could directly Upgrade from 2012 R2 to 2025. So your 2019 experience is supported. 
    • Repeat the upgrade of drivers and firmware using WAC post upgrade 
    • If there are no issues after one month you can remove Windows.old
    • Post upgrade, make sure to use WAC, to harden the OS in the security section. 
    • Use WAC > Security to harden the OS after a stability phase post upgrade
    • Enable Core Isolation 

     

    You can find a lot more information in my blogpost about installation and upgrades.