Forum Discussion

Copper Contributor

Mar 01, 2020

Activationg Trial Version of Server 2019

Hi Friends: Downloaded a 180 trial Server 2019 standard which I used to create a VM. We purchased a Dell Server with Server 2019 Standard. I understand that I can use the Dell Server Product Key to ...

Dave Patrick

MVP

Mar 03, 2020

The much simpler method is from an elevated cmd.exe session;

slmgr /ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

slmgr /ato

using the same product key used on host.

dretzer

Iron Contributor

Mar 04, 2020

You cannot use slmgr to install a retail or VLSC product key on an evaluation edition. You will get an error if you try to do this:

Error:0xC004F069 On a computer running Microsoft Windows non-core edition….

The only supported way to change an eval edition to a full edition is with dism and a retail product key (the one from your host). If you try to use the dism method with a VLSC key you will get another error:

Error 1168 the specified product key could not be validated.

So to upgrade and activate Windows Server 2016 or 2019 Evaluation, you have to use dism and have a retail product key.

mohindar_malhotra50

Dave Patrick

Dave Patrick
MVP
Mar 04, 2020

dretzer wrote:

You cannot use slmgr to install a retail or VLSC product key on an evaluation edition. You will get an error if you try to do this:

Error:0xC004F069 On a computer running Microsoft Windows non-core edition….

The only supported way to change an eval edition to a full edition is with dism and a retail product key (the one from your host). If you try to use the dism method with a VLSC key you will get another error:

Error 1168 the specified product key could not be validated.

So to upgrade and activate Windows Server 2016 or 2019 Evaluation, you have to use dism and have a retail product key.

mohindar_malhotra50

Dave Patrick

The OP is not using a volume product key. According to what's posted the key comes from OEM provider (Dell)