Quickly convert Windows Server Evaluation edition to the retail one

I posted the detailed instruction on how to activate Windows Server for totally free with a legal KMS client key a month ago. However, there are a lot of people left comments or sent me emails saying that they had a problem in following my instruction. As I replied at that time, Windows Server you got from Microsoft homepage is evaluation version and it has been attached 180-day trial license. As a result, you can not install another key on your machine, in this case, KMS client key. For that reason, today I will show you how to convert the evaluation version to the retail one.

Windows Server Evaluation
Windows Server Evaluation

Step 1: Determine your edition of Windows you are using.
Open the command prompt as administrator then execute this command.

dism /online /get-currentedition

In this case, I am using Windows Server 2019 Standard Evaluation.

Windows Server Standard Evaluation
Windows Server Standard Evaluation

Step 2: List the editions that you can convert your one to.
Run the following command.

dism /online /get-targeteditions

As you can see, I can convert my OS to the retail version of the Standard edition or upgrade it to the Datacenter one.

Step 3: Convert your Windows to the edition you want.
Execute the command below to start a conversion process.

dism /online /set-edition:<-Edition-> /productkey:X-X-X-X-X /accepteula

“<-Edition->” and “X-X-X-X-X” are the version of Windows you want to convert to in the 2nd step and the correlative KMS client key.
Here is the list of all product keys.
I just want to make a conversion, not an upgrade so the above command is.

dism /online /set-edition:serverstandard /productkey:N69G4-B89J2-4G8F4-WWYCC-J464C /accepteula
Convert Windows Server Evaluation license
Convert Windows Server Evaluation license

Step 4: Restart your machine then check the properties again.
After completing the 3rd step, you will be asked to reboot your server. Just answer ‘Y’.

Windows Server Production license
Windows Server Production license

All done! Now you can back to this post then try activating your Windows again.

If you would have any questions or concerns, please leave your comments. I would be glad to explain in more details. Thank you so much for all your feedback and support!

5/5 - (228 votes)

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

21 Comments

  1. After Converting from Evalution to Full Retail version does it affects any installed programe or delete any files and Folders.

  2. I appreciate your services. We’re a low income family (both the wife and myself are pro users but disabled so unable to work any more thus unable to afford any especially the pro software). Your offering here has allowed us to have access to somethig a tad more recent than Office2000 and for that I thank you. I too discovered the script forbid issue with the MSAV so partialy re-wrote to incorporate in the Office2019 installer and not hit so many brick walls. Works great and for this I thank you.

    So question, if a person had say a bootleg copy of Windows whatever (I’m getting behind the times I didn’t realise Win2019 was out so lets use it as an example) and a key from someone else already in use. If said person had their own KMS server on their network I thought said KMS server needed an appropriate MAK license? I’d love to achieve your no questions no bs KMS server for W10 Pro, W2019 Stand & Office2019 Pro that accepts and activates any functional key (something I thought impossible). I’m assuming something has to be changed in the KMS server for it’s licensing? Is this your $29 or whatever it was service? $29USD? I’d just like to have something that is on-prem so I can rely on it.

  3. Ich hatte das auch mit dem stop, allerdings bei 10%. Ich hatte noch updates in der Warteschlange. Vorgang abgebrochen, Neustart, Befehl nochmals gestartet und das ding war durch.
    Eigentlich wollte ich hiermit mal ein Dankeschön für diese super Seite da lassen! Macht weiter so, ich für meinen Teil gucke öfter mal rein. Bis dahin und nochmals vielen Dank!

  4. Hello Guys i am trying to remove a evaluation on Windows 2016 to Standard eddition.

    But when i try to set using DISM it stay and stops at 70% of the progress

    C:\Windows\System32>dism /online /set-edition:serverstandard /productkey:WC2BQ-8NRM3-FDDYY-2BFGV-KHKQY /accepteula

    Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
    Version: 10.0.14393.0

    Image Version: 10.0.14393.0

    Starting to update components…
    Starting to install product key…
    Finished installing product key.

    Removing package Microsoft-Windows-ServerStandardEvalEdition~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.14393.0
    [===========================70.0%======== ]
    Error: 1726

    An error occurred while operating system components were being updated. The upgrade cannot proceed.
    For more information, review the log file.

    The DISM log file can be found at C:\Windows\Logs\DISM\dism.log

    Taking a look on the log file i was getting this error.

    2020-07-22 20:59:18, Info DISM DISM Transmog Provider: PID=5088 TID=2180 Processing package changes… – CTransmogManager::UpdateComponents
    2020-07-22 20:59:18, Info DISM DISM Transmog Provider: PID=5088 TID=2180 Processing package changes with options [0x3]… – CTransmogManager::UpdateComponents
    2020-07-22 20:59:18, Info DISM DISM Package Manager: PID=5088 TID=2180 CBS session options=0x540! – CDISMPackageManager::Internal_Finalize
    2020-07-22 21:02:56, Error DISM DISM Package Manager: PID=5088 TID=2180 Failed finalizing changes. – CDISMPackageManager::Internal_Finalize(hr:0x800706be)
    2020-07-22 21:02:56, Error DISM DISM Package Manager: PID=5088 TID=2180 Failed processing package changes with session options – CDISMPackageManager::ProcessChangesWithOptions(hr:0x800706be)
    2020-07-22 21:02:56, Error DISM DISM Transmog Provider: PID=5088 TID=2180 Package manager failed to process changes – CTransmogManager::UpdateComponents(hr:0x800706be)
    2020-07-22 21:02:56, Error DISM DISM Transmog Provider: PID=5088 TID=2180 Failed to update components – CTransmogManager::UpdateComponents(hr:0x800706be)
    2020-07-22 21:02:56, Error DISM DISM Transmog Provider: PID=5088 TID=2180 Failed to update components from [ServerStandardEval] to [serverstandard] – CTransmogManager::TransmogrifyWorker
    2020-07-22 21:02:56, Error DISM DISM Transmog Provider: PID=5088 TID=2180 [Upgrading system]: An error occurred while operating system components were being updated. The upgrade cannot proceed.
    For more information, review the log file.
    [hrError=0x800706be] – CTransmogManager::EventError

    do you thing that maybe something change on the version of DISM Version: 10.0.14393.0

    Thanks i will really appreciate your help.-

  5. You can use this prompt to upgrade to Windows Server Datacenter:
    dism /online /set-edition:ServerDatacenter /productkey:WMDGN-G9PQG-XVVXX-R3X43-63DFG /accepteula

  6. PLEASE HELP ME – I want to install Windows Server 2019 Standard for our small non-governmental group. We don’t have enough money to buy original from Microsoft. If I use this method and activate it – will this work just as same as Original from Microsoft? Will it have the same features? How many cores does this have?

    1. the above method is change kms server to retail one.

      If you wamt to run KMs Server, you need buy host key from Microsoft.

      1. After activation with your method, does Server 2019 Standard needs to be re-activated every few months or is it one time activation required?

    1. You need a retail version Windows 10 Enterprise registration key.

      Change the key, follow upgrade process.

      Done

      Enjoy

  7. NICE PAGE, VERY IMPRESSIVE, TOP NOTCH.!

    QUESTION 1: HOW IN THE H**L DID YOU MANAGE TO PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER.. JUST WONDERING..

    QUESTION 2: DO YOU DO ANY “APPLE IPHONE” UNLOCKING AND
    OR “ICLOUD” UNLOCKING VIA’ AN APP OR SCRIPTING..

    THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR READING MY COMMENTS..

    SIGNED MARK SPANSEL
    @MARKSPANSEL

    1. Question 1 Answer: Microsoft hold all the KMS Activation method. Mr Guang buy KMS Host key to run on his own server.

      Question 2 Answer: Kms activation only work on PC and Laptop. Apple IPhone is not Microsoft Product it won’t work. ICloud only work on Mobile, so answer is no.

    2. The reason ICLOUD is not working ON PC ijust because it need extra pay to use it.

      Microsoft haven’t approve KMS activation to run ICLOUD for free.