How to conver Windows Server 2012 Evaluation editions to full retail versions

If you installed an evaluation edition of Windows Server 2012 which is free for 180 days and than buy a full version, you must convert Windows edition's type.

If the server is a domain controller, you cannot convert it to a retail version. In this case, install an additional domain controller on a server that runs a retail version and remove AD DS from the domain controller that runs on the evaluation version. For more information, see http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh994618.aspx.

To convert edition do next steps:

1. First, check version. From an elevated command prompt, run

slmgr.vbs /dlv

evaluation versions will include “EVAL” in the output.

2. To see editions available for us to convert, type

DISM /Online /Get-TargetEditions

You will get a list of edition IDs which we will use later.

3. Convertation itself. Run from elevated cmd:

DISM /online /Set-Edition:<edition ID> /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX /AcceptEula

providing the edition ID one from the list we got above and a your retail product key. The server will offer to restart (twice) and all will be done.

Good luck!