Just to note, does not seem to activate Server 2012 Foundation version either. (For anyone who wants to start the "why are you running _____ edition not _____" stuff - because Foundation does not have the odd problem with framerates inexplicably being far lower than on 7, that 8/2012 do.) Far as I can tell, there is no way to activate Foundation yet as the key is specifically for Foundation.
it is my understanding that an evaluation version cannot be activated. I would download an RTM and use that. I have Datacenter running fine with the current KMS servers that are available. With that said, using KMS it will need to be reactivated every 180 days anyway.
You need to Transition from Windows Server 2012 Essentials Trial to Windows Server 2012 Standard using your retail key for Server 2012 Standard to activate. You will lose the media server aspect of Essentials but it will retain the centralised client backup etc.
OK - that's fine! I don't need the media server aspect at all - I only need the centralized client backup. Does the Standard Server has a RESTORE function like Server Essentials?
Now I just upgraded to Server Standard, and entered the Key I got from DS. Server is activated upon first start. Do I have to do anything else now?... Or does it remain activated?
OK - thank you. But - Server Standard seems much complicated to me! Dashboard has gone - during the migration from Essentials to Standard, and I don't know how to backup my clients, as the client connector doesn't connect to the server anymore.
Yes , I did it like that. After upgrading, I was presented with something like that: "If you no longer need the Windows Server 2012 Essentials Dashboard to manage the server, you can turn the features off to create a clean environment for Windows Server 2012 Standard. The The Turn off Windows Server 2012 Essentials Features Wizard helps you uninstall the features. Maybe I shouldn't have done this - perhaps this was my fault!! But I remember having read something that I SHOULD turn off these features, which removed the dashboard completely. After that, I tried to open dashboard, it didn't and I had to disable all functionalities one by one, until I finally was able to enter in an EMPTY dashboard. Even that should be removed manually, as no longer working. The result of it is that I cannot access the server with my clients anymore, as I would need tu buy CAL's. So, I will have to - either trying to downgrade from Standard to Essentials, or do a restore of the Essentials Server itself, or start from scratch again.
I'd restore Essentials, do the upgrade and not uninstall anything. You need the CALs to be licensed, if you don't care about the licence I dont think you need the CALs.
I just tried to do a downgrade, but it didn't work as the key from Server Standard was not accepted. So I did a server restore, which took me about 15 minutes only. So I am upgrading from Essentials to Standard again. What about the Client Restore CD? The Restore CD is intended for Essentials, does it work with Standard also?
I'm back again: I'm on Server Standard now, but left the Dashboard which works fine now... Didn't remove it, as suggested... And did a complete client backup and afterwards I did a client restore with the Essentials Restore CD, which worked fine, too.