Install/activate Windows Server 2012 Essentials with Server 2012 standard key?

I can get a Windows Server 2012 Standard key through Dreamspark at my University. Can I use this key to install and activate Windows Server 2012 Essentials? I've found some info about people installing Essentials with a trial key then upgrading to Standard and keeping most of the Essentials function. I can probably do that if needed but would rather install Essentials, activate it and keep it since it will do everything I need it to.
I can also get Windows Server 2012 Standard R2 and use the Essentials role I think. That might be the best option if I can't activate Essentials directly?
Also, if I should be able to activate Essentials where can I find the ISO since I can only download Standard from Dreamspark? The magnet link in the Repository is not working for me. Thanks

 

Thanks, I've tried to download Windows Server 2012 essentials from the link you provided and I get an error when trying to download it. I've been able to download other things from it before though so I don't think I'm doing it wrong. I'll give Essentials R2 a try but I'm not sure if I can activate it with my standard key. For some reason I thought I could do this but maybe it is not possible. I might just be thinking of reading about people upgrading from Essentials with to standard and keeping some of the Essentials functions. Thanks

 

Thanks, I read some where that you would have downgrade rights with Standard and I took that to mean I should be able able to activate lower versions with the same key. Looks like that is not the case. I have a Standard and a Standard R2 key. At this point would my best option be to install Standard R2 and use the essentials experience role with it vs installing the old essentials with a trial key then upgrading it to Standard? Thanks

 

I was able to get the R2 key as well. I'm going to go that route add the Essential features. Thanks for all of the help. I guess I should have researching things out a little more before starting a build.

 

I was trying to download Server 2012 Essentials and the error I get is Unable to Load then it list the magnet and says unable to parse magnet URL! I tried pasting it into a browser and I also tried the Load from URL option within utorrent and got the same message. I was able to download Windows 8.1 using the same method. Thanks

 

we are talking about Windows Server 2012 Essentials not the R2 version. The R2 is a ftp the original is a magnet

 

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Thanks, I might just end up going this route instead. I have read of some people having troubles with R2 but this still maybe easier than installing essentials and then upgrading with my standard key since I think that breaks a few of the features. All that should have been taken care of in R2. I guess I need to look into what problems people were having with R2 closer and see if they will be issues for me.

 

I installed Windows Server 2012 R2 and enabled the Essentials Experience role. The only question I have now is if the article from Paul Thurrott's site about how to Connect a client PC without using a Domain still works since I'm using Server 2012 R2 with Essentials Experience and if there would be another way to do it since I'm using Standard instead of Essentials?
I also found information here(Sorry, can't link yet) on how to remove the Domain controller from Server 2012 R2 but I'm not sure if doing so would break stuff with the Essentials Experience. Thanks

 

Thanks for the info, I've actually think I might like the idea of adding the computers to a domain now. Is there a way to have the computers join the domain but still have DNS handled by the router? I joined one of the computers and realized that I could not longer access the internet if the server wasn't on. Might not be a big deal but would prefer it be handled by the router so I can use lights out on the server. We also have occasional power outs and the router normally comes back up with out any problems compared to my old server at least. Thanks