Problem
You downloaded the evaluation copy of Windows Server (2012 R2) and when you attempt to license with the key received from Microsoft or from your volume license portal it suggests that your key isn’t valid for this edition that you installed: “The key doesn’t work with this edition of Windows. Try a different key” or “The product key is invalid.”
Solution
Open a command prompt or powershell as administrator
Issue command dism /online /get-currentedition
PS C:\Users\Administrator>
PS C:\Users\Administrator> dism /online /get-currentedition
Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.3.9600.17031
Image Version: 6.3.9600.17031
Current edition is:
Current Edition : ServerStandardEval
The operation completed successfully.
PS C:\Users\Administrator>
Note the Current Edition
Issue the following command with the appropriate key
dism /online /set-edition:serverstandard /productkey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx /accepteula
PS C:\Users\Administrator> dism /online /set-edition:serverstandard /productkey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxXxX-xxxxx /accepteula
Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.3.9600.17031
Image Version: 6.3.9600.17031
Starting to update components…
Starting to install product key…
Finished installing product key.
Removing package Microsoft-Windows-ServerStandardEvalEdition~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.9600.16384
[==========================100.0%==========================]
Finished updating components.
Starting to apply edition-specific settings…
Finished applying edition-specific settings.
The operation completed successfully.
Restart Windows to complete this operation.
Do you want to restart the computer now? (Y/N) n
PS C:\Users\Administrator>
Once complete reboot server and recheck when it comes online
Tested Platform
Windows 2012 R2
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