Expired Evaluation Edition / Product Key Change

Applies to: Microsoft SQL Server 2012.

Introduction.


What to do when the evaluation copy of SQL Server expires or you want to change the product key to a SQL Server instance?

Sometimes we use an evaluation copy of SQL Server for projects that require to start its implementation and for which we still do not have SQL Server licenses, because of delays in the process of buying licenses in organizations.

Sometimes products keys already used in previous installations of SQL Server are used to make new installations, while we wait for new product keys to arrive.

When the licenses and product keys arrive, at times so late that the evaluation period has expired, we ask ourselves if we need to uninstall the instance and reinstalling it, or if there is some method that allows us to keep the instance installed with the configuration and current programming, as well as with schema and data that the databases have.

The answer to these questions is that it is only necessary to perform an edition upgrade of the evaluation edition instance to a licensed edition, retaining the configuration, programming and current data of the instance. Let’s describe the procedure to perform this upgrade, which should be done with a Windows account that has administrative rights on the server.


Edition upgrade to a licensed edition.


Run the Microsoft SQL Server setup program and the SQL Server Installation Center will be presented to you as shown below.










Once in the SQL Server Installation Center, click on Maintenance, and then click select "Edition Upgrade". Take a look at a the image below.






Now the System Configuration Checker will perform checks looking for conditions that may prevent a successful installation. If no blocking issues are detected you will be able to click on Next, as shown below.






On the next page of Setup more checks will be performed.







On the Product Key page, enter the product key that will be associated with this SQL Server instance. Sometimes you will find that the product key is pre-pidded.

If you started the upgrade process aiming to change the product key for the instance, on this page you have the opportunity to change the product key of the existent instance.








In the License Terms page, read the licensing agreement, select "I accept the license terms", and then click Next.






In the "Select instance" page, select the instance on which you want to apply the update. The page is shown below.






Then we are presented with a page where more checks are performed by SQL Server setup. If the computer meets all the requirements, you can proceed to click Next, as shown below.






Finally, we come to the “Ready to upgrade edition" page, where we can visualize a summary of the options chosen in the previous pages of the SQL Server Setup program. You can click on the Upgrade button to proceed with the upgrade.



 

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