How-to: Upgrade Windows Server 2008 R2 from Standard to Enterprise without a media.
Phase 1:
Dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerEnterprise /ProductKey:489J6-VHDMP-X63PK-3K798-CPX3Y
(This is the default KMS Key 3 days activation for Windows Server 2008 R2, provided by Microsoft, hopefully im allowed to publish this key here, anyways this license provides 3 days of access to register your own key.)
You have to use this KMS key in order to make the upgrade work, after the upgrade your Windows will have 3 days to activate, Activating using GUI, will disable a lot of Windows Server features, see phase 2 below.
To determine the installed edition, run:
DISM /online /Get-CurrentEdition
To check the possible target editions, run:
DISM /online /Get-TargetEditions
Please note:
After running the /Set-Edition command, DISM will prepare the operating system for the edition servicing operation, then reboot twice while it applies the changes to the operating system. After the final reboot, you’ll be running the new edition!
Phase 2:
After you compete the steps aboveseveral Windows server features will not work including Remote Desktop, here the section will be missing totally.
In order to get all your Windows Server features back activate Windows using the lines below, containing a valid MAK key.
cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs -ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX (Sorry guys here you have to find your own key 😉
cscript C:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato (This line activates the license used above)
For a complete list of generic keys – Click here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff793421.aspx