Where do you get the Product Key for Server 2012 R2 Evaluation Version?

Where do you get the Product Key for Server 2012 R2 Evaluation Version?

I downloaded it from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-server-2012-r2?i=1

and when I install from the ISO it asks for a Product Key.  There is no skip option.


August 31st, 2015 2:25pm

Hi

 The evaluation versions don't need product key

Please download this link and try(with your registered ms account)

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-server-2012-r2

Also for evaulation details check this

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj574204.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 31st, 2015 2:29pm

That's the exact same link I used and posted above so as to avoid a useless response like I received.  Th ISO file DOES require a Product Key and I want to know what it is.
August 31st, 2015 3:12pm

And the computer isn't connected to the Internet that I'm installing on because the NIC isn't working yet.

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 31st, 2015 3:16pm

Just burn ISO to a usb drive and try to install from this usb drive,as i said the evaluation product don't need (ask) product key.
August 31st, 2015 3:26pm

OMG it's like I'm talking to a wall.  I took the image 9600.16384.WINBLUE_RTM.130821-1623_X64FRE_SERVER_SOLUTION_EN-US-IRM_SSSO_X64FRE_EN-US_DV5.ISO and copied it to a bootable USB drive.  I get to the screen that say Setup Server 2012 R2 which means I'm installing the right OS.  I hit Install Now and it asks for a Product Key.  This is pretty simple to understand.  There is no way to hit Next because it is disabled.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 31st, 2015 4:24pm

OMG it's like I'm talking to a wall.  I took the image 9600.16384.WINBLUE_RTM.130821-1623_X64FRE_SERVER_SOLUTION_EN-US-IRM_SSSO_X64FRE_EN-US_DV5.ISO and copied it to a bootable USB drive.  I get to the screen that say Setup Server 2012 R2 which means I'm installing the right OS.  I hit Install Now and it asks for a Product Key.  This is pretty simple to understand.  There is no way to hit Next because it is
August 31st, 2015 4:31pm

Where do you think I got the ISO I had from?  Now that I have the same image as you, setup is failing because it says the version of NTFS on my newly partitioned and formatted hard drive is unsupported.  That's strange because I created the partition and formatted it from within setup.

I don't have any other hardware to format the SATA HDD with so I can't review the setup log file as the error message suggests.

All I want to do is install the SharePoint 2016 preview and I've been stuck on the first step for three days so pardon me if I'm a bit frustrated.  Microsoft software is so riddled with bugs and the error messages are so useless I'm amazed I ever get anything done.

I only come to the forums as a LAST resort when Google fails me.  I don't use TechNet either because it's just as useless.

I don't expect a resolution from this short of buying more hardware.  That's great!  Three days of wasted time and now I have to buy stuff to test free software...

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 31st, 2015 6:23pm

Sorry but you can't fault Microsoft for your fault. Simply try to use it in a hyper-v or vmware.

If you downloaded the ISO from the same place but got a different version don't know what to tell you.

I did a test and installed the ISO in a VM with no issue.

August 31st, 2015 6:36pm

I can't blame Microsoft????  Who made the ISO that failed?  Who made the Installer that failed?  Who made the setup log file that is inaccessible?  Who has been providing the most useless error messages in history for years?

"A problem has occurred" No shit!

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 31st, 2015 7:14pm

The right answer is that so many failed setups screwed up my disk:

Thanks to Google and ReaperFighter I'm good to go:

Reboot the PC with the Server 2012 R2 image (or whatever bootable image (windows 7, 8, etc.) you have) and select Repair Computer

Click on Advanced tools and then get to a Command Prompt.

Once at the command prompt Type Diskpart

Type LIST DISK

Type SELECT DISK <whatever disk number you have> 

Type CLEAN

Type CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY

Type ACTIVE

Type FORMAT FS=NTFS QUICK

Type ASSIGN

perform the above for any other hdds present, but don't make any other drive active of course.

Now reboot and start in the installation over again.  You should be good to go :) 

-ReaperFighter

I am installing as we speak...

August 31st, 2015 7:45pm

"I can't blame Microsoft????  Who made the ISO that failed?"

It would be wonderful if copying large files across the internet always ensured a flawless copy.  Thousands of people have downloaded the ISO without an issue.  If you review this forum, you will see that a few other people have also had faulty ISOs after they completed the download.  Microsoft's ISO started out good.  But by the time it arrived at the individual's site, it was no longer good.  This can happen for a variety of reasons.

Glad to hear that you are making progress.  But, it does sound like the image you downloaded may still be an issue if you still ended up with a problematic installation.  Others have found that their ISPs may have cached a corrupted image, so no matter how many times they download from your ISP, their always get their ISP's corrupted cached copy.  If you want to install the evaluation copy again, you may want to go to a coffee shop on the other side of town, or some other place that does not involve your ISP to see if you can download a copy that is not corrupted.

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 31st, 2015 8:58pm

Tim, I can't let you blame this on my ISP or the Internet and then mark your response as the "answer."  The fact is that my version of the ISO was different than Fredericks.  Both ISO files came from Microsoft and both supposedly had the evaluation version of Server 2012 R2.  Since I'm not an OEM, don't have a MLK and am not a current MSDN member, the only way I can access files to download is through the TechNet site I listed in my first post.

Both ISO files booted just fine and weren't corrupted.  The problem was that one prompted for a Product Key and the other one didn't.

Long story short: You did not provide the answer; rather, Frederick did by spotting the differing ISO versions.

Then I had to figure out the problem with the disks not formatting correctly but that's a different topic...

September 7th, 2015 6:22am

"You did not provide the answer; rather, Frederick did by spotting the differing ISO versions."

I never said I did provide the answer.  I never mark my responses as probable answers - I want the person it is directed at to make that determination.

As for "blaming" your ISP or the internet, I was just stating a fact that others have run into.  If that is not your situation, that's fine. 

As for the disks not formatting correctly, I almost always let the installation procedure format the disks.  First I ensure that the proper disk driver is loaded - the proper disk driver may not be on the Microsoft distribution for a variety of reasons, primarily because it is up to the hardware vendor to provide that - and then I delete any existing partitions on the target disk and let the installation procedure format.  When I have done this, I have never had a failure on disk formatting.

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
September 7th, 2015 5:07pm

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics