Prepare for Windows Server 2016 and Perform in-Place Upgrade
Should you upgrade to Windows Server 2016?
Windows Server 2016 has made significant improvements and optimizations over the previous version, introducing features like Nano Server, PowerShell 5.0, and Windows Server Containers, as well as enhancements to Active Directory and Hyper-V.
Upgrading to Windows Server 2016 is a significant decision that requires careful consideration. While it offers several benefits, including improved security, enhanced networking capabilities, and better support for cloud-based services, it also presents challenges such as potential compatibility issues with existing software and hardware. Users should weigh these factors before deciding whether to upgrade.
- Power Shell 5.0: Windows Server 2016 comes with a command line utility installed by default, which has undergone significant upgrades in security, usability, and features, including Windows PowerShell Desired State configuration.
- Windows Server Containers: Windows Containers use process and namespace isolation to provide application isolation, while sharing the same kernel with the host and other containers on the host.
- Hyper-V Containers: This type of container offers increased isolation for administrators by encapsulating each container in a lightweight virtual machine, providing a greater degree of security through Microsoft's hypervisor.
Windows Server 2016 offers better security, virtualization, automation, efficiency, availability, and performance compared to its predecessors. If you want to benefit from these features, installing Windows Server 2016 is a good option.
Which edition of Windows Server 2016 should you upgrade?
To show you the upgrade possibilities, a table has been provided with detailed information. However, please note that if your current edition is not listed in the left column, it's not supported to upgrade to Windows Server 2016.
| If you are running this edition: | You can upgrade to these editions: |
| Windows Server 2012 Standard | Windows Server 2016 Standard or Datacenter |
| Windows Server 2012 Datacenter | Windows Server 2016 Datacenter |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard | Windows Server 2016 Standard or Datacenter |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter | Windows Server 2016 Datacenter |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials | Windows Server 2016 Essentials |
| Windows Storage Server 2012 Standard | Windows Storage Server 2016 Standard |
| Windows Storage Server 2012 Workgroup | Windows Storage Server 2016 Workgroup |
| Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 Standard | Windows Storage Server 2016 Standard |
| Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 Workgroup | Windows Storage Server 2016 Workgroup |
The following should also be noted:
- All versions of Windows Server 2016 are 64-bit only, so upgrades from 32-bit to 64-bit architectures are not supported, requiring a clean install to Windows Server 2016.
- Upgrades from one language to another are not supported.
- Upgrading from a pre-The final release version of Windows Server 2016 is supported, but the preview version is not.
- Upgrades from server core to server with a desktop installation, or vice versa, are not supported.
Preparations for Windows Server 2016 upgrade
To prepare for the Windows Server 2016 upgrade, you should first ensure that your system meets the minimum hardware requirements, which include a 64-bit CPU, at least 2 GB of RAM, and a 32-bit or 64-bit x86-compatible CPU. Additionally, you should have a valid Windows Server 2016 product key and a compatible version of the operating system. It is also recommended to create a system image or a backup of your current system before upgrading to ensure that you can revert to a previous state if needed.
✔ Check the minimal system requirements for server 2016. If your system meets the specified conditions, proceed with the Windows Server 2016 upgrade preparation. Otherwise, create a system backup for Windows Server 2012 in case of system failure or hardware issue.
- Processor: 1.4Ghz 64-bit processor
- RAM: 512 MB
- Disk Space: 32 GB
- Network: Gigabit (10/100/1000baseT) Ethernet adapter, 1Gbps connection is ideal.
- Optical Storage: A DVD drive is required if installing the OS from DVD media.
✔ Make sure the applications are compatible. If you're upgrading to Windows Server 2016 from a previous version, ensure that any installed programs are 64-bit compatible, as the new OS only supports 64-bit architecture. If a program is not 64-bit, it may malfunction after the upgrade.
✔ Ensure all Windows updates are complete and no virtual machines running. If you're upgrading from a previous version, such as Server 2012, the upgrade process may fail if there are any pending updates in that version that haven't been installed yet.
✔ Verify if your disk has enough space. The minimal space for core installation is 32GB, but you may need more space for future applications and file storage.
To move or resize a partition, you can use the computer management feature in the server or a third-party partition manager like Qiling Disk Master Server. For example, using Qiling Disk Master Server, you can resize a partition by selecting it, clicking on the resize option, and adjusting the new size. This allows you to change the size of the partition without affecting the existing data on the disk.
- Select the partition that has plenty of free space and click Move/Resize.
- The user needs to select the partition they want to transfer to, such as the C: drive, and then click OK to confirm the selection.
- Afterward, click Apply and Proceed to start the allocation process.
✔ Backup your server for backup or rollback. When upgrading from Windows Server 2012 to Windows Server 2016, it's essential to back up your system to a USB drive to prevent data loss or system failure, and also to allow for a potential rollback to the previous version if needed. The detailed steps for this process will be covered in the next part.
Necessary to backup Windows Server 2012 R2 before upgrading
Microsoft does not support rolling back Windows Server 2016 to 2012 if you perform an in-place upgrade, so it's recommended to back up your server with reliable software if you're concerned about system crash, data loss, or other issues.
To image Windows Server 2012 to a new hard drive using Qiling Disk Master Server, you can follow these steps: First, download and install Qiling Disk Master Server on the Windows Server 2012 machine. Then, create a bootable USB drive or CD/DVD with the Qiling Disk Master Server software. Next, boot the new hard drive from the bootable USB drive or CD/DVD and run the Qiling Disk Master Server software.
✔ This software requires the use of System Backup or Disk Backup to ensure data security and integrity.
✔ To backup files or folders, try File Backup or Cloud Backup instead.
🔹🔷Besides, there are some features for long-term data protection.
🥇Schedule Backup: Daily, weekly, monthly, and event triggers, as well as a USB plug-in, are all options that help you continuously back up Server 2012 and prevent data loss due to forgotten backups, each with its own priority level.
- You can choose them based on your frequencies, or specific events like System Shutdown.
- You can use the plug-and-pull backup feature by connecting your target disk, which is a USB drive, directly to your computer via USB. This allows you to easily transfer data from your original disk to the target disk without having to go through the process of creating a bootable media or using a separate computer.
👍Backup Scheme: To resolve the backup disk full issue, especially for a small disk, consider two key strategies: optimizing backup methods and implementing automatic backup cleanup methods. Firstly, revisit your backup methods to ensure they are efficient and not redundant, such as compressing backups or using incremental backups. Secondly, set up automatic backup cleanup methods to regularly remove old backups, such as using a retention policy or scheduling a cleanup script. By addressing both the backup method and cleanup aspects, you can effectively manage your backup disk space and prevent full issues.
- You can choose to backup only changed files with either the Incremental backup (default) or Differential backup methods.
- Select the desired cleanup method: By time, By quantity, By daily/weekly/monthly, or By space, to automatically delete old backups based on the chosen backup method. This will directly delete old backups.
The program also features some smaller but useful functions, including automatically waking the computer to run scheduled tasks, allowing for effortless execution of backup software and other tasks during off-peak hours without requiring human intervention.
Download the Qiling Disk Master Server and install it on your computer.
Step 1. On the main page, click on the "Backup" tab, and then select "System Backup".
Step 3. The system restore process automatically includes the necessary items, and you can select the target location by clicking the folder-shaped button. It's recommended to back up Windows Server 2012 to a new hard drive, USB drive, network drive, NAS, or cloud drives.
Step 4. Confirm the backup information and click "Proceed" to create system image for Windows Server 2012.
This software still supports various versions of Windows Server, including 2003, 2008, 2016, 2019, and 2022, as well as their R2 versions, allowing for upgrades to be done with caution, such as from 2012 to 2019, but not a direct upgrade from 2012 to 2016.
On Qiling Disk Master TechPlus edition, you can backup system on unlimited PCs and servers within a company. It also allows you to create a portable version, running it off a flash drive without installation.
In-depth guide: upgrade Windows Server 2012 (R2) to 2016 step by step
To safely upgrade your Server 2012, prepare for a Windows Server 2016 upgrade by following the detailed steps below, which also apply to upgrading to Windows Server 2019.
Step 1. To update and install Windows Server 2016, log in to Windows Server 2012 R2, download the media file from Microsoft, and then double-click it to run the installation and update process.
Step 2. In the first Setup window, select the option to download and install updates and also choose to help make the installation of Windows better, then click Next.
Step 3. To proceed, enter the product key of the current server and click "Next". This can be found by going to the server's properties, scrolling down to the product ID, and remembering it.
Step 4. Select the image you want to install and click "Next."
Step 5. Read the license terms and click "Accept" to move on.
Step 6. Tick "Keep personal files and apps" and click "Next". If you don't choose the right version, the first option will be unavailable.
Step 7. Then, you may see some warning messages and click "Confirm" on the right side.
Note: If you see a message saying "Active Directory on this domain controller does not contain Windows Server ADPREP /FORESTPREP updates," you can resolve this by opening Command Prompt and running the following commands to change the drive letter of the media file. For example, if the drive letter is X, you would type "x:" and press enter, followed by "cd" and the path to the media file, and then "dism /get-wiminfo /wimfile:x:\sources\install.wim" to verify the file is valid.
• E: (This is the drive letter of media file.)
• cd /support/adprep
• adprep.exe /forestprep
• c
• adprep.exe /domainprep
• c
Step 8. After clicking "Refresh" and then "Install", wait for the Windows Server 2016 installation process to complete, then set up your preferences.
Once the process is complete, you can set up your preferences and start using the operating system. If you're not familiar with it or encounter issues like system crashes, you can easily restore your Windows 2012 system image from Windows Server 2016.
If there is data loss, you can restore files from a backup, even if one wasn't made. To do this, you'll use the "Explore Image" feature to mount the backup image and copy files from it.
Summary
To prepare for a Windows Server 2016 upgrade, it's essential to first familiarize yourself with the operating system, then make necessary preparations and install it. To avoid any unexpected errors, it's highly recommended to backup your system and ensure it's installed on the new system.
With this feature, you can schedule backups of your system, disk, partition, or files for disaster recovery, and manage backup disk full issues effectively, ensuring your image is always up-to-date and you don't need to reinstall Windows and programs in case of system damage.
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