I'm planning an in-place upgrade from Windows Server 2016 to Windows Server 2025. Microsoft lists that version jump as supported, but I've discovered the existing installation is the Datacenter edition rather than Standard. DISM /Online /Get-TargetEditions reports that the current edition cannot be upgraded to any target editions. Does anyone know whether moving from 2016 Datacenter to 2025 Standard can work, even if it isn't an officially supported upgrade path?
4 Answers
A fresh server is usually the safer approach, especially for a VM or file server. Build a new 2025 instance, attach or copy the existing data, recreate the shares and roles, then test everything before retiring the old system. It can be relatively quick and avoids relying on an unsupported installer workaround.
No—an in-place upgrade can’t change the installation to a lower edition. Datacenter to Standard isn’t a supported SKU conversion, so the practical choices are to remain on Datacenter or perform a clean installation and migrate the roles, applications, and data.
Some administrators have forced the installer to proceed by changing the ProductName value under HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersion from Datacenter to Standard before launching setup. However, that only disguises the installed edition; it does not make the downgrade supported. It can fail during setup or leave an unreliable system, so it should only be considered in a fully tested, recoverable lab scenario—not as a normal production procedure.
That workaround may succeed technically, but “it booted” is different from having a supported server. Make sure there is a tested backup or rollback plan before attempting anything like that.
The version jump itself may be supported, but the edition still has to match. In other words, 2016 Standard to 2025 Standard or 2016 Datacenter to 2025 Datacenter may be valid paths; Datacenter to Standard is not.
That makes sense. The server is mainly hosting file shares, so a clean build and migration may be less risky than forcing the upgrade.