In-place Upgrade 2012

[Gongalong]

Hi folks,

 

Our two file servers are running 2012R2, and getting antsy about applying windows updates.

 

I know the preference is to rebuild, but is an in-place upgrade to 2019 straightforward, or anything to watch out for?

 

Thanks

[jnfarmer]

Microsoft Doc say it is possible, although not done it ourselves Upgrade Windows Server 2012 R2 to Windows Server 2019 | Microsoft Docs

 

If virtual you could build new servers, disconnect the drives from old VMs and attach to new VMs. Holds all permissions, you would then just need to update any DFS shares and anything that pointed directly to file share on the server.

[Gongalong]

Ah yes, that could be a good way to do it, as we have OS on the C volume and data on D.

[Fazza]

Microsoft say if you can, Migrate to a new server with 2019 on it but if you can't (or don't want to) then do an in-place upgrade. The in-place upgrade is no different to upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 for example, pretty much Next, Next, Next, Finish. Only thing to note is that it takes quite a bit longer to do an in-place upgrade than it does to install from scratch so expect it to take at least one hour before it's time to reboot etc.

[Primus]

It's straightforward but if they're virtualised you could always snapshot before to allow you roll back if something goes wrong.

[CrootUK]

Done lots of 2012R2 to 2019 with success.

Only one we have had issues with is Azure AD Connect 2016 to 2019.

[ticktock]

No problems here with in place upgrades from 2012R2 to 2019.

[TechMonkey]

Only issue we had with 2012R2 -> 2019 was IIS. Haven't found a way to migrate settings so you end up with no websites. It was a Sage server we were decommissioning so never went further.

[eddyc]

Only issue we had with 2012R2 -> 2019 was IIS. Haven't found a way to migrate settings so you end up with no websites. It was a Sage server we were decommissioning so never went further.

 

We went 2012 R2 to 2019 over the summer and didn’t have this experience. All IIS data remained and worked as expected post upgrade.

[3s-gtech]

I forgot about that one - I did our DCs in summer, 2012 R2 to 2019. All good apart from AADC - it basically broke. Had to reinstall it and try to remember all of the config.

 

Export the config of AADC beforehand and you can import it back in if it breaks!

[chris11256]

Mine all went well with 2012 R2 to 2019 except for the remote desktop gateway. All other servers it worked perfectly.