Upgrading? to Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials

[dslabbekoorn]

I'm toying with the idea of upgrading my server OS to Windows Server 2012 R2 from the regular Windows Server 2012 Essentials.  I have keys for both as well as the Standard and Datacenter versions.  I don't need the extra capacity of the full servers but wonder if the move will be worth the hassle.  Does WS2012R2 run better or faster or offer any real reason for the upgrade?  I'm assuming the next version Server 10 would be somewhat compatible with either one.  Things work fine on the WSE2012 box now.

 

I have both Drivepool and Plex installed on the server.  If I do this, I need to do it so both programs find the 12 TB pool when the server goes back on line.  No data loss and minimal fuss (what can I say?  I'm a dreamer)  What would be a best plan of action?  The OS is on a SSD if that matters.

[Christopher (Drashna)]

There isn't a significant difference between Windows Server 2012 Essentials to Windows Server 2012R2 Essentials (the biggest one is the "Client Restore Services", I believe).

 

If the clients are domain joined, then it's a royal PITA, especially if you want to run it on the same box.

If the clients are not domain joined, then it's a simple reinstall, basically. 

 

But if it's working fine now, I wouldn't really recommend it, because it's a hassle. If the system fails, then yes, definitely.

 

As for reinstalling StableBit DrivePool, just deactivate the license, and reinstall.  Once the OS is reinstalled, the drives connected and StableBit DrivePool is reinstalled, it will rebuild the pool for you, automatically.  Plex may be more problematic, though. However, if you save the database for it, you should be fine (aka, move the Plex database off of the system drive, and then back, after you reinstall).  The issue is that it's a lot of small files, and a bunch of hard links. It could be a very large library.

[RobbieH]

The user interface is much improved in R2. That said, how honestly do you touch your server, and how much does the interface really matter? That's part of why I'm not on R2, other than I don't have a key for R2.

[dslabbekoorn]

OK, I'm convinced to stay on WSE2012.  Seems like a lot of hassle to gain a little.  I would also like to get my client desktop to be running UEFI bios instead of legacy.  I had originally installed it under legacy and now with equipment upgrades, can use the newer UEFI bios.  My question is, can I change the motherboard to UEFI bios and then restore the c drive to the same SSD it's now on and have it be UEFI instead of legacy.  The other types of changes I have found on

TechNet and other places always fail at one step or another.  I just got the desktop back running the way I want it and really don't want to re-install to make the bios change. 

[Christopher (Drashna)]

OK, I'm convinced to stay on WSE2012.  Seems like a lot of hassle to gain a little.  I would also like to get my client desktop to be running UEFI bios instead of legacy.  I had originally installed it under legacy and now with equipment upgrades, can use the newer UEFI bios.  My question is, can I change the motherboard to UEFI bios and then restore the c drive to the same SSD it's now on and have it be UEFI instead of legacy.  The other types of changes I have found on

TechNet and other places always fail at one step or another.  I just got the desktop back running the way I want it and really don't want to re-install to make the bios change. 

I believe so.

 

Just install under UEFI, and then restore JUST the C:\ drive over the new install.  That ... should allow you to convert to UEFI. 

However, I've never tried that ....  

[RobbieH]

Here's what worked for me, but it requires your motherboard to allow you to set some SATA ports to UEFI and some to legacy.

 

I installed a second drive on a SATA port that was configured for UEFI. Boot up and the UEFI drivers are installed to the existing boot drive. Then reboot and set the boot drive to UEFI. It should boot this time. I've done this on two separate systems and it worked both times. Surprisingly it even worked on my old server, which was running WHS2011.