Windows Server 2008 R2 Edition Supported and Unsupported Upgrade Paths
Other than Windows 7 supported and not supported upgrade paths, Microsoft has also published a document that outlines Windows Server 2008 R2 upgrade paths sceneario, with listing of supported and unsupported upgrade paths for various Windows Server 2008 R2 editions. The document was previously been published as Windows Server 2008 R2 Upgrade Paths Matrix, which had since been updated with simplified and easier to understand layout.
Do take note that the “upgrade” described as in upgrade paths means whether user can perform in-place direct upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2 from earlier operating system, retaining all applications, programs, documents, settings, personalization and other user data automatically without having to clean install from scratch (which Windows Server 2008 R2 setup refers as Custom Installation).
Unsupported Upgrade Scenarios
- Upgrades to Windows Server 2008 R2 from the following operating systems are not supported:
- Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Vista Starter, or Windows 7
- Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003 RTM, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 Web, Windows Server 2008 R2 M3, or Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta
- Windows Server 2003 for Itanium-based Systems, Windows Server 2003 x64, Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems, Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems
- Cross-architecture in-place upgrades (for example, x86 to x64) are not supported.
- Cross-language in-place upgrades (for example, en-us to de-de) are not supported.
- Cross-edition upgrades (for example, the Windows Server 2008 Foundation SKU to the Windows Server 2008 Datacenter SKU) are not supported.
- Cross-build type in-place upgrades (for example, fre to chk) are not supported.
Supported Upgrade Scenarios
| From Windows Server 2003 (SP2, R2) | Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2 |
| Datacenter | Datacenter |
| Enterprise | Enterprise, Datacenter |
| Standard | Standard, Enterprise |
| From Windows Server 2008 (RTM-SP1, SP2) | Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2 |
| Datacenter | Datacenter |
| Datacenter Core | Datacenter Core |
| Enterprise | Enterprise, Datacenter |
| Enterprise Core | Enterprise Core, Datacenter Core |
| Foundation (SP2 only) | Standard |
| Standard | Standard, Enterprise |
| Standard Core | Standard Core, Enterprise Core |
| Web | Standard, Web |
| Web Core | Standard Core, Web Core |
Note: Windows Server 2008 RTM is marked as “RTM-SP1″ because a user sees “Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 1″ in the system information.
| From Windows Server 2008 (RC, IDS, RTM) | Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2 |
| Datacenter | Datacenter |
| Datacenter Core | Datacenter Core |
| Enterprise | Enterprise, Datacenter |
| Enterprise Core | Enterprise Core, Datacenter Core |
| Foundation | Standard, Foundation |
| Standard | Standard, Enterprise |
| Standard Core | Standard Core, Enterprise Core |
| Web | Standard, Web |
| Web Core | Standard Core, Web Core |
The Windows Server 2008 R2 Upgrade Paths document can be downloaded from Microsoft Download Center.
Related Articles
- Windows 7 SKU Supported and Unsupported Upgrade Paths (Official)
- Windows 7 Supported and Non-Supported Upgrade Paths Test Matrix
- Custom Install or In-Place Upgrade to Windows 7? (Official Upgrade Paths Chart Reference)
- How to Install Windows Live Wave 3 Beta Programs (include Messenger) on Unsupported x86 and x64 of Windows Server 2003 or 2008
- Windows Server 2008 R2 RC Official Direct Download Links and Product Keys
- Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 Available for Download at MSDN and TechNet
- Download Key Management Service (KMS) 1.2 for Windows Server 2003 for Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 Volume Activation
- Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta with Hyper-V Direct Download Links and Free Activation Product Keys
- Workaround Fix to Install Virtual PC Additions on Windows Server 2008 Core
- Download Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) For Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2
Entries (RSS)
July 25th, 2009 10:22
You read that wrong only server 2003 without sp2 isnt supported to upgrade, if you upgrade to SP2 then you cna upgrade to 2008 r2
July 25th, 2009 04:42
This information is quite self-contradictory
How can there be support for upgrades from Windows Server 2003 (x86/x64) to Windows 2008 R2 (x64 only) if upgrading from Windows 2003 x64 is not supported and a cross-architecture upgrade (x86 to x64) is not supported either?
Please, can someone clarify?
Are the upgrades from 2003-x86 SP2 and 2003×64 SP1 supported or even possible at least?