Posted: July 25, 2009/Under: Software/By: My Digital Life Editorial Team

Windows Server 2008 R2 LogoOther 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.

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