Unable to activate Server 2016 Standard License

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Purpose

To activate Server 2016 Standard Evaluation with Server 2016 Standard Core activation key.

Problem

When entering the key into the GUI or using slmgr.vbs you receive an error stating the current edition of Windows can not be upgraded using the key.

Solution

To force Windows to change editions?[1] According to what I found online, I had to force tell Windows what edition to change to before it would take the key I provided. Running 

dism /online /get-targeteditions

gave me the output showing ServerStandard, which is what I should be able to use my key with. In order to get it to take I needed to run 

dism /online /set-edition:serverstandard /accepteula /productkey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

At this point the system reports it is removing the Server Standard EvalEdition package. It sits at 10% for a very long time, just have patience. This is a Microsoft product after all.

  1. ↑ https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/5418a7cd-23d1-48c3-acbd-9300211e2508/upgrading-from-windows-server-2016-standard-quotevaluationquot-to-a-fully-registered-version?forum=ws2016
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