July 4, 2026
Thank you for purchasing Microsoft Windows Server 2022 Datacenter from Keys Experts.
This guide explains how to install Windows Server 2022 Datacenter, select the correct edition, activate your product key, and understand a 16-core licence.
Before starting the installation, please make sure you have:
Important: A clean installation can remove existing applications, settings and data from the selected drive or partition. Back up important data before continuing.
You can download Windows Server 2022 directly from the official Microsoft Evaluation Center:
Official Microsoft Download:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-server-2022
The download available through the Microsoft Evaluation Center may install Windows Server 2022 Evaluation.
An Evaluation installation is different from a fully licensed edition, and a product key may not activate the Evaluation edition directly.
If you have installed Windows Server 2022 Datacenter Evaluation, the edition may first need to be converted to the appropriate full Windows Server 2022 Datacenter edition before your product key can be used for activation.
You can check the currently installed edition by opening Command Prompt as Administrator and running:
DISM /online /Get-CurrentEdition
You can also check which editions the installation can be converted to by running:
DISM /online /Get-TargetEditions
If you are unsure about the installed edition or receive an activation error, please contact Keys Experts Support with a screenshot of the error and the installed Windows Server edition before making further changes.
The key used to enter the boot menu varies depending on the server manufacturer and may be F2, F10, F11, F12, Esc or Del.
If installing Windows Server in a virtual machine:
When Windows Setup appears:
If Windows Setup asks for a product key, enter the Windows Server 2022 Datacenter product key supplied with your order.
If you have the option to continue without entering the key, you may complete the installation first and activate Windows afterwards.
This is an important step.
Select:
Windows Server 2022 Datacenter
Depending on the installation media, you may see options similar to:
For most customers who require the normal graphical Windows interface, select:
Windows Server 2022 Datacenter (Desktop Experience)
Desktop Experience provides the familiar graphical user interface and is generally easier to administer for customers who do not specifically require Server Core.
Windows Server 2022 Datacenter without “Desktop Experience” installs Server Core, which does not provide the standard desktop GUI.
Make sure that you install the Datacenter edition if you have purchased a Windows Server 2022 Datacenter licence.
Read the Microsoft licence terms.
Select the acceptance checkbox and click Next.
For a new installation, select:
Custom: Install Microsoft Server Operating System only (advanced)
You will then see the available disks and partitions.
Select the drive or partition where Windows Server should be installed.
Warning: Deleting or formatting an existing partition can permanently erase the data stored on it.
Click Next when you are ready.
Windows Setup will now:
Do not disconnect the installation media or switch off the server while installation is in progress.
After installation, Windows Server will ask you to configure the built-in Administrator account.
Create a strong administrator password and store it securely.
Once completed, sign in to Windows Server.
After signing in:
Alternatively, activation can be performed from an elevated Command Prompt.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and enter:
slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
Replace the X characters with your supplied product key.
Then run:
slmgr /ato
Windows will attempt online activation.
To check the activation status, run:
slmgr /xpr
If activation is successful, Windows should report that the system is activated.
Windows Server 2022 Standard and Datacenter use Microsoft’s core-based licensing model.
A 16-core licence does not mean that you need to perform a special 16-core version of the Windows Server installation.
The operating system installation and product activation procedure remains essentially the same.
The “16-core” designation relates to licensing the processor cores of the physical server, rather than installing 16 separate licences or entering the product key 16 times.
If your physical server contains:
1 processor × 16 physical cores = 16 physical cores
a 16-core licence provides the minimum 16-core coverage required for that server, subject to the applicable Microsoft licensing terms.
Microsoft still requires a minimum of 16 core licences per physical server when licensing Windows Server based on physical cores.
Therefore, even though the server physically contains only 12 cores, the licensing minimum is still 16 cores.
If the server contains:
2 processors × 12 cores = 24 physical cores
a single 16-core licence does not cover the complete server.
All physical cores must be appropriately licensed. In this example, licensing coverage for 24 cores would be required.
A server containing 32 physical cores requires licensing coverage for 32 cores.
A single 16-core pack would therefore not provide sufficient core coverage when licensing the server based on its physical cores.
When Windows Server is licensed based on physical cores, Microsoft’s licensing rules require:
The number of licences required is therefore determined by the server’s hardware configuration and Microsoft’s applicable licensing terms.
One of the major differences between Windows Server Standard and Datacenter is virtualization rights.
When a physical server is fully licensed for Windows Server Datacenter based on its physical cores, Datacenter provides rights to run Windows Server in the physical operating system environment and an unlimited number of Windows Server virtual operating system environments on that licensed server, subject to Microsoft’s applicable licensing terms.
For example, if a physical server has 16 physical cores and all required cores are properly licensed with Windows Server 2022 Datacenter, the Datacenter edition’s virtualization rights are not limited to a fixed number of Windows Server VMs.
This is different from Windows Server Standard, which has more limited virtualization rights.
Please note that Windows Server core licensing and Windows Server Client Access Licences (CALs) are separate licensing requirements.
Depending on how the server will be accessed, Windows Server User CALs or Device CALs may also be required.
For example:
Core licences do not automatically replace CAL requirements.
Once Windows Server is installed and activated, we recommend that you:
If Windows Server does not activate, please do not repeatedly reinstall the operating system.
Check that:
If activation still fails, please contact Keys Experts Support and provide:
For security, you should not send screenshots displaying the complete product key.
The Keys Experts support team can then assist you with the appropriate next steps.
Keys Experts Support
