1

I am attempting to create a small test Domain with VMs to validate some PowerShell remoting behavior. I have Windows Server 2019 Essentials installed and configured as a DC, but it is in demo mode and has not been activated. I also have a VM with Windows 10 Enterprise 1909 installed. The VMs are currently configured with a Host Only network, but I also tried a Shared Network. In both cases the Server VM can be pinged from the client, but when I try to join the domain the domain is unreachable. Before I go digging deeper into possible misconfiguration issues, is it possible that an unactivated Windows Server Essentials outside of the 90 day demo period simply won't be reachable, and I should just reinstall?

Gordon
  • 175

1 Answers1

0

According to this documentation there should be no need to reinstall.

The document lists 3 limitations for non-genuine (unlicensed) Windows versions:

a. A computer configured as a KMS host responds to KMS client requests with an error message that KMS has not been activated.
b. Windows Update downloads security and critical updates (optional updates are excluded).
c. Optional downloads requiring the online validation service—also referred to as genuine-gated downloads—are not available.

You might want to check if changing the NIC configuration might have triggered Windows Firewall on the server to switch to a zone different from 'Domain'

Roderick Bant
  • 159
  • Interesting. So what is the utility of a 180 day demo, if you can't actually join a client to that test domain? But my reading of that link is there is a "grace period", i.e. the 180 day demo. I am reinstalling as it turns out, if for no other reason than to go through the process again for experience. Hopefully I will be able to join clients for the grace/demo period and get this testing completed. Fingers crossed. – Gordon Nov 06 '20 at 20:18
  • @Gordon None of the 3 limitations listed prevent joining the domain. – Brian Nov 18 '20 at 16:05