A Step-by-Step Guide to Migrating from Windows Server 2012 to 2016/2019

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The method on this page also applies to Windows Server 2008/2008 R2/2012/2012 R2/2016/2019. It also applies when you upgrade or migrate from Windows Server Essentials to Standard edition.

How can I successfully migrate from Windows Server 2012 to 2016?

It has been confirmed that support for Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 will end on October 10, 2023. Microsoft has already released two new versions of Windows Server – 2016 and 2019 – for individuals and businesses to expand their operations on the new Windows Server systems. It's wise to prepare in advance. Therefore, it's high time to devise a comprehensive plan to upgrade or migrate from Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 to the new Windows Server 2016/2019.

So, how to successfully migrate Windows Server 2012 along with all its applications, data, and even accounts to 2016? If you have the same queries as mentioned below, then relax and follow the troubleshooting tips provided underneath:

1. Will I lose my data when migrating from Windows Server 2012 to 2016? 2. How do I upgrade Windows Server 2012 to 2019? 3. How can I retain my applications, data, and accounts while migrating from Windows Server 2012 to 2016/2019?

Windows Server Migration Checklist (2 steps)

Here's a checklist for upgrading or migrating Windows Server apps, data, and accounts for all Windows Server users. Follow these two steps to get the right tools and solutions for your Windows Server migration:

• Step 1: Download the Essential Windows Server Migration Tools

For most Windows Server users, the biggest challenge when migrating Windows Server is how to transfer all the data, installed applications, and even Windows Server accounts in full to a new Windows Server computer. Todo PCTrans Technician – an advanced Windows Server migration tool – is specifically designed for migrating data, apps, accounts, and settings between different Windows Servers.

Todo PCTrans Technician enables you to transfer data, apps, and accounts over the network or image on all Windows servers, including Windows Server 2019/2016/2012/2012 R2/2008/2008 R2, and more.

• Step 2: Identify the destination for your Windows Server migration

To understand the right way to migrate to Windows Server, you first need to define your destination.

If you want to move your Windows Server operating system to a new computer, try using the Windows Server Migration Tools. This will allow you to successfully migrate your Windows Server OS to a new computer without having to reinstall the server OS. If you just want to transfer data, installed apps, accounts, and settings from your Windows Server 2012 to a Windows Server 2016/2019 machine, please refer to Solution 1 below for assistance. If you wish to upgrade in-place from Windows Server 2012 to 2016/2019 or perform a fresh installation of Windows Server 2016/2019 on your old Windows Server 2012 while preserving all data, apps, and accounts, refer to Solution 2 on this page for help.

Solution 1: Migrate Windows Server 2012 to a New Server 2016/2019 (Data, Applications, Accounts)

Applies To: Migrate data, installed apps, accounts, and settings to a new Windows Server 2016/2019 computer without having to reinstall everything.

To move data, apps, and accounts from your Windows Server 2012 to a new Windows server computer (like 2016 or 2019), all you need is a reliable Windows Server PC transfer tool. Todo PCTrans Technician comes in handy here. It enables users of all levels to efficiently transfer everything on the old Windows Server computer to the new server machine over a network connection.

See how to move your data, apps, and even user accounts step by step to a new server running Windows Server 2012:

Step 1. Run Todo PCTrans on both the source and target computers to connect the two computers via the Internet.

1. Under PC to PC, choose the transfer direction, and then click Start to continue.

2. Select your target computer by its name, then enter your account password or verification code. Tap “Connect” to proceed.

You can check the authentication code at the top of the main "PC to PC" screen on the controlled computer.

Step 2: Choose the categories of Apps, Files, and Accounts you want to transfer over the Internet.

To transfer data selectively, click Edit under each category and choose specific items.

Step 3. Click “Transfer” to start moving your apps/files/accounts from one computer to another over the Internet.

Transfer apps, files or accounts over the Internet

After the migration, you can restart your new Windows Server 2016 or 2019 computer and continue to use the software. If some programs need to be reactivated, use the old key to activate them again. If you want to learn more about using the Todo PCTrans tool, click the button below.

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Tool Todo PCTrans Enterprise Edition

Bulk transfer of computer programs, Windows accounts, domain accounts, virtual-to-physical machine transfers, and local to cloud desktop transfers.

24/7 Technical Support Chat

Solution 2: In-place upgrade of Windows Server 2012 to 2016/2019, preserving all content on the server

Applies to: In-place upgrade from Windows Server 2012 to 2016 or 2019, while preserving all content on the server, including data, applications, and accounts.

If you need to upgrade Windows Server 2012 in-place to a higher version of Windows Server and retain everything on your computer, follow the tutorial steps carefully.

Step 1: Create an image of all important data, applications, and even user accounts on the Windows Server 2012 machine.

With Todo PCTrans's Backup and Restore feature, you can create an image backup of all your important data, apps, accounts, etc. from your Windows Server 2012 to an external hard drive.

Video tutorial on how to use Todo PCTrans for image transfer:

Step 2. Upgrade from Windows Server 2012 in-place to 2016/2019, or do a fresh installation of Windows Server 2016 on the old server computer.

If you're unsure how to perform an in-place upgrade of Windows Server, follow Microsoft's tutorial: Upgrade from Windows Server 2012 to Windows Server 2016.

If you need to perform a clean installation of Windows Server 2016 or 2019 on an old server, you first need to download the Windows Server ISO image file, and then follow along with the video tutorial below for a fresh setup:

"Windows Server 2016 Installation Tutorial" video series by Server Academy on YouTube:

Step 3: Use Todo PCTrans's Imaging Transfer feature to restore your data, applications, and accounts to your new Windows Server.

If you lose any apps or data, you can use the Todo PCTrans Technician tool to selectively restore applications, data, and accounts to a new Windows Server 2016/2019.

Conclusions

On this page, we collect two solutions to help Windows Server users migrate data, applications, and accounts from Windows Server 2012 to Windows Server 2016/2019 with the assistance of a reliable PC transfer tool - Todo PCTrans.

We also provide additional tips to help you perform an in-place upgrade or a new installation of Windows Server 2016/2019 on older versions of Windows Server. With the guidance provided, you can easily migrate everything to your new Windows Server computer.

Frequently Asked Questions about Migrating to Windows Server 2012

If you have more questions about migrating to Windows Server, check out the following common questions and get your answers right away.

**1. Can I upgrade from Windows Server 2012 to 2016?**

Yes, you can upgrade Windows Server 2012 to 2016 in several ways. Here, we've gathered all the possible methods that you can try to upgrade from 2012 to Windows Server 2016:

• Method 1: Use the Windows Server Migration Tools: Back up the Windows Server 2016 operating system and restore it on the Windows Server 2012 computer.
• Method 2: In-place upgrade Windows Server from 2012 to 2016.
• Method 3: Perform a clean installation of Windows Server 2016 on the old Windows Server 2012 computer.

2. Can I upgrade Windows Server 2008 R2 to 2016?

Certainly. You can upgrade from Windows Server 2008 R2 to Windows Server 2016 by performing an in-place upgrade or by doing a clean installation on your computer. If you need assistance with migrating data, applications, and accounts from your old Windows Server 2008 to the new Windows Server 2016, please refer to the step-by-step guide on Migrating from Windows Server 2008 (R2) to 2016.

3. How do I migrate from Windows Server 2012 R2 to 2019?

The method for migrating from Windows Server 2012 R2 to 2019 is similar to the one recommended on this page for migrating from Windows Server 2012 to 2016.

First, you need a reliable Windows PC migration tool that supports moving your old Windows Server data, apps, and accounts to the new server computer.

Next, identify your goal – move data, apps, and accounts between server computers, or upgrade to Windows Server 2019 while keeping everything on your computer.

Lastly, choose the right approach to migrate your Windows Server 2012 R2 to 2019:

• If you need to migrate everything to a new server computer, use the PC to PC feature in Todo PCTrans Technician to transfer data, applications, and accounts to Windows Server 2019 without loss.
• If you need to perform an in-place upgrade or a clean install of Windows Server 2019 on your existing Server 2012 R2 computer, use the Image Transfer feature in Todo PCTrans to create an image of all essential content. Then, proceed with the in-place upgrade or clean installation of the new server, and finally restore the image to the computer.