I have purchased a 24-core server (Dual 12 core CPU's). I installed Windows Server Standard 2019, which comes by default with 16 cores.
I want to use the additional 8 CPU cores, so I purchased two additional 4-core licenses for Windows Server 2019 Standard. When I received them, there are no instructions on how to activate the addition 8 cores from the two four core licenses. Cumulatively I've now spent about 8 hours digging through menus, googling, digging down through the Microsoft website and have come up empty. I tried to call Microsoft support but spent hours and did not manage to get through to a human on Server 2019.
It must be so simple. Can anyone please tell me how I can activate the additional 8 cores now that I have purchased the official Microsoft four core licenses from NewEgg (reputable source)?
Best Answer
Licensing is a legal and logical construct. It doesn't allow or deny you from physically using any or all of the CPU cores on the server. There's no license "activation" as far as the CPU is concerned.
You "activate" Windows with a Product Key, but that Product Key has nothing to do with having the proper per core licenses.