So, now that it's finally upgraded! Jesus.. 3 days!!
So I finally found the time after so many years to upgrade the server. Gemini hallucinated and told me I could junp from 2012 R2 to 2022... You can't!
It's a Dell PowerEdge R530 which is a little old, but it's happy doing it's job and it's been doing it for a long time now.
So, I got the Windows Server 2019 ISO and Windows Server 2022 ISO. As you do, you mount the ISO and install...
THIS DIDN'T WORK!
So, I got all the way to 21% from 2012 R2 to 2022 and it just froze there...
Then I went on the Microsoft Site and found that you have to go 2012 R2 -> 2019 -> 2022.
So, I got the 2019 ISO and did the same.. I mounted the ISO and started that.. Same thing happened. It got to a point, froze, forced reboot and rollback!
It got to Sunday and I got annoyed.... I Extracted the ISO with 7Zip and ran the setup.... Holly crap how fast did it install! This was amazing!
DO NOT MOUNT THE ISO's!
EXTRACT THEM!
After it got to 100% and rebooted to the Working on Updates.
Well, it worked! I woke up Monday Morning, remoted in through a VPN and I was greeted with an actual Windows Server 2019 install!
So, I extracted the Windows Server 2022 ISO and ran the setup.exe....
Started Install at 09:57!
80% at 10:10!
11:58!
This was amazing, after trying once to upgrade to 2022 and failing... Getting to 21% and having to rollback.. Then attempting to install 2019 and that failing and rolling back!
Jesus, this was amazing!
Finally getting this upgraded is fantastic... So, might have to invest into a new server to go upto Windows Server 2025. But we are now running an current version! I can upgrade software, get a decent Antivirus! Not have warning's about End of Life or that awful Start Menu in 2012 R2!
If you're stuck.. Just extract the ISO using 7Zip and run the setup.exe.
Phew... This has been bugging me for years, but this was the worry... It's not Debian, I can't apt update && apt upgrade and be done with it...
Hopefully this helps anyone that needs it...