Partner benefits (cant see LTSC, Server 2019 with desktop experience)

[markopzg]

trying for two weeks to resolve and get an answer but nothing, opened case on partnercenter, then they told me to use advisory hours (for what?! i cant see non core versions of server under benefits?) then they blamed windows server team, then they asked for copy of distributors agreement?? so maybe there is no problem but noone working on support is able to give me an answer , so my question is, we have silver and gold competency, but under https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/pcv/partnership/benefits i don't see any nonCORE version of Windows Server 2019, maybe i'm missing something ?

[MichiganBB]

I this is an old thread that was never answered at all.  
Microsoft REMOVED it intentionally Yes this is very arrogant and insulting to all of us partners.
I called in and wasted a support instance to confirm this.   
I asked why only core was available...  
They had no answer for this NO ANSWER. 
But could only confirm that core only versions were included in the action pack.
The ten support instances that they give you as a partner are really useless.  
I have been a partner and ActionPack Subscriber for many years and it has been more than anything
a major frustration.  
I don't subscribe to it to use the software for myself I have always used the software to test and fix problems for my clients.  They BUY the software outright and I support their use and scenarios. 
Microsoft has made this continuously more and more difficult. 
It's extremely difficult for me to learn and do ANYTHING with Microsoft. 
They want you to move to cloud services and sop doing anything on-prem and they are making it increasingly difficult intentionally.  

Seriously a crock!  
The end is even more near.  

[MichiganBB]

So here we are again, same exact GARBAGE with Windows server 2022.   
Is there a similar workaround to get Server 2022 Desktop Experience?  
Microsoft has continued to make it even less possible to support customers and train to support customers with this software.  
Action pack has been a huge waste of our time and money this time around. 
I want access to software to test and support our customers and we no longer can get it from Microsoft in any kind of affordable option. 
 

[tfranzke]

Hi @MichiganBB ,

please have a look at my post further below (posted on: 02-01-2021 05:25 AM). This post might help to solve your problem, it solved mine at least 😁.

Best regards from sunny Ruedesheim/Germany,

Thorsten Franzke

[MichiganBB]

Thanks.  I had already found this "solution".    
What you have posted was helpful, Microsoft has not been helpful they are telling us, their supporters to go away with things like this.
And what you have posted is very helpful.  
My only point of coming back here and posting is I feel it's important to make it a point that this is absolute poop.
I or you shouldn't have to sue an "unsupported hack" to get around this.  
I paid and am paying yearly for the stupid action pack to try and better support my customers and keep up to speed with 
Microsoft products.  
It's terrible that they have to drag their supporters/partners through this garbage and make our lives even harder.  

[td97402]

I replied to this with a solution some time ago.  It is stupid but install Server 2019 Essentials.  Don’t provide a license key.  After install, go to activation and provide your Server 2019 Standard key.  It will take a few moments but you’ll be activated with 2019 Standard when the process completes.

Timothy Daniels

Highway 99 Computers

[td97402]

I replied to this with a solution some time ago. It is stupid but install Server 2019 Essentials. Don't provide a license key. After install, go to activation and provide your Server 2019 Standard key. It will take a few moments but you'll be activated with 2019 Standard when the process completes.

Timothy Daniels
Highway 99 Computers
541.461.4700

[tfranzke]

@JanoschUlmer 

Thanks for the reply! Sad thing that you - as a Microsoft PTC employee - don't have access to the Action Pack / MPN benefits section anymore. Anyhow: your hint kind guided me into the proper direction!

@AmazingPierre and all the others

The breaking point is that "Windows Server" is listed multiple times in the benefits/software section of the MPN. Depending on your partner level and partner qualification you should see several "Windows Server [...]" in the list. The big difference is the wording, outlined below:

a) Core Edition w/o Desktop

If you see "Windows Server Standard" or "Windows Server Datacenter" (observe the missing version number, e.g. "2019") THEN we are talking about the semi-anual edition and we are talking about CORE installation media:

b) Edition w/ Desktop Experience

If you see "Windows Server 2019 Standard" or "Windows Server 2019 Datacenter" (here we have the version number included in the title!) THEN we are talking about the LTSC edition and we are talking about installation media with Desktop AND Core. Eventhough the download links seem to be wrong, they are only misguiding "Standard Core/Datacenter Core". The respective download links indeed contain BOTH server editions (Standard and Datacenter) and experiences (Core and Desktop).

Important hint: 

• If "Datacenter" is not listed in your MPN then -most likely- your partner status doesn't contain Datacenter licenses. 
• You can't convert an "evaluation" install into a "MPN" edition.

Now thanks to everybody, especially kudos to @JanoschUlmer who has guided me into the right direction!

Best regards,

Thorsten

[Andra]

Hi @AmazingPierre ,

please submit a case to support using this link: Partner Center (microsoft.com)

Thank you,

Andra

[AmazingPierre]

I submitted a case and received an unacceptable response. Case 2101250040000997

[AmazingPierre]

Has anyone had a satisfactory response from MS regarding this?

The key I have does not work on either the evaluation or "Essentials" versions.

[JanoschUlmer]

I do no longer have test access to Action Pack benefits, so I can not test and provide other options/suggestions. Last time I checked even though the download said "core" it was the media with GUI. There were multiple downloads - the semi-annual version which of course is only a core, and the LTSC version which include both install options.

However, Datacenter Edition was not ever provided with Action Pack, so of course the key won't work for that, only for Standard edition.

So, I can only recommend to contact Partner Center support to get additional guidance, e.g. if there is no 2019 downloadload available anbd activation does not work for the Standard edition.

[SteffenDE]

Till now there is no 2019 Server download available only core!

The Server 2019 Section at Action Pack only shows the key but no download link. At Server Standard section without 2019 there is a key and a download but only core version without desktop experience.

Microsoft, please fix this.

Thanks, Steffen

[Jordansbuckett]

I am still having this issue. No matter which software version I choose to download from the partner centre it results in the Windows server GUIless options, and I've been hung up on twice by microsoft... as usual.

Anyone have an update on this?  

[td97402]

I posted earlier in this message thread about this. Download and install the Windows Server 2019 Essentials. You will get Server 2019 without any of the "Essentials Experience" that you used to see in 2016 and earlier. You will have a desktop. Now, go to Settings, Update, Activation and choose Change Product Key. Enter your Standard product key. There will be some installation and a reboot after which you will have Standard Edition with desktop.

[td97402]

I recently decided to try out Windows Server 2019 Essentials from the Action Pack.  It worked pretty nicely and I might end up using it long term.  Just for fun I decided to chage my product key to the Windows Server 2019 Standard, also from the Action Pack.  It did some updating and when it was done I had a fully activated install of Windows Server 2019 Standard with the Desktop Experience.

A bit of a kludge just to get a classic version of Windows Server 2019 going but it worked.

[tduval]

I am experiencing this exact issue. We are silver competency. Under benefits I see Windows Server 2019 Standard and Windows Server. If I chose Windows Server 2019 Standard all I see are the keys. There is no link for download of an ISO file. 

I've tried Windows Server - that was just a core install no Desktop Expereince. I tried Windows 2019 Evaluation it would not accept my key. I tried a different browser too thinking maybe the page wasn't loading correctly. So as of right now there is no non-core download link avaialble on our Partner page. 

[JanoschUlmer]

Well, that is a bit of a different issue if you see no download at all.

However, the download link should be available after choosing the language. If it does not not, please open a ticket in Partner Center support.

[tduval]

I will go ahead and do that. For reference this is what I am seeing (see attachment). And those download links for "Windows Server" every one of them are "core install" with no option during install for "Desktop Experience"

[JanoschUlmer]

Interesting, the choice for language under Windows Server 2019 is not displayed as it should be. Tested this yesterday - attached screenshot how it should look like.

[ChrisDarrow]

Except even in your screen shot it does not provide a download for Desktop Experience only for Core. I get the exact same issue. Neither WIndows Server nor Windows Server 2019 gives an option for Dekstop Experience only the core versions. I have been forced to use our MSDN subsctription to get a download that works but then I have to use MSDN keys the keys in Partner Dashboard do not work.