fix frequent shutdown due to licensing issues - Windows

In this article, we shall discuss how to fix Windows Server frequent disconnects and shutdown. Before proceeding, I am currently using ACEMAGIC Mini PC for this specific lab environment with an excellent computing power and impressive performance. You may want to see how to install Windows Server unto ACEMAGICIAN Mini PC. Also, see how Install Proxmox VE on a Beelink EQ12 Mini PC, how to install ESXi on a Beelink EQ12 Mini PC, and how to join a computer to the Domain.

If you are experiencing frequent disconnects and shutdowns, below are some common causes. I will only discuss the fix applicable to me in the next session.

Overheating and Hardware Issue
Network Disconnects (Frequent RDP & Service Drops)
Unexpected Shutdowns (Power, Hardware, or OS Issues)
Scheduled Tasks or Auto-Restarts, and
Licensing or Activation Issues (Grace Period Expired). This is the elephant in the room in my case.

Here are some related error code “Fix Windows 11 Remote Desktop Connectivity Error code 0x204“, and how to Fix Remote Desktop Connection issues (Error 0x204).

Reason for Frequent Shutdown and RDP disconnection

As earlier stated, my focus will be on the root cause and not dive into other possible causes. The RDP console prompted an error code 0x19 which indicates a security or certificate issue when attempting to connect to a remote desktop session.

With the above information, the error code 0x19 can occur due to Licensing or Activation Issues. This is because, the grace period for activating Windows has expired. RDP relies on a fully activated Windows installation for secure and proper communication. Without proper activation, the system may block RDP connections, prompting the error code 0x19.

Please see How to prevent a remote shutdown and restart in Windows, how to prevent users from shutting down in a Virtual Machine, and how to use command prompt to shutdown and restart your computer.

Troubleshooting Windows to see why the frequent Shutdown

I had to check the Power and Sleep settings via the control panel and Windows settings to see if there is a wrong configuration for sleep settings. There was none as you can see below.

Note: Ensure settings are configured to prevent the system from shutting down unexpectedly

Windows Power and Sleep — Windows Settings – Sleep and Power

Power and sleep - Control Panel — Windows Control Panel – Power Option

Finally, took a look at the event viewer and found the culprit from the time-service log. Here it says, the time provider has indicated that the current hardware and operating system is not supported and has stopped.

This prompted me to take a look the activation status “This version of windows is expired”.

Note: You might see this error if you entered an invalid product key or a product key for a different version of Windows. You can learn more about different Windows Activation errors. An image in this guide “How to upgrade Windows Server Evaluation to Full Version” also shows a similar issue where the OS will shutdown after every hour due to expiration of the evaluation period.

Windows Evaluation Period

After installing the Windows Server Evaluation, you will have 180 days to use the full functionality. After this period expires, the system will enter an unlicensed state and restrict access to certain features. Merely entering the product key at this point will not fix this issue as it is an evaluation copy.

Note: Windows does allow you to extend the evaluation period for certain editions, including Windows Server. You can extend the evaluation period using a command in PowerShell or Command Prompt.

Here is a comprehensive guide on this topic ‘Manage Windows Product key with Software Licensing Manager“. To check the current license status, please run the command below.

slmgr /dli

To extend the evaluation period (for another 180 days), use the command

slmgr /rearm

After running the above command, restart the computer to apply the changes.

Note: The “slmgr /rearm” command can be used only 3 times (allowing you to extend the evaluation for a maximum of 540 days).Once the evaluation period ends after these extensions. You will need to convert the evaluation copy to a full licensed version.

Convert the evaluation copy to a full licensed version

According to Microsoft, Windows Server Evaluation Edition is a trial version of Windows Server designed for testing and evaluation purposes. It comes with a limited evaluation period (usually 180 days), after which the system will start shutting down regularly if not activated.

Since the extension can only be made three times, it is better we convert to a full licensed version and this is what I will be showing you in this section.

To do this, please launch PowerShell with Admin rights and run he command below to get the possible target upgrade version.

DISM /Online /Get-TargetEditions

As you can see, this can be upgraded to the Data Center Edition. To convert the evaluation to the full version, please run the command below.

DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerDatacenter /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX /AcceptEula

Convert Windows Server 2022 to Windows Server 2025 Data Center Edition.jpg 20-20-05-068

As some point, you will be requested to restart your server. Hit the “Y” button on your keyboard and hit the Enter key. As you can see below, we have successfully converted the evaluation copy to a full version.

Windows Activation

When converting a Windows Server Evaluation copy to a full licensed version, activation may not work immediately due to internet or Activation Server issues. In this case. you can activate manually via the Windows Settings or PowerShell as shown below.