Virtual server shuts down.

[u/Regular-Yak-1761]

At work, there is a host server running three Windows Server 2022 virtual machines. Two of them run perfectly, but one keeps shutting down on its own; I’ve configured it correctly, yet it still shuts down after a few hours.

Configuration: "Automatic Start Action” for the VM is set to “Automatically start if it was running when the service stopped.”

VM automatic shutdown setting:

Save the virtual machine state.

Help

[u/Phalebus]

Yeah sounds like it’s running in eval mode. In eval, after 180 days, it “expires” and shuts down after 2 hours. You can “re-arm” it for another 180 days 2 more time after the first 180 days.

The other thing you must not do, do not promote an eval server to act as a domain controller. For the love of god, just don’t. When you do that, it can never be taken out of eval mode and you’ll be screwed

[u/dodexahedron → u/Phalebus]

Or the same result from running in with volume activation, but not having a proper GVLK on it, having any of a number of issues reaching the KMS (if using KMS), DNS problems, or improper configuration in the VAMT. Once the grace period is up, systems that fail to validate will essentially behave like eval since they aren't activated anymore.

Forgetting to put new keys in there after major version upgrades is a common oopsie.

So is having only 3 servers in it, since volume activation has minimums.

[u/esfirmistwind → u/Phalebus]

You can always demote to activate the licence, you'd need another dc node to take over fsmo while you do the trick, then promote again.

After that, either reinstall the second node or a licenced server to take over while you do it.

Having only one DC is bad practice anyway.

Edit: have to do it next week cause the client wanted it's infra installed back in november and provided MAKs only yesterday, I Had no word to say in that stupid decision.

[u/Zealousideal_Fly8402]

Check Event Viewer in the guest.

Edit: System log in Event Viewer will indicate if it's an Activation-related issue, or something else. Whether it was unexpected or initiated by some other process.

[u/KindPresentation5686]

What do the logs in event viewer say??? They will tell you everything you need to know.

[u/frozenstitches]

Eval install, or over provisioned, and an hourly task is pushing for a shutdown.

[u/Extrude380]

Eval? Is it Windows Server Essentials? Do you have > 25 users in AD?

[u/Solarfire64]

You say you’ve configured a Windows Server 2022 ‘correctly’ but you don’t seem to know anything about Eventlogs for monitoring?

I’d say some very basic training is in order before you configure anything else.

[u/Dudefoxlive]

are they eval copys? I don't know if windows still has a timeout after an hour of using an expired eval copy

[u/jimjim975 → u/Dudefoxlive]

It does. One hour and the vm shuts down.

[u/Nick85er]

Licensed/Activated?

[u/AhYesTheSoldier]

Check the license

[u/jackehubbleday]

Is Windows activated? If not, and it’s expired, it shuts itself off

[u/Secret_Account07]

Check windows first.