If a Windows server shuts down by itself roughly every hour, the usual cause is an expired evaluation edition of Windows Server. Evaluation editions are fully functional for 180 days, after which Windows applies licensing restrictions until it is activated with a valid licence.
Signs that the evaluation period has expired
- A "Windows License is expired" notice on the desktop.
- A prompt to Activate now or Ask me later when signing in.
- The server shuts down automatically about once an hour.
- Only security updates can be installed.
- An entry in the Application event log:
Event ID: 100 Source: WLMS The license period for this installation of Windows has expired. The operating system will shut down every hour.
Confirming it
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
slmgr.vbs /dlv
If the output contains EVAL, the server is running an evaluation edition. The same command also shows how much of the licensing period remains.
How to resolve it
The shutdowns stop once Windows is licensed. There are two routes:
- Activate with a valid product key. If you have your own licence, activate with it.
- Take the licence from us. We provide Windows Server licences under our own Microsoft SPLA agreement, rented monthly and billed with the server — open a ticket with our Billing or Sales department. See Is the Windows licence included in the plan price? and Microsoft licence prices.
Converting an evaluation installation to a licensed edition in place is possible for some editions and versions, but not all — and where it is not, a reinstall is required. Tell us which version you are running and we will confirm which applies.
Do not look for a way around this. The hourly shutdown is a licensing mechanism, not a fault, and the workarounds circulating online either stop working at the next update or leave the server in an unsupportable state. Licensing it is cheaper than the downtime.
Plan the timing
Activation requires a restart, and an unlicensed server restarts on its own schedule regardless. If the server is in production, arrange the licensing before the evaluation period ends rather than after — hourly reboots are noticed by visitors immediately.
If the version is out of support
Older Windows Server releases no longer receive updates: Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 reached end of support in October 2023, and 2016 is in extended security updates only. An unsupported server accumulates known vulnerabilities that will never be patched, and licences for it may no longer be obtainable.
If your server is on one of these, open a ticket and we will discuss moving to a supported version — see also How do I upgrade my server or change plan?
If the server keeps shutting down after activation, open a ticket from your client area with the output of slmgr.vbs /dlv.
