I installed Microsoft SQL Server 2014 a couple of months before on my PC, but now I suddenly found that the evaluation period has expired and a message appears when I try to open SQL Server Management Studio:
Evaluation period has expired. For information on how to upgrade your evaluation software please go to http://www.microsoft.com/sql/howtobuy. I seem to find a easy solution to this problem.
The outcome that I wanted to achieve here was to upgrade the existing SQL Server instance.![]()
The procedure to do this upgrade is as per the steps below:
1. Run SQL Server setup from the installation media, and SQL Server Installation Center.
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2. On the SQL Server Installation Center, click on Maintenance (left side), and then click on Edition Upgrade.
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3. Continue setup until you reach the <Product Key> stage. Now, insert the license key for the corresponding edition you are upgrading to.![]()
4: Accept the license terms.
5. Specify the instance of SQL Server to modify.
6. Verify the SQL Server 2014 features that will be changed and then press <Upgrade> option.![]()
7. Do not lose your patience at this stage here since you might just have to wait for a couple of minutes without having to do anything but to wait for the next screen to appear. (I nearly aborted this process at this stage when I felt like it was not happening as expected.
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8. Finally, you will reach <Complete> stage, where the screen appears as per below.![]()
I hope this was helpful. Comments and feedbacks are welcome.


