Question : Windows Server 2008 to Server 2008 R2 Upgrade

Hi,

I am looking to upgrade my web server from Windows Server 2008 SP1 (x64) to Windows Server 2008 R2 (x64). Now I know I can follow the upgrade path, but is it possible to do this upgrade via remote desktop? The server is hosted off site so I can't physically get in front of it.

Also, on a reasonably powerful machine (Xeon E5420, 16GB RAM), how long approximately should this upgrade take so I can reduce downtime?

Many thanks

Answer : Windows Server 2008 to Server 2008 R2 Upgrade

I would upgrade to sp2 as a first step.
then upgrade to r2.
The upgrade should only take about 30-40 minutes or so, but I would give yourself a couple of hours really.
You can upgrade using RDP but once it's upgraded you may not be able to get back on after the reboot, so I would make sure there is someone on-site you can talk through tweaking security settings in a emergency.