Windows 11 Enterprise/Workstation Upgrade - Unable to see more than 2 CPU Sockets

Hello,

I have a Dell Poweredge 810 I got for next to nothing so I started messing around with it. I got it fully updated and ready to roll. However, I couldn't get Windows Server 2022 to install, I kept getting an obscure error while installing UEFI/NTFS (likely because of old hardware) so I went with Windows 11 Pro, created in Rufus with the TPM limitation removed and encryption disabled (I wouldn't be able to use it anyway). I need Hyper-V+Containers+Windows Store for my environment... After setting everything up my performance was horrible where I then noticed that I had a socket limitation I had forgotten Windows bakes in to the OS.

So I grabbed 2 licenses from a friend, Workstation and Enterprise and have been using them to try and upgrade from Windows 11 Pro. I can't find anything anywhere to discuss a group policy or registry change. I would like to attempt to fix this without having to rebuild or restore, simply because I've had horrible luck restoring from images in the past and things that should work, don't for me. So I'm avoiding it on the 'me' factor.

According to all documentation, this should just be an activation thing and features get turned on, however this isn't working. (prob the me factor)

Steps I've taken so far:
1. Reset the bios.
2. Searched for any registry, scripting or group policy changes that should be considered (I couldn't find anything so I'm here now).
2a. Most of the documentation online discusses going into system properties and adjusting Processor Affinity, this isn't going to work without having the sockets detected. If the sockets aren't there, I'm still limited to how many cores I can have and where they get applied in Windows. I need the additional sockets before I can configure this.
3. Disabled a working/detected CPU, when Windows loads in, it still only sees 2

Planned step right now... Install media > in-place upgrade/restore. This will fail on me so I'm looking for anyone else who may have an idea.

Check out our tutorial on upgrading from Windows 11 Pro to Workstation:

johnlgalt said:

Check out our tutorial on upgrading from Windows 11 Pro to Workstation:

Upgrade Windows 11 Pro to Windows 11 Pro for Workstations

This tutorial will show you how to upgrade from Windows 11 Pro to Windows 11 Pro for Workstations without losing anything. You can directly upgrade your device from Windows 11 Pro to the Windows 11 Pro for Workstations edition by just changing the product key. Upgrading to Windows 11 Pro for...

www.elevenforum.com

Click to expand...

I stated in the OP that I've already tried this and it doesn't help. Not that EXACT link, but every instruction in that tutorial has been done.

As I said in the OP, the process is SUPPOSED to be as easy as putting in the new key and activating it. I've activated.

My issue, as you can see in the screen shots... Activated and working Windows Pro for Workstation (I've tried this with Enterprise as well), I'm now trying with Workstation... I have four sockets, you can see them as "GOOD" in my iDrac.

However, Windows will not see them.

Zagdul said:

I stated in the OP that I've already tried this and it doesn't help. Not that EXACT link, but every instruction in that tutorial has been done.

As I said in the OP, the process is SUPPOSED to be as easy as putting in the new key and activating it. I've activated.

Click to expand...

Sorry, don't see it. Hope you figure it out, but I suspect you might be forced to cleanly install Pro from scratch

johnlgalt said:

Sorry, don't see it. Hope you figure it out, but I suspect you might be forced to cleanly install Pro from scratch

Click to expand...

I'm in the process of doing this now... During the process, of course the 'me factor' kicked in again and my backup I made of the up and running install is not wanting to work.

What's the hardware in it, particularly the drives?

johnlgalt said:

What's the hardware in it, particularly the drives?

Click to expand...

It's an r810, 4x E7-8870
64GB RAM
Perc H220i with 6x1.2tb SAS
2x NVMe Crucial 1tb in PCIE conversion cards plugged into the board.

I have the boot/system drive connected to the SATA port typically used for the optical drive. I found this to be the simplest way to connect my boot device while I use the other, faster drives for paging/cache.

When I installed I needed to disconnect all my other drives because of an issue with UEFI seeing too many devices and not booting. So, I just kept the single drive connected, loaded Windows on it then realized I couldn't see all my sockets.

Then I remembered the socket limitations on desktop software... So I picked up a Workstation and Enterprise key. You are SUPPOSED to just put in the key and it recognizes the additional sockets, that didn't happen. I wiped the drive and installed Workstation on a fresh drive and it worked so I rebuilt the OS. This is my current solution to this problem. I was hoping there was a simple line I could run to update, nope.

Resetting bios didn't work.
Removing sockets and booting with one, then reverting to 4, didn't work.
DISM/SFC, didn't work.

Zagdul said:

4x E7-8870

Click to expand...

Long shot, but could it be due to that those CPU´s are not supported by Win 11?

2112 said:

Long shot, but could it be due to that those CPU´s are not supported by Win 11?

Click to expand...

No, after a rebuild on Workstation or Enterprise with a clean install, it works fine. I have all my sockets. Only after an upgrade from Pro to either of these versions does it not work.

That is ... odd. Hate that you had to go through the full clean install again, but at least you're up and running.

@Brink any ideas on this? Is it perhaps an obscure (yet known) issue with upgrading from Pro to Workstation?

johnlgalt said:

That is ... odd. Hate that you had to go through the full clean install again, but at least you're up and running.

@Brink any ideas on this? Is it perhaps an obscure (yet known) issue with upgrading from Pro to Workstation?

Click to expand...

I'm nor sure what would cause that either.

I'm gonna pick up some SSD's in a bit and re-test it to see if I can re-create the problem. I'm curious about it. It's a very obscure issue so not one you'd frequent. I'm curious if this is an unknown repeatable bug that has flown under the radar.

Not gonna lie, so am I. Looking forward to your results!