I have a SQL Server RC2 instance that has expired. When I try to go into Windows Services and start the SQL Server instance it fails to start and an error log entry in the Windows Application event log indicates this is due to "trial expiration". I see RC3 was release late last month and I'd like to upgrade to RC3. I've downloaded the SQL Server 2016 RC3 ISO and made it through all the wizard questions only to have it give me the following error
"Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Release Candidate 3 (RC3) SetupThe following error has occured:
A network-releated or instance-specific error occured while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible...."
It appears an upgrade cant occur unless the SQL Server instance to be upgraded is running. In this case the SQL Server instance to be upgraded can not be started because the trial is marked as expired. What can I do? I have quite a bit of data in this database that needs to be preserved.
Thank you.