Unscheduled scheduled Windows server 2012 shutdown on vmware

Did you install 2012 R2 Essentials product? Or did you install 2012 R2 Standard and then enable the essentials role? And if the latter, is there a reason you enabled the essentials role on more than one server? The environment is very unusual so to understand the problem, we need to understand those answers more.

Check your automatic updates.  I had one that would shut down like that after auto updates completed (should have restarted).  About drove me crazy.  Set it to download updates but let me choose when to install.  That fixed my the problem. Worth a check.

I installed the 2012 R2 Essentials product.
The essential role is only on one server which is the AD server which does not shutdown.

Well. that's why. You can only have one essentials server in a domain. More than one and they shut down for being out of licensing compliance.

if that were the case why would it only shutdown on Tuesday at 9:37am?

The licensing service checks every 7 days. That's by design.

I should see events that would indicate unlicensed products?

You've already said you installed multiple essentials servers. The essentials product has clear documented restrictions. And the behavior is consistent with what happens when you ignore them. I'm not sure why this is a debate.

I said the essential role is only on one server.  I don't think it is possible to install on multiple servers in a single domain.

You said "I installed the 2012 R2 Essentials product" and then said you installed the role on only one server.

You can install the role on as many servers as you want. You can only install the *product* on one server. And it *must* be a DC, and it must hold all FSMO roles. Since each FSMO role can only be on one server, that effectively places a limit to one essentials *product* per domain. Since, based on what you describe, you installed the essentials product on multiple servers, that will make *all* of them out of compliance and they will shut down.

It is a matter of understanding the difference between the role and the product which is why I specifically asked if you installed the essentials product or installed standard with the essentials.

Experts' answers can only be as accurate as the information provided. If there is an inaccuracy in the answers you've provided thus far, please feel free to make a correction. For now, I stand by my assessment based on the information provided and the behavior is consistent with what happens when a server is out of compliance.

That being the case should I see an FSMO error in the event viewer or where would I see notification?

Not an error, a warning. And it'll be an application event, nt a system event. And it'll not necessarily be when the server shut down, but be during the last licensing check, which does not have to coincide with the shutdown at all, as they are two different. So yes, it gets logged, but can get lost in the noise.

I would need to find some evidence somewhere that is what is causing the issue.
All 3 servers are licensed for essentials and have the role installed but only the DC has it activated.

Thanks

Cliff you are correct!  I was surprised to find out how obscure the Log of Licensing events are.
I ended up doing a search on the C drive for Licensing and then it show a link to event viewer.  
Now I know what the problem is what is the best way to fix it?    I removed the essentials role from the 2 other servers but that did not help.   It seems I need to change the license or install new instances.
Can I just upgrade or downgrade the Product key without reinstalling everything?

Thanks
Nick


Log Name:      Microsoft-Windows-Server Infrastructure Licensing/Operational
Source:        Microsoft-Windows-Server Infrastructure Licensing
Date:          1/14/2015 8:33:45 AM
Event ID:      38
Task Category: None
Level:         Error
Keywords:      
User:          SYSTEM
Computer:      DT-CRM-Server.DOWNTOWN.local
Description:
The Non-domain Member Check detected a condition in your environment that is out of compliance with the licensing policy. This server will be automatically shut down if the issue is not corrected in 6 day(s) 0 hour(s) 30 minute(s). Please look for additional events for Non-domain Member Check to troubleshoot.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
  <System>
    <Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Server Infrastructure Licensing" Guid="{D459C229-4A00-4424-9F63-7325E5AAFA21}" />
    <EventID>38</EventID>
    <Version>0</Version>
    <Level>2</Level>
    <Task>0</Task>
    <Opcode>0</Opcode>
    <Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
    <TimeCreated SystemTime="2015-01-14T13:33:45.602404400Z" />
    <EventRecordID>6465</EventRecordID>
    <Correlation />
    <Execution ProcessID="1632" ThreadID="3784" />
    <Channel>Microsoft-Windows-Server Infrastructure Licensing/Operational</Channel>
    <Computer>DT-CRM-Server.DOWNTOWN.local</Computer>
    <Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />
  </System>
  <UserData>
    <LicensingEvent xmlns:auto-ns2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/WindowsServerSolutions/LicensingComplianceService/1.0">
      <CheckName>Non-domain Member Check</CheckName>
      <DaysLeft>6</DaysLeft>
      <HoursLeft>0</HoursLeft>
      <MinutesLeft>30</MinutesLeft>
      <CurrentCountdown>5</CurrentCountdown>
      <NumTimesCheckFailed>127</NumTimesCheckFailed>
      <CurrentNumIntervalsTillShutdown>289</CurrentNumIntervalsTillShutdown>
    </LicensingEvent>
  </UserData>
</Event>

I upgraded the license from Essentials to Standard and that fixed the problem.

Thank You
Cliff