Replacing W2012E with Standard

I have a client with a Windows Server 2012 Essentials server on a physical box.  It has been shutting down at random intervals supposedly for a license violation but I can't seem to find the reason.  

Because the client wants to go virtual with VMware, we're in the process of migrating off the Essentials server and replacing it with two VMs with 2012 R2 Standard servers (one as a DC, one as an app server).  I need to verify I can make the new Standard server a DC, move the FSMO Roles over to it, then decommission the Essentials server.  

I tried searching for articles related to this but most are about adding Essentials to an existing Domain which we don't want to do.  We want to eventually remove the Essentials server from the domain it created.

From what I did find, there's no problem adding another DC, but the question is moving the FSMO Roles and decommissioning the Essentials server.  Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!


Wade