Upgrade in a test env with expired license fails

[Happy Buddha]

Production Jira 7.5 expired a while ago. In order to upgrade to 8.17 I cloned production environment into a testing box. Applied renewed license key to production after, 

Now when I upgrade the Jira instance in the test box it rightly says it cant upgrade as 

`License Too Old For Build: We found a problem with your JIRA license

Your current Jira Software license doesn't allow you to upgrade to this version of JIRA (8.17.1). Jira Software expired {a while ago}, and you can currently only upgrade to versions released prior to this date. Alternatively you can renew your license at my.atlassian.com which will allow you to upgrade to this version of JIRA (8.17.1). You can enter your new license here.
See our documentation for more information on licensing errors.

Learn more`

Now I am stuck with a test instance where I can't really validate if I can go ahead with an error free upgrade. I need to be able to test if I can upgrade Jira (from 7.x to 8.x) without any issues. What can I do from here?

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Accepted solution]

As we can't get evaluation licences for server any more (because it is going away), you're actually a bit stuck on this one.

I think all you can really do is renew your licence, then you'll be able to use the development licence to upgrade.

Or, you might have to swap to a Data-Center installation and trial licence.

[Happy Buddha]

Thanks for replying. 

>I think all you can really do is renew your licence, then you'll be able to use the development licence to upgrade.

This is where I am at, in a way. The licence in production is renewed. How will I use the dev licence to upgrade?

Do you propose that I make a(nother) copy of production, apply the dev licence to it and then test the upgrade?

[Craig Castle-Mead]

Hey @Happy Buddha 

If you just need to apply your renewed dev license to the already copied non-production environment, you should be able to follow the directions on https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirakb/manage-jira-server-license-using-database-queries-441746313.html to change the license to your active dev license from my.atlassian.com

CCM

[Happy Buddha]

Thank you - that did it.