Upgrade AWS EC2 micro instance to small instance running in windows

There are many discussion on upgrade Amazon Web Services (AWS) from micro instance to small instance in EC2, here i would like to share my experience on doing the upgrade safely for my micro instance that running in windows and also increate EBS size from 30GB (micro instance) to the desired EBS size (in my sample is 35GB) and also remap the elastic IP to the newly upgraded instance.

in general, there are a few steps

1. Create a AIM for current instance with desired EBS size (call it AIM-Today) 
2. Create new small instance with newly created AIM (AIM-Today)
3. Login to the server using remote desktop and extend the C drive volumn
4. Remap the elastic IP

Below are step by step on how to do it.

1. Under Instances - Instances
   Select/checked current instance that wish to upgrade from micro to small then click on Action button. In the dropdown list click on Create Image
    
   
   
   
2. After click on Create Image, a popup with image option will be displayed. Enter the Image name and change the root size from 30GB to 35GB (this is the desired ebs size) and click on Create Image button.
   
   
   
   
   
3. A popup will be displayed to shows that create image request received.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Under Images - AMIs
   Select/Check on newly created AMI and click on Launch button.
   
   
   
   
   
5. After click on Launch button, we need to choose instance type. For my case, i wish to upgrade to small instance so i select m1.small and click on Next: Configure Instance Details button.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Keep the default setting in Configure Instance and click on Next: Add Storage button.
   
   
   
   
   
7. In Add Storage stage, make sure the Size is a desired size. My case is 35GB which is correct. Click on Next: Tag Instance button to proceed
   
   
   
   
   
8. In Tag Instance stage, add Key Name and Value New Small Instance. This name can be changed later. Click on Next: Configure Security Group button to proceed.
   
   
   
   
   
9. In security group setting, i select my existing security group which is using in current server . Click on Review and Launch button to proceed.
   
   
   
   
   
10. In review stage, you can do changes if required. After all changes done, click on Launch button
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. You will be asked to enter key pair. In this case, i'll use existing key pair to launch the instance. Click on Launch Instance button after setting the key pair.
    
    
    
    
    
12. After Launch the instance we have to wait until it fully launched. Go to check the Public IP and remote into the server using Remote Desktop.
    
    
    
13. After remote into the server using Remote Desktop with the administrator login and password (Same as current server remote desktop login). Go to My Computer and check on the harddisk size. Notice that the size is exactly the same as Micro instance which is 30GB. This is because we haven't allocate the newly added 5GB into C drive. We will need to extend the volume to this drive in the next few steps.
    
    
    
    
    
14. Open on Server Manager and expend the Storage on the left menu. Click on Disk Manager to view the disk in this computer. Notice that there is unallocated 5GB.
    
    
    
    
    
15. Right Click on the C: in the bottom and Select Extend Volume ..
    
    
    
16. Follow the default setting and click on finish button once done.
    
    
    
    
17. Now we can go to My Computer to check on the C drive size again. Notice that the size increase to 35GB which is correct.
    
    
    
18. Now, we need to associate the elastic IP to the newly setup instance.
    Go to Network & Security - Elastic IPs
    Select/check the Elastic IP that wish to remap or reassociate to the newly setup instance and then Click on Associate Address button.
    
    
    
19. Popup screen display and you can select the instance which you wish to associate the IP. Click on Associate button once selected. Done.
    
    
    

By using above steps, there will be no downtime required. The upgrade is the safest way without losing any data.