4.3.14. Installing Windows on a VPS

Notes:

  • The installed system, depending on the version and edition, takes at least 10-15 GB disk space.
  • In standard distributions of Windows Server, before installation, you are prompted to select an OS edition - with a graphical interface or only with a command line. This manual describes the steps for editing with graphical interface.
  • Windows 11 not supported due to incompatibility on SecureBoot, TPM and processor.

General installation procedure

  1. Prepare an ISO image with the desired version of Windows (you can download it from the Microsoft website or get it using the official Media Creation Tool).
  2. Download and Connect image to the server.
  3. Reboot server and straightaway connect to server by VNC. Important! You need to connect quickly in order to have time to press any key and prevent the server from starting in normal mode (not from the image).
  4. Install the OS in the usual way. During installation, you will need to install the disk driver, after installation, you will need to install the missing drivers and configure the network (see instructions below for specific OS).

Windows 10

During installation

At the disk selection stage, install the disk driver:

  1. In the drive selection window, click «Download».
  2. In the window «Download driver» click «OK».
  3. Select from the list of drivers «Red Hat VirtIO SCSI pass-through controller (E:\i386\w10\vioscsi.inf)» and press «Further».
  4. Continue with the standard installation.

At the stage of connecting to the network, press «I do not have internet» and then «Continue limited installation».

After installation

Install the missing drivers:

  1. Open device manager - right click on the button «Start» and select «Device Manager».
  2. Install the network adapter driver:
    1. Right click on the device «Ethernetcontroller» and select «Update Driver».
    2. Click «Find drivers on this computer».
    3. Select the connected driver disk and click «Further».
  3. Follow the same steps for devices «Simple Communications PCI Controller» and «PCIdevice».

Set up the network:

  1. Open the section «Options → Network and Internet» and press «Configuring adapter parameters».
  2. Right click on the adapter and select «Properties».
  3. Pleaseselect «IP version 4 (TCP / IPv4)» and press «Properties».
  4. Pleaseselect «Use the following IP address» and «Use the following DNS servers», fill in the fields with the data from the tab «IP address» in section «VPS» and press «Save».
  5. Check network operation.

Windows Server 2016

During installation

At the disk selection stage, install the disk driver:

  1. In the drive selection window, click «Download driver».
  2. In the window «Download driver» click «OK».
  3. Select from the list of drivers «Red Hat VirtIO SCSI pass-through controller (E:\amd64\2k16\vioscsi.inf)» and press «Further».
  4. Continue with the standard installation.

After installation

Install the driver for the network adapter and other devices:

  1. Open device manager - right click on the button «Start» and select «Device Manager».
  2. Install the network adapter driver:
    1. Right click on the device «Ethernetcontroller» and select «Update drivers».
    2. Click «Search for drivers on this computer».
    3. Select the connected driver disk and click «Further».
  3. Follow the same steps for devices «Simple Communications PCI Controller» and «PCIdevice».
  4. Change the HID button interrupt driver:
    1. Right click on the device «HID Button Interrupt Driver» and select «Update drivers».
    2. Click «Search for drivers on this computer».
    3. Click «Select a driver from the list of already installed drivers»
    4. Pleaseselect «Universal tire» and press «Further».
  5. Reboot server.

Set up the network:

  1. Open the section «Options → Network and Internet».
  2. Pleaseselect «Ethernet» and press «Configuring adapter parameters».
  3. Right click on the adapter and select «Properties».
  4. Pleaseselect «IP version 4 (TCP / IPv4)» and press «Properties».
  5. Pleaseselect «Use the following IP address» and «Use the following DNS servers», fill in the fields with the data from the tab «IP address» in section «VPS» and press «Save».
  6. Check network operation.

Windows Server 2019

During installation

At the disk selection stage, install the disk driver:

  1. In the drive selection window, click «Download».
  2. In the window «Download driver» click «OK».
  3. Select from the list of drivers «Red Hat VirtIO SCSI pass-through controller (E:\amd64\2k19\vioscsi.inf)» and press «Further».
  4. Continue with the standard installation.

After installation

Install the driver for the network adapter and other devices:

  1. Open device manager - right click on the button «Start» and select «Device Manager».
  2. Install the network adapter driver:
    1. Right click on the device «Ethernetcontroller» and select «Update drivers».
    2. Click «Search for drivers on this computer».
    3. Select the connected driver disk and click «Further».
  3. Follow the same steps for devices «Simple Communications PCI Controller» and «PCIdevice».
  4. Reboot server.

Set up the network:

  1. Open the section «Options → Network and Internet».
  2. Pleaseselect «Ethernet» and press «Configuring adapter parameters».
  3. Right click on the adapter and select «Properties».
  4. Pleaseselect «IP version 4 (TCP / IPv4)» and press «Properties».
  5. Pleaseselect «Use the following IP address» and «Use the following DNS servers», fill in the fields with the data from the tab «IP address» in section «VPS» and press «Save».
  6. Check network operation.

Windows Server 2022

During installation

At the disk selection stage, install the disk driver:

  1. In the drive selection window, click «Download».
  2. In the window «Download driver» click «OK».
  3. Select from the list of drivers «Red Hat VirtIO SCSI pass-through controller (E:\amd64\2k22\vioscsi.inf)» and press «Further».
  4. Continue with the standard installation.

After installation

Install the driver for the network adapter and other devices:

  1. Open device manager - right click on the button «Start» and select «Device Manager».
  2. Install the network adapter driver:
    1. Right click on the device «Ethernetcontroller» and select «Update Driver».
    2. Click «Find drivers on this computer».
    3. Select the connected driver disk and click «Further».
  3. Follow the same steps for devices «Simple Communications PCI Controller» and «PCIdevice».

Set up the network:

  1. Open the section «Options → Network and Internet» and press «Configuring adapter parameters».
  2. Right click on the adapter and select «Properties».
  3. Pleaseselect «IP version 4 (TCP / IPv4)» and press «Properties».
  4. Pleaseselect «Use the following IP address» and «Use the following DNS servers», fill in the fields with the data from the tab «IP address» in section «VPS» and press «Save».
  5. Check network operation.
Content