This tutorial contains detailed instructions on how to install Windows Server 2016 Standard. Windows Server 2016 comes in 3 Editions: Essentials, Standard & Datacenter.
- Windows Server 2016 Essentials is ideal for small businesses with 25 users and up to 50 devices and does not support virtualization.
- Windows Server 2016 Standard is ideal for companies that require advanced features and virtualization (up to 2 virtual machines).
- Windows Server 2016 Datacenter is for companies that require advanced features and needs more that 2 virtual machines (unlimited).
Suggestion: Before buying (installing) the new server, choose the appropriate Windows Server 2016 edition according to your needs. View the detailed comparison of Windows Server 2016 Standard and Windows Server 2016 Datacenter.
Minimal System Requirements for Windows Server 2016.
| CPU: | 1.4 GHz 64-bit processor |
| RAM: | 512 MB ECC (Error Correcting Code) without Desktop Experience installation & 2GB with Desktop Experience installation. |
| Disk space: | 32 GB (Computers with more than 16 GB of RAM will require more disk space for paging, hibernation, and dump files). *
* Ideally use a disk with at least 80-100GB disk space. |
| Network adapter: | 1x Ethernet capable of at least gigabit throughput. |
| Other requirements: | UEFI 2.3.1c-based system & Firmware that supports secure boot. Trusted Platform Module if you want to use the BitLocker Drive Encryption. Internet access. |
How to Install Windows Server 2016 Step by Step.
1. Place the Windows Server 2016 DVD (or the USB) installation media and boot from it.
* Notes:
1. You can download an evaluation version of Windows Server 2016 in ISO format, from here.
2. To create a USB installation media, you can use Rufus USB creator utility.
2. At the first screen, choose your Language, Time & currency format and the Keyboard or input method and click Next.
3. Then press Install now.
4. Choose the appropriate Server 2016 version,* according to your needs and click Next.
* Note:
The Windows Server 2016 (Desktop Experience) installation includes the Windows 10 GUI and the Server Manager.
The Windows Server 2016 without the Desktop Experience, is what we have known to be the Core installation and doesn't include a GUI interface and the Server manager.
Important: Unlike some previous releases of Windows Server, you cannot convert between Server Core and Server with Desktop Experience after installation. For example, if you install Server Core and later decide to user Server with Desktop Experience, you should do a fresh installation (and vice versa).
In this tutorial, we choose to install the Windows Server 2016 Standard with the Desktop Experience. I prefer this option, because many companies have server based applications and needs the full GUI to operate well.
5. Accept the License terms and click Next.
7. Provided that it is a new installation, choose Custom: Install Windows.
8. Then select the disk to install the OS and click Next. *
* At this point you can press the New button, in order to give a specific disk space in GB for the OS.
9. Let Windows setup to copy the required files and to finish the installation.
10. After a few restarts you 'll be prompted to specify a password for the (standard) Administrator account. Type a complicated password (composed of uppercase, lowercase, symbol and numbers) and click Next.
11. When prompted, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, type the Administrator password and press Enter to login to your new server.
12. After login, Server Manager will start automatically. Proceed to configure your new server.
That’s it! Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.