Step by Step Guide to Installing Windows Server 2012/2012 R2

Microsoft added Windows Server to the Windows family in the early 2000s to make it easier to manage and control networks and use Windows as a server operating system; today, Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 are two of the most widely used versions of Windows. These versions of Windows have provided new and advanced features in the fields of virtualization, server management, information protection, network, remote access, information storage on hosting servers, user experience, cloud computing, automation, etc., which are today widely used by large companies and large information centers in the world.

Services in Windows Server 2012, such as WAMP, IIS, Media Centre, FTP, etc., provide for various uses. In Windows Server 2012, the Microsoft Active Directory service can be enabled under certain conditions. Also, windows server 2012  can manage and direct all the systems and windows of an organization in a centralized and integrated way.

Many people want to take advantage of the advanced features available in Windows Server 2012/ 2012 R2 because of its widespread adoption as a server operating system. If you’re a Windows fan and want to learn how to install Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 on your server or PC, this article is helpful for you. Follow the instructions in this guide to successfully install Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 on your server or PC.

Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 Installation Prerequisites

• Buying a dedicated server if installed on the server
• Windows Server 2012 license for legal activation
• Memory (RAM): at least 512 MB
• Processor (CPU): at least 1.4 GHz 64 bit
• Hard disk space (HDD): at least 32 GB
• Graphics (VGA): at least DirectX9.0

How to install Windows Server 2012/ 2012 R2

Before installing 2012/Windows Server 2012 R2 on a server or PC, we recommend that you make a backup copy of your system information and data. Then follow the steps to install Windows Server 2012/2012 R2:

Step 1. Download Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 from the Microsoft site.

Step 2. Set the system or server in the desired boot mode; this feature is included in the system BIOS settings. To enter the BIOS settings section, when you turn on the system, press the Delete button, or in some systems, press Ctl+F1 or F12, and follow the BIOS configuration instructions.

Step 3. After booting the Windows Server 2012 operating system in the way you want and turning on the server, a page showing the loading of the necessary files to install the operating system will be displayed. You should be patient until the Windows installation section is loaded.

Step 4. Then you need to select the default language and click the Next button.
Step 5. Click the “Install Now” option.

Step 6. According to the image you see, you must select one of the GUI options from the list. Usually, for servers, we select Windows Standard GUI or Data Center GUI. In this tutorial, we chose the Windows Server 2012 Data Center GUI.

Step 7. To allow the installation of Windows Server 2012/2012 R2, you must confirm the server License Agreement and copyright rules by checking the “I accept the license terms” box and selecting the Next button.

Step 8. For custom installation of Windows Server 2012, select Custom: Install Windows Only (advanced).

Step 9. This step is for partitioning and installing Windows on the desired partition. In this step, you will see the disk you are using, if you want to create a custom partition and change the drive options, you should click on Drive Options (advanced). If you do not decide to change the drive and create a custom partition, you should skip this step by selecting the Next option. In this tutorial, we want to create a custom partition, so we click on Drive Options (advanced).

Step 10. select the hard drive to create a custom partition, and click on NEW and Next. On large hard drives, we recommend choosing 50 GB for Windows and the software required by Windows and partitioning the rest of the hard drive as desired.

Step 11. Then you will be able to determine the size of your desired partition.

Optional: You can add a drive for dual boot by using Native Boot To Vhd( SHIFT-F10) and accessing the command prompt window. Find the drive where the installation will take place (eg dir c:, dir d:, dir e:, etc) and to run Disk Partition Utility, type Diskpart and create a partition with the desired size by the Create vdisk file=e:\BootDemo.vhd type=expandable maximum=40000 command. Then Attach disk and Exit. Finally, Refresh.

Step 12. Select the desired partition you created to install Windows.

Step 13. Wait approximately 20 minutes for the files to be copied and for Windows Server 2012 to be completely installed on the selected hard drive.

Step 14. After restarting the system several times automatically, the system will start and you will see the settings page where you must specify a security password for the administrator user and enter the password twice and click on the Finish button.

Step 15. On the page you see, you must press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete buttons Simultaneously to sign in.

Step 16. Enter the password you specified in the previous step and press the Enter button.

Congratulations, you have successfully installed Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 and now you can enter the Windows Server 2012 desktop environment and enjoy the features of Windows Server 2012.

It should be noted that if you intend to install Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 on your server, you must first configure ESXi or KVM virtualization on the dedicated server and then follow the steps we have taught. If you want to benefit from the features of Windows Server 2012 on your PC, after booting Windows Server 2012/ 2012 R2 using different methods such as CD, USB, or ISO file, you must create a virtual machine and then follow the steps to install Windows Server 2012. These steps are the same on the server and PC.

FAQ

Conclusion

Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 is an optimized, fast and stable version of the Windows family, designed for use on servers. This version of Windows provides optimal performance on the server, which has replaced the new versions of 2016 because, in addition to being compatible with old hardware and low resources, it meets the needs of users using Windows.

For users who find the process of installing Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 time-consuming and difficult, purchasing Opera Windows VPS is a useful solution to escape from the installation and configuration steps of Windows Server 2012.

Opera VPS provides Windows VPS with Windows Server 2012 pre-installed so that users can devote their time and energy to their most essential tasks rather than installing and configuring Windows Server 2012.

In this article, you learned how to install Windows Server 2012 and its new version, Windows Server 2012 R2, on the server and PC. If you need more help in installing Windows Server 2012, share your question with us in the comments section so that we can guide you.

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