Embedded Files
Step 1: Purchase the Server
Step 1: Purchase the Server
- Go to Hetzner's website
- Navigate to Dedicated Servers select the EX44 model
- During checkout, select "Rescue System" as the operating system
- Complete your purchase
robot.hetzner.com
Step 2: Access the Rescue System
Step 2: Access the Rescue System
- After your server is provisioned (you'll receive an email), log in to Hetzner Robot
- Find your server in the list and click on it
- Go to the "Rescue" tab
- Select "Linux" as the rescue system
- Click "Activate rescue system"
- !!! Note the root password provided on the screen
- Go to the "Reset" tab
- Click "Execute an automatic hardware reset" to reboot your server into rescue mode
Step 3: Connect to the Rescue System
Step 3: Connect to the Rescue System
- On your local computer, open a terminal (PowerShell or CMD - this is for connecting to Linux)
- - On Windows: Use PuTTY or Windows Terminal
- - On Mac/Linux: Use the built-in terminal
- Connect via SSH with this command:
ssh root@your_server_ip
(Replace "your_server_ip" with your actual server IP)
- When prompted, type "yes" to accept the SSH fingerprint
- Enter the root password you noted earlier
Step 4: Prepare the Server for Windows Installation
Step 4: Prepare the Server for Windows Installation
- Update the package list:
apt update
- Install QEMU (the virtualization software needed):
apt install qemu-kvm
- Download the Windows ISO:
wget https://software-static.download.prss.microsoft.com/sg/download/888969d5-f34g-4e03-ac9d-1f9786c66749/SERVER_EVAL_x64FRE_en-us.iso
- Check your disk name (usually /dev/sda or /dev/nvme0n1):
lsblk
- Prepare the disk for Windows installation:
parted /dev/nvme0n1
(Replace "nvme0n1" with your actual disk name from the previous step: sda or nvme0n1)
- At the parted prompt, create a partition table:
- - For disks smaller than 2TB:
mklabel msdos
- - Optional: For disks larger than 2TB:
mklabel gpt
- If asked to confirm, type "yes"
- Exit parted:
quit
Step 5: Create an SSH Tunnel for VNC Access
Step 5: Create an SSH Tunnel for VNC Access
- !!! Open a NEW SECOND terminal (PowerShell) window on your local computer (keep the existing SSH session open)
- Create an SSH tunnel with this command:
ssh -L 8888:localhost:5901 root@your_server_ip
(Replace "your_server_ip" with your actual server IP)
- Enter the root password when prompted
Step 6: Start the Windows Installation
Step 6: Start the Windows Installation
- !!! In your PREVIOUS FIRST SSH session (not the tunnel), check if your server uses UEFI or BIOS:
[ -d "/sys/firmware/efi" ] && echo "UEFI" || echo "BIOS"
- Start the Windows installation with QEMU:
- - THIS: If your server uses UEFI:
qemu-system-x86_64 -bios /usr/share/ovmf/OVMF.fd -enable-kvm -smp 4 -m 4096 -usbdevice tablet -k en-us -boot d -cdrom SERVER_EVAL_x64FRE_en-us.iso -drive file=/dev/nvme0n1,format=raw,media=disk -vnc 127.0.0.1:1
Note: Replace "/dev/nvme0n1" with your actual disk name (sda/nvme0n1) and adjust "-smp" (CPU cores) and "-m" (RAM in MB) as needed
- - If your server uses BIOS:
qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -smp 4 -m 4096 -usbdevice tablet -k en-us -boot d -cdrom SERVER_EVAL_x64FRE_en-us.iso -drive file=/dev/nvme0n1,format=raw,media=disk -vnc 127.0.0.1:1
Note: Replace "/dev/nvme0n1" with your actual disk name (sda/nvme0n1) and adjust "-smp" (CPU cores) and "-m" (RAM in MB) as needed
Step 7: Connect to the Installation via VNC
Step 7: Connect to the Installation via VNC
- Download and install a VNC viewer on your local computer:
- TightVNC
- - https://www.tightvnc.com/download.php
- RealVNC
- - https://www.realvnc.com/en/connect/download/viewer/
- TigerVNC
- Open your VNC viewer
- Connect to: 127.0.0.1:8888 (TightVNC: 127.0.0.1::8888)
- You should now see the Windows installation screen
- Wait the installation screen or "Press any key to boot from CD" - and press any key
- If installation sccreen does not appear, type the following in order (when yellow one appears):
FS0:
dir
cd efi
cd boot
bootx64.efi
- And press any key ASAP
Step 8: Install Windows
Step 8: Install Windows
- Follow the standard Windows installation process:
- Select language, time, and keyboard preferences
- Click "Install now"
- Enter your product key or select "I don't have a product key"
- Select "Windows Server 2022 Standard (Desktop Experience)" for the UI version
- Accept the license terms
- Choose "Custom: Install Windows only"
- Select the disk and click "Next"
- Wait for the installation to complete (the VM will reboot a few times)
SKIP: Step 9: Set Up IP Configuration
SKIP: Step 9: Set Up IP Configuration
- Go to SECOND terminal window and get the IP configuration, get scope:
ip a
- - Eg. answer:
- - inet 65.108.99.167/26 scope global eth0 - /26 IS A MASK, so it will be 255.255.255.192
- Get gateway
ip r
- - E.g. answer:
- - default via 65.108.99.129 dev eth0 - GATEWAY is 65.108.99.129
- - 65.108.99.128/26 via 65.108.99.129 dev eth0
- - 65.108.99.129 dev eth0 scope link - GATEWAY is 65.108.99.129
- Go to Control Panel - Category - Small Icons - Network And Sharing Center - Change Adapter Settings
- Locate adapter, right click - Properties - IPv4 - Properties
- Set new IP configuration:
65.108.99.25
255.255.255.192
65.108.99.129
- Set DNS servers:
8.8.8.8
1.1.1.1
- Ok
SKIP: Step 10: Install Network Drivers
SKIP: Step 10: Install Network Drivers
- Open Device Manager and check if all drivers are installed.
- Optional. If drivers are not installed:
- - Download Intel network drivers on your local computer from the Intel website
- - Transfer the drivers to the Windows VM:
- - Extract the drivers on your local computer
- - In the Windows VM, open a browser and create a temporary OneDrive/Google Drive share
- - Upload the drivers from your local computer to the cloud storage
- - Download them in the Windows VM
- - Install the drivers:
- - Open Device Manager
- - Expand "Network adapters"
- - Right-click on the network adapter and select "Update Driver"
- - Click "Browse my computer for drivers"
- - Click "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer"
- - Click "Have Disk" and browse to the driver location
- - Select the appropriate driver and click "Next"
Step 11: Enable RDP & Configure Firewall
Step 11: Enable RDP & Configure Firewall
- Open Server Manager
- Click on "Local Server" in the left panel
- Find "Remote Desktop" and click on "Disabled"
- Select "Allow remote connections to this computer"
- Unselect "Network Level Authentication"
- Select Users - Add... - Advanced - Find Now
- Find Administrator, Ok, Ok, Ok, Ok
- Close Server Manager
- Configure the firewall:
- - Search for "Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security"
- - In the left panel, click on "Inbound Rules"
- - Locate and enable these rules if disabled:
- - Remote Desktop - Shadow (TCP-In)
- - Remote Desktop - User Mode (TCP-In)
- - Remote Desktop - User Mode (UDP-In)
Step 12: Shut Down the VM and Reboot the Server
Step 12: Shut Down the VM and Reboot the Server
- In the Windows VM, shut down the system
- Wait...
- In your SSH session (THE FIRST ONE), press Ctrl+C to stop QEMU and wait until it stops
- Wait...
- Reboot the physical server (SECOND SSH), type:
reboot
Step 13: Connect via RDP
Step 13: Connect via RDP
- Create *.RDP file:
- - Open Notepad, paste this line:
enablecredsspsupport:i:0
- - Save as [ServerProvider][CampaignName][ServerName].rdp
- Open this file
- Enter your server's IP address
- Click Save As... [ServerProvider][CampaignName][ServerName]
- Open newly created file
- Type the server ip address in the Computer input
- Connect...
- Allow settings
- Allow certificates
- Enter the administrator credentials you created during installation
- You should now be connected to your Windows Server 2022 with UI
Step 14: Activate Windows
Step 14: Activate Windows
- Purchase a Windows Server 2022 Standard on this website:
- Not tested:
- Open cmd as administrator and type the command: (this will change server edition from Evaluation Standard to Standard)
DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:VDYBN-27WPP-V4HQT-9VMD4-VMK7H /AcceptEula
- Restart (if asked)
- Activate Windows with the purchased key:
- - Windows activation settings => Enter LICENSE KEY
- Change time zone if needed, if important for InstAssist Connect Scheduler
Step 15: Final steps
Step 15: Final steps
- Open Server Manager - Manage (top right) - Server Manager Properties - Uncheck "Specify ... " - Check "Do not Start ... "
- Open Computer Management (compmgmt.msc) and disable Administrator password expiration
- - Local Users and Groups - Users - Administrator - Right click: Properties - Make sure this is checked: Password never expires - Ok
- In Computer Management (compmgmt.msc) allocate 2nd SSD
- - Disk Management - Disk1 - Initializy Disk - New simple volume - Next Next (D:) Next - Done
- Disable animation:
- - Settings - Personalization - Colors - Turn Transparency effects OFF.
- - Background - Solid color
- Disable unnecessary items from the Task Bar (right click Task Bar):
- - Disable Windows Ink
- - Disable search
- - Disable Task View
- Install Google Chrome from the Microsoft Edge
- Virus And Threat protection:
- - Windows Security - Virus & threat protection - Virus & threat protection settings - Manage settings
- - Real-time: off; Cloud: off; Automatic sample: off; Tamper: off.
- Disable sound
- - go to Device Manager
- - find Sound Devices, find Remote Audio - right click - disable device
- Install Proxifier
- - open Proxifier installation, use default settings
- - register the installation with the license key when prompted
- Disable TaskBar thumbnails in CMD:
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v ExtendedUIHoverTime /t REG_DWORD /d 3000000000 /f
SSH installation. On Server:
1) open "Optional Features"
2) Add a feature
3) Search: OpenSSH Server
4) Install
5) Enable SSH Server in PowerShell (as Administrator)
Start-Service sshd
Set-Service sshd -StartupType Automatic
6) Verify
Get-Service sshd
7) Open Firewall (could be open already)
New-NetFirewallRule `
-Name "OpenSSH-Server-In-TCP" `
-DisplayName "OpenSSH Server (SSH)" `
-Enabled True `
-Direction Inbound `
-Protocol TCP `
-Action Allow `
-LocalPort 22
On remote PC:
1) Install WinSCP for Windows (or FileZilla for Mac)
https://winscp.net/eng/download.php
2) Connect using server IP address, port number 22, administrator username and password
(Based on: https://community.hetzner.com/tutorials/install-windows)
(OWN Windows Server license: https://docs.hetzner.com/robot/dedicated-server/windows-server/windows-server-2022/#use-of-own-licenses)
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