How to Install Windows Server in VMWare Workstation


How to Install Windows Server 2016 in VMWare Workstation

This is a step by step tutorial to Install Windows Server 2016.

Prerequisite:

Download VMWare Workstation and Install.

Download Windows Server 2016 installer .iso file and save on your computer.

  1. Start VMware Workstation Pro from the desktop of your Lab computer and press ‘Create a new virtual machine’.
New Virtual Machine Wizard with Custom Configuration
New Virtual Machine Wizard with Custom Configuration
  1. Choose ‘Custom’ on the welcome page and click ‘Next’
  2. Select Workstation 15.x for Hardware compatibility and click ‘Next’.
  3. Select ‘I will install the operating system later’ and click ‘Next’.
  4. Select “Windows Server 2016” for the guest operating system and click ‘Next’.
  5. Name the machine LON-DC and for the location choose an empty directory on your disk.
  6. Click ‘Next’ on all the following screens until the ‘Network Type’ appears. On that screen choose ‘Host Only’ and click ‘Next’.
  7. Select ‘Create a new virtual disk’ and click ‘Next’.
  8. Click ‘Next’ on all the following screens until the ‘Select a Disk’ appears Select ‘Create a new Virtual Disk’ and click Next.
  9. Select ‘Store virtual disk as a single file’ on specify Disk Capacity screen, click ‘Next’.
  10. Click ‘Finish’.  
  11. Click on CD/DVD on the property sheet and select ‘Use ISO image file’; browse and select the Windows Server 2016 iso file from your disk and press Ok.
  12. Power on this virtual machine. If the following screen shows up, press ‘Enter’ and ‘Enter’ again to boot rom CD and start the installation.
  13. Select ‘English Canada’ Then ‘I do not have the key’ and select ‘Data centre with desktop experience’.
  14. Choose ‘Clean Install’ and on the next screen press ‘Next’.
  15. Enter Pa$$w0rd on the following screen and press ‘Finish’.
  16. Press ‘Control+Alt+Insert’ to create ‘Control+Alt+Del’ for the VM and enter the password (Pa$$w0rd) to login.
  17. On VM Menu select ‘Install VMware Tools’ and follow instructions on the bottom yellow bar. Then install ‘Complete’ tools. When asked, restart the machine.
  18. In the search box (beside the Windows ‘Logo’) on the virtual machine type gpedit.msc, and run the Group Policy Editor.
  19. Expand Administrative Templates on Computer Settings, select system and drill down to the shown item.
  20. Right click on it, select edit, click disabled radio button and press OK. Terminate gpedit. From now on it will not ask you why you are turning the server off.
  21. From now on you will use the Server Manager’s Local Server