Edit

Message "Subsystem needed to support the image type is not present" error when installing or running applications on Server Core

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This article helps fix an error (Subsystem needed to support the image type is not present) that occurs when you run or install applications on a Windows Server computer running as a Server Core.

Applies to:   Windows Server 2012 R2
Original KB number:   974727

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Symptom

When you run or install applications on a Windows Server computer running as a Server Core, you receive the following message:

"The subsystem needed to support the image type is not present"

Cause

The 32-bit subsystem support has been removed from the server, either manually or through an automated build process. This can be confirmed by running the following command:

dism /online /get-features /format:table

Examine and confirm the following output:

ServerCore-WOW64 | Disabled

Resolution

To enable the 32-bit subsystem:

  1. Logon to the Server Core computer as an administrator.

  2. Run the following command exactly as shown:

    DISM.EXE /online /enable-feature /featurename:ServerCore-WOW64

    Note

    The feature name 'ServerCore-WOW64' is case-sensitive.

  3. Restart the computer when prompted.

More information

To reproduce this scenario:

To enable the 32-bit subsystem:

  1. Logon to the Server Core computer as an administrator.

  2. Run the following command exactly as shown:

    DISM.EXE /online /enable-feature /featurename:ServerCore-WOW64

    Note

    The feature name 'ServerCore-WOW64' is case-sensitive.

  3. Restart the computer when prompted.

Any applications that are compiled with 32-bit code will not run on Server Core when the 32-bit subsystem has been removed. This issue also includes the installers of 64-bit applications, where the installer itself contains 32-bit code.

References

For more information, review:
What's New in the Server Core Installation Option

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Data collection

If you need assistance from Microsoft support, we recommend you collect the information by following the steps mentioned in Gather information by using TSS for deployment-related issues.