Need Windows Server 2016 Essentials media creation file

Question

Hi. I've been struggling to get Windows Update to work for several months. I've gone through all of the steps about renaming the Catroot2 folder and the SoftwareDistribution folder. I've run SFC and DISM. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth fails with error code 0x800f081f saying it can't find the source files. From everything I've read, I need to mount a wim file that I'll get if I use the media creation tool. My version is 1607 (OS Build 14393.4104). How can I find the media creation tool for that version?

Also, I found this information, does this look like the right process to follow for this server issue?

https://www.wintips.org/fix-dism-0x800f081f-error-in-windows-10-8/#:~:text=%5BSolution%5D%20DISM%20Error%200x800f081f%20Windows%2010%201%20Download,DISM%20Tool%20to%20Repair%20Windows%20Image.%20See%20More.

Answer 1

There is no media creation tool for windows server. You could download the evaluation here.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-server-2016-essentials

install it somewhere then capture a WIM
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/capture-and-apply-an-image?view=windows-11

--please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Answer 2

Thank you DSPatrick. In the second link to capture a WIM, in the "In this section" section, which one of the options presented to you recommend I follow? There aren't any special partitions. I just want to be right since I don't have a ton of experience doing this. Just reading the options, it seems like the first one is the one I should choose.

Answer 3

You can follow along here. You probably do not need to generalize or optomize
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/capture-and-apply-windows-using-a-single-wim?view=windows-11

--please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Answer 4

Actually, I would not bother with the cost of the support call and the trouble associated with that method. Might consider standing up a new one for replacement.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server-essentials/migrate/migrate-windows-server-essentials-to-new-hardware

--please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Answer 5

I don't think acquiring a new server is viable. The existing server is only about a year old. I have downloaded a trial version of 2016 Server Essentials, ISO. Am I overlooking something as to how to extract from the ISO file what I need as the source for the DISM process? Here's the error when running DISM:

C:\Windows\system32>DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.14393.3750

Image Version: 10.0.14393.3241

[===========================97.5%======================== ]
Error: 0x800f081f

The source files could not be found.
Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243077.

The DISM log file can be found at C:\Windows\Logs\DISM\dism.log