I am installing Windows SBS 2011 Standard from the DVD

  • Article

Published: March 10, 2011

Applies To: Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard

Follow the steps in this section only if you are installing Windows SBS 2011 Standard from the DVD. If your computer came with Windows SBS 2011 Standard preinstalled on it, follow the steps in Windows SBS 2011 Standard is preinstalled on my computer.

When default values that are typical for a small business are provided during the installation, we recommend that you accept these values.

Important

  • Before you install Windows SBS 2011 Standard, make sure that you complete the steps in the Before you install Windows SBS 2011 Standard section of this document.

  • Before you install Windows SBS 2011 Standard on a pre-existing computer, we recommend that you fully format and then repartition the hard disks of the pre-existing computer. By formatting and repartitioning the hard disks, you remove the possibility that hidden data remains on the hard disks.

    • Step 1: Install the Windows operating system

    Windows SBS 2011 Standard first installs the Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system, and then you provide information about your organization that is used to configure the operating system and finish the installation.

    Important

    After the operating system is installed, do not customize your server until you finish Step 2: Configure the Windows SBS 2011 Standard operating system.

    Estimated completion time: Approximately 30 minutes.

    Note

    The estimated completion times throughout this procedure are based on minimum hardware requirements.

    To install the operating system

    1. Connect your computer to your network with a network cable.

    Important

    Do not disconnect your computer from the network during installation. Doing so may cause the installation to fail.

    1. Turn on your computer, and then insert the Windows SBS 2011 Standard DVD into the DVD drive.

      If you are performing an unattended installation, connect the removable media (such as a floppy disk or a USB flash drive) that contains your answer files. Depending on the contents of your answer files, you may not see some or any of the following installation screens.

    2. Restart your computer. When the message Press any key to boot from CD or DVD appears, press any key.

    Note

    If your computer does not start from the DVD, ensure that the CD-ROM drive is listed first in the BIOS boot sequence. For more information about the BIOS boot sequence, see the documentation from the computer manufacturer.

    1. Select the Language that you want to install, Time and currency format, and Keyboard or input method, and then click Next.

    2. Click Install now.

    3. Read the license terms. If you accept them, select the I accept the license terms check box, and then click Next.

    Note

    If you do not choose to accept the license terms, the installation does not continue.

    1. Click Custom (advanced) to select where you want to install the Windows operating system.

    2. Verify that all of your internal hard drives are available for installation.

    Note

    If a hard drive is not listed (for example, a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk), you must load the device drivers for that hard disk. Obtain the device driver from the manufacturer and save it to removable media (such as a floppy disk or a USB flash drive). Attach the removable media to your computer, and then click Load Driver.

    1. Select the hard drive on which you want to install the operating system, and then click Next.

      If you are installing Windows SBS 2011 Standard on a computer that is running a Windows operating system that does not support an upgrade, we recommend that you delete the system partition, and then re-create new partitions. When you delete a partition, any existing data on the partition is permanently lost.

      If you need to delete and/or create partitions, refer to the following steps:

      1. To delete a partition, select the partition, click Drive options (advanced), and then click Delete. After you delete the system partition, create a new partition by using the instructions in either step b or step c.

    Note

    After you click Drive options (advanced), that option will not appear again. In that case, skip the part of the step that refers to drive options. 

    2.  To create a partition from an unpartitioned space, click the hard disk that you want to partition, click **Drive options (advanced)**, click **New**, and then in the **Size** text box, type the partition size you want to create. For example, if you use the recommended partition size of 120 gigabytes (GB), type **122880**, and then click **Apply**. After the partition is created, click **Next**. The partition is formatted before the installation continues.  
      
3.  To create a partition that uses all of the unpartitioned space, click the hard disk that you want to partition, click **Drive options (advanced)**, click **New**, and then click **Apply** to accept the default partition size. After the partition is created, click **Next**. The partition is formatted before the installation continues.

    Important

    You cannot move the operating system to a different partition after you finish this step
    For more information, see Disk management in Windows SBS 2011 Standard.

    During the installation, temporary files are copied to an installation folder on your computer, which takes about 15 minutes. After the Windows SBS 2011 Standard operating system is installed, your computer restarts. Now, you are ready to configure the Windows SBS 2011 Standard operating system.

    Step 2: Configure the Windows SBS 2011 Standard operating system

    Important

    If you are migrating from a previous version of Windows SBS to Windows SBS 2011 Standard, you must follow a different process. For information about migration installations, see Migrating to Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard.

    During this phase of the installation, you are prompted to answer a few questions about your organization. This information is used to configure the operating system. Use the information that you documented in the Windows SBS 2011 Standard Installation Worksheet to help you answer these questions.

    Important

    Before beginning this step, ensure that the local network adapter is connected to a router or a switch that is turned on and functioning properly.

    Estimated completion time: Approximately 30 minutes

    To configure Windows SBS 2011 Standard

    1. On the Continue installation page, select the Clean Install option, and then click Next.

    2. On the Verify the clock and time zone settings page, click Open Date and Time to verify the clock and time zone settings to select the date, time, and time zone settings for your server. When you are finished, click Next.

    Important

    If you are installing Windows SBS 2011 Standard on a virtual machine, make sure that you choose the same time zone settings that are being used by the host operating system. If the time zone settings differ, the server installation might not succeed.

    1. On the Server network configuration page, select an option to configure your network settings, and then click Next. The default option is Automatically detect the network settings.

    2. If your network is connected to the Internet, click Go online and get the most recent installation updates (recommended). Getting the latest updates helps ensure a successful installation.

      If your network is not connected to the Internet or if you choose to not get updates, click Do not get the most recent installation updates.

    Note

    If an error occurs while you are getting the latest updates, the error is logged on the Installation Finished page. 

    The **Connecting your server** page appears, and you can track the installation progress.

    1. On the Company information page, type information about your organization, and then click Next. This information is stored, and it is used to configure your server tools so that you do not have to supply the same information multiple times.

    2. On the Personalize your server and your network page, type the name of your server in the Server name text box. The server name must be a unique name on your network, and you cannot change the name after the installation finishes.

      Type the name of your internal domain in the Internal domain name text box. A domain enables you to manage access to resources on your network (for example, user accounts, client computers, shared folders, or printers). Default settings are provided for your internal domain. This separates your local (internal) network from the Internet (external) network.

    Note

    You cannot change the server name or the internal domain name after you finish this step.

    1. Click Next.

    2. On the Add a network administrator account page, type the information for a new administrator account.

    Warning

    Do not name the network administrator account “Administrator” or “Network Administrator.” These account names are reserved for use by the system.

    Important

    Write down your administrator account password and store it in a safe place. You will use this password if you ever need to restore your directory services by using Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM). For information about how to synchronize the DSRM password with your network administrator account, see Synchronize the DSRM password with the Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard network administrator password.

    1. Click Next. A settings summary page appears. Click Back if you want to change any of these settings; otherwise, click Next.

    2. The Expanding and installing files page displays the progress of the final installation process. This takes time to complete, and your computer will restart a couple of times.

    3. After the last server restart, the Installation finished page appears. If there are noncritical issues listed, click View installation issues. This opens the Installation issues page of the Windows SBS Console. Resolve the installation issues.

    4. Click the Windows SBS Console Home page, and then click Getting Started Tasks. You should complete the Getting Started Tasks immediately after your Windows SBS 2011 Standard installation finishes. For more information, see Complete the Getting Started Tasks.

    Note

    After the installation finishes, you are automatically logged on to the server with the new administrator account that you added during installation. The built-in administrator account password is set to the same password as the new administrator account, and then the built-in administrator account is disabled.

    You can use your newly installed server for a limited amount of time (known as the “evaluation period”) without entering a product key. After the evaluation period, you must enter a product key to activate the server or extend the evaluation period. You can extend the evaluation period a maximum of two times. When you reach the maximum number of days allowed for the evaluation period, you must activate your server with a product key.