Step 2: Prepare your Virtualization Server

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2

After you assemble everything that you need to test Hyper-V, turn your test computer into a virtualization server by installing the Enterprise edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 and then installing the Hyper-V role.

To prepare the virtualization server by installing Windows Server 2008 R2 and Hyper-V

  1. Connect the test computer to a network connection that will give it access to the Internet. This ensures that networking can be configured when Windows Server 2008 R2 is installed.

  2. Install the Enterprise edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 on the test computer as follows:

    1. If you downloaded the ISO file to create the installation media for Windows Server 2008 R2, burn the ISO file to the recordable DVD disc on a computer that has a DVD writer. You can use an application for burning DVD discs that includes an option to burn discs from ISO files, or you can use dvdburn.exe, which is included in the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=20249).

    2. Turn on the test computer and insert the installation media for Windows Server 2008 R2 in the DVD drive. If you see a message asking if you want to boot from a CD or DVD, press any key to do so. The installation wizard starts and loads files into memory.

Note

If the test computer does not boot from the installation media, restart the computer and check the configuration of the BIOS to ensure that the DVD drive is listed first in the boot sequence. For more information about how to change the boot sequence in the configuration of the BIOS, review the user manual for the computer or contact the computer manufacturer for assistance. 

3.  Follow the steps in the installation wizard until you get to the **Select the operating system you want to install** page.  
      
4.  On the **Select the operating system you want to install** page, click **Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise (Full Installation)**, and then click **Next**.  
      
5.  Continue to follow the steps in the installation wizard until Windows Server 2008 R2 finishes installing.
  1. After the Enterprise edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 is installed, perform any necessary initial configuration tasks such as providing a password for the Administrator account, changing the display resolution, configuring networking, and joining the test computer to an enterprise domain (if available).

Important

  • You have 10 days to activate Windows Server 2008 R2. If you do not activate Windows Server 2008 R2 within 10 days, the computer shuts down every hour.

  • To activate the operating system, verify that the test computer can connect to the Internet, and then in the Initial Configuration Tasks window, under Provide Computer Information, click Activate Windows, and then click Next. If the activation is successful, a message confirms that the license is valid for the remaining days in the evaluation period.

  • If you do not want to activate the operating system or you are not able to activate it for some reason, the 10 day activation period can be manually reset five times by typing the following command in a Command Prompt window: slmgr.vbs –rearm. You can check the current status of your activation period by typing the following command: slmgr.vbs –dli.

    1. Verify that the test computer can connect to the Internet and then install all available updates as follows:

      1. In the Initial Configuration Tasks window, under Update This Server, click Download and install updates.

    Note

    If you already closed the Initial Configuration Tasks window, to open it again, click Start, click Run, type oobe, and then click OK. 

    2.  Follow the instructions in the **Windows Update** window until all updates are installed.

    Important

    You might have to restart your computer more than once to install all the available updates. Repeat the previous steps as many times as necessary to ensure that you have installed all available updates before you move to the next step.

    1. After the test computer has been updated, install the Hyper-V role as follows:

      1. In the Initial Configuration Tasks window, under Customize This Server, click Add roles. The Add Roles Wizard opens.

      2. On the Before You Begin page, click Next.

      3. On the Select Server Roles page, select Hyper-V, and then click Next.

      4. On the Hyper-V page, click Next.

    Important

    If you see a message that states Hyper-V cannot be installed on the test computer, the computer that you selected as your virtualization server might not be able to run Hyper-V. For more information, see Before You Begin: Select a Computer to Test Hyper-V earlier in this guide. 

    5.  On the **Create Virtual Networks** page, do not select any Ethernet cards, and then click **Next**.

    Note

    You will create virtual networks later, in Step 4: Create the Virtual Networks. 

    6.  On the **Confirm Installation Selections** page, click **Install**.  
      
7.  You must restart the computer to complete the installation of the Hyper-V role. Click **Close** to finish the wizard, and then click **Yes** to restart the computer.  
      
8.  After the computer has restarted, log on using the **Administrator** account, and after the **Resume Configuration Wizard** completes the installation, click **Close**.

    Important

    You might need to install more updates after you install the Hyper-V role. Ensure that you install these additional updates and that there are no more updates available before you move to the next step in this guide.

    After Windows Server 2008 R2 and Hyper-V are installed and updated, your test computer becomes a virtualization server that you can use to test Hyper-V and the scenarios included in this guide.