The
setup GUI for Windows Server 2008 R2 is a significant departure from
the blue background and white text of previous versions. After the
installation software loads into memory, the configuration setup pages
have a consistent look and feel. Each step outlined in the following
sections also has integrated links to relevant Help topics. Many of the
choices and options that were part of the preinstallation setup process
in Windows 2000/2003 are now relegated to postinstall configuration
after the base OS installation has completed. Thus, the steps required
during initial installation are minimized, allowing for a faster
installation and more streamlined initial process, consolidating
operations pertaining to settings specific to the final role of the
server to the postinstallation phase.
The following sections outline the elements that must be entered during a clean installation of Windows Server 2008 R2.
1. Customizing the Language, Time, Currency, and Keyboard Preferences
The first element when
installing Windows Server 2008 R2 is entering the Language to Install of
the server. Typically, the language selected is English; however, the
language selections vary based on a region. Examples of languages
include English, Arabic, French, Dutch, Spanish, and much more. The next
element to be specified is the Time and Currency Format. This setting
dictates how the server will handle currencies, dates, and times,
including daylight savings. The final element is the Keyboard or Input
Method. Specify the country code, such as US, Canada, or China, and
click Next to begin the installation. These languages and other
preferences can be seen in Figure 1.
2. The Install Now Page
The next page in the
installation process prompts you with an action to Install Now. Click
Install Now to commence the Windows Server 2008 R2 installation.
Alternatively, before running the installation, you can click on the two
operational links such as What to Know Before Installing Windows and
Repair Your Computer. The What to Know Before Installing Windows link
provides a list of prerequisite tasks, error messages, and general
information about the installation. The Repair Your Computer link should
be utilized if there is a need to fix a Windows Server 2008 R2
operating system that is already installed.
3. Selecting the Type of Operating System to Install
The
next page is Select the Operating System You Want to Install. One of
the first items that needs to be addressed on every new installation of
Windows Server 2008 R2 is which type of operating system will be
installed. The options include a Complete installation or a Server Core
installation. A Complete installation is a traditional installation of
Windows and includes all of the user interfaces and supports all the
server roles. As mentioned earlier, a Server Core installation is a
scaled-down installation of Windows Server 2008 R2 with the intent to
reduce surface attack and management. A subset of the server roles is
present and the server is managed through the command prompt; therefore,
the GUI does not exist. Click Next to continue, as depicted in Figure 2.
4. Accepting the Terms of the Windows Server 2008 R2 License
The Please Read the License
Terms page is invoked next. Review the license terms and check the I
Accept the License Terms check box if you comply with these terms. Click
Next to continue.
5. Selecting the Type of Windows Server 2008 R2 Installation
On the Which Type of
Installation Do You Want page, you have the ability to either select to
upgrade an existing Windows server or install a clean copy of Windows.
Because this is a clean installation and a legacy operating system does
not exist, the Upgrade selection will
present a message to this effect and prevent the installation from
proceeding. Therefore, in this scenario, select Custom (Advanced) to
perform a client installation of Windows Server 2008 R2. Click Next to
continue, as shown in Figure 3.
6. Selecting the Location for the Installation
On the next page, the Install
Windows Wizard asks where you want to install Windows. You need to
specify where you want to install the OS and then click Next to
continue, as illustrated in Figure 4.
This section replaces the portion of both Windows 2000/2003 server
installs where decisions about disk partitioning and formatting are made
during the initial steps of the installation. At this point, you can
supply additional disk drivers, or add, delete, extend, or format
partitions in preparation for the install. It’s another small change to
the process for preparing a system for loading the OS, but that change
simplifies and organizes the process in a logical way.
Note
With older versions of the
Windows operating system, you had two options when partitioning the hard
drive: NTFS or FAT/FAT32. When creating and formatting partitions with
Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2, FAT and FAT32 are no
longer supported as NTFS is the only file system that can be sustained.
