Step by Step Installing Nano Server

Clean installation

Because you install Nano Server by configuring a VHD, a clean installation is the quickest and simplest deployment method.

Deploy Nano Server

Nano Server Image Builder

The Nano Server Image Builder is a tool that helps you create a custom Nano Server image and bootable USB media with the aid of a graphical interface. Based on the inputs you provide, it generates reusable PowerShell scripts that allow you easily automate consistent installations of Nano Server running either Windows Server 2016 Datacenter or Standard editions.

Obtain the tool from the Download Center.

The tool also requires Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK).

Nano Server Image Builder creates customised Nano Server images in VHD, VHDX or ISO formats and can create bootable USB media to deploy Nano server or detect the hardware configuration of a server. It also can do the following:

• Accept the license terms
• Create VHD, VHDX or ISO formats
• Add server roles
• Add device drivers
• Set machine name, administrator password, logfile path, and timezone
• Join a domain by using an existing Active Directory account or a harvested domain-join blob
• Enable WinRM for communication outside the local subnet
• Enable Virtual LAN IDs and configure static IP addresses
• Inject new servicing packages on the fly
• Add a setupcomplete.cmd or other customer scripts to run after the unattend.xml is processed
• Enable Emergency Management Services (EMS) for serial port console access
• Enable development services to enable test signed drivers and unsigned applications, PowerShell default shell
• Enable debugging over serial, USB, TCP/IP, or IEEE 1394 protocols
• Create USB media using WinPE that will partition the server and install the Nano image
• Create USB media using WinPE that will detect your existing Nano Server hardware configuration and report all the details in a log and on-screen. This includes network adapters, MAC addresses, and firmware Type (BIOS or UEFI). The detection process will also list all of the volumes on the system and the devices that do not have a driver included in the Server Core drivers package.

If any of these are unfamiliar to you, review the remainder of this topic and the other Nano Server topics so that you'll be prepared to provide the tool with the information it will need.