Windows Install

Windows 2012 R2 Install

This assumes you are running in a VM.

1. Choose language, format, and keyboard
2. Press Install now
3. Install Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard (Server with a GUI) x64
4. Accept the license terms
5. Choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)
6. Choose the disk to install onto
7. Provide a password for the Administrator user
8. Wait for the install to complete
9. Login as Administator

Post Install Configuration

Install VMware tools.

In Server Manger click on Local Server, it is the machine you are on.

From here you can do a few things that are pretty important:

• Set the Computer name (once you start installing software it often does not like changing the computer name. Especially Exchange.)
• Turn off the firewall
• Setting the IP address
• Turning off IE Enhanced Security Configurations
• Setting the Timezone (very important) and possibly the internet time server
• Install latest updates

Changing Password Policy

One of the first things to do is change the password policy so it isn't so onerous.

Search for Edit Group Policy or go to Local Group Policy Editor/Windows Settings/Security Settings/Account Policies/Password Policy

• Maximum Password age = 0
• Minimum password age = 0
• Minimum password length = 0
• Password must meet complexity requirement = disabled

Disable Server Manager

Disable Server Manager from automatically starting In Server Manager, click on the Manage menu, Server Manager Properties and enable "Do not start Server Manager automatically at logon"

or

[1]

1. Open a Group Policy Object (GPO) where you want to configure the setting in the Group Policy Management Editor.
2. Navigate to Computer Configuration, Policies, Administrative Templates, System, Server Manager.
3. Double-click Do not display Server Manager automatically at logon.[DoNotOpenAtLogon]
4. Set to Enabled and click OK.
5. Close the Group Policy Management Editor.

Disk Management

Use Disk Management to mount and format disk partitions and volumes

1. Right-click on the Disk# and bring the disk Online
2. Right-click to Initialize Disk, MBR style
3. Right-click on the space of the disk and select New Simple Volume
   1. Choose size
   2. Assign a drive letter
   3. Select file system (NTFS), name and quick format
   4. Finish

The volume will appear in File Explorer.

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