Install the Primary and Second Servers in Hyper-V Virtual Machines on a Single Physical Computer

  • Article

Updated: March 10, 2009

Applies To: Windows SBS 2008

Follow the steps in this procedure to install the primary and second servers in a Hyper-V virtualized environment.

To install the primary and second servers in Hyper-V virtual machines on a single physical computer

  1. On the server, insert Windows Small Business Server Disc 4 (Windows Server 2008 Standard Technologies (This disc contains x64 software only.)), and install the Windows Server 2008 64-bit operating system by using one of the following options:

    • Windows Server 2008 Standard (Full Installation)   This option installs a fully functional version of Windows Server 2008, which includes the complete user interface. However, the license agreement does not permit the use of all server roles when the server is running in a virtual environment. For detailed information, see the End User License Agreement (EULA).

    • Windows Server 2008 Standard (Server Core Installation)   This option installs a minimal server installation of Windows Server 2008, which you can use to run supported server roles. When you select this option, Setup installs only the files that are required for these server roles to function. This is a good choice for the Hyper-V parent partition. With this option, you use command line instructions instead of a graphic user interface to manage the server from the console. For more information, see the topic “Server Core Installation Option of Windows Server 2008 Step-By-Step Guide” at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=129805).

Note

To manage Hyper-V on a Server Core installation, you can use the Hyper-V management tools to manage the server remotely. The management tools are available for Windows Server 2008 and for Windows Vista with Service Pack 1. For more information, see Knowledge Base article 950050 (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=129041) and Knowledge Base article 952627 (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=129913).

  1. Install the Hyper-V Update for Windows Server 2008 (KB950050). This is a recommended update that is available from Microsoft Update or from the Microsoft Download Center. For related information, see the Knowledge Base article “Description of the update for the release version of the Hyper-V technology for Windows Server 2008” at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=129041).

  2. Enable the Hyper-V role. For instructions about how to enable the Hyper-V role, see the Hyper-V Getting Started Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=129035).

Important

Do not enable any other roles or features, and do not install any other software that you do not use to directly manage guest operating systems.

  1. Restart the computer.

  2. Open Hyper-V Manager, and then create a virtual machine that meets or exceeds the minimum requirements for the primary server. For instructions about how to create a virtual machine, see the Hyper-V Getting Started Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=129035).

Important

When you create a virtual machine, the New Virtual Machine Wizard creates a dynamically expanding virtual hard disk by default. However, you should not use it in a Windows SBS 2008 virtual environment, because some features and applications do not support virtual hard disks of this type. Instead, you should either create a fixed virtual hard disk for use by the virtual machine, or you should dedicate an entire hard disk drive for this purpose. For instructions about how to create a virtual hard disk, see “Create Virtual Hard Disks” at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=131254).

Note

For information about the minimum requirements for Windows SBS 2008, see “Planning Your Windows Small Business Server 2008 Network” at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=115882).

  1. In Hyper-V Manager, review the settings for the Hyper-V virtual machine that you created in the previous step, and then modify the settings as necessary. For more information, see “Configuring Virtual Machines” at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=129912).

Important

By default, Hyper-V creates a virtual machine with only one virtual processor. You should change the number of virtual processors to correspond to the minimum hardware requirements for your primary server.

  1. Insert Windows SBS 2008 Disc 1, and then install the primary server as a guest operating system. For instructions and additional information, see “Install a Guest Operating System” at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=129911).

  2. Open Hyper-V Manager, and then create a virtual machine that meets or exceeds the minimum requirements for the second server.

  3. In Hyper-V Manager, review the settings for the Hyper-V virtual machine that you created in the previous step, and then modify the settings as necessary.

  4. Prepare to install the second server by inserting one of the following discs:

    • If you are installing the 64-bit version of Windows Server 2008, insert Windows Small Business Server 2008 Disc 4 (labeled for x64 versions).

    • If you are installing the 32-bit version of Windows Server 2008, insert Windows Small Business Server 2008 Disc 3 (labeled for x86 versions).

  5. Install the second server as a guest operating system.

  6. When the installation is finished, restart the virtual machine.

  7. Install integration services and virtual machine drivers. For information about how to do this, See “Install a Guest Operating System” at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=129911).

  8. Join the second server virtual machine to the Windows SBS 2008 domain. For more information, see “Implementing a Second Server on Your Windows Small Business Server 2008 Network” at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=104875).

Important

Do not join the instance of Windows Server 2008 Standard that is running on the parent partition of the physical computer to the Windows SBS 2008 domain. If you do, a cyclic dependency is created between the parent and child partitions. However, you can mitigate this issue if you have an additional Active Directory domain controller on a different physical computer in the domain. In this case, you can join the parent partition to the domain.