Windows SBS 2011 Standard is preinstalled on my computer

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Published: March 10, 2011

Applies To: Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard

Follow the steps in this topic only if Windows SBS 2011 Standard is preinstalled on your computer. If you are installing Windows SBS 2011 Standard from the DVD, follow the steps in I am installing Windows SBS 2011 Standard from the DVD.

Important

If you are migrating from a previous version of Windows SBS to Windows SBS 2011 Standard, you must follow a different process. For information about migration installations, see Migrating to Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard.

Because Windows SBS 2011 Standard is preinstalled on your computer, you need to complete only the final installation steps to customize your server.

To customize Windows SBS 2011 Standard

  1. Connect your computer to your network with a network cable.

Important

Do not disconnect your computer from the network during installation. Doing so may cause the installation to fail.

  1. Turn on the computer.

  2. If you are performing an unattended installation, connect the removable media (such as a floppy disk or a USB flash drive) that contains your answer files. Depending on the contents of your answer files, you may not see some or any of the installation pages that can appear prior to the Expanding and installing files page.

  3. On the Continue installation page, select the Clean Install option, and then click Next.

  4. On the Verify the clock and time zone settings page, click Open Date and Time to verify the clock and time zone settings to select the date, time, and time zone settings for your server. When you are finished, click Next.

  5. On the Server network configuration page, select an option to configure your network settings, and then click Next. The default option is Automatically detect the network settings.

  6. If your network is connected to the Internet, click Go online and get the most recent installation updates (recommended). Getting the latest updates helps ensure a successful installation.

    If your network is not connected to the Internet or if you choose not to get updates, click Do not get the most recent installation updates.

Note

If an error occurs while you are getting the latest updates, the error is logged on the Installation Finished page. 

The **Connecting your server** page appears, and you can track the installation progress.

  1. On the Company information page, type information about your organization, and then click Next. This information is stored and used to configure your server tools so that you do not have to supply the same information multiple times.

  2. On the Personalize your server and your network page, type the name of your server in the Server name text box. The server name must be a unique name on your network, and you cannot change the name after the installation finishes.

    Type the name of your internal domain in the Internal domain name text box. A domain enables you to manage access to resources on your network (for example, user accounts, client computers, shared folders, or printers). Default settings are provided for your internal domain. This separates your local (internal) network from the Internet (external) network.

Note

You cannot change the server name or the internal domain name after you finish this step.

  1. Click Next.

  2. On the Add a network administrator account page, type the information for a new administrator account.

Warning

Do not name the network administrator account either “Administrator” or “Network Administrator.” These account names are reserved for use by the system.

Important

Write down your administrator account password and store it in a safe place. You will use this password if you need to restore your directory services by using Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM). For information about how to synchronize the DSRM password with your network administrator account, see Synchronize the DSRM password with the Windows Small Business Server 2011 Standard network administrator password.

  1. Click Next. A settings summary page appears. Click Back if you want to change any of these settings; otherwise, click Next.

  2. The Expanding and installing files page displays the progress of the final installation process. This takes time to complete, and your computer will restart a couple of times.

  3. After the last server restart, the Installation finished page appears. If there are noncritical issues listed, click View installation issues. This opens the Installation issues page of the Windows SBS Console. Resolve the installation issues.

  4. Click the Windows SBS Console Home page, and then click Getting Started Tasks. You should complete the Getting Started Tasks immediately after your Windows SBS 2011 Standard installation finishes. For more information, see Complete the Getting Started Tasks.

Note

After the installation finishes, you are automatically logged on to the server with the new administrator account that you added during installation. The built-in administrator account password is set to the same password as the new administrator account, and then the built-in administrator account is disabled.

You can use your newly installed server for a limited amount of time (known as the “evaluation period”) without entering a product key. After the evaluation period, you must enter a product key to activate the server or extend the evaluation period. You can extend the evaluation period a maximum of two times. When you reach the maximum number of days allowed for the evaluation period, you must activate your server with a product key.