Installing and Configuring Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials

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Applies To: Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials

This document provides step-by-step instructions for installing and configuring Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials.

Before you begin

Find a suitable place to put your server before you run Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials Setup. The location you choose must have an available, wired network connection to your broadband router or to a switch that is connected to your broadband router as shown in the diagram. Verify that the broadband router and switch, if used, are powered on and functioning properly. Then connect your server to an electrical outlet.

You install and configure Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials in two steps:

  1. Install Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials

    In this step, you install the operating system on your server.

  2. Complete Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials Initial Configuration

    In this step, you complete the installation by providing information about your company, domain settings, and network administrator. This information is used to get the server ready for you to use.

If you experience problems while installing and configuring Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials, review Troubleshooting Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials Installation to help you resolve those problems.

Install Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials

To install Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials

  1. Disconnect any external USB or FireWire (IEEE 1394) hard drives.

  2. Start from the Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials Installation DVD.

    1. Place the DVD in the DVD drive of your server.

    2. Restart the computer from the DVD.

    3. The Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials installation wizard starts.

  3. Click New Installation.

  4. Ensure that all of your internal hard disk drives are listed. If they are not, click Load drivers to add drivers for the internal hard disk drives that are not listed. For more information, see “Adding Storage Controller Drivers” in Troubleshooting Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials Installation.

  5. Click I understand that if I click Install, all files and folders on my primary hard drive will be deleted, and then click Install.

  6. The operating system is installed on your primary hard disk drive. This takes approximately 30 minutes.

Important

Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials must be installed on the C: partition.

  1. When the operating system installation completes, proceed to Complete Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials Initial Configuration.

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Complete Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials Initial Configuration

Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials offers two ways to finish the initial configuration of your server:

  • Finish the initial configuration at the server. When you use this option, you use the keyboard, mouse, and monitor that are connected to the server. See Complete the server configuration at the server console for instructions.

  • Finish the initial configuration from a client computer. When you use this option, you connect to the server from a computer on the network. This is the preferred method. See Complete the server configuration from a networked computer for instructions.

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Complete the server configuration at the server console

To configure your server at the server

  1. Follow the instructions in the wizard to configure Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials.

  2. Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials should be remotely administered. You can perform administration tasks from a client computer after you install the Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials Connector software. Proceed to How do I connect computers to the server?

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Complete the server configuration from a networked computer

To configure your server from a client computer

  1. When the regional settings page is displayed on the server, go to a computer that is connected to your network, open a browser window, type https://server in the address bar, and then click ENTER.

Note

If your web browser is Firefox, click F11 to ensure that the entire wizard page is visible on your monitor.

  1. Click the arrow button, and then click Run in the dialog box.

  2. If you are prompted, click Yes in the User Account Control dialog box.

  3. Follow the instructions in the wizard to configure Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials.

  4. Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials should be remotely administered. You can perform administration tasks from a client computer after you install the Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials Connector software. Proceed to How do I connect computers to the server?

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