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Mind Parallax
Asked: 2017-03-01 01:27:27 +0800 CST

Bootable Windows Server 2016 USB Drive

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I have 8 HP ProLiant DL380 servers that are mounted in a data center. I have to deploy Windows Server 2016 Datacenter operating system on all of them using a particular customer's (modified) ISO.

Unfortunately, the only way I can access this installation ISO is inside the DC security zone, which means I will have to create a bootable USB drive on-premise to install the farm. Another problem is that according to customer's SLA using any additional software for creating bootable drives is prohibited. Is there any way of creating a Windows Server 2016 bootable USB using only native Windows 2016 Server tools?

Thanks in advance!

windows installation windows-server-2016 usb-boot

3 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    Yes. This can be done using native Windows commands like diskpart, bootsect and copy (xcopy).

    Here are the guides that cover the topic exactly: https://www.starwindsoftware.com/blog/how-to-create-bootable-windows-server-2016-usb-thumb-drive-for-installing-os

    http://itproguru.com/expert/2016/05/create-bootable-windows-server-2016-usb-thumb-drive-for-installing-os/

    Hope this helps.

    • 18

  2. That should be possible.

    • Mount ISO image, say drive letter is x:
    • Mount USB Drive, letter y:
    • Run elevated cmd
    • Run diskpart wipe the drive and create an active partition:
    • Caution, this will wipe your disk! list disk, select disk <nr. of pendrive>, clean, select partition 1, active, exit
    • Copy bootsector -> x:, cd boot, bootsect /nt60 y:
    • Copy everything from ISO to thumb drive xcopy x:\*.* y:\ /E /H /F
    • Done.

    Handle with care and double check those commands! This works for Server 2012 and should work for 2016, too.

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  3. The closest thing that comes to mind is to use Microsofts own tool: Windows USB DVD tool

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