Release Notes

Installing and upgrading Windows Server 2019

Topics:

• Installing Windows Server OS ROK on a virtual machine

• Running hyperv_prep.vbe

• Installing Microsoft Windows Server 2019 on PowerEdge servers

• Upgrading from earlier versions of Windows Server to Windows Server 2019

Installing Windows Server OS ROK on a virtual

machine

NOTE: If the Hyper V, ESXi, and Citrix XenServer hypervisors are not prepared to support the Guest OS installation, the

Windows Server OS installation on a VM, hosted on a Dell EMC PowerEdge system fails.

Use one of the following methods to prepare your hypervisor:

• Prepare ESX or ESXi hypervisor for using ROK media

• Prepare Microsoft hypervisor for using ROK media

• Prepare Citrix XenServer hypervisor for using ROK media

NOTE:

Ensure that you prepare your hypervisor on the server that hosts the VM.

Prepare VMware ESX or ESXi hypervisor for using ROK

media

To prepare your ESX or ESXi hypervisor for using ROK media on a VM:

1. Go to /vmfs/volumes/<datastore name>/<VM name>.

2. Open the <VM name>.vmx file in an editor, and add the following string:

smbios.reflectHost = TRUE

NOTE:

Ensure that you edit the vmx file for every VM that you create.

Prepare Microsoft Hypervisor for using ROK media

To prepare your Microsoft hypervisor for using ROK media:

1. Insert the ROK media, and go to <DVD drive>: \ROK.

2. Run hyperv_prep.vbe on the Windows Server OS running Hyper-V, and follow the on-screen instructions.

NOTE:

If you are running the utility on Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 or Hyper-V Server 2008 R2, enter cscript

hyperv_prep.vbe on the CLI.

Prepare Citrix XenServer hypervisor for using the ROK

media

To prepare your Citrix XenServer hypervisor for using the ROK media:

10 Installing and upgrading Windows Server 2019