How to Setup on premise Nano Server

Nano Server is a pared down headless version of Windows Server that Microsoft has been developing under the code name Tuva. It is designed to run services and to be managed completely remotely. Microsoft describes Nano Server as “a purpose-built operating system designed to run born-in-the-cloud applications and containers.”

To install Nano server, first you have to download Windows Server 2016 TP5. Nano Server installation was kept inside this and you have to create a Powershell Script to create the Nano Server.  The script you can Download from TechNet Gallery.  Once you have those two, you can start the Nano Server installation.

First mount the Windows Server 2016 TP5 ISO and copy and paste the Nano folder from there.

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Then you have the all required things with you, to create the Nano server. First, copy and paste the below PS script and edit with the required details.

.\New-NanoServerVHD.ps1 `

-ServerISO 'H:\NanoSVR\RELEASE_SERVER_OEMRET_X64FRE_EN-US.ISO' `

-DestVHD H:\NanoSVR\NanoServer07.vhd `

-ComputerName NANOTEST07 `

-AdministratorPassword <'Password@993'> `

-Packages 'Storage','OEM-Drivers','Guest','FailoverCluster' `

-IPAddress '192.168.1.55'

Save the downloaded PS Script into a Folder.

In Server ISO, you can point the correct location of the Windows 2016 ISO file.

DestVHD, is the location where you want to save your new Nano VHD file.

Then you can give a name for the VHD,Administration password, IP address and the required Packages. Those are in a separate folder under Nano server and you can install them on demand.

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Under Packages you can select the packages that you want to install. Run the Poweshell as an administrator and point the executing location. Here, it’s already downloaded into a PS script folder.

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Then run the customized script to create the Nano server VHD.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oDcC1W19_EY/V3o5Cj_cSVI/AAAAAAAACZU/FSm0rVfmJzE/image_thumb%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800

Once you run the script, Script warning will be displayed. Click run once.

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Then the PS script will create the VHD for you. This will take a few minutes and in the background you can see the success percentage of the job.

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Once this finished, you will be able to see your newly created Nano VHD in the given destination.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SPl6qRreQUQ/V3o5JOxyNZI/AAAAAAAACZs/6wqhY-ypPgk/image_thumb%25255B13%25255D.png?imgmax=800

Now you can add this into your Hyper-V Manager and start it.

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