Install Server 2016 question

copiman

Member
I have Server 2016. I have multiple desktops that meet the requirements. My idea is to load it on one PC. Maybe use it for image backup storage, file storage, and other stuff. I will be graduating this semester, so I want to take advantage of this free server 2016. Somewhere in the future I will need it as I study for certification. This PC and server 2016 will be in my house where I'm building my own little network of 4 desktops, 2 laptops, smart tv, copier, printer, and maybe a NAS.

My question is:
Can server 2016 be loaded on a blank drive of a PC with no OS? Or should I even consider it?

Should I load it, or can I, on a PC with 10 OS already installed? Maybe add a drive or partition the existing drive?

Any input would be great. I have never attempted this, so I going where I have never been. Any suggestions are absolutely welcomed and needed.
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
A spare PC should work. If your school offers dreamspark see if there's a VMware esxi license on there too. If your intended pc supports virtualization extensions then you could install both VMware and windows on top of it to get experience with both.
 

copiman

Member
The only thing I found is:

System Center 2102 Virtual Machine Manager

Microsoft Hyper-V Server

Our school uses Microsoft Imagine now for software.
 

voyagerfan99

Master of Turning Things Off and Back On Again
Staff member
Our school uses Microsoft Imagine now for software.
This is what @beers is referring to. Dreamspark was rebranded to Imagine several years ago.

Microsoft Hyper-V Server is free to license so you can use that as your host and then install the VM's inside of that. The alternative is to install the free version of ESXi as beers previously suggested.
 

copiman

Member
Thanks everyone. I have downloaded Microsoft Hyper-V server 2016 and Windows server 2016 Datacenter. If I understood correctly, I should install hyper-V (clean install) and then reinstall Windows 10? After that is complete I should install server 2016?

My PC does support Virtualization.
 
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