Download and Install Windows Server 2025 from Scratch

Navigate to the official Microsoft Evaluation Center and download the Windows Server 2025 ISO. This evaluation version gives you 180 days of full functionality.

Open your browser and go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/download-windows-server-2025. Sign in with your Microsoft account when prompted.

Fill out the required form with your name, email, country, and intended use purpose. Select your language (English United States is recommended) and choose the ISO format for a bootable installation media.

Download the 64-bit multi-edition ISO file (approximately 5.5 GB). This contains both Datacenter and Standard editions - you'll choose during installation.

Before proceeding, ensure your target system meets the minimum requirements for Windows Server 2025.

Minimum Requirements:

• 1.4 GHz 64-bit processor
• 512 MB RAM (2 GB for Desktop Experience)
• 32 GB available disk space
• Gigabit Ethernet adapter
• DVD drive or USB port for installation media

Create a bootable USB drive using Rufus or the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool. Download Rufus from https://rufus.ie if you don't have it.

# Alternative: Use diskpart to prepare USB (run as administrator)
diskpart
list disk
select disk X  # Replace X with your USB disk number
clean
create partition primary
active
format fs=fat32 quick
assign
exit

Insert your bootable USB drive or mount the ISO in your virtual machine. Configure your system to boot from the USB/DVD drive.

For physical systems, restart and press F12, F2, or Delete (depending on your manufacturer) to access the boot menu. Select your USB drive or DVD drive as the boot device.

For virtual machines, attach the ISO as a DVD drive and ensure it's set as the primary boot device in VM settings.

When the Windows Setup screen appears, verify the language, time format, and keyboard settings. Click Next and then Install now.

Choose between the available Windows Server 2025 editions. The multi-edition ISO provides both Standard and Datacenter options.

Edition Options:

• Windows Server 2025 Standard: Suitable for physical or minimally virtualized environments
• Windows Server 2025 Datacenter: Unlimited virtualization rights, advanced features

Installation Options for each edition:

• Server Core: Minimal installation without GUI, managed via PowerShell and remote tools
• Desktop Experience: Full GUI with Server Manager, ideal for administrators new to Server Core

For this tutorial, select Windows Server 2025 Datacenter (Desktop Experience) for the full GUI experience.

Accept the license terms and choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) for a clean installation.

Select the target drive for installation. If you're performing a clean install, you may need to delete existing partitions.

For a new installation:

1. Select the target disk
2. Click Delete to remove existing partitions (if any)
3. Select the unallocated space
4. Click New to create a new partition
5. Accept the default size or specify a custom size
6. Click Apply to create the partition

Windows will automatically create additional system partitions as needed. Click Next to begin the installation process.

The installation will take 15-30 minutes depending on your hardware. The system will restart several times automatically.

After the installation completes and the system restarts, you'll be prompted to set up the built-in Administrator account.

Create a strong password for the Administrator account. The password must meet complexity requirements:

• At least 8 characters long
• Contains uppercase and lowercase letters
• Contains at least one number
• Contains at least one special character

Example of a strong password: ServerAdmin2025!

After setting the password, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to log in for the first time. You'll see the Server Manager dashboard launch automatically.

Activate your Windows Server 2025 evaluation within 10 days to prevent automatic shutdown. Open Server Manager and click on Local Server.

Click on the Not activated link next to Product ID. In the Windows Activation dialog, click Activate Windows online now if you have an internet connection.

Configure network settings by clicking on the Ethernet link in Server Manager. Set a static IP address for server environments:

# Configure static IP via PowerShell (run as administrator)
Get-NetAdapter
New-NetIPAddress -InterfaceAlias "Ethernet" -IPAddress 192.168.1.100 -PrefixLength 24 -DefaultGateway 192.168.1.1
Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias "Ethernet" -ServerAddresses 8.8.8.8,8.8.4.4

Set the computer name to something meaningful:

# Rename computer
Rename-Computer -NewName "WS2025-SERVER01" -Restart

Install the latest updates to ensure your server has the most recent security patches and improvements.

Open Settings from the Start menu and navigate to Update & Security. Click Check for updates and install all available updates. This may require multiple restarts.

Alternatively, use PowerShell to check for updates:

# Install PSWindowsUpdate module
Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate -Force
Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate

# Check for available updates
Get-WUList

# Install all updates
Install-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -AutoReboot

Configure Windows Defender Antivirus settings in Server Manager under Local Server. Ensure real-time protection is enabled and configure exclusions if needed for specific server roles.

Enable remote management capabilities for easier administration. In Server Manager, click Local Server and configure the following settings:

Enable Remote Desktop:

1. Click on the Remote Desktop link (currently shows Disabled)
2. Select Enable Remote Desktop on this computer
3. Choose Don't require Network Level Authentication for compatibility (optional)
4. Click OK

Configure Windows Firewall to allow remote management:

# Enable Remote Desktop firewall rules
Enable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Remote Desktop"

# Enable Windows Remote Management
Enable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Windows Remote Management"

# Enable File and Printer Sharing (if needed)
Enable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "File and Printer Sharing"

Configure PowerShell remoting for advanced management:

# Enable PowerShell remoting
Enable-PSRemoting -Force
Set-Item WSMan:\localhost\Client\TrustedHosts -Value "*" -Force