Install Windows on a VPS

This guide shows how to install Windows Server on a VPS when the installation is performed through OCS and the NoVNC console. The screenshots use Windows Server 2022, but the process is similar for other Windows Server versions.

Requirements

• A VPS with a started Windows installation or mounted Windows ISO
• The VirtIO driver ISO is mounted as an additional CD drive
• Access to the server in OCS/dashboard
• The IP address, subnet mask, and gateway of your VPS
• A valid Windows license if you are not using an evaluation version

Installing Windows or deleting partitions removes existing data from the VPS. Back up important data externally first.

Open the NoVNC console

1. Open your VPS in OCS/dashboard.
2. Scroll to Service Management.
3. Open noVNC Console.

The Windows installation starts in the NoVNC console. Wait until setup has loaded.

Select the Windows edition

Select the Windows Server edition you want to install and click Next. If you want a graphical desktop, select an edition with Desktop Experience.

Then select Custom: Install Microsoft Server Operating System only (advanced).

Load the VirtIO storage driver

If setup does not show a disk, the VirtIO storage driver is missing. Click Load driver.

Then click Browse.

Select the CD drive that contains the VirtIO ISO, for example CD Drive (E:) virtio-win-0.1.262.

Open the viostor folder.

For Windows Server 2022, select 2k22 and then amd64. For another Windows version, select the matching version folder.

Select the shown Red Hat VirtIO SCSI controller and click Next.

Prepare the target disk

After the driver has loaded, the VPS disk should be visible.

If existing partitions are shown and you want to reinstall Windows, delete the partitions one by one until only unallocated space remains.

Select Drive 0 Unallocated Space and click Next.

Windows creates the required partitions automatically and starts the installation.

Set the Administrator password

After installation, Windows asks you to set a password for the local Administrator user. Enter the password twice and click Finish.

Install VirtIO tools

After the first login, open File Explorer and select the VirtIO CD drive. Start virtio-win-gt-x64 from there.

Follow the setup wizard with Next until the VirtIO tools are installed.

Enable Remote Desktop

1. Open Server Manager.
2. Go to Local Server.
3. Click Disabled next to Remote Desktop.

Enable Allow remote connections to this computer and click Apply.

Configure networking

If Windows does not have network access yet, set the IPv4 address manually:

1. Open Network and Sharing Center.
2. Click Ethernet.
3. Open Properties.
4. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
5. Click Properties.
6. Enter the VPS IP address, subnet mask, and gateway.
7. Enter DNS servers, for example 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8.
8. Confirm with OK.

The server should now be reachable over the network. Test the connection with Remote Desktop using the VPS IP address and the Administrator user.

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Last updated: 2026-06-11