The instructions in this article describe the installation of Windows for VPS ON servers. You can find general instructions for mounting your own ISO and installing the OS in the VPS ON – Custom ISO OS Installation.

In this article, you will learn:

• How to prepare the VPS to install Windows
• How to start the installation process
• How to load VirtIO drivers for:
  • disks
  • network adapters
• Common issues
• Frequently asked questions

To install Windows on VPS ON with the appropriate configuration you will need:

• Installation ISO of the selected version of Windows
• Windows VirtIO driver ISO (download)

Obtaining Windows installation files licenses is up to the customer, as well as the installation itself. For installation errors not covered in this guide, contact Microsoft Customer Support.

Attach all the necessary ISO files to the VPS according to the instructions VPS ON – Custom ISO OS Installation. Make sure you have the following disks:

• Empty Image of the OS type (default)
• Windows ISO as Readonly CD-ROM
• VirtIO driver ISO as Readonly CD-ROM

Follow the chapter Boot from ISO chapter in the manual VPS ON – Custom ISO OS Installation.

Using VirtIO, you usually install disk and network adapter drivers.

During the installation, the installer will prompt you to select the system location. If you don’t see a disk here, load the VirtIO drivers:

1. In the installer, click Load driver. 
2. in the pop-up window, select Browse. 
3. Choose the drive with the VirtIO drivers. 
4. On the VirtIO CD, find the amd64 folder and navigate to the folder with the system you are installing.
5. Confirm the driver choice by clicking Next.
6. Select the disk that appears here.
7. Click the Next button to continue installing.

Follow these steps to install the network adapter drivers:

1. Open the Device Manager application.
2. Select the Ethernet Controller item with the warning icon.
3. Click the Update Driver Software button and choose manual install.
4. Look up the driver in VirtIO and install it.

After installing the driver, complete the network setup:

• Look up the IP addresses of the server in the service creation notification emailor in the service details in the customer administration panel.
• DNS servers and the IP address of the gateway can be found in the SunStone interface, VM detail, Info tab.

Common issues with installing Windows on VPS ON include:

• VirtIO only has drivers for Windows 10

Issue: We are installing Windows 11, but VirtIO only has drivers for Windows 10.

Solution: Based on our experience so far, drivers for Win10 also work with Win11. If this is not your case, we are unfortunately unable to help you.

Question: How do I upload an ISO file to VPS ON and attach it to a virtual machine?
Answer: Follow the instructions here.

Question: Where can I get a Windows installation ISO?
Answer: We do not provide distribution of the Windows system, nor do we provide contacts to other distributors.