Installing windows on hetzner dedicated server [hidden trick]

If you ever needed to install a windows OS on a dedicated server, then you probably ran into the high fees most data centers will charge for installing a windows OS.
The fee for Hetzner is around 21€ / month.

Fortunately, you don’t have always have to pay these ridiculous fees. In the Article I will explain how to install an OS on your server.

Pre-requisites:

• you already know what a server is.
• you know how to rent a dedicated server from Hetzner and how to login to Robot panel.
• you have already installed(or know how to install) windows on a regular computer.

Hetzner offers access to Lara, a remote KVM console. Allowing you to completely control your server, access bios options and boot devices. This allows you to control the server as if you were physically there.

https://wiki.hetzner.de/index.php/KVM-Console/en

From hetzner’s wiki:

Hetzner offers a remote console which can be attached to any dedicated server. This remote console provides KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) over-IP capabilities and allows full BIOS level control of the server. It is useful for troubleshooting a server, especially in cases where SSH can’t be used. The boot menu can be accessed and network configuration errors can be fixed. The console has virtual media support, so it can be used to install a custom Operating System by mounting an ISO file.

The remote consoles are called “KVM Console”. This term comes from the name of the original remote consoles that were offered. While they have since been upgraded by more modern solutions, the name has been kept.

A KVM Console is free for 3 hours. If it is required for a longer period of time it can be booked for € 8.40 per additional 3 hours.

Please note that Java is required when using the KVM console feature.

 

 

The free 3 hours is more than enough for us.

Also Please note that mounting iso via the network/virtual media support is extremely slow.
Here comes the hidden trick. Hetzner can attach a temporary USB drive to your server. They will  mount an iso file on it of your choice, free of charge. You can either tell them the iso you want from their collection, or send them a direct link to a specific iso of your choice.

So here are the steps:
1. login to Robot.
2. go to requests and select lara console. Specify the time you want then in the comment section add a note asking for a temporary drive. You can write something the lines of:

hello, I would kindly like to request a temporary usb drive with windows server 2016 iso. Thanks in advance.

 

OR

hello, I would kindly like to request a temporary usb drive with the following iso

http://custom_link_to_your.iso/file.iso
Thanks in advance.

3- you will receive an automated confirmation email, then you will receive another email with a link, username and password.

4- open the link, usually the username is kunde and they send a random password. Once login download the .jar file (for more explanation for this part check the wiki link at the beginning of the article).

5- Once you download the .jar file, open it, a window will appear, this is the screen of your server, you will see everything in real time as if you were in the data center. If the server isn’t already booted in the installation process click “confirm ctrl+alt+del” at the top left corner to restart the server and once the server reboots try  clicking  del, f6, f8, f11 or f12(button may vary depending on the server) to get in the boot menu.

6- from the boot menu choose the USB drive, usually Pepper—something, or Jetflash…
7- Now the installation process of your iso image will start.
8- follow the on screen instructions and make sure to activate the appropriate remote services of your OS.
On windows you will need to activate remote desktop connection from
this pc> properties> remote settings (on the left) > Allow remote connections to this computer.
Make sure the firewall is adjusted correctly and that you can access the server via remote desktop connection.

9- once you set-up remote access, you can close that slow laggy kvm and rely on rdp  to install you custom apps and do everything you need.

If you have any question don’t hesitate to ask in the comments section!
Enjoy!