Otdfbt

Am attempting to install Windows 2012 Essentials on a Dell CS24-TY 1U Server, two disks, Raid1.

Note: Completely clean installation, for a small company, no existing domain controller, no other servers at all, original installation media, couldn't possibly be a more simple setup.

Am unable to get Windows 2012 server to install at all, if I allow it to try an update while installing - it just hangs on 0% at "Updating and preparing your Server". I have tried installing via Dell Drac remotely mounted media, local USB key, and local usb-attached DVD drive.

If I set the server to install without processing updates, it will install, but if I then try to run Windows Update it just again hangs forever. I have tried stopping the wuauserv service, and removing the Software Distrubtion folder etc, nothing appears to work.

I have also tried removing the RAID and installing just to a single disk: same result.

Nearly all references I find to "Windows Update not working" are based on an established machine that has somehow got corrupted etc - not on a brand new vanilla installation of Windows Server.

Does anyone have some pointers how I could go about solving this problem?

Note: This is a 100% clean and simple base setup - zero configuration or roles or services etc. Nothing has been done to the OS other than what is required during installation: setting server name and password etc.

Thankyou.

EDIT

Below are the last entries from WindowsUpdate.log, when it appears to hang. Given that it was possible to install this exact OS Media on this exact Hardware before, is it possible that Microsoft have recently released an Update that breaks Windows Update? Is it possible to translate the Update Guid to a KB number?

2017-01-18 15:11:14:840 412 1424 Agent WARNING: Failed to evaluate Installable rule, updateId = E66A6795-3E20-43ED-9C66-FE134EEEECBC.200, hr = 80070057
2017-01-18 15:11:19:324 412 1424 Agent Bundled update FBEC0F80-9F87-4B42-BA14-2BBE7148322A.203 is missing extended metadata
2017-01-18 15:11:19:324 412 1424 Agent Bundle contains children which has no localextended metadata and thus is invalid.
2017-01-18 15:11:19:324 412 1424 Agent Update B27CF4B3-0B7D-475D-9129-883E6DED6182.203 is not a valid bundle. Not returning it.

ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

 Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : server1
 Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : FABLAB.local
 Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
 IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
 WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
 DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : FABLAB.local

Ethernet adapter Ethernet 2:

 Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
 Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82576 Gigabit Dual Port Network Connection #2
 Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : C8-0A-A9-C8-3B-8A
 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
 Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
 IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.4(Preferred)
 Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
 Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
 DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 127.0.0.1
 NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

 Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
 Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
 Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) 82576 Gigabit Dual Port Network Connection
 Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : C8-0A-A9-C8-3B-8B
 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
 Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.468CFBC4-85E3-4EDA-96BC-6A3E4B842EA3:

 Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
 Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
 Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
 Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
 Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.48398617-4417-4945-8A81-DE0F3BCC7D2B:

 Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
 Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
 Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
 Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
 Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

nslookup google.com

Server: localhost
Address: 127.0.0.1

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: google.com
Addresses: 2607:f8b0:4006:80e::200e
 184.150.153.177
 184.150.153.158
 184.150.153.187
 184.150.153.183
 184.150.153.148
 184.150.153.153
 184.150.153.182
 184.150.153.163
 184.150.153.157
 184.150.153.167
 184.150.153.172
 184.150.153.152
 184.150.153.173
 184.150.153.178
 184.150.153.162
 184.150.153.168

I had the same issue:
- I attempted to update during installation and hung at 0%.

- I installed without updates, and after getting to desktop, attempted to run updates, which searches for updates indefinitely (18+ hours).
- I installed without updates, and tried to update using WSUS Offline Update, which hangs on "Listing IDs of Missing Updates" (13+ hours).
- I have attempted to install with the computer on an entirely different network/ISP to attempt to rule out DHCP/DNS server issues, with no change in behavior.

I managed to get Server 2012 Essentials installed and up to date using the following method:

1. Installed WSUS Offline Update version 10.9 (on a Win 10 x64 machine)*.


2. Downloaded updates for Server 2012 through WSUS Offline Update.


3. Installed NTLite (on a Win 10 x64 machine)*.


4. Followed this guide to package updates using NTLite - https://web.archive.org/web/20180129120711/http://www.v-strange.de/index.php/vmware/2-uncategorised/220-slipstream-windows-updates-to-server-2012r2-install-medium
   


5. Copied updated install.wim back onto the Server 2012 Essentials USB installation media


6. Installed Server 2012 Essentials on target machine, with the selection to install updates during installation checked.


7. After finalizing installation and rebooting, I was able to successfully pull down the remaining Windows Updates successfully.

*I mention the OS I worked from because Mtl Dev shared that he was unsuccessful following the guide linked in step 4 on a windows 7 machine.

(Partial credit goes to Mtl Dev for pointing me towards the WSUS Offline Update/NTLite solution to update the installation media prior to installing the OS.)