Windows Sever 2016 Essentials Virtualization Problem

Hello

If you did not select the option to install as a virtual instance then I would suggest reinstalling the OS to get the option again.

Thanks

Sorry if I repost this but for some strange reason I'm "not authorized" to add a message in my original thread so I'm unable to reply to Daniel Mysinger. It was already written between the lines in my previous post, but I'll write explicitly here in red. Hope we can discuss the problem here without something else disrupting the logical flow.

We recently bought a PowerEdge T130 with Windows Server 2016 Essentials.

According to Microsoft [1] [2] I knew it is possible, since Windows Server 2012R2, to install Essentials as a virtual instance hosted on a physical instance of Essentials with all roles disabled except Hyper-V.

So I was expecting to receive some kind of product key to activate a virtual instance of Essentials after disabling all roles of the preinstalled physical instance of Essentials.

Moreover, I enabled the paying configuration option “Hyper-V role enabled with pre-installed STD or DC Ed OS on incl Virtual HDD [add 21,30 €]” so I was guessing to receive a preinstalled virtual instance of Essentials already enabled as standard server or domain controller.

But when I received the server Hyper-V role was enabled but any VM running or configured and any product key to activate a virtual instance of Essentials.

I investigated on this topic and, according again to Microsoft [3] [4], I think now that any OEM can design to provide Essentials as a physical instance, as virtual instance or with the option for the final user to choose, but only during the first boot.

No, we weren't asked anything during the first boot; no, there is any factory image on the disk; no reinstalling the OS from the CD didn't provide to us the option to choose. 

Because of this, I suppose that Dell choose to provide Essentials only as physical instance, contrary to best practices, without providing any advice on that at the time of order on the web site.

Indeed I spoken with a Dell technician, a Dell customer service representative, a Dell pre-sales chat operator and anyone was able to explain how Essentials should be preinstalled on Dell server and to confirm or deny my findings.

Anyone with experience on this matter can help me to understand?

The virtualization right of Essentials was taken into account carefully when buying this edition of the OS. Now, what we can do to have our server virtualized? Should we buy an expensive Windows Server 2016 Standard Retail license with CALS just to run one virtual server and just because of this decision of Dell?

Thanks

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[1] https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/73ddfc31-2730-489b-8042-4d1312243f6c/windows-server-2016-essentials-licenses-rights-for-virtualization?forum=WinServerPreview

[2] https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/sbs/2013/09/03/understanding-licensing-for-windows-server-2012-r2-essentials-and-the-windows-server-essentials-experience-role/

[3] https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server-essentials/install/install-and-configure-windows-server-essentials-or-windows-server-essentials-experience

[4] https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/sbs/2013/09/16/installing-and-configuring-the-windows-server-essentials-experience-role/

It seems you have to hack the install files to get the Virtualization Option to present when installing Essentials.  There are several different places on the web that give guidance on how to do this but I found it a bit daunting and likely to be so timeconsuming given my limited skills in that area so I just popped for the Server Standard OS license to cover the physical drive part of it (I was buying a new server from Dell anyway so that was simpler than trying to get it delivered with an Essentials OS setup on the hard drive.  Otherwise, it would actually have been less expensive to buy a second Essentials OS license ($500+ vs $850).