PowerEdge: Windows Essentials Server 2016: Stopping at 16 Percent At Initial Settings

Summary: This article provides information about Windows Server 2016 Essentials where in the initial settings it stops responding at 16% according to the screens below. This issue occurs when installing the OS with the media shipped with the equipment. ...

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Symptoms

Note: This article is part of the Server Tutorials: Support Tools, available at PowerEdge: Server Support Articles


In Windows Server 2016 Essentials, the initial settings hang at 16% according to the screens below. This issue occurs when installing the OS with the media shipped with the equipment.

Initial setting Preparing for update
Figure 1: Updating and Preparing your Server 16%

 

Screenshot of error message
Figure 2: An error occurred while configuring windows server essentials 2016.

Cause

This is due to not having a fixed IP with DNS configured prior to the configuration.

Resolution

Solution Steps

  • Access the Advanced System Properties and change the server name as defined by the client and restart the machine.

 

Caution: This name cannot be changed later.

 

Computer Name and Domain Changes
Figure 3 Computer Name and Domain Changes
  • Define a fixed IP on the server by Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS) and Domain Name System (DNS).

 

Note: The primary DNS must be the same IP address.

 

NIC IPv4 Properties Window 
Figure 4: Static IP address
  • Open the Server manager Dashboard and then go to Add Roles and Features.
Windows Server Manager Manage menu selection
Figure 5: Add roles and features
  • Advance the following screen:
Add/Remove Features Wizard clicking Next
Figure 6: Before you begin
  • Select the Role-based or Feature-based installation option and go ahead.
Add Roles and Features Wizard Role-Based Install
Figure 7: Select the installation type.
  • Select the option selected below and advance.
Add Roles and Features Wizard selecting server from server pool
Figure 8: Select a destination server
  • Add the "DNS Server" and "Active Directory Domain Services"
Add Roles and Features Wizard Install selection
Figure 9: Select server roles.
  • Select Add Features
Add Roles and Features Wizard Select to Add additional Features required
Figure 10: Add Roles and features Wizard.
  • The features page, keep it default and click next to proceed.
Add Roles and Features Wizard Features Page clicking Next
Figure 11: Select features.
  • In next windows it gives brief descriptions about AD DS service. Click Next
Add Roles and Features Wizard AD DS Page clicking Next
Figure 12: Active Directory Domain Services
  • Then it gives the confirmation about install, click Install to start the role installation process.
Add Roles and Features Wizard Confirmation Page clicking Install
Figure 13: Confirm installation selection.
  • Wait for the added features and then advance again.
Add Roles and Features Wizard Results Page showing Install progress
Figure 14: Installation progress
  • Once installation completes, click the option Promote this server to a domain controller.
Add Roles and Features Wizard install completed showing option to Promote server to domain controller
Figure 15: promote this server to a domain controller.
  • Select the Add a New Forest Option. For the Root Domain Name, type the name of the client domain.
Active Directory Domain Services Configuration Wizard Add New Forest
Figure 16: Deployment Configuration
  • In this step important information is defined, such as forest and domain functional levels, installation and integration with DNS, Global Catalog and Domain Restore Password. Keep what is already selected, enter your recovery password and click the Next button.
Active Directory Domain Services Configuration Wizard DC Password confirmation
Figure 17: Domain Controller Options
  • A new search is performed on the network, now for the NETBIOS name. If there are no matches, the domain name is kept.
Active Directory Domain Services Configuration Wizard Additional Options page click Next
Figure 18: NetBIOS name Assignment
  • This screen defines where the database, logs, and files of the domain are written. Keep the pattern and click the Next button to move forward.
Active Directory Domain Services Configuration Wizard Paths Page showing Defaults
Figure 19: Specify the location of the AD DS database.
  • This screen displays a report of everything that was selected and configured for the Domain deployment. A deployment script is obtained by clicking the View script button.
  • Click the Next button to proceed.
Active Directory Domain Services Configuration Wizard Review Options before clicking Next
Figure 20: Review Options
  • The alert for DNS is present again, check for further alerts if there are any, if the information does not appear All prerequisite checks passed successfully.
  • Click the Install button to proceed.
Active Directory Domain Services Configuration Wizard PreReq Check Choosing Install
Figure 21: Prerequisites Check
  • After the installation, the system restarts automatically. Once it comes back, log in to the server as the domain admin.
Windows Logon using domain admin login
Figure 22: Windows Login screen
  • After restarting, the error may occur again as below.
Configuration Error Wizard
Figure 23: Configuration Error Wizard
  • In this case, click Retry and advance normally.
Configuration Wizard retry progress
Figure 24: Configuration Wizard retry progress

Affected Products

Microsoft Windows Server 2016
Article Properties
Article Number: 000146750
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 09 Jul 2026
Version:  11
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