Windows Cannot find Microsoft software license terms - During Server 2016 install

[David Molnar]

I am getting the following error when trying to install Server 2016 Standard. Any idea of the fix?

[#2]

How are you installing it? 

If it is an iso file that you have attached to a VM etc... then redownload the iso file. it has become corrupted.

If you have made a USB drive or cd from an iso file, try remaking them. If that fails, then download the iso file again.

I hope that helps. If you have any further issues let me know. happy to help.

[#3 · Accepted solution]

It's possible the media is corrupt in which case I'd try downloading from another location to avoid the same copy ISP has cached on their systems. I've also seen this with HP intelligent provisioning in which case I'd ask HP about a newer version of tool compatible with server 2016. Also some hypervisors such as VMWare add an additional floppy drive that causes install media to look for licensing on floppy, in this case remove the virtual floppy from guest and try again. Also try;

Bypassing Easy Install

1. First start VMware Workstation
2. Create A New Virtual Machine
3. Select the option “I will install the operating system later”
4. Then your new virtual machine will be added to your virtual library.
5. Double click on your new Virtual Machine to start it.
6. Then it will prompt that an OS is not installed and provide an option to insert the OS installation media.
7. Simply click on Change CD/DVD Settings to select your ISO media then Restart VM.

[#4]

Hello,

this can happen if you use dynamic memory and you have, for example, 512mb ram as start up memory.

VM with Windows Server is sometimes needed at least 700 mb as a start up memory, try to increase to at least 700 MB this should help.

[#5]

This was the fix for me. We were building a Win10 Pro template on Hyper-V and had dynamic RAM selected. Shutdown, set to static RAM and restarted. The installation completed without issue.

[#6]

I have tried all the processes for installing Windows Server 2016 into VMware workstation. I am now getting different responses as follows:

[#7]

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@John Reyes wrote:

I have tried all the processes for installing Windows Server 2016 into VMware workstation. I am now getting different responses as follows:

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For VMWare problems I'd ask for help over here.

https://communities.vmware.com/welcome

[#8]

Had this same error installing W2K16 eval under VMWare workstation 15.

For me the solution was to remove the virtual floppy drive VMW adds by default

[#9]

I have the same issue on HPE DL360 Gen10 (Server 2016 Standard Eval german).
32 GB RAM, no VMware.
Any ideas?

Best regards,

Carsten

[#10]

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@Carsten Zimmermann wrote:

I have the same issue on HPE DL360 Gen10 (Server 2016 Standard Eval german).
32 GB RAM, no VMware.
Any ideas?

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Please start a new question.

[#11]

This worked for me.

Of all the things! O_o

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@Nigel Goodchild wrote:

Had this same error installing W2K16 eval under VMWare workstation 15.

For me the solution was to remove the virtual floppy drive VMW adds by default

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[#12]

Removing the Floppy drive worked for me as well. Thanks Nigel!

[#13]

Works fine!!!

[#14]

Thank you for the fix!

[#15]

This solution worked.

Tnx

[#16]

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@Jiří Duchoň wrote:

Hello,

this can happen if you use dynamic memory and you have, for example, 512mb ram as start up memory.

VM with Windows Server is sometimes needed at least 700 mb as a start up memory, try to increase to at least 700 MB this should help.

---

Having the same problem installing Windows 10 on Hyper-V, this is the solution.

[#17]

This one solved the issue, thank you

[#18]

Worked for me too. Thanks

[#19]

Good catch! My templates at work don't have any extra peripherals configured, but I was starting from scratch with my home lab and forgot to clean these up. Thanks!

[#20]

Thank you very much. I was trying to install Windows 10 on Hyper-V and i didn't know what was wrong.

[#21]

@Dave Patrick Thanks! I simply...

1) Powered off my VM in Fusion

2) Unchecked "Connect Floppy" in the VM settings

3) Powered VM back on and continued installation successfully

[#22]

This was the one for me

[#23]

@Nigel Goodchild  Remove the floppy disks will be the solution. windows server 2016 evaluation. installing started now at 44% Thank you

[#24]

@Dave Patrick This worked for me!  

[#25]

Glad to hear, please vote it up.

[#26]

@Dave Patrick For some reason this way does not give me the GUI desktop as an option.  It goes straight to installing the OS.

[#27]

Sounds like problematic installation media. The TechNet evaluation media

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-server-2016/

should produce;

[#28]

My apology, I could not find for Server 2019 evaluation so I found your article for 2016.  I am having the issue with 2019.  If I create my vm without the OS them my only option is the non GUI. If I create the vm loading the ISO I do get the screen you talk about but once I select, for example the desktop standard I get...

[#29]

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@tskirish wrote:

My apology, I could not find for Server 2019 evaluation

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Server 2019 evaluation can be downloaded here.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-server-2019

[#30]

@Dave Patrick Dave, I dowloaded it from this location already.  The issues I am having I described previously.

[#31]

I have not seen this new issue. You may have to raise this with VMWare to see if they know why it happens.

[#32]

@David Molnar 

The install looks at the floppy drive for some reason.

In the upper right corner of the VM there is a floppy drive icon...

right click on the floppy drive icon and select "disconnect". Windows installer will now find the licensing file.

[#33]

I had the same issue but no virtual floppy.    Worked around it by closing and opening the DVD drive.    Install then asked me to accept the license

@gnimm 

[#34]

@Dave Patrick This worked for me. Thanks

[#35]

@David Molnar 

None of the above worked for me. After removing floppy it showed me other errors.

Finally, I chose custom setup in VMware (create new virtual machine wizard) and chose BIOS instead of UEFI. It worked for me.

[#36]

@Nigel Goodchild Thank you!!!!