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To install Windows Server correctly, your computer must meet the minimum hardware requirements outlined in this article. If your computer falls short of these requirements, the product might not install properly. Actual requirements vary based on your system configuration, applications, and features that are installed.
Unless otherwise specified, these minimum hardware requirements apply to all installation options (Server Core and Server with Desktop Experience) for both Windows Server Standard and Windows Server Datacenter editions.
Important
The highly diverse scope of potential deployments makes it unrealistic to state recommended hardware requirements that would be applicable. Consult documentation for each of the server roles you intend to deploy to learn more about the resource needs of particular server roles. For the best results, conduct test deployments to determine appropriate hardware requirements for your particular deployment scenarios.
Processor performance depends not only on the clock frequency of the processor, but also on the number of processor cores and the size of the processor cache. The following are the processor requirements.
Minimum:
1.4-GHz 64-bit processor
Compatible with x64 instruction set
Support for NX and DEP
Support for CMPXCHG16b, LAHF/SAHF, and PrefetchW instructions
Support for Second Level Address Translation (EPT or NPT)
Support for the SSE4.2 (Streaming SIMD Extensions 4.2) instruction set
Support for the POPCNT instruction
You can utilizeCoreinfo, which is a tool included in Windows Sysinternals, to verify the capabilities of your CPU.
Secured-core is a set of integrated hardware, firmware, driver, and operating system (OS) security features that provide enhanced protection against advanced threats. Secured-core systems deliver security that starts before the OS boots and continues throughout system operation. Secured-core server features are available in Windows Server 2022 and later. To deploy a Secured-core server, your device must meet these additional requirements:
DMA Remapping (IOMMU): Support forIntel VT-d orAMD-Vi is required to ensure secure and efficient management of direct memory access (DMA) by devices, safeguarding against unauthorized memory access.
Kernel DMA Protection: The system must have opt-in capability for Kernel DMA Protection, which helps prevent attacks that exploit external peripherals to gain unauthorized access.
DRTM (Dynamic Root of Trust for Measurement): This feature is needed to ensure a secure boot process by verifying the integrity of the system's startup environment, protecting against firmware-based attacks.
Note
In addition to the specific requirements outlined for Secured-core server, the following features must be enabled on your hardware:
To learn more, seeWhat is Secured-core server?.
There are other hardware requirements to consider, depending on your scenario:
The following items are required only for certain features:
UEFI 2.3.1c-based system and firmware that supports secure boot.
Trusted Platform Module (TPM).
Integrated or dedicated graphics and monitor capable of Super VGA (1024 x 768) or higher-resolution.
Keyboard and mouse (or other compatible pointing device).
Internet access. (Fees might apply.)
Note
A TPM chip is required in order to use certain features, such asBitLocker Drive Encryption. If your computer has a TPM, it must meet these requirements:
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