How to Repair Windows Server When it Doesn’t Boot up

Windows Server is Microsoft’s server platform series, more specifically for network servers. A Windows Server OS will rarely not boot up, but some users might still need to repair a Windows Server platform that doesn’t boot.

Users can do that with a Windows Server installation DVD or USB drive, including troubleshooting utilities.

How can I repair Windows Server with an installation disc?

1. Via the Command Prompt

1. Users can try fixing Windows Server with Command Prompt utilities. To do that, insert the Windows Server installation DVD to boot from it.
2. A Windows Server setup window will then open. Press the Next button on that window.
3. Then click Repair your computer at the bottom left of the Windows Setup window.
4. Select the Troubleshoot option.
5. Then, choose the Command Prompt option to open the Prompt’s window.
6. First, enter ‘DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth’ in the Prompt, and press the Return key.
7. Enter ‘sfc /scannow’ and press Return to run a System File Checker scan to fix corrupted files. That might take 30 minutes or longer to finish.
8. To fix the system boot record, enter the following commands in the Prompt separately:
   bootrec /fixmbrbootrec /fixboot

    

   bootrec /rebuildbcd

9. After that, restart the desktop or laptop.

2. Restore a System Image

1. Users can also restore system images so long as they’ve kept system image backups with the Windows Server Backup utility. Insert the Windows Server install DVD to open the window in the snapshot below.
2. Click the Next button, and then select the Repair your computer option.
3. Select Troubleshoot on the Choose an option menu.
4. Select the System Image Recovery utility.
5. Select the Windows Server target platform. A Re-image your computer window will then open.
6. Select the Use the latest available system image option to recover the most recent system image.
7. Press the Next button.
8. Users can then select a Format and repartition option to reformat hard drives to match the system image layout. However, users only really need to select that if they’ve replaced a server’s hard drive.
9. Click the Next button.
10. Press the Finish button, and then select the Yes option to confirm.
11. When the Windows Server image has been restored, remove the Windows Setup DVD and restart.

So, that’s how users can fix Windows Server platforms with a Windows Server setup DVD. First, try fixing Windows Server with the SFC and bootrec commands, and then restore a system image if the command-line utilities don’t do the trick.