---
title: "Create a cloud server from a custom Windows image"
sidebar_label: "Create a server from a custom Windows image"
sidebar_position: 5
description: "How to prepare a custom Windows ISO image and create a cloud server from it"
---

import Formbricks from '@theme/MDXComponents/Formbricks'

# Create a cloud server from a custom Windows image

1. [Prepare a Windows ISO image](#create-windows-image) to make it fully compatible with the Selectel cloud platform.

2. [Create a cloud server from a Windows ISO image](#create-server-from-windows-image).

3. [Install Windows on the cloud server](#install-windows-on-server).

## 1. Prepare a Windows ISO image \{#create-windows-image}

Use the [Prepare a Windows image](/cloud-servers/images/create-custom-image.mdx#create-windows-image) subsection of the Preparing an ISO image for the cloud platform instruction.

## 2. Create a cloud server from a Windows ISO image \{#create-server-from-windows-image}

Use the [Create a cloud server](/cloud-servers/create/create-server.mdx) instruction.

Select the ISO image that you [prepared earlier](#create-windows-image) as the source.

## 3. Install Windows on the cloud server \{#install-windows-on-server}

1. [Connect to the cloud server](/cloud-servers/manage/connect-to-server.mdx).

2. If the system boots into a shell upon the first startup, exit the shell:

   ```bash
   exit
   ```

3. In the BIOS, select **Continue**.

4. When the `Press any key` message appears, press any key.

5. Wait for the image to load. Downloading the image may take 10–15 minutes.

6. Complete all the OS installation steps. If you need to specify the path to the drivers manually during installation, specify the path to the directory with drivers that you [created and transferred to the image directory earlier](#create-windows-image).

7. Install the drivers.

   7.1. Go to the Drivers directory.

   7.2. Run the `virtio-win-guest-tools.exe` file.

   7.3. Select the **I agree to the license terms and conditions** checkbox.

   7.4. Click **Install**.

   7.5. Optional: select the drivers that you want to install. If you select nothing, all available drivers will be installed by default.

   7.6. Click **Next**.

   7.7. Wait for the driver installation to complete.

   7.8. Click **Restart**. The OS will then reboot.

8. If the `cloudbase-init` agent was not added to the image, after installing the OS [update the network settings](/cloud-servers/cloud-networks/update-network-settings.mdx#configure-static-routing).

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