What if Getting Error 'We Couldn't Install Windows Server 2019”

Effective way to solve the problem of installing Windows Server 2019

The "Unable to Install Windows Server 2019" error usually occurs when the in-place upgrade fails. This article provides a variety of solutions to help you install Server 2019 smoothly.

Although Windows Server 2025 has been released, many users are still using the older version. If you try to update Windows Server 2012R2 to Server 2019 through an in-place upgrade, you may encounter this error. In the installation interface, you will see the message "Cannot install Windows Server 2019" and the prompt "Your computer has been restored to the status before installing Windows Server 2019" and may be accompanied by error codes such as:

1. 0xC1900101 – 0x4000D (SECOND_BOOT stage, MIGRATE_DATA operation failed)
2. 0xC1900101 – 0x30018 (FIRST_BOOT stage, SYSPREP operation failed)
3. 0xC1900101 – 0x20017 (SAFE_OS stage, BOOT operation failed)

The main reasons for installation failure include hardware incompatibility, system files corruption, etc. For in-place upgrades, make sure your server supports in-place upgrades for Server 2019, as this update is not always feasible. The following figure shows the supported upgrade path:

Fixed "Unable to install Windows Server 2019" error

Method 1: Check the computer specifications

Make sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements for Windows Server 2019. Press Win R , enter msinfo32 and click OK to check system information. Use Explorer to check disk space. If the computer meets the requirements but still shows an error, try the following method.

Method 2: Disconnect all external devices

Try removing all peripheral devices, including USB drives, printers, scanners, keyboards, mouses, external hard drives, etc., and then try to upgrade.

Method 3: Update the device driver

The 0xC1900101 error is sometimes caused by the system incompatible with the driver or the driver is damaged. Update to the latest version of the driver.

In Device Manager , right-click on the device and select Update Driver to complete the update by following the on-screen instructions. Alternatively, you can use professional driver update tools.

Method 4: Disable third-party antivirus software

Third-party antivirus software may block the update process, attempting to disable or uninstall them.

Method 5: Run SFC and DISM

Corrupt system files may also lead to errors. Run SFC scan: Execute the command sfc /scannow in the command prompt. If it fails, try the command DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth .

Method 6: Perform a new installation of Windows Server 2019

If the above method is invalid, please try a fresh installation of Server 2019.

Step 1: Download the Windows Server 2019 ISO image and burn it to the USB drive using Rufus.

Step 2: Start the computer from the bootable USB drive and enter the installation interface.

Step 3: After selecting the language and other preferences, click Install Now .

Step 4: Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Through the above steps, you should be able to resolve the "Unable to install Windows Server 2019" error and complete the installation smoothly.

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