Fall 2018 is quite the season with Microsoft Windows Server 2019, Windows 10 October 2018 Update, and VMware vSphere 6.7 Update 1 releases!

Posted by Paul Braren on Oct 3 2018 (updated on Nov 20 2018) in
  • ESXi
  • Windows

    • *Oct 06 2018 09:19am ET - You may want to hold off working with the bits that you may have already downloaded earlier this week, as it appears Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019 have been pulled from downloads for now, details appended below.
    Nov 20 2018 - Fixed Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019 version 1809 has now been re-released, details at Microsoft Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019 download links for re-released version 1809 October 2018 Update.

    Windows Server 2019

    windows-server-2019-now-generally-available

    Fall, the time to enjoy apple cider and autumn leaf colors. Also a time to hole up indoors to test out those fresh bits, at the work lab, or in the home lab.

    Windows Server 2016 came out in GA form on Sep 26 2016. Surprise, Windows Server 2019 was announced on Sep 24 2018, has arrived in GA form on Oct 2, and it's still 2018!

    Personally, I like to keep on top of the latest developments in Windows Server and Hyper-V, along with a bit of SQL Server. I also like to check out the latest in UI and RDP enhancements, and use the ISO to create my Golden Master Template for my home lab. Used for installation onto physical systems via BMC and for mounting to VMs for fresh installs, and to test of various VM backup and agent backup vendors, and maybe even for suitability testing as a network file share and backup server.

    Here's the official Microsoft announcement:

    Download

    Azure, ISO, or VHD 180 day evaluation bits here:

    Current MSDN/My Visual Studio subscribers get their bits by logging in then searching for "Server 2019” here:

    • my.visualstudio.com/downloads

      Windows Server 2019 (x64) - DVD (English)
      Released: 10/2/2018
      SHA1: 24F7C459F3612DF82205A45FDB68CA9F96BC5D80
      File name: en_windows_server_2019_x64_dvd_3c2cf1202.iso

    I was able to get each of my 4GB ISO files downloaded in about 4 minutes per ISO. Not too shabby, at a rate of around 120 Mbps, coming from Verizon Digital Media Services Edgecast CDN. How do I know? See for yourself here, using whois for the discovered IP.

    download-windows-server-2019--TinkerTry

     

    Windows Server Essentials 2019

    Home Server and Windows Server 2012 Essentials fans will find little to get exited about in Windows Server 2019 Essentials, since it's now missing the small-business-friendly good stuff like DDNS with easy certificate generation, Remote Desktop Gateway, easy VPN, and Client Connector backups, partially explained in What's New in Windows Server 2019 Essentials | 10/03/2018:

    The Windows Server Essentials Experience Role has been removed from all server SKUs, including Windows Server 2019 Essentials. This means that the Administrative Dashboard that used to be the core feature for Essentials Experience Role is no longer accessible and all management and configuration must be completed manually.

    With Server Essentials Experience Role deprecation, the following features are no longer available:

    • Client backup
    • Remote web access

    Download

    Current MSDN/My Visual Studio subscribers get their bits by logging in then searching for "Server 2019” here:

    • my.visualstudio.com/downloads

      Windows Server 2019 Essentials (x64) - DVD (English)
      No additional details are available for this file.
      Released: 10/2/2018
      SHA1: 66706C2FC927066C90DF294E8B67D4A70E564986
      File name: en_windows_server_2019_essentials_x64_dvd_70296902.iso

    Licenses

    You can use the handy "Get key" button next to the downloads you see when searching for "Server 2019", or get any of your product keys that you're entitled to here:

    download-windows-server-2019-essentials--TinkerTry

     

    Windows 10 October 2018 Update

    Update

    windows-10-get-the-update

    See all the details here:

    • Get the Windows 10 October 2018 Update
      Oct 02 2018

      Windows 10 will automatically download the October 2018 Update on your eligible device if you have enabled automatic updates in Windows Update settings. When the update is ready, you'll be asked to pick a time to install it. After it’s installed, your device will be running Windows 10, version 1809.

      • Note: If you want to install the update now, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and then select Check for updates. If updates are available, install them.
    windows-update-1809-install-underway-example--TinkerTry

    Download ISO from public URL

    This is good, anybody can get the bits, no login required.

    1. click microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO
    2. click Download tool now, then when prompted, save the MediaCreationTool1809.exe on a directory of your choosing, right on your local system
    3. wait a couple of minutes the "Getting a few things ready" prompt to do its thing, then review the EULA and click Accept to proceed
    4. when prompted What do you want to do?, choose Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC and click Next
    5. when prompted Select language, architecture, and edition, confirm what it has chosen is what you need, which in my case is "English", "Windows 10", 64-bit (x64). If they're not what you want, simply turn off the Use the recommended options for this PC checkbox to override and change the selections
    6. select ISO file, and don't worry about the "You'll need to burn the ISO file to a DVD later." prompt, you're not a dinosaur, you'll be mounting that ISO to install your VMs later, or making bootable USB media out of it using Rufus, although it's most likely easiest/most reliable to run the whole wizard again after you get your, choosing USB flash drive and inserting a drive, to let it do its thing
    7. you're now prompted for where you want to save Windows.iso, which is also your chance to change that lousy default name to something more descriptive like
      Windows10-Business-1809-English.iso
    8. wait for Progress to reach 100%, the duration of this download will depend upon your internet connection speed,and limitations on how many downloads the server allows, with my 800Mbps connection only seeing 30Mbps for this particular download, using Resource Monitor to determine the IP was 13.107.4.50, and whois used for that IP to determine it's a server owned by Microsoft, seemingly with no CDN, which is odd.
    Download-Windows-10--TinkerTry

    Download ISO from MSDN/My Visual Studio

    Current MSDN/My Visual Studio subscribers get their bits by logging in then searching for
    "Windows 10 1809" at:

    • my.visualstudio.com/downloads

      Windows 10 (business edition), version 1809 (Updated Sept 2018) (x64) - DVD (English)

      For this multi-edition Business media, use a product key specific to the edition in the list you want to activate. Windows 10 Pro for Workstations product keys will also activate the VL multi-edition media.

      This multi-edition Business media includes the following editions:
      Windows 10 Pro
      Windows 10 Pro N
      Windows 10 Pro for Workstations
      Windows 10 Pro for Workstations N
      Windows 10 Pro Education
      Windows 10 Pro Education N
      Windows 10 Education
      Windows 10 Education N
      Windows 10 Enterprise
      Windows 10 Enterprise N
      Released: 10/2/2018
      SHA1: 0BE4E80687D8D7EFF8C80C5AA8C03B15E2F77256
      File name: en_windows_10_business_edition_version_1809_updated_sept_2018_x64_dvd_d57f2c0d.iso

    MSDN-download-of-Windows-10-business--TinkerTry

     

    VMware vSphere 6.7 Update 1 / VMware vSAN 6.7 Update 1

    VMware vSphere/vSAN 6.7 was announced and available on Apr 1 2018, and vSphere/vSAN 6.7 Update 1 is expected to arrive soon.

    introducing-vsphere-platinum-and-vsphere-6-7-update-1--TinkerTry

    How soon? Probably in October, and likely no later than November 2nd, as I detailed in my VMworld 2018 US Recap and VMware vSphere 6.7 Update 1 Highlights. Of course, if an issue is found between now and then, that date could slip, see also this VMware Press Release excerpt from Aug 27:

    Product Availability
    VMware vSphere Platinum Edition, VMware vSphere 6.7 Update 1, VMware vSAN 6.7 Update 1, VMware vRealize Suite 2018, VMware vRealize Operations 7.0, VMware vRealize Automation 7.5, and vRealize Network Insight 3.9 are expected to become available by the end of VMware’s Q3 FY19 (November 2, 2018).

    Also great reads:

    Download

    [ETA between now and Nov 2]

    vsphere-67u1-released

    Oct 18 Update - vSphere 6.7U1 is here! It actually became available to download on Tue Oct 16 2018. Details and demos of my home lab upgrade at TinkerTry here.

    vSphere-6-7-HTML5-UI-example--TinkerTry
    Here's the fast, effective, and lovely vSphere 6.7 browser-based UI that uses HTML5.

     


    Oct 06 2018 09:19AM ET Update

    Microsoft pulls Windows Server 2019

    Microsoft pulls Windows 10 October 2018 Update

    This is breaking news, which I placed into a newer article with all the details:

    windows-10-and-windows-2019-server-pulled

    See also at TinkerTry

    vsphere-6-7-released

    windows-server-2016-eval-available-for-download

    See also

    windows-server-2019-and-what-we-need-to-do-now-migrate-and-upgrade

    under-the-hood

    TinkerTry - PCs, EVs, home tech, efficiency and more, including virtualization. My opinions here, not my employer's.

    Paul Braren, MCSE in 1998, VCP #2681 in 2005, vExpert 2014 to 2024, Veeam Vanguard Emeritus, 2015 to 2019.

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