Note that Mean Servers now has Windows plans with RDP preconfigured and everything ready to go right out of the box. No need to setup anything else, just order the plan you need and everything will be setup for you automatically. Visit our Windows VPS plans to order a Windows VPS with RDP already setup!
When ordering a VPS with Windows 8.1 as your operating system, you need to take the following steps to finish the install process. This process shouldn't take too long, 20 minutes at the absolute max. Those who are more familiar with the Windows operating system will breeze right through this as it has been written for someone that has no technical knowledge. If you can read and use a keyboard and mouse, you should be able to follow this tutorial just fine.
Quick Overview
-Finish Install Process
-Resize Disk
-Configure Network Adapter
-Enable RDP Remote Desktop Protocol
-Allow RDP Through Windows Firewall
Finish Install Process
Finishing the install process is super simple. Upon starting your VPS for the first time, you must login via VNC. Once you are logged in via VNC, follow the on screen prompts to finish your installation. These on screen prompts are self explanatory so we won't go into too much details. You will essentially be selecting a username, password, setting your timezone, selecting your security settings and selecting a network type. Windows will then continue to configure a few more things before the desktop appears. We are now ready for the next step.
Resize Disk
Upon logging in, if you go to Computer, you will see your disk space as somewhere around 8-9 GB. Obviously this is incorrect. The problem is SolusVM does not properly size the disk properly and the remaining amount is "hidden". Hopefully in v2, this will be fixed. Thankfully, the problem is easily solved.
1.) Launch Control Panel from the Start Menu
2.) Click System and Security from the Control Panel window and then click Create and format hard disk partitions. Don't worry, it's a lot easier than it sounds!
3.) Once the Disk Management console launches, you will see an overview of your hard disks. Look carefully for the Disk 0 section, you will see a blue stripe on top divided into sections, System Reserved, (C:), and one with no label but clearly separate from (C:) Right click the partition without a label and select Delete Volume...
4.) You will be prompted by a warning, confirm that you want to delete the volume. The empty volume has now been deleted.
5.) Right Click the (C:) volume and select Extend Volume...
6.) You will be prompted with a few different screens, just press Next on each screen until you reach the end. The default values are fine and do not need to be adjusted. Once you reach the end, click Finish.
8.1.) You have now extended your C: partition and can fully use the space you have purchased!
Configure Network Adapter
Configuring the network adapter may seem like a challenge, after all, your home computer configures itself automatically. Well, in order for you to reach the VPS via RDP, we need to assign the network adapter a static IP address.
1.) Locate your assigned IP address. You can find this in your welcome email titled Your Mean Servers VPS is Ready! It looks like 8.18.99.43.28.1 but will be different. Do not mix up the VNC IP address as this is not the one you need.
2.) From your VNC connection, open a window. Selecting Control Panel from the Start Menu will do.
3.) In the address bar, type Network Connections and hit [Enter]
4.) A new screen will appear with your current network adapter. It will be named Local Area Connection or similar. Right click the Local Area Connection iron and select Properties from the dropdown menu.
5.) From the popup screen, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (IP/TCP) and then click Properties.
6.) Click the circle for Use the following IP address
8.1.) In the IP address field, enter the IP address you located earlier from Step 1.
8.) In the subnet mask, enter 255.255.255.0
9.) In the gateway, take off the last oclet and replace it with the number 1. Say your IP address is 8.18.99.43.28.1, the gateway value would be 8.18.99.43.1
10.) For the Preferred DNS server enter 8.8.8.8 and for the Alternate DNS Server enter 8.8.4.4.
11.) Click OK to accept the values you entered.
12.) Press OK on the properties screen that is shown after the TCP/IP window is closed.
13.) Success! You should now have access to the Internet. However, we still need to enable RDP Remote Desktop Protocol so you can use that instead of VNC to connect (much better performance)
Enable RDP Remote Desktop Protocol
Enabling RDP or Remote Desktop Protocol allows you to connect to the server via the Remote Desktop Protocol (obviously). Remote Desktop Protocol has performance benefits over using VNC such as better response times and the ability to use the remote VPS as a full screen on your current computer. Enabling RDP just takes a few quick steps.
1.) Click Control Panel from the Start Menu
2.) From the Control Panel window, click System and Security and then click System
3.) On the left side, click Remote settings, a new popup screen will appear
4.) Under the Remote Desktop section, select Allow connections from computers running any version of Remote Desktop (less secure).
5.) Press Apply and then OK
6.) You can now connect to the VPS using Remote Desktop over the Remote Desktop Protocol
Allow RDP Through Windows Firewall
1.) Launch Control Panel via the Start Menu and click System and Security
2.) Click Allow an app through Windows Firewall under the Firewall Section then click the Change Settings button.
3.) Scroll down to Remote Desktop and ensure both boxes, Private and Public are checked.
4.) Press OK to save your changes.
5.) Remote Desktop Protocol is now enabled and accessible remotely.
This concludes our quick tutorial on finishing the setup process for your new Windows 8.1 VPS. At most this should have taken you 20 minutes, if you got it done in less than that, you are definitely a pro and probably didn't need this guide to begin with!