Server 2012 “server specified requires restart” loop when installing WID

I was trying to create a RDS deployment, something I’ve done before without issues but this time when trying to install the necessary roles and features I ended up with the reboot loop described. Each time I tried to install, Server Manager complained “The request to add or remove features on the specified server failed. the operation cannot be completed because the server that you specified requires a restart.”

I narrowed the problem down to the WID (Windows Internal Database) feature installation causing the issue. From there I googled and found a MSDN page written partially in another language, hence my own English sharing of knowledge.

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/ro-RO/e7e9bc17-14d1-43c9-809c-464f69b366cd/server-2012-windows-internal-database-error-during-installation

The post useful to me was the one by kswail about halfway down. Adjust your domain (or domain controller if appropriate) security policy to allow “NT SERVICE\MSSQL$MICROSOFT##WID” to log on as a service, a GPO setting that can be found under Computer Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > User Rights Assignment. Simply adding the security principle mentioned above to that policy solved a problem that haunted me for 2 days.

8 thoughts on “Server 2012 “server specified requires restart” loop when installing WID

  1. I’m having the same problem, but in Group Policy it will not let me add users, stating that I’m a previous version you need.
    I have servers 2003 and to starting to migrate now. My server 2012 is not leaving to do anything on behalf of a death loop

    Please Help me!!!

  2. Good find, thanks for that, saved me some time. Would be nice if MS used some useful error messages on things like this. It seems if anything we’re going backwards, I’ve been office 365’ing the last few days and I’m getting used to ‘sorry, something went wrong’!

  3. You fix saved me. After 20-30 minutes of troubleshooting I came across your site. I just added your fix to my default domain controller policy in my domain and I was off and running after a restart and reinstall. Thanks!

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