Quick Tip on Adding Roles and Features to Windows Server 2012 (and Windows 8?)

Unlike Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7, which pre-stage all available roles and features during setup for easy addition at any later time, Windows Server 2012 (and probably also Windows 8.x) do *not*.  This means that when attempting to add a role or feature (such as .NET Framework 3.5/3.0/2.0 in the first screenshot below), you may get a message to the effect that some of your selections “are missing source files”.  If that happens, mount the Windows installation ISO or insert the installation disk, click “Specify an alternate source path” as shown below, then specify “x:SourcesSxS” in the resulting dialog (where x: is the ISO mount drive letter or the letter of your optical drive) and click OK before continuing with the wizard (as shown in the second screenshot).

Jacques Bensimon 

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