Fixing “Windows cannot find the Microsoft Software License Terms. Make sure the installation sources are valid and restart the installation” Or “Windows installation encountered an unexpected error. Verify the installation sources are accessible, and restart the installation. Error code: 0xE0000100”

When trying to install a Windows 2012 (R2) or Windows 8(8.1) VM you can encounter the following error:

"Windows cannot find the Microsoft Software License Terms.  Make sure the installation sources are valid and restart the installation."

Right after selecting the operating system.image

or perhaps even this error

"Windows installation encountered an unexpected error. Verify the installation sources are accessible, and restart the installation.

Error code: 0xE0000100"

image

The main reason for this on Hyper-V is that you have been to conservative on memory allocation and it could pass some checks. You can hit these errors when you did not assign enough memory to the virtual machine or accepted the default. The default is 512MB and I’ve noticed that on Windows Server  2012 (R2) Hyper-V this can be to little.

image

So the fix is a easy as upping the assigned amount of memory. I went for 1024MBimage

Now start the VM again, hit any key to boot form the virtual DVD to start the setup. After selecting the OS version to install you’re now greeted by the screen to accept the license terms instead of a warning.

image

So click next and install your VM.

101 thoughts on “Fixing “Windows cannot find the Microsoft Software License Terms. Make sure the installation sources are valid and restart the installation” Or “Windows installation encountered an unexpected error. Verify the installation sources are accessible, and restart the installation. Error code: 0xE0000100”

  1. Another error I ran into several times was about license key issues.
    Win 8.x and SVR 2012/R2 have troubles under some circumstances and give you a license key error with 512MB initia startupl RAM.

  2. Viva humanity ;D
    Sharing knowledge is the path of spiritual prosperity! I’ve been struggling with this problem for more than 10 hours, couldn’t figure out. In some point I did increase the RAM but I had forgotten another setting.
    Really, thank you!

  3. nope. It’s not RAM. At least not on vmware (I was getting this error with 8gigs). For reference what worked for me on WS9:
    do NOT configure ISO at the beginning. Choose “I will install OS later” and connect cd-rom after whole machine is already configured.
    (credits to Scorpion99 from vmware forums)

  4. Thank you so much! I’ve been fighting with this for hours. I have my MCSA exam coming up and I needed to setup my labs. You’re a life saver!

  5. You are the greatest! This fixed my problem too. It’s a pitiful error message for the condition. If I were building this, I would have put a requirements check in there. It’s not like this is an edge case.

  6. i think this solution for VM image only but not for real server application. Will be glad if anyone can post a solution on real server for this problem

  7. You saved my weekend from total destruction of all productivity. Thanks so much. Such a simple problem with no intuitive link between the error message and the solution. You nailed it! Thanks so much.

  8. Hi…
    pls help me, my windows still can install windows 10 to my laptop. becous problem same, can find miscrosoft software license terms, how can i fix, 🙁 pls help me ..

  9. By April 2016, I spent half an hour scratching my head trying to fix this and I never imagined that too little RAM could throw that error. Anyway, thank you very much for sharing this, it is a life saver indeed.

  10. First time I have this issue because I was in a hurry to create the VM and did not change the RAM size to something more suitable. I did not realize it would cause this problem. Your explanation has been a big help. Thank you.

  11. You saved me a lot of time and frustration — hit the error, googled, immediately found your post–fixed! Thanks so much for posting this.

  12. Thank you, I would have no idea that memory allocation would cause a software licensing issue, but I changed my minimum (I was using dynamic allocation) to 2GB and it worked. Thank you!

  13. I had the same error, but in my case it was because the iso was built from a US-based machine, and then I chose a different language. When I change the language back to US, the installation worked.

    • Check Memory for issues, check ISO for correct build (x86/x64) or other issues (incomplete, corrupt)or see other comment on language setting.

  14. well, in my case, I don’t have a clue how to ‘resize’ ram. the issue is what it asks for the product key and I choose ‘I don’t have the product key’ and then it takes me to OS selection where I selected Windows 10 pro and clicking next would bring this message and I am stuck.
    I have no option to go into system as the system is already in ‘Bootmgr is compressed’ when I boot (it had Ubuntu installed which I removed).
    when I am using the same USB to repair the, it can’t repair the startup.

  15. On a physcical Dell server this can be caused by the iDRAC firmware 2.52.52.52

    Lifecycle Controller Release Notes: https://downloads.dell.com/FOLDER04830652M/1/iDRAC_2_52_52_52_Release_Notes_A00.pdf
    Deployment of Windows Server operating systems (OS) using LC may fail with one of the following message:
    • Windows installation cannot continue because a required driver could not be installed.
    • Product key required.
    • Windows cannot find the software license terms.
    This happens when the Windows setup copies the driver to the scratch space (X: drive) and the scratch space becomes full. To resolve this issue, do any of the following:
    • Remove all the installed add-on devices before starting the OS installation. After the OS installation is complete, connect the add-on devices and manually install the remaining drivers using Dell Update Packages (DUPs).
    • To avoid physically removing the hardware, disable the PCle slots in the BIOS.
    Increase scratch space size beyond 32 MB using DISM set-scratchspace command when creating customized deployment

  16. I’m getting the same error when installing Server2016 Hypervisor to a new Proliant DL380 gen10. Using Rufus for the USB drive (8GB size), and HP Intelligent Provisioning can see the media otherwise OK.

  17. So apparently this is an error from back in 2014? I ran into this just now, and after reading the first comment about the license key, it turned out it was because… wait for it… VMWare wanted to use an unattend script and it broke setup.

    I had to make it skip that, and it worked fine. Hope this helps someone.

  18. It is 2019. I trusted Hyper-V, and it created a machine with “dynamic amount of RAM”, with 512 MB being the minimum. I disabled “dynamic RAM” and setup went smoothly.

    Thank you very much, you are a gentleman and a scholar.

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