Here is a quick and easy guide on uploading and installing a Windows 8.1 Pro ISO with Vultr cheaply. Vultr is a trusted and reliable cloud computing business with a massive range of locations, features and vps plan sizes, check them all out here.

Promo get a free $100 on new Vultr accounts here limited time!

** guide here for Windows 10 Pro

With Vultr windows servers cost extra but you get the option to upload your own ISO file to use on the server. As this guide shows you how to do the upload and install a Windows 8.1 Pro ISO.

Go into the deploy server section; You need to upload the custom Windows 8.1 Pro ISO, use this link here or make your own and host it.

Scroll down to section 2 (Server type) and click the “Upload ISO” tab and then the “Upload ISO” button below it, add in the url and click upload (you’ll have to wait a few minutes for it to upload). NOTE: You can only have 2 ISO’s uploaded and stored at the same time.

Scroll back up and choose your server location.

By now the Windows 8.1 ISO should have loaded, make sure its selected (Win10Pro.iso ). Now choose your instance size (amount of SSD space, ram and cpu amount). Do note that Windows 8.1 will run fine on the $5 per month option.

Dont worry about any of the other options (Additional features, startup scripts, SSH Keys), type in a server host name and label. Click “Deploy now”.

Navigate to the server information page for the server you just deployed. You will have to wait up to a couple of minutes for the ISO to me mounted, once it has click the little computer screen in the upper right to view the console.

You will be greeted with this once it has been mounted:

Choose language, time and keyboard then click Next.

Click: Install now

Tick i accept for the terms and then click Next

Choose the bottom option “Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)” by clicking it

Choose your boot drive (the main drive). Click Next

Now it will go through the actual install, this will take about 5 minutes.

Now you will go through the Windows 8.1 setup

Choose your theme color and “pc” name

I chose express settings, but I would advise to do custom settings to disable/enable Windows features.

Next it will ask to sign into your Microsoft account, you don’t need to do this! Choose “Create a new account” (you don’t actually make one though)

At the bottom click “Sign in without a Microsoft account”

Now make your VPS login. Choose a username and password, click Finish

Success, you will be logged in. The network automatically gets configured too! You are now be logged in and have free use of Windows 8.1 Pro on Vultr. Remember to enable RDP connection if you want to use the Remote desktop connection client.