Source: Microsoft Support
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Symptom
When you run or install applications on a Windows Server 2008 R2 computer running as a Server Core, you receive the following message:
"The subsystem needed to support the image type is not present"
Cause
The 32-bit subsystem support has been removed from the server, either manually or through an automated build process. This can be confirmed by running the following command:
dism /online /get-features /format:table
Examine the output and confirm the following:
ServerCore-WOW64 | Disabled
Resolution
To enable the 32-bit subsystem:
1. Logon to the Server Core computer as an administrator.
2. Run the following command exactly as shown:
DISM.EXE /online /enable-feature /featurename:ServerCore-WOW64
Note: The feature name 'ServerCore-WOW64' is case sensitive.
3. Restart the computer when prompted.
More Information
To reproduce this scenario:
To enable the 32-bit subsystem:
1. Logon to the Server Core computer as an administrator.
2. Run the following command exactly as shown:
DISM.EXE /online /enable-feature /featurename:ServerCore-WOW64
Note: The feature name 'ServerCore-WOW64' is case sensitive.
3. Restart the computer when prompted.
More Information
Any applications that are compiled with 32-bit code will not run on Server Core when the 32-bit subsystem has been removed. This also include the installers of 64-bit applications, where the installer itself contains 32-bit code.
References
For more information, review:
What's New in the Server Core Installation Option: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd883268(WS.10).aspx
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