"CONFIG INITIALIZATION FAILED" error when you install Windows Server, version 1709

Assume that you install Windows Server, version 1709 on Intel PCSD/EPS Purley Server Generation of Platforms (such as Buchanan Pass, Sawtooth Pass, Wolf Pass, and the refresh versions of Cascade Lake (CLX)). During the first restart for the operating system deployment, the system starts to appear and suddenly restarts. Then, the system may freeze, or you may receive the following stop code on the blue screen:

This causes the installation entering a restart loop.

Note This issue only occurs in Windows Server, version 1709.

In order to generate a more accurate resource requirement for each bridge that's not start configured, PCI.sys will pre-scan all the hierarchy before the first bus scan. However, there is a bug in detecting start configured bridges so that PCI.sys ends up changing the resource requirements for start configured bridges as well. This causes some servers (such as Intel Purley) failing to start from USB devices to set up an operating system.

The fix for this issue is included in KB 4056892. You can download it from Microsoft Update Catalog website.

Note You must use the cumulative update from Microsoft Update Catalog website, and applying the delta update does not fix the issue.

After that, integrate the cumulative update into the installation media as follows:

1. Run the following cmdlets:

dism /mount-image /imagefile:<path_to_image_file>\sources\install.wim /index:1 /mountdir:<target_mount_directory>\offline

dism /image:<target_mount_directory>\offline /add-package /packagepath:<path to the update>\Windows10.0-KB4056892-x64.cab

dism /unmount-image /mountdir:<target_mount_directory>\offline /commit

2. Repeat the cmdlets in step 1 on the index 2 of the install.wim file.
3. Run the following cmdlets:

dism /mount-image /imagefile:<path_to_image_file>\sources\boot.wim /index:1 /mountdir:<target_mount_directory>\offline

dism /image:<target_mount_directory>\offline /add-package /packagepath:"<path to the update>\Windows10.0-KB4056892-x64.cab"

dism /unmount-image /mountdir:<target_mount_directory>\offline /commit

4. Repeat the cmdlets in step 3 on the index 2 of the boot.wim file.

5. Create an ISO file from the updated installation media by using the OSCDIMG.exe command-line. For example: 

Oscdimg -bootdata:2#p0,e,bEtfsboot.com#pEF,e,bEfisys.bin -u1

-udfver102 C:\winpe_amd64\media C:\winpe_amd64\winpeamd64.iso

For more information, see: Oscdimg Command-Line Options

To work around this issue, try to use an external graphics card if there is enough physical space and an available Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCI-E) slot.

Learn about the terminology that Microsoft uses to describe software updates.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.