Here’s my personal reference, based mostly upon the Server Core Getting Started Guide. Who knows, it may be helpful to someone else as well.
[Update: There’s a new Quick Reference for Server Core Tasks on TechNet, published in August 2012]
Things changed with Server 2008 R2 core. We now have the sconfig tool for basic configuration, and dism /online for installing and removing features and roles. E.g.:
dism /online /get-features
dism /online /get-featureInfo /featurename:FSRM-Infrastructure-Core
dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:FSRM-Infrastructure-Core
For more details, see:
- Installing a server role on a server running a Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008 R2: Overview
- Operating System Package Servicing Command-Line Options
Set static IP address:
- netsh interface ipv4 show interfaces
- netsh interface ipv4 set address name=”<ID>” source=static address=<StaticIP> mask=255.255.255.0 gateway=<DefaultGateway>
- netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name=”<ID>” address=<DNSIP>index=1
Disable IPv6:
reg add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters /v DisabledComponents /t REG_DWORD /d 4294967295
Rename computer:
- netdom renamecomputer <ComputerName> /NewName:<NewComputerName>
- reboot
Join a domain:
- netdom join <computername> /domain:campus /userd:<username> /passwordd:*
- reboot
Firewall basics:
- Allow remote administration of server core
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=”Remote Administration” new enable=yes - Allow remote administration of firewall itself
netsh advfirewall set currentprofile settings remotemanagement enable
Netsh AdvFirewall Firewall Commands:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd734783(v=WS.10).aspx
specifically:
set rule group=”windows firewall remote management” new enable=yes
Install VMWare tools:
There is a variety of recommendations out there.
- Select Install VMWare Tools from the VI client interface. (mounts the CD; no autorun)
- msiexec /i “D:\VMWare Tools.msi” /qb
- will get prompted about the lack of HTML support for the manual; click no
- reboot, and then reset the stupid screen resolution
Set default screen resolution (big clues from JoeWare):
- Using regedt32, open [HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Video]
- Look for DeviceDescription=”VMWare SVGA II”
- Set DefaultSettings.Xresolution and DefaultSettings.Yresolution appropriately
(e.g., 320 hex == 800 decimal; 258 hex == 600 decimal)
or use Joe’s all-CLI procedure:
- reg query hklm\system\currentcontrolset\control\video /s | findstr /i volatile
- look for the GUIDÂ and construct the following two comands:
- reg add HKLM\system\currentcontrolset\control\video\{[GUID]}\0000 /v DefaultSettings.XResolution /d 320 /f
- reg add HKLM\system\currentcontrolset\control\video\{[GUID]}\0000 /v DefaultSettings.YResolution /d 258 /f
Enable Remote Desktop:
- cscript C:\Windows\System32\ Scregedit.wsf /ar 0
Install Windows features:
- WINS – start /w ocsetup WINS-SC
Install System Center Operations Manager Agent:
Here’s a blog post indicating a collection of hotfixes that must be installed.
Uninstall software:
Since we have no add/remove programs control panel, we have to look elsewhere. This thread on TechNet Forums offers some good starting points, including
- use the “UninstallString†value from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
Or better yet, use the wmic command:
- wmic product get name
- wmic product where name=â€Name†call uninstall
- wmic product where name=â€VMware Tools†get IdentifyingNumber
- msizap T! { IdentifyingNumber }
Useful references:
- Server Core TechNet Blog
- Command line guide for Server Core
- Commands and Tools for Managing Windows Server 2008 Server Core
CLI-fu:
- driverquery.exe
- Oclist | findstr “Installed” | findstr /v “IIS”
- reg import disable_ipv6.reg
- wevtutil.exe qe System /rd:true /c:3 /f:text
- systeminfo