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:

1. netsh interface ipv4 show interfaces
2. netsh interface ipv4 set address name=”<ID>” source=static address=<StaticIP> mask=255.255.255.0 gateway=<DefaultGateway>
3. 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:

1. netdom renamecomputer <ComputerName> /NewName:<NewComputerName>
2. reboot

Join a domain:

1. netdom join <computername> /domain:campus /userd:<username> /passwordd:*
2. reboot

Firewall basics:

1. Allow remote administration of server core
   netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=”Remote Administration” new enable=yes
2. 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.

1. Select Install VMWare Tools from the VI client interface. (mounts the CD; no autorun)
2. msiexec /i “D:\VMWare Tools.msi” /qb
3. will get prompted about the lack of HTML support for the manual; click no
4. reboot, and then reset the stupid screen resolution

Set default screen resolution (big clues from JoeWare):

1. Using regedt32, open [HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Video]
2. Look for DeviceDescription=”VMWare SVGA II”
3. Set DefaultSettings.Xresolution and DefaultSettings.Yresolution appropriately
   (e.g., 320 hex == 800 decimal; 258 hex == 600 decimal)

or use Joe’s all-CLI procedure:

1. reg query hklm\system\currentcontrolset\control\video /s | findstr /i volatile
2. look for the GUID  and construct the following two comands:
   1. reg add HKLM\system\currentcontrolset\control\video\{[GUID]}\0000 /v DefaultSettings.XResolution /d 320 /f
   2. reg add HKLM\system\currentcontrolset\control\video\{[GUID]}\0000 /v DefaultSettings.YResolution /d 258 /f

Enable Remote Desktop:

1. 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=”Name” call uninstall
• wmic product where name=”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