I’ve found myself using Windows Server 2008 Core quite a lot recently, and apart from using the GUI CoreConfigurator I’ve realised that I’m often completely forgetting a whole bunch of commands related to Server Core setup. Now nine times out of ten I’m working from a prepared Sysprep image with Group Policies setting everything I need; but every so often I forget or am setting up a test lab and need these commands. Anyways, here’s a list of codes that I use very often.
Updated: rearranged code as joining a domain switches the Windows Firewall profile; all firewall changes will be discarded if you make them before joining the domain. Found that out the hard way =)
Give the computer a sensible name
Then reboot for it to take effect
List network interfaces currently connected
Set up static primary IP address if needed
If you're in a cluster, tell the cluster NIC not to register itself in DNS
Join our server to our domain
and reboot once again
Open firewall ports for remote administration
And allow ICMP Echo for all firewall profiles
Enable remote connection to the Virtual Disk service
Let's enable Terminal Services so we can sit at our desk rather than in a server room
Reboot the server to make sure this takes effect - may not be necessary here
Confirm regional settings
Turn off Windows Update auto update
Enable WinRM
Install your Roles
Whack in your product key and license your server
Just to check it's actually taken effect...
Log off and your server is in production!
This is enough to put your server into production and manage it comfortably from your desk, rather than the server room.Advertisement
Updated: rearranged code as joining a domain switches the Windows Firewall profile; all firewall changes will be discarded if you make them before joining the domain. Found that out the hard way =)
Give the computer a sensible name
Code:
netdom RenameComputer [i]<hostname>[/i] /NewName [i]<new_hostname>[/i]
Code:
shutdown /r /t 0
Code:
netsh interface show interface
Code:
netsh interface ipv4 set address “Local Area Connection†static [i]<IP address>[/i][i]<Subnet Mask>[/i] [i]<Default Gateway>[/i]
netsh interface ipv4 set dnsserver “Local Area Connection†static [i]<DNS IP Address 1>[/i] primary
netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver “Local Area Connection†[i]<DNS IP Address 2>[/i] index=2
Code:
netsh interface ipv4 set dnsserver [i]<Cluster NIC>[/i] static none none
Code:
netdom join [i]<hostname>[/i] /domain:[i]<full DNS domain name>[/i] /userd:<user with rights to add to domain> /passwordd: *
Code:
shutdown /r /t 0
Code:
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Remote Administration" new enable=yes
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Remote Desktop" new enable=yes
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Remote Volume Management" new enable=yes
this last command has to be run on both the Core installation And the server/workstation managing it
Code:
netsh firewall set icmpsetting 8 enable all
Code:
sc config vds start=auto
net start vds
Code:
cscript c:\windows\system32\SCregEdit.wsf /ar 0
Code:
shutdown /r /t 0
Code:
control timedate.cpl
control intl.cpl
Code:
cscript SCregEdit.wsf /AU 1
Net stop wuauserv
Code:
WinRM quickconfig
Code:
start /w ocsetup [i]<your role here>[/i]
Code:
start /w slmgr.vbs -ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
start /w slmgr.vbs -ato
Code:
start /w slmgr.vbs -dli
Code:
logoff