Windows Server 2008 Core – Useful Commands

Xavier Mustin · 28 Janvier 2012

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

Code:

netdom RenameComputer [i]<hostname>[/i] /NewName [i]<new_hostname>[/i]

Then reboot for it to take effect

Code:

shutdown /r /t 0

List network interfaces currently connected

Code:

netsh interface show interface

Set up static primary IP address if needed

Code:

netsh interface ipv4 set address â€œLocal Area Connectionâ€ static [i]<IP address>[/i][i]<Subnet Mask>[/i] [i]<Default Gateway>[/i]
netsh interface ipv4 set dnsserver â€œLocal Area Connectionâ€ static [i]<DNS IP Address 1>[/i] primary
netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver â€œLocal Area Connectionâ€ [i]<DNS IP Address 2>[/i] index=2

If you're in a cluster, tell the cluster NIC not to register itself in DNS

Code:

netsh interface ipv4 set dnsserver [i]<Cluster NIC>[/i] static none none

Join our server to our domain

Code:

netdom join [i]<hostname>[/i] /domain:[i]<full DNS domain name>[/i] /userd:<user with rights to add to domain> /passwordd: *

and reboot once again

Code:

shutdown /r /t 0

Open firewall ports for remote administration

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

And allow ICMP Echo for all firewall profiles

Code:

netsh firewall set icmpsetting 8 enable all

Enable remote connection to the Virtual Disk service

Code:

sc config vds start=auto
net start vds

Let's enable Terminal Services so we can sit at our desk rather than in a server room

Code:

cscript c:\windows\system32\SCregEdit.wsf /ar 0

Reboot the server to make sure this takes effect - may not be necessary here

Code:

shutdown /r /t 0

Confirm regional settings

Code:

control timedate.cpl
control intl.cpl

Turn off Windows Update auto update

Code:

cscript SCregEdit.wsf /AU 1
Net stop wuauserv

Enable WinRM

Code:

WinRM quickconfig

Install your Roles

Code:

start /w ocsetup [i]<your role here>[/i]

Whack in your product key and license your server

Code:

start /w slmgr.vbs -ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
start /w slmgr.vbs -ato

Just to check it's actually taken effect...

Code:

start /w slmgr.vbs -dli

Log off and your server is in production!

Code:

logoff

This is enough to put your server into production and manage it comfortably from your desk, rather than the server room.Advertisement

Windows Server 2008 Core – Useful Commands

Xavier Mustin

Administrator