Commands for Windows Server Core & Hyper-V Core Server

For some KTSI projects I have been working a lot with Windows Server Core or Hyper-V Server. Now I had to do a lot of automation, so I made this little connection of commands. If you configure the server manually you can do the most important things with the sconfig utility.

Windows Server Core

Networking

Set Hostname

netdom renamecomputer %COMPUTERNAME% /NewName:<NewComputerName> 

Join Domain

netdom join %COMPUTERNAME% /domain:<DomainName> /userd:<UserName> /passwordd:*

Remove Domain

netdom remove

Rename Network Interface

netsh interface set interface name=”old name” newname=”new name”

Configure IP Address

netsh interface ipv4 set address name=”<Interface Name>” source=static address=<IPAddress> mask=<SubnetMask> gateway=<DefaultGateway>

Configure DNS Servers

netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name=”<Interface Name>” address=<DNS Server IP> index=1

Disable Firewall (not recommended)

netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off

 

Remoting

Enable PowerShell Remoting

Enable-PSRemoting

Enable Remotedesktop

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=”remote desktop” new enable=yes

Enable Remote Administration

advfirewall firewall set rule group=”Remote Administration” new enable=yes

Enable Remote Firewall Administration

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=”Windows Firewall Remote Management” new enable=yes

Enable ICMP (Ping)

netsh firewall set icmpsetting 8

Enable Remote Disk Management

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=”Remote Volume Management” new enable=yes

 

Licensing

Enter License key

slmgr.vbs -ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Activate Windows

slmgr.vbs -ato

 

Windows Update

Enable automatic updates

cscript C:'Windows'System32'Scregedit.wsf /au 4

Disable automatic updates

cscript C:'Windows'System32'Scregedit.wsf /au 1

 

Roles & Features

Get availibale features & roles

Dism /online /get-features /format:table

Enable feature & roles

Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:<featurename>

 

Basics

Change Administrator password

net user administrator *

Restart Computer

shutdown /r /t 0

Logoff

logoff

More information about Server Core: TechNet

Check NTFS Version

If you need to know which version of NTFS you are using you can do that with the fsutil.exe and the following command.

In my case I am testing my C:\ drive:

fsutil fsinfo ntfsinfo c:

fsutil

More on NTFS Versions on wikipedia.

Install HP Support Pack on Hyper-V R2 Core Server

If you are using Microsoft Hyper-V R2 Core Server, installing the HP Support Pack is a little different. This post should show you how this is done.

  1. Download the latest HP Support Pack for Windows Server 2008 R2 and extract that on your Management Server or PC.
  2. Now copy the extracted folder to the Hyper-V Core Server. In my case i copied in the C:\ root of the Core Server via the administrative network share. If you have easy physical access to the server, you could also use a USB stick or something like that.
    Copy HP Support Pack to Core Server
  3. Now connect to the Core Server and use the cmd.exe to navigate to the folder with the HP Support Pack
    Hyper-V Core Server HP Support Pack
  4. Run the “hpsum.exe” to start the HP Smart Update Manager
    hpsum.exe
  5. When the HP Smart Update Manager is started you can use it like on a Full Server installation of Windows Server 2008
    HP Smart Update Manager on Hyper-V Core ServerHP Smart Update Manager on Hyper-V Core ServerHP Smart Update Manager on Hyper-V Core Server

You could also try to run the HP Smart Update Manager on another machine and use the remote connection feature.