Windows Server 2008 R2 introduces a new command-line utility, DISM, the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool. One of DISM’s many useful features is the ability to use its edition-servicing commands to upgrade an R2 installation without requiring...

Now that a build of Windows Server 2008 R2 has been released, I can start talking about what we have been working on. In a Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core installation we have: · Active Directory Certificate Services is now an available Server Role...

Now that Longhorn Server beta 2 is out, I figured I would try this blog thing as a way to share information and answer common questions about Server Core. For my first post I’ll provide a brief summary of what Server Core is and why we are creating...

As we’ve discussed in the past, Features on Demand makes it easy to reduce the footprint of your Windows Servers by removing optional components you don’t need from your server’s local disk. When you install Server Core (the default...

In our previous blog posting , we introduced the Minimal Server Interface. At the end, we noted that there are three particular Windows features (among others, of course) that can be installed on any server running Windows Server 2012: Server Core...

I thought for today’s post I would cover some of the top questions I get on how to do something on Server Core. In coming weeks I’ll expand this into some of my favorite command line tools. First up is how to rename the box, since there isn’t a...

In the Server Core installation option, there is a way to remove the server roles and optional features from the disk, to free up more space. In addition to reducing disk usage, this could be used to ensure an administrator doesn’t add a role or feature...

Just like on a full server installation, the firewall is on by default in a Server Core installation and most inbound traffic is blocked at the end of setup. There are then three scenarios for remote management via MMC: Server Roles – when a...

Sorry for the delays between postings lately, working on Beta 3 has been keeping us all busy. Today I’m going to talk briefly about some of the changes and additions we have made to the Server Core installation option for Beta 3. For those of you with...

This time I’ll cover what I meant last time by a subset of .NET 2.0, with future posts covering the other additions in more detail. Not everything required for full .NET 2.0 support is included in Server Core. Instead of increasing the Server Core footprint...

Time for another installment about Server Core…..every two weeks seems about right. When new builds are released and there is more to discuss I’ll try to post more frequently. Vista and Longhorn Server include the WS-Management protocol that was...

Microsoft Technology Platform Adoption labs is offering a training session April 21-23 on Server Core development for Windows Server 2008 R2. This will be offered via a “Virtual Lab” so you can attend from your office, there is no need to travel. However...

The Windows Server blog introduced many of the changes we have made for Windows Server 2012 for Server Core, the new Minimal Server Interface, and Features on Demand in this posting: http://blogs.technet.com/b/windowsserver/archive/2012/03/20/building...

I think I got a little carried away talking about the SC command line tool last week and how to use it to help manage drivers. So carried away in fact, that I forgot to explain how to install a new driver. For hardware that has an in the box driver...

For those of you at TechEd recently or who saw the articles, IIS is now a role included in the Server Core installation option. If you have access to the recently released CTP build, IIS is available for you to start testing. Because Server Core does...

Some of these may be repeats, but this is a pretty complete list of common tasks an administrator might need to do that either don't have a well known command line tool or a tool at all. A few of these may not work in current builds, such as oclist, but...

We have been hearing your questions about whether .NET Framework 4 will be available on Server Core. I’m happy to announce that in Q1 of 2011, there will be a release of .NET Framework 4 supporting installation on the Server Core installation option...

A slight detour from the Windows Server 2008 R2 posts this time around to cover a topic that has been coming up recently: UAC on Server Core. UAC is not available in Server Core, since it is a command line only interface, doesn’t have IE, or support...

The Server Core step by step guide is now available in two locations 1 – To read online or print from: http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/longhorn/en/library/bab0f1a1-54aa-4cef-9164-139e8bcc44751033.mspx?mfr=true 2 – To download in doc...

I missed Friday last week due to the short week, so I’ll see if I can post twice this week. I’ve received several questions in the last week dealing with activation, so I thought I would post some information on activation. There is a VBScript in...

This post is going to be slightly different then my previous postings. Last week I was at ITForum presenting on Server Core. Towards the end of the week I also had a ChalkTalk/Q&A session where I answered questions as well as collected feedback on...

It is time for another installment of the Server Core blog. Based on today’s topic you may be able to guess that I’m scrounging for topics to cover. If anyone has suggestions, please send me email or post a comment and I’ll try to cover the topic in a...

It has been a little over a week and my plan is to try and post about once a week, so here goes post #2. I’ve been told that Longhorn Server beta 2, including Server Core, are going to be available to MSDN and TechNet subscribers, so anyone with...

For those that have access to the new build released in December, this post will cover some new items in Server Core. The build is supposed to be available as part of the January MSDN, so hopefully more of you will have access when that comes out. ...

RC0 of Windows Server 2008 is out and there are a few changes in Server Core: · Runonce now works · IIS is included as a role – see this blog posting for lots of useful IIS on Server Core information: http://blogs.iis.net/metegokt/archive/2007/06...