Server Core Installation Option of Windows Server 2008 Step-By-Step Guide Microsoft Corporation Published: February 2008 Author: Jaime Ondrusek Abstract This step-by-step guide provides the instructions you need to build a server in your test lab based on the Server Core installation option of the Windows Server® 2008 operating system. This includes installing and performing the initial configuration of the Server Core installation, installing server roles or features, and managing a server that is running a Server Core installation.
45
Embed
Server Core Installation Option of Windows Server 2008 Step-By-Step Guide
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Server Core Installation Option of Windows Server 2008 Step-By-Step Guide
Microsoft Corporation
Published: February 2008
Author: Jaime Ondrusek
AbstractThis step-by-step guide provides the instructions you need to build a server in your test lab based
on the Server Core installation option of the Windows Server® 2008 operating system. This
includes installing and performing the initial configuration of the Server Core installation, installing
server roles or features, and managing a server that is running a Server Core installation.
Copyright Information
Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, is subject to
change without notice. Unless otherwise noted, the companies, organizations, products, domain
names, e-mail addresses, logos, people, places, and events depicted in examples herein are
fictitious. No association with any real company, organization, product, domain name, e-mail
address, logo, person, place, or event is intended or should be inferred. Complying with all
applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under
copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft
Corporation.
Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual
property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any
written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any
license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property.
Appendix A: Sample Server Core installation - Unattend.xml....................................................37
Server Core Installation Option of Windows Server 2008 Step-By-Step Guide
This step-by-step guide provides instructions for building a server in your test lab that is based on
the Server Core installation option of the Windows Server® 2008 operating system. It includes
information about installation, initial configuration, and managing a server that is running a Server
Core installation.
What is a Server Core installation?The Server Core installation option is a new option that you can use for installing Windows
Server 2008. A Server Core installation provides a minimal environment for running specific
server roles, which reduces the maintenance and management requirements and the attack
surface for those server roles. A server running a Server Core installation supports the following
server roles:
Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS)
DHCP Server
DNS Server
File Services
Print Services
Streaming Media Services
Web Server (IIS)
To accomplish this, the Server Core installation option installs only the subset of the binary files
that are required by the supported server roles. For example, the Explorer shell is not installed as
part of a Server Core installation. Instead, the default user interface for a server running a Server
Core installation is the command prompt.
What’s new in the Server Core installation option?The Server Core installation option of Windows Server 2008 requires initial configuration at a
command prompt. A Server Core installation does not include the traditional full graphical user
interface. Once you have configured the server, you can manage it locally at a command prompt
or remotely using a Terminal Server connection. You can also manage the server remotely using
the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) or command-line tools that support remote use.
Who should use this guide?The target audience for the Server Core installation option of Windows Server 2008 includes:
5
IT planners and analysts who are technically evaluating the product.
Enterprise IT planners and designers for organizations.
IT professionals who are managing the AD DS, AD LDS, DHCP Server, DNS Server, File
Services, Print Services, Streaming Media Services, and Web Server (IIS) roles.
Benefits of a Server Core installationThe Server Core installation option of Windows Server 2008 provides the following benefits:
Reduced maintenance. Because the Server Core installation option installs only what is
required to have a manageable server for the AD DS, AD LDS, DHCP Server, DNS Server,
File Services, Print Services, and Streaming Media Services roles, less maintenance is
required than on a full installation of Windows Server 2008.
Reduced attack surface. Because Server Core installations are minimal, there are fewer
applications running on the server, which decreases the attack surface.
Reduced management. Because fewer applications and services are installed on a server
running the Server Core installation, there is less to manage.
Less disk space required. A Server Core installation requires only about 1 gigabyte (GB) of
disk space to install and approximately 2 GB for operations after the installation.
In this guide Deploying a Server Core installation: Overview
Configuring a Server Core installation: Overview
Installing a server role on a server running a Server Core installation: Overview
Installing Windows Features: Overview
Managing a Server Core installation: Overview
Administering a Server Core installation
Logging bugs and feedback
Additional references
Appendix A: Sample Server Core installation - Unattend.xml
Deploying a Server Core installation: OverviewIn this scenario, you will create a server running a Server Core installation. There are no special
settings or differences between installing Windows Server 2008 and a Server Core installation.
Prerequisites for deploying a Server Core installationTo complete this task, you will need the following:
The Windows Server 2008 installation media
A valid product key
6
A computer on which you can perform a clean Server Core installation
Known issues for deploying a Server Core installation There is no way to upgrade from a previous version of the Windows Server operating system
to a Server Core installation. Only a clean installation is supported.
There is no way to upgrade from a full installation of Windows Server 2008 to a Server Core
installation. Only a clean installation is supported.
There is no way to upgrade from a Server Core installation to a full installation of Windows
Server 2008. If you need the Windows® user interface or a server role that is not supported
in a Server Core installation, you will need to install a full installation of Windows
Server 2008.
Steps for manually installing a Server Core installationFollow this procedure to install a Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008.
To install a Server Core installation
1. Insert the appropriate Windows Server 2008 installation media into your DVD drive.
2. When the auto-run dialog box appears, click Install Now.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.
4. After Setup completes, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, click Other User, type
Administrator with a blank password, and then press ENTER. You will be prompted to
set a password for the Administrator account.
Using an unattend file to install a Server Core installationUsing an unattend file for a Server Core installation enables you to perform most of the initial
configuration tasks during Setup. Performing an unattended Server Core installation provides the
following benefits:
There is no need to perform the initial configuration by using command-line tools.
You can include the settings in the unattend file to enable remote administration (when Setup
is complete).
You can configure settings that cannot be easily modified at a command prompt, such as
display resolution.
To install a Server Core installation by using an unattend file
1. Create a .xml file titled Unattend.xml by using a text editor or Windows System Image
Manager.
2. Copy the Unattend.xml file to a local drive or shared network resource.
3. Boot your computer to Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE), Windows
7
Server 2003, or Windows XP.
4. Insert the media disk with the Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008 into your
disk drive. If the auto-run Setup window appears, click Cancel.
5. At a command prompt, change to the drive that contains the installation media.
6. Type the following at a command prompt:
setup /unattend:<path>\unattend.xml
where path is the path to your Unattend.xml file.
7. Allow Setup to complete.
Note
Appendix A of this document contains a sample unattend file with comments that
explain the settings in the sample configuration. This sample can be modified for
use in your environment.
Configuring a Server Core installation: OverviewBecause a Server Core installation does not include the Windows user interface, there is no "out-
of-box experience" to help you complete the server configuration. Instead you must manually
complete the configuration using the command-line tools as outlined in the following steps.
Note
You can use an unattended setup to configure these settings during installation. For more
information about unattended settings, see the Windows Automated Installation Kit
Use the netsh advfirewall command. For example, to enable remote management from
any MMC snap-in, type the following:
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Remote Administration" new enable=yes
Notes
You can also use the Windows Firewall snap-in from a computer running Windows Vista
or Windows Server 2008 to remotely manage the firewall on a server running a Server
Core installation. To do this, you must first enable remote management of the firewall by
running the following command on the computer running a Server Core installation:
netsh advfirewall set currentprofile settings remotemanagement enable
Installing a server role on a server running Server Core installation: OverviewAfter the Server Core installation is complete and the server is configured, you can install one or
more server roles. The Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008 supports the following
server roles:
Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS)
DHCP Server
DNS Server
File Services
Print Services
Streaming Media Services
Web Server (IIS)
More information about the command-line tools for configuring the server roles is available in the
Additional references section at the end of this guide.
Note
This section includes a procedure for each server role in the previous list. You need to
complete the procedure(s) for only the server roles that you want to install.
11
Prerequisites for installing a server role on a server running Server Core installationTo complete this task, you need the following:
A computer on which you have installed and configured a Server Core installation of Windows
Server 2008.
An administrator user account and password for the server running the Server Core
installation.
If installing and configuring a print server, another computer running Windows Vista or
Windows Server 2008 on which you can run the Print Management Console to remotely
configure the print server.
If installing and configuring a DHCP server, the information required to configure a DHCP
scope.
If installing and configuring a DHCP server, you must configure the server running the Server
Core installation to use a static IP address.
If installing and configuring a DNS server, the information required to configure a DNS zone.
If installing and configuring an Active Directory environment, the information required to either
join an existing domain or to create a new domain.
If you are going to promote the server running the Server Core installation to be a domain
controller in an Active Directory domain, a domain administrator user name and password.
Known issues for installing a server role on a Server Core installation You cannot use the Active Directory Domain Controller Installation Wizard (Dcpromo.exe) on
a server running Server Core installation. You must use an unattend file with Dcpromo.exe to
install or remove the domain controller role.
Alternately, you can run Dcpromo.exe on another computer running Windows Server 2008
and use the wizard to save an unattend file that you can then use on the server running
Server Core installation.
Dcpromo.exe will restart the computer immediately when the installation is complete or when
Active Directory is removed unless RebootOnCompletion=No is included in the answer file.
The Web Server (IIS) role does not support ASP.NET in Server Core installations. Because
there is no support for managed code, the following IIS features are not available in Server
Core installations:
IIS-ASPNET
IIS-NetFxExtensibility
IIS-ManagementConsole
IIS-ManagementService
IIS-LegacySnapIn
12
IIS-FTPManagement
WAS-NetFxEnvironment
WAS-ConfigurationAPI
Steps for installing a server role on a Server Core installationTo install a server role on a Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008, perform the
procedure for the desired role as follows.
Note
Ocsetup.exe syntax is case sensitive so be sure to follow the examples explicitly.
Available server roles
To discover the available server roles, open a command prompt and type the following:
oclist
This command lists the server roles and optional features that are available for use with
Ocsetup.exe. It also lists the server roles and optional features that are currently installed.
DNS Server role
To install the DNS Server role
1. At a command prompt, type:
start /w ocsetup DNS-Server-Core-Role
Note
Using /w prevents the command prompt from returning until the installation
completes. Without /w, there is no indication that the installation completed.
2. Configure a DNS zone at the command prompt by typing dnscmd or by remotely using
the DNS MMC snap-in.
Note
Typing start /w ocsetup DNS-Server-Core-Role /uninstall at the command prompt will
uninstall the DNS Server role.
DHCP Server role
To install the DHCP Server role
1. At a command prompt, type:
start /w ocsetup DHCPServerCore
2. Configure a DHCP scope at the command prompt by using netsh, or by remotely using
the DHCP snap-in from Windows Server 2008.
13
3. If the DHCP server is installed in an Active Directory domain, you must authorize it in
Active Directory.
The DHCP Server service does not start automatically by default. Use the following procedure to
configure it to start automatically and to start the service for the first time.
To configure and start the DHCP Server service
1. At a command prompt, type:
sc config dhcpserver start= auto
2. Start the service by typing:
net start dhcpserver
Note
Typing start /w ocsetup DHCPServerCore /uninstall at the command prompt will
uninstall the DHCP Server role.
File Services role
The Server service is installed by default to provide administrative share support for management
tools. To install additional file server features use the following commands:
To install File Services role features
For File Replication Service, type the following at a command prompt:
Installing Windows Features: OverviewAfter the Server Core installation is complete and the server is configured, you can install one or
more optional features. The Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008 supports the
following optional features:
Failover Clustering
Network Load Balancing
Subsystem for UNIX-based applications
Backup
Multipath IO
Removable Storage
Bitlocker Drive Encryption
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
Windows Internet Name Service (WINS)
Telnet client
The following procedure describes how to install these features on a server running a Server
Core installation.
Note
Failover Clustering is not available in Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition.
Prerequisites for installing an optional feature on a server running a Server Core installationThe following optional features require appropriate hardware:
Failover Clustering
Network Load Balancing
Multipath IO
Removable Storage
Bitlocker Drive Encryption
17
Note
For more information about the hardware that is required for optional features, see the
Additional References section at the end of this document.
There are no prerequisites for the following optional features:
Subsystem for UNIX-based applications
Backup
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
Windows Internet Name Service (WINS)
Telnet client
Known issues for installing an optional feature on a server running a Server Core installationThere are no known issues for installing an optional feature on a Server Core installation of
Windows Server 2008.
Steps for installing an optional feature on a server running a Server Core installationTo install an optional feature on a Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008, perform the
following procedure.
Note
The Ocsetup.exe syntax is case sensitive so be sure to follow the examples explicitly.
Available optional features
To discover the available optional features, open a command prompt and type the following:
Oclist
This command lists the server roles and optional features that are available for use with
Ocsetup.exe. It also lists the server roles and optional features that are currently installed.
To install an optional feature
At a command prompt, type:
start /w ocsetup <featurename>
Where featurename is the name of a feature from the following list:
To remove an optional feature, use start /w ocsetup with the appropriate role name and
the /uninstall switch.
Managing a Server Core installation: OverviewYou can manage a server running Server Core installation in the following ways:
Locally and remotely using a command prompt. By using the Windows command-line
tools at a command prompt, you can manage servers running a Server Core installation.
Remotely using Terminal Server. By using another computer running Windows, you can
use the Terminal Server client to connect to a server running a Server Core installation, and
manage it remotely. The shell in the Terminal Server session will be the command prompt.
Remotely using Windows Remote Shell. By using another computer running
Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, you can use Windows Remote Shell to run
command-line tools and scripts on a server running a Server Core installation.
Remotely using an MMC snap-in. By using an MMC snap-in from a computer running
Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, you can connect to a server running Server Core
installation in the same way that you would connect to any computer running Windows.
Prerequisites for managing a server running Server Core installationTo manage a server running Server Core installation, you need:
A computer that has a Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008 installed and
configured.
An administrator user account and password for a server running a Server Core installation.
19
Known issues for managing a server running a Server Core installation Not all tasks can be performed at a command prompt or remotely through an MMC snap-in.
There is a script included with the Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008 that you
can use to configure the following settings:
Enable automatic updates
Enable Remote Desktop for Administration
Enable Terminal Server clients on previous versions of Windows to connect to a server
running a Server Core installation
Configure DNS SRV record weight and priority
Manage IPsec Monitor remotely
The script is located in the \Windows\System32 folder of a server running a Server Core
installation. At a command prompt, open the folder, and then use the following command to
display the usage instructions for the previous options:
cscript scregedit.wsf /?
Note
You can use this command with the /cli option to display a list of common command-line
tools and their usage.
If you close all Command Prompt windows and want to open a new Command Prompt
ServerName is the name of the server running a Server Core installation.
UserName is the name of an administrator account.
To be prompted for a password, omit the /pass option.
2. When prompted, type the password for the user name that is specified in the previous
step.
3. If the firewall on the computer running a Server Core installation is not already configured
to allow MMC snap-ins to connect, follow the steps in "To configure Windows Firewall to
allow MMC snap-in(s) to connect." Then return to this procedure.
4. On a different computer, start an MMC snap-in, such as Computer Management.
5. In the left pane, right-click the top of the tree and click Connect to another computer.
(In the Computer Management example, you would right-click Computer Management
(Local).)
6. In Another computer, type the computer name of the server running a Server Core
installation and click OK.
7. You can now use the MMC snap-in to manage the server running a Server Core
installation as you would any other computer running a Windows Server operating
system.
To configure Windows Firewall to allow MMC snap-in(s) to connect
To allow all MMC snap-ins to connect, at a command prompt, type:
Netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=“remote administration” new enable=yes
To allow only specific MMC snap-ins to connect, at a command prompt, type:
Netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=“<rulegroup>” new enable=yes
Where:
Rulegroup is one of the values from the table below, depending on which snap-in you
want to connect.
MMC snap-in Rule group
Event Viewer Remote Event Log Management
Services Remote Services Management
Shared Folders File and Printer Sharing
Task Scheduler Remote Scheduled Tasks Management
Reliability and Performance Performance Logs and Alerts
File and Printer Sharing
Disk Management Remote Volume Management
Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Windows Firewall Remote Management
24
Notes
Some MMC snap-ins do not have a corresponding rule group that allows them to connect
through the firewall. However, enabling the rule groups for Event Viewer, Services, or
Shared Folders will allow most other snap-ins to connect.
Additionally, certain snap-ins require further configuration before they can connect
through the firewall:
Device Manager. You must first enable the Allow remote access to the PnP interface
policy setting. To do this, on a computer running Windows Vista or a full installation of
Windows Server 2008, open the Local Group Policy Editor MMC snap-in, connect to the
computer running a Server Core installation, navigate to Computer Configuration\
Administrative Templates\Device Installation, and then enable Allow remote access to the
PnP interface. Restart the computer running a Server Core installation.
Note that when Device Manager is used remotely, it is read-only.
Disk Management. You must first start the Virtual Disk Service (VDS) on the computer
running a Server Core installation.
IP Security Monitor. You must first enable remote management of this snap-in. To do this, at
a command prompt, type:
Cscript \windows\system32\scregedit.wsf /im 1
Reliability and Performance. The snap-in does not require any further configuration, but
when you use it to monitor a computer running a Server Core installation, you can only
monitor performance data. Reliability data is not available.
To add hardware to a server running a Server Core installation
1. Follow the instructions provided by the hardware vendor for installing new hardware:
If the driver for the hardware is included in Windows Server 2008, Plug and Play will
start and install the driver.
If the driver for the hardware is not included, proceed with the steps 2 and 3.
2. Copy the driver files to a temporary folder on the server running a Server Core
installation.
3. At a command prompt, open the folder where the driver files are located, and then run
the following command:
pnputil -i -a <driverinf>
Where:
driverinf is the file name of the .inf file for the driver.
4. If prompted, restart the computer.
25
To obtain a list of drivers that are installed on the server running a Server Core installation
At a command prompt, type:
sc query type= driver
Note
You must include the space after the equal sign for the command to complete
successfully.
To disable a device driver on a server running a Server Core installation
At a command prompt, type:
sc delete <service_name>
Where:
service_name is the name of the service that you obtain by running sc query type=
driver.
Administering a Server Core installationThis section focuses on common administrative tasks that are performed locally or remotely from
a command prompt. The commands are grouped into the following sections:
Configuration and installation
Networking and firewall
Updates and error reporting
Services, processes and performance
Event logs
Disk and file system
Hardware
Remote administration
Prerequisites for administering a Server Core installationTo complete this task, you need:
A computer on which you have installed and configured a Server Core installation of Windows
Server 2008
An administrator user account and password for the server running a Server Core installation
Known issues for administering a Server Core installation Server Core installation supports Windows Installer in quiet mode so that you can install tools
and utilities from Windows Installer files.
26
To use the Disk Management MMC snap-in remotely, start the Virtual Disk Service on a
server running a Server Core installation. To do this, type the following at a command prompt:
net start VDS
If you need to write a script for managing a server running a Server Core installation, which
requires the secure inclusion of an administrative password, see the scripting column on
Microsoft TechNet (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=56421).
Steps for administering a Server Core installationThe following procedures summarize common administrator tasks for a server running a Server
Core installation.
Configuration and installation
Task Steps
Set the local administrative password At a command prompt, type:
net user administrator *
Join a computer to a domain 1. At a command prompt, type on one line:
netdom join %computername%
/domain:<domain> /userd:<domain>\
username> /password:*
2. Restart the computer.
Confirm that the domain has changed At a command prompt, type:
set
Remove a computer from a domain At a command prompt, type:
netdom remove
Add a user to the local Administrators
group.
At a command prompt, type:
net localgroup Administrators /add <domain>\
<username>
Remove a user from the local
Administrators group
At a command prompt, type:
net localgroup Administrators /delete <domain\
username>
Add a user to the local computer At a command prompt, type:
net user <domain\user name> /add *
Add a group to the local computer At a command prompt, type: