Server Core Administration Commands – “What administrator need to know”

Below is a collection of commands for administering and configuring Server Core platforms.

This has been pieced together over a period of time.

Some commands will show real life experience examples, others are self-explanatory.

What you will find here :

• Networking Commands

• Windows Firewall Commands

• Server Role Commands

• Administration Commands

• Windows Update Commands

Networking Commands

Show NICs

netsh interface ipv4 show interfaces

Show NIC Configuration

netsh interface ipv4 show config

Configure Static IP

netsh interface ipv4 set address name=”2” source=static address=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxxmask=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx gateway xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

Example: netsh interface ipv4 address name=”local area connection 2” address=192.168.1.231 mask=255.255.255.0 gateway=192.168.1.1

Add Primary DNS

netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name=”2” address=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx index=1

Add Secondary DNS

netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name=”2” address=xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx index=2

Rename server

netdom renamecomputer oldname /NewName:newname

Example: netdom renamecomputer %computername% /NewName:server2003

Rename Domain Joined Computer

netdom renamecomputer %computername% /NewName: /userd: /password:*

Example: netdom renamecomputer %comtpuername% /NewName:HPDL380-

New /userd:test.local\john.doe /F5ght81rP:*

Add to Domain

netdom join servername /domain:domainname /userd:domain\username

/password:*

Example: netdom join dell2950-srv4 /domain:workgroup /userd:local.host\john.doe/F5ght81rP:*

Remove from domain:

netdom remove

Example: netdom remove /host.local

Confirm Domain/Computer name

Set

(Also see): systeminfo

Rename a Domain Member:

netdom renamecomputer %computername% /NewName: /userd: /password:*

Disable Interface

netsh interface set interface “Local Area Connection 2” disabled

Delete DNS entries

netsh interface delete dnsserver name=”2” address=all

Example: netsh interface delete dnsserver name=”dell2950-srv1” address=all

All TCP/IP commands available including the following:

IPConfig

ARP

Ping

PathPing

TraceRT

Route

NSLookup

NetStat

NBTStat

Windows Firewall Commands

Note: Once Windows Server Core has been installed, the firewall settings will be enabled by default

Disable firewall:

netsh firewall set opmode disable

Note: Server Core can be managed by using MMCs from a remote server. However with the firewall being on by default you will have to allow these tools to work remotely.

MMC Snap-in – Event Viewer
Windows Firewall Rule Group – Remote Event Log Management

MMC Snap-in – Services
Windows Firewall Rule Group – Remote Services Management MMC Snap-in – Shared Folders

Windows Firewall Rule Group – File and Printer Sharing
MMC Snap-in – Task Scheduler

Windows Firewall Rule Group – Remote Scheduled Tasks Management
MMC Snap-in – Reliability and Performance

Windows Firewall Rule Group – Performance Logs and Alerts

Windows Firewall Rule Group – File and Printer Sharing

MMC Snap-in – Disk Management
Windows Firewall Rule Group – Remote Volume Management

MMC Snap-in – Windows Firewall with Advanced Security

Windows Firewall Rule Group – Windows Firewall Remote Management
To enable all of these rules follow use this command:

Netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=“remote administration” new enable=yes

To enable specific commands follow this format:

Netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=“” new enable=yes

Server Roles
The ocsetup.exe is used to install roles and features. (OC stands for optional components)

Note: This command is case sensitive

The following server roles may be installed with Windows Server 2008 Core:

• Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) and AD Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS)
• DNS Server
• Internet Information Services (IIS) (No ASP.NET support)
• DHCP Server
• File Services
• Print Services
• Streaming Media Services
• Hyper V

Discover available server roles:

Oclist

DNS

start /w ocsetup DNS-Server-Core-Role

DHCP

start /w ocsetup DHCPServerCore

File Services (Server service is installed by default) but there are other role features

File Replication Service

start /w ocsetup FRS-Infrastructure

Distributed File System

start /w ocsetup DFSN-Server

Distributed File System Replication

start /w ocsetup DFSR-Infrastructure-ServerEdition

Services for Network File System (NFS)

start /w ocsetup ServerForNFS-Base

start /w ocsetup ClientForNFS-Base

Hyper V

start /w ocsetup Microsoft-Hyper-V

Print Server feature

start /w ocsetup Printing-ServerCore-Role

Line Printer Daemon (LPD) service

start /w ocsetup Printing-LPDPrintService

Note: Adding or removing the Active Directory role with OCSetup.exe is not supported. Always use DCPromo to install or uninstall Active Directory

Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services

start /w ocsetup DirectoryServices-ADAM-ServerCore

Active Directory Domain Services

dcpromo /unattend:

Streaming Media Services

Follow directions found in Article ID 934518

IIS

start /w pkgmgr /iu:IIS-WebServerRole;WAS-WindowsActivationService;WAS-ProcessModel

To uninstall IIS use the following command

start /w pkgmgr /uu:IIS-WebServerRole;WAS-WindowsActivationService;WAS-ProcessModel

Microsoft Failover Clustering

start /w ocsetup FailoverCluster-Core

Network Load Balancing

start /w ocsetup NetworkLoadBalancingHeadlessServer

Subsystem for UNIX-based applications

start /w ocsetup SUACore

Multipath IO

start /w ocsetup MultipathIo

Removable Storage

start /w ocsetup Microsoft-Windows-RemovableStorageManagementCore

Bitlocker Drive Encryption

start /w ocsetup BitLocker

Backup

start /w ocsetup WindowsServerBackup

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

start /w ocsetup SNMP-SC

Windows Internet Name Service (WINS)

start /w ocsetup WINS-SC

Telnet client

start /w ocsetup TelnetClient

NOTE: If you need to un-install a Role that you installed with ocsetup all you need to do is to use the commands above with /uninstall.

To uninstall a server role:

Start /w ocsetup /uninstall

Example: start /w ocsetup Microsoft-Hyper-V /uninstall

Admin Configuration

Activate the Server
(Local Method )
C:\widows\system32\cscript slmgr.vbs –ato

(Remote method)
Cscript windows\system32\slmgr.vbsServerName UserName password:-ato

Enable Remote Desktop for Administration

C:\windows\system32\cscript scregedit.wsf /AR 0

Restart server

shutdown /r t 0

shutdown /r

Log off

logoff

Logged on user

whoami

Start Task Manager

taskmgr

Rename Administrator:
wmic UserAccount where Name=”Administrator” call Rename Name=”new-name”
Add User to a Local Group

net localgroup GroupName /add \

Remove User from a Local Group

net localgroup GroupName /delete \

Update User Passwords:

Net user [/domain] *
Net user administrator *

Toggle Remote Desktop on and off:

Cscript \windows\system32\scregedit.wsf /ar 0

Enable reduced security for RDP connections:

Cscript \windows\system32\scregedit.wsf /cs 0

Rename a Stand-Alone Member:

netdom renamecomputer /NewName:

Configure the Page File:

wmic pagefileset where name=”” set InitialSize=,MaximumSize=

Configure a Proxy Server: (Server Core cannot use a proxy that requires a proxy)

netsh Winhttp set proxy :

List Running Services:

sc query

Start and/or Stop a Service:

sc start
sc stop

Manage Disk Volumes:

Diskpart /?

Example: (format disk)
Diskpart
List disk
Select disk 1
Clean
Create partition primary
Active
Format fs=ntfs
Assign
exit

Defrag a Volume:

defrag /?

Example: defrag –c
(defrags all volumes on computer):

Change Time and Time Zone:

control timedate.cpl

Change the Desktop Resolution: (requires you to log off and back on)

Regedit – HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Video
000\DefaultSettings.XResolution
000\DefaultSettings.YResolution

Display the Time in the Command Prompt:

prompt [$t]$s$p$g

Note: to remove time log off and log back in
Enable error reporting
serverWerOptin /detailed
serverWerOptin /summary
Disable Error Reporting
serverWerOptin /disable

Windows Updates

Note: Windows updates config commands should be performed from c:\windows\system32

List of installed patches:

wmic qfe list

Install Updates:

wusa .msu /quiet

Force Update check

Wuauclt /detectnow

List installed updates:

systeminfo

Configure for AutoUpdates:

cscript scregedit.wsf /AU /4

Example: Cscript c:\windows\system32\scregedit.wsf /au 4

Net stop wuauserv
Net start wuauserv

Disable AutoUpdates:

cscript scregedit.wsf /AU /1

View AutoUpdate Setting:

cscript scregedit.wsf /AU /v