In this article which is related to Windows Server 2012 R2 Core configuration, I’m going to show you how to convert Server Core to Full GUI and Convert from Gui to Windows Core? Before doing the conversion to full GUI and vice versa, you must know the basic configuration of Windows Server 2012 R2 Core.  The preview article was about essential Configuration of  Windows Server 2012 R2 Core?“.

This is the capability of Windows Server 2012 R2 that allows administrators to install servers with the full Gui, use the graphical tools to perform the initial setup and then convert them to Server Core to conserve system resources. In case of needed any changes, it is possible to reinstall the Gui components or remove them again. We can do it this conversion with Powershell and DISM command line utility.

Method 1: Convert Server Core to Gui using PowerShell

Get ready to convert Server Core to Full Gui using Windows PowerShell. In order to do this, log in to Server core with an administrator account and open the PowerShell through opened command prompt.

1. To open PowerShell type “start PowerShell” on command prompt and press Enter. The PowerShell will open in a new window. See the screenshot.

Now convert server core to full Gui using with the following “install-WindowsFeature” PowerShell command.

2. First of all gets the name of GUI features with “Get-WindowsFeature *GUI*” command.

You see the two Graphical Management Tools and Infrastructure and Server Graphical Shell which we need to install it.

3. Type the command “Install-WindowsFeature -Name Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra, Server-Gui-Shell –Source:E:\sources\install.wim” to install the GUI on Server core.

The “E:” is the DVD ROM of my computer and the Windows Server 2012 R2 is already in.

4. OK, when the installing features have finished successfully, restart the server core using “Shutdown -r -t 0” command.

After rebooting the system, you will see the Windows Server with full Gui and all necessary graphical management tools.

Finally, Windows Server with full Gui is here.

Method 2: Convert Windows Server Full Gui to Server Core

OK, let’s convert Server from full Gui back to Server Core using “Uninstall-WindowsFeature” PowerShell command. We can do it with graphical as well, but the command is easy and you must learn for the exam.

Uninstall-WindowsFeature -Name Name Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra, Server-Gui-Shell -Restart

The command will uninstall and remove features and convert Server GUI to Server Core. After restarting the system, you will see your old Server core with only one opened a command prompt.

Method #2: Convert Server Core to Full Gui using DISM

Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM.exe) is a command-line tool that can be used to service a Windows image or to prepare a Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) image. DISM can be used to service a Windows image (.wim) or a virtual hard disk (.vhd or .vhdx). But here we are using DISM to Install Windows Features or convert Server Core to full Gui with DISM.

Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:ServerCore-FullServer /featurename:Server-Gui-Shell /featurename:Server-Gui-Mgmt /Source:E:\sources\install.wim 

After installing Windows features with DISM, type “Y” to restart the system.

Remove Windows Features with DISM

To remove the Gui features or Convert Server full Gui back to Server Core, do with the following command.

Dism /online /Disable-feature /featurename:ServerCore-FullServer /featurename:Server-Gui-Shell /featurename:Server-Gui-Mgmt

OK, that’s all you need to know to convert Server core to full Gui and vice versa. For the exam 70-410, you don’t need to know all of these, but you shout ready to involve with such questions about the conversion of Windows Server to full Gui and back to Core.

Hope this has been informative for you.

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The Windows Server Core is a minimal server installation option for computers running on the operating system and this topic goes to configure Windows Server 2012 R2 Core.  Server Core provides a low-maintenance server environment with limited functionality.
As in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2012 offer Full Server and Server Core installation options. Starting with Windows Server 2012, it is possible to transition between Full Server and Server Core without reinstalling the operating system.

Configure Windows Server 2012 R2 Core

After installing Windows Server 2012 R2, you need to configure the initial configuration of Windows Server 2012 R2. In Windows Server with GUI the configuration is easy, but in Windows Server Core edition, initial configuration is a bit difficult but not hard. .

With two ways we can configure Server core. One is with command line tools like command Prompt or PowerShell. And the second one is Server Configuration tool (Sconfig.cmd) to configure and manage several common aspects of Server Core installations.

Install Windows Server 2012 R2 Core

The Server Core installation is the same as Server with GUI, only need to select Core edition at the time of Installation. Do the installation according to installing Windows Server 2012 R2 post.

When you finished the Server Core installation successfully, login to as administrator account and you will see only a command prompt on the black desktop.

Here I have installed Server Core on Hyper-v.

1. Changing Default Server Name

The first step is to change the default server name. The default name of Windows Server is a long name and hard to read it. In order to change the name, just do it with the below “netdom” or “PowerShell” command.

C:\>netdom renamecomputer %computername% /newname:SRV-Core 

When ask you Do you want to proceed? Just type “y” and press enter to change the name successfully.

Now once reboot the system with “Shutdown” command to complete the process.

C:\>shutdown -r -t 0 

Changing Default Server Name with PowerShell

OK. Let’s do it with PowerShell also.  To open PowerShell in Server Core, type “Start PowerShell” in command prompt to open it in a separate window.

PS C:\ > Rename-computer -NewName ServerCore -Restart 

The “Rename-Computer” command will change the server name to ServerCore and restart the sysmte with “-Restart” option.

OK. When the system has restart, check the computer name with “hostname” command, whether changed or not yet.

2. Configuring IP Address

The IP address will set with network shell “netsh“.  The below command display all network interfaces cards.

C:\>Netsh interface ipv4 show interfaces

The “Ethernet 2” with index id “13” is the network interface I’m going to use for this article.

To know more about configuring Network interfaces with Netsh command line tool, read the “Configure Windows IPv4 Address with Netsh” post.

3. Join Server Core to Domain

Join Server Core to a domain with “netdom join” command or PowerShell command.

C:\>netdom join %computername% /domain:Technig.local /userd:Shais /passwordd:* /reboot:10

After the typing command, press enter and enter the password then system will reboot after 10 second.

Remember, when the password or domain name would be wrong, the command will issue errors. Try to solve according to error messages.

4. Enabling Remote Desktop on Server Core

You need to control Server core remotely, so first must be enable with “Scregedit.wsf” script. The Scregedit.wsf script is located in System32 folder. You should change the directory to C:\Windows\System32 folder.

C:\Windows\System32>cscritp scregedit.wsf /AR /v 

In order to enable Remote desktop, change the registry value “1” to “0”

C:\Windows\System32>cscritp scregedit.wsf /AR 0

The result must be “0” like the screenshot.

5. Create Firewall Rule for Remote Desktop

When you enable remote desktop on server core, the firewall exception must be create it manually. So do it with the below “netsh” command.

C:\>netsh firewall set service type=remotedesktop mode=enable

OK. That’s enough to configure Windows Server 2012 R2 Core for now. I will add some more option soon. Now I must go to class.

Hop you enjoy the Configure Windows Server 2012 R2 Core article and ask your question through comment.

The post How to Configure Windows Server 2012 R2 Core? appeared first on TECHNIG.

A step by step guide to install Windows Server 2012 R2.  Windows Server 2012 R2, was released along with Windows 8.1 in October 2013. A service pack, formally designated Windows Server 2012 R2 Update, was released in April 2014. Windows Server 2012 R2 offers exciting new features and enhancements across Virtualization, storage, networking, virtual desktop infrastructure, access and information protection, and more. This article is for those who are new in Windows Server 2012 R2.

To install Windows Server 2012 R2, you need DVD of Windows Server or Image. You can download from here and make a Bootable USB Flash drive. If you don’t know how to create a Bootable USB, read the article about How to Create a Bootable USB with Diskpart Command line Tool.

All you have to do now, Boot the system with DVD or USB. If the system ask you Press any key to boot…. just press enter and let Windows will boot.

In this page select the system language and click next.

Now Windows ask you weather to install it or do troubleshoot?  Click install now.

Now, choose which edition you want to install. Select Data Center with a GUI. This will install Windows Server with graphical interface.

Accept the Windows license agreements and click next.

Select costume: Install Windows only  (Advanced). This will let you to install a clear Windows instead of upgrade the old Windows.

Now select the hard disk and click New to create a partition for System and Windows drive. Enter the size or capacity of Windows drive and click Apply button.

When ask you about to create a system reserved disk or additional partition for system files, click OK to create it.

Note: System partition is preserve Windows boot files and help Windows load speedy and work quickly.

Now select the you want to install Windows and click next.

Windows will start installation.

Wait until the installation will complete successfully.

At the end of installation set a complex password for administrator and press enter.

Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and enter the administrator’s password to log in.

Now you must see the Windows Server 2012 R2.

Note: Installation of Windows Server 2012 R2 with a GUI and Server Core are the same but when you log in to Windows Server core, you will see only a black desktop with a opened command prompt.

OK, hop you learn and do install Windows Server to your own system without any problems.

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