Indiana University Indiana University Indiana University

Steps for administering a Server Core installation

The following procedures summarize common administrator tasks for a server running a Server Core 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: 

 net localgroup <group name> /add
Change the name of a domain-joined computer
At a command prompt, type on one line: 

 netdom renamecomputer %computername% /NewName:<new computer name> /userd:<domain\username> /password:*
Confirm the new computer name
At a command prompt, type: 

 set
Change the name of a computer in a work group
  1. At a command prompt, type: 
     netdom renamecomputer <currentcomputername> /NewName:<newcomputername>

  2. Restart the computer.
Disable paging file management
At a command prompt, type: 

 wmic computersystem where name="<computername>" set AutomaticManagedPagefile=False
Configure the paging file
At a command prompt, type: 

 wmic pagefileset where name="<path/filename>" set InitialSize=<initialsize>,MaximumSize=<maxsize>

Where:

"path/filename" is the path to and name of the paging file.
"initialsize" is the starting size of the paging file in bytes.
"maxsize" is the maximum size of the page file in bytes.
Change to a static IP address
  1. At a command prompt, type: 
     ipconfig /all

  2. Record the relevant information or redirect it to a text file (ipconfig /all >ipconfig.txt).
  3. At a command prompt, type: 
     netsh interface ipv4 show interfaces

  4. Verify that there is an interface list.
  5. At a command prompt, type on one line: 
     netsh interface ipv4 set address name <ID from interface list> source=static address=<preferred IP address> gateway=<gateway address>

  6. Verify by typing ipconfig /all at a command prompt and checking that DHCP enabled is set to No.
Set a static DNS address
  1. At a command prompt, type on one line: 
     netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name=<name of primary DNS server> address=<IP address of the primary DNS server> index=1

  2. At a command prompt, type on one line: 
     netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name=<name of secondary DNS server> address=<IP address of the secondary DNS server> index=2

  3. Repeat as appropriate to add additional servers.
  4. Verify by typing ipconfig /all and checking that all the addresses are correct.
Change to a DHCP-provided IP address from a static IP address
  1. At a command prompt, type: 
     netsh interface ipv4 set address name=<IP address of local system> source=DHCP

  2. Verify by typing ipconfig /all and checking that DCHP enabled is set to Yes.
Activate the server locally
At a command prompt, type: 

 slmgr.vbs -ato
Activate the server remotely
  1. At a command prompt, type: 
     cscript slmgr.vbs -ato <servername> <username> <password>

  2. Retrieve the GUID of the computer by typing cscript slmgr.vbs -did
  3. Type cscript slmgr.vbs -dli <GUID>.
  4. Verify that License status is set to Licensed (activated).

The information in this document was adapted from the Microsoft TechNet Windows Server 2008 page.

This is document awss in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2017-05-16 12:09:00.

Contact us

For help or to comment, email the UITS Support Center.