Install Hyper-V in Server Core

Recently, one of the audience asking on - how to install Hyper-V in Server Core???

First of all, the pre-req is the same, you will need a 64 b it hardware.

After install server core (which assume, servername, IP is configured).

then, in command prompt,

Type “start /w ocsetup Microsoft-Hyper-V” to enable Hyper-V role.

Restart when prompted.

Thats it. You can then manage from your Windows Vista or another Windows Server 2008.

Setting up DC roles in Server Core

One of the new features in Windows 2008 is Server Core - the "thin" layer of Windows operating system which bring benefits of:

1) Less resource hungry
2) More secure
3) Easier to manage (Patch management+++)

Yes, it is in a command shell, but still be able to do major and cools stuff, eg:

1) Domain Controller
2) DNS
3) Hyper-V
4) File Services
5) DHCP and more.

Its definately a great deals for branch office deployment.

However, after setting up Server Core, its only a command shell. How are we going to setup a DC?

In this post, we will like to share:

First of all, we will need to configure the IP Address and put in DNS configuration:

netsh int ip show config will show you the existing configuration.

To configure static IP address on an interface:
netsh int ip set address static

eg: netsh int ip set address "Local Area Connection" static 10.10.100.10 255.255.255.0 10.10.100.254 1

To configure DNS server: (let say pointing DNS to HQ DNS server)
set dnsserver "Local Area Connection" static 10.10.10.10 primary

After configure TCP/IP configuration, its the time to install AD.

Since this is Server Core, DCPROMO GUI will not prompt for you. You will need to prepare the answer file.

NOTE: Please ensure you make ness testing before the deployment. In this scenario, we are setting up additional DC (With same forest, domain with existing AD setup. This is a replica).

EG of the answer file


; dcpromo.exe /unattend:C:\AdditionalDC.txt
; You may need to fill in password fields prior to using the unattend file.
; If you leave the values for "Password"
; as "*", then you will be asked for credentials
[DCInstall]
ReplicaDomainDNSName=MyDomain.local
SiteName=Default-First-Site-Name
InstallDNS=No
ConfirmGc=Yes
CreateDNSDelegation=No
UserDomain=MyDomain.local
UserName=MyDomain\administrator
Password=*
DatabasePath="C:\Windows\NTDS"
LogPath="C:\Windows\NTDS"
SYSVOLPath="C:\Windows\SYSVOL"
SafeModeAdminPassword=MyP@ss123
; Run-time flags (optional)
; CriticalReplicationOnly=Yes
; RebootOnCompletion=Yes


Copy After the and before the . Save it into a file, eg: MyUnattend.txt in to the ServerCore C:\

Then you will need to run the following command to setup the additional DC replica in Server Core:

c:\dcpromo /unattend:MyUnattend.txt

You will then see the results. Happy DCing.

Disable Windows 2008 Server Core Firewall

WOnder how to disable firewall in Windows 2008 server core? Sometimes, it might give you lots of minor problems.

In testlab, I will normally turn it off.

To turn it off:

netsh firewall set opmode disable

It is just a short command...