Installing Roles on Server 2008 R2 Core

So, you’ve built your first Server 2008 (or R2) core server. What now? It’s sitting there, authenticating itself from time to time, now it’s now to add some roles to it! Let’s get that box working! Read on to learn how to install the DNS server, File and Print services, Streaming Media Services, and IIS on Windows Server 2008 core.

Install the DNS Server role

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. Configure a DNS zone at the command prompt by typing dnscmd or by remotely using the DNS MMC snap-in. Note: Uninstall the DNS Server role by typing the following at a command prompt:

start /w ocsetup DNS-Server-Core-Role /uninstall

Install File Services role and features

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: For File Replication service, type the following at a command prompt:

start /w ocsetup FRS-Infrastructure

Note: Using /w prevents the command prompt from returning until the installation completes. Without /w, there is no indication that the installation completed. For Distributed File System service, type:

start /w ocsetup DFSN-Server

For Distributed File System Replication, type:

start /w ocsetup DFSR-Infrastructure-ServerEdition

For Services for Network File System (NFS), type:

start /w ocsetup ServerForNFS-Basestart /w ocsetup ClientForNFS-Base

Note: Uninstall any file server role options by using these commands with the /uninstall option.

Install Print Services role and features

For the Print Server feature, type the following at a command prompt:

start /w ocsetup Printing-ServerCore-Role

For the Line Printer Daemon (LPD) service, type:

start /w ocsetup Printing-LPDPrintService

Add a printer to the print server

1. Determine the IP address or host name of the printer you want to connect to. You can usually obtain this information by looking at the printer’s test or printer configuration page.
2. Ping the printer from the print server in order to verify that the print server can communicate with the printer through the network.
3. On a remote computer running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, open the Print Management console and add the server running the Server Core installation.
4. Expand the entry for the print server running a Server Core installation, right-click Drivers, and then click Add Driver. The Add Printer Driver Wizard starts.
5. Complete the wizard to install the printer driver for your printer.
6. In the Print Management console, right-click Printers and then click Add Printer. The Network Printer Installation Wizard starts.
7. Click Add a TCP/IP or Web Services printer by IP address or hostname and then click Next.
8. Enter the printer’s host name or IP address (the port name will be the same by default), and then click Next.
9. Make any necessary changes to the printer name, contact information, or sharing status, and then click Next.

Installing the Streaming Media Services role

1. On another computer, download the Streaming Media Services role installer file from the Microsoft Downloads Site.
2. Copy installerfilename.msi to your Server Core installation.
3. Run installerfilename.msi.
4. At a command prompt, type:
   start /w ocsetup MediaServer
   Note: Using /w prevents the command prompt from returning until the installation completes. Without /w, there is no indication that the installation completed.
5. On a remote computer, use the Streaming Media Services MMC snap-in to remotely configure Streaming Media Services.

Installing the Internet Information Services (IIS) role

To install the Web Server role, type the following at a command prompt and press ENTER:

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

Notes: To uninstall the Web Server (IIS) role, use the following command:

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

Installing .Net framework

Much like .NET 2.0 in Server Core, .NET 3.0 and 3.5 are also subsets of functionality. Included are:

• Windows Communication Framework (WCF)
• Windows Workflow Framework (WF)
• LINQ

The only functionality not included is the Windows Presentation Framework (WPF). .NET 3.0 and 3.5 functionality is installed with a single package:Start /w ocsetup NetFx3-ServerCoreIf 32bit support is needed you first need to install WoW64 and then .NET 2.0 WoW64 support, the following assume the above command has already been run:Start /w ocsetup ServerCore-WOW64 Start /w ocsetup NetFx3-ServerCore-WOW64

Bonus: Create a local user at the command prompt

Sometimes it is necessary to add a local user to machine, which can be accomplished by utilizing the net user command:Net user /ADDFor example, if you wanted to add the user “WebDev”, with a password of “P@$$Word” to the local machine, you’d use:

Net user WebDev P@$$Word /ADD

By default, the user is added to the local group “Users”. To add to other groups, use the Net LocalGroups command. For example, if you wanted to add “WebDev” to the local group “Administrators”, you’d use the following command:Net LocalGroup Administrators WebDev /ADDNote that if the name of the target group contains spaces, the group name needs to be enclosed in quotes, thus:Net LocalGroup "My Local Group" WebDev /ADD