I would like to introduce you to Two GUI tools for Windows Server Core. You probably know and tested the v.1.1 of the Core Configurator tool which enables to configure through GUI the Windows 2008 Server Core. It's nice little tool which avoided you to get dirty with the CLI and configure the basics of Windows Server installation Core.
The latest version of Core Configurator 2.0 is out and has been developed specially for Windows Server 2008 R2.
Core Configurator 2.0
The version 2.0 of Core Configurator has been released few days ago and the tool is built for and works with Windows Server 2008R2 x64 core only. I would expect this tool to work with Windows Server 2012, but not this time. It's an open source tool, with a nice GUI, which enables also manage some options in Hyper-V. The tool is built on PowerShell and .NET.
The tool is provided as an ISO, so to run the Core Configurator 2.0 just mount the ISO and run Start_CoreConfig.wsf
What you can do with Core Configurator 2.0?
- Product Licensing
- Networking Features
- DCPromo Tool
- ISCSI Settings
- Server Roles and Features
- User and Group Permissions
- Share Creation and Deletion
- Dynamic Firewall settings
- Display | Screensaver Settings
- Add & Remove Drivers
- Proxy settings
- Windows Updates (Including WSUS)
- Multipath I/O
- Hyper-V including virtual machine thumbnails
- JoinDomain and Computer rename
- Add/remove programs
- Services
- WinRM
- Complete logging of all commands executed
Where you can get the Core Configurator 2.0? Here is the link to the developper's page: https://coreconfig.codeplex.com/
Update for users wanting to use Core Configurator on Server 2012 Core:
There is a different iso. It's name is CoreFig.iso and it's for Server 2012. Check out this URL for latest details: https://corefig.codeplex.com/ as some persons are took over the project and making this tool to work for Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Core…
Features carried forward:
- Server renaming and domain joining
- Role and feature management
- Service control
- Remote Desktop Host and WinRM configuration
- Windows Update settings
- Display settings configuration
- Windows firewall settings
- Driver installation
- Regional settings (keyboard, date and time)
- Add Programs
- Network card settings, including TCP/IP
- Proxy configuration
- Local group membership
- Share management
- iSCSI Configuration (connecting to remote targets)
- View, start, and stop virtual machines
- Windows Server licensing
CoreConfigurator (without space)
And here is another tool (for 2008 and 2008 R2 core) called CoreConfigurator. This tool does different things. While Core Configurator x64 2.0 is free tool, the CoreConfigurator is an commercial tool – ( free for personal use ), which is also interesting if you want to play with Windows Server 2008 (or 2008R2) Core. The tool is caled CoreConfigurator (without space), and has a nice GUI.
Whils a bit outdated concerning the UI design, can still do some great work. Again, if you don't want to get into the CLI of the Core server, and do easily some configurations of the Core.
Works for 2008 and 2008R2.
This tool can be downloaded from here: https://www.smart-x.com/products/tools/core-configurator/
Does it work with Server core 2016?