How to Install and Configure Windows Server 2022 Core

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Read this guide to learn how to install and setup a Windows Server 2022 Core. Installing Server Core excludes the Windows GUI.

Step 1: Install Windows Server 2022 Core

1. Insert the Windows Server 2022 installation USB drive into the computer. Then, boot the computer to the BIOS and change the boot order to the USB.
2. When you get to the page to select a Windows image, choose Windows Server 2022 Standard or Datacenter without “Desktop Experience.”

3. Then, accept the license agreement.

Complete the remaining steps to install Windows Server 2022. After installing the OS, the installer willd displays a screen with a notification that the administrator password must change before signing in.

Click OK, then change the local administrator’s password. Then, on the password has changed notification, select OK.

The installer will load a screen like the one in my screenshot below. At this stage the stage, the OS is fully installed.

Step 2: Install OpenSSH

As part of my Server core prep, I like to install OpenSSH on the server. I perform this as a first step because if I need to install or update drivers, I can use the SCP (Secure Copy) command to copy files to the Server Core.

#Install OpenSSH 

Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0

#Start the service, set its start-up type to Automatic, then check that the service is running

Start-Service sshd
Set-Service sshd -StartupType 'Automatic'
Get-NetFirewallRule -Name *ssh* 

After running these commands, you can use SCP to copy files via SSH to the Server Core.

Step 3: Complete Basic Post OS Install Tasks

Post Windows Server Core installation, the first thing you want to do is enable Remote Desktop.

Step 3.1: Enable RDP

1. Select option 7 to enable Remote Desktop. Then, on the next screen, select 2 to allow access from all clients.

Step 3.3: Assigned a Static IP Address

Complete these tasks while logged on directly to the server’s console, not via RDP.

If the server has more than one network adapter, use option 15 to open PowerShell. Then, run the Get-NetAdapter command and note the InterfaceDescription # of the new adapter you want to set its IP address.

From my screenshot below, I’ll set a static IP address for the “Slot 2 Port 1” net adapter. Its InterfaceDescription is #4.

After that, proceed with the steps below:

1. Execute SConfig to load the server’s sconfig console.

2. Selecting option 8 for Network Settings.

2. Then, enter the index number of the network adapter to open it for configuration.

3. When the net adapter configuration page opens, select 1 to set a static IP address.

3. Follow the onscreen instructions to set a static IP address.

4. After that, press enter to return to the Network adapter settings selection page. Then, repeat steps 1 and 2 above to display the net adapter’s settings page.
5. Then, select 2 to configure the DNS settings of the adapter. After that, follow the on-screen instructions to assign a DNS server to the net adapter.

When you finish, return to the main configuration page to proceed with the other settings below.

Step 3.4: Set a VLAN ID on the Network Adapter

If you need to set VLAN ID on the network adapter, follow these steps:

1. On the SConfig page, enter 15 to load PowerShell.

2. Then, on the PowerShell command prompt, run the Get-NetAdapter command to identify the network adapter.

In my example, I will set a VLAN ID for the highlighted net adapter. If the command fails with “the requested operation not supported,” update the network adapter driver.

Set-NetAdapter -Name "Slot 2 Port 1" -VlanID 10

Step 3.5: Rename the Server

1. On the main screen of the server’s configuration page, select 2 to rename the computer.

2. Then, give the server a new name and press the enter key. You will be prompted to restart the computer, select Y, and restart the computer.

Step 4: Enable Remote Server Manager Connection

You can manage a Windows Server Core from Server Manager from another computer. This is a way to work on a Server core with a common GUI tool.

But, before you can connect to a Server Core remotely via Server Manager, you need to enable this on the server.

Here are the steps to complete this all-important Server Core task:

1. Back on the main configuration screen, select option 15 to load the PowerShell console.

2. Then, to enable managing with remote Server Manager access, run this command.

Configure-SMRemoting.exe -Enable

3. After that, to enable WinRM, run this command. Then, enter y at the prompt.

WinRM quickconfig

4. Finally, if you’re not joining the server to the domain, run these commands. I have specified additional information before each command.

To list computers on the trusted host list, run the command below:

Get-Item WSMan:\localhost\Client\TrustedHosts

#Run this command from your laptop or the PC you will be initiating Server Manager connedtion to the Windows Server Core. 
#Change the FQDN of the server t your Core Server's FQDN 
 
winrm set winrm/config/client '@{TrustedHosts="IPMpHPV4.corp.itechguides.com,IPMpHPV5.corp.itechguides.com,IPMpiSCSI2.corp.itechguides.com"}'
 
#Run this command on the server. Remember to change the IP address to your server's IP address.
 
winrm set winrm/config/client '@{TrustedHosts="192.168.0.155"}' 

5. If you need to join the server to the domain, run this command:

Add-Computer -DomainName corp.itechguides.com -Restart

You will be prompted to enter a username and password. Enter an account with permission to join a computer to the domain.

Once the server joins the domain, it will restart – since we included the Restart parameter in our command.

Step 5: Connect to the Server via the Server Manager

1. Open Server Manager and select the All Servers node.
2. After that, right-click All Servers and select Add Servers.

3. On the Add Servers page, I’m using the DNS option because the computer I am connecting from is not a member of my domain.

Server Manager will return a WinRM Negotiate authentication error.

4. To fix this error, right-click the server and select “Manage As.”

Then, on the authentication page, I’m entering my domain account. The server will come online in Server Manager and you can manage it like a normal GUI server!

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Step 6: Enable Access to Computer Management

To enable access to Computer Management, in the Server run this command:

#Configure acccess to Computer Management console

Invoke-Command -ComputerName IPMpHPV4.corp.itechguides.com { Set-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup 'Remote Event Log Management' -Enabled True -PassThru | Select-Object -Property DisplayName, Enabled } -Credential (Get-Credential corp.itechguides.com\administrator)

The command will return the following results – see my screenshot below:

Once these firewall rules are configured, from Server Manager, right-click the server and select Computer Management.

And boom, you can manage the server via Computer Management!

While you’re at Computer Management, add your domain account to the local administrator’s group.

Step 7: Enable Additional Firewall Rules

In this section, you’ll enable and configure firewall rules to allow remote management of Disk Management and Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security

1. Right-click the server in Server Manager and select Windows PowerShell. Then, if required, enter the domain credentials.

This executes the Enter-PSSession command so you can execute commands on the remote server core computer as if you opened PowerShell locally.

2. On the PowerShell session, run these commands:

'Remote Volume Management','Windows Defender Firewall Remote Management' | Foreach-Object {Set-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup $_ -Enabled True -PassThru | Select-Object -Property DisplayName, Enabled}

3. Start the Virtual Disk Service (VDS) on the Server Core computer. This is a prerequisite to be able to connect to Disk Management.

#Start the Virtual Disk Service (VDS) service

Get-Service *VDS* | Start-Service

#set the service start-up type to automatic
Get-Service *VDS* | Set-Service -StartupType Automatic

#Confirm that the service is started. 

Get-Service *VDS*

Now, re-open Computer management on the server core from the Server manager. If you

If clicking disk management from computer management returns the error – You do not have access rights to Logical Disk Manager on <the server>” – use the steps in this link to fix the problem Computer Management :: You do not have access rights to Logical Disk Manager.

4. Finally, create a Windows Firewall rule to allow remote vDS (Disk Management) connection

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "AllowvDS" -Direction Inbound -Program "%SystemRoot%\System32\vds.exe" -Action Allow -Profile Any

Step 8: Install Windows Update

1. While logged on to the server console, select option 6.

2. Then, on the next page, select option 1. Windows Update will search for an display relevant updates.

3. Enter A to install all updates and press Enter to execute. Windows Update will commence downloading the updates.

When the updates are downloaded, they will be installed.

Conclusion

Installing and managing Windows Server Core requires a different approach compared to a Server with the GUI. In this guide, I have explained how to install a Windows Server 2022 Standard Core.

In addition to that, I also explained the most common post-OS installation tasks you need to prepare the Server Core to be managed remotely.

One topic I did not include in this guide is installing device drivers on a Windows Server Core. I decided to write a different guide for that.

Follow this link for the steps to Install a Driver in Windows Server 2022 Core.

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