Configure Windows Server 2012 R2 Core

Submitted by toshi on Sun, 04/27/2014 - 09:14

Scenario

Sasao-juku is going to use computer for education.   Each student will manage own short-term and mid-term goal by him/her self or maybe assisted by coach.   These steps are carried out on the paper, however the source curriculum and example syllabuses are stored on computer material.   So that student is able to decide easily from which item would like to study by cherry picking from computer menu.

In addition, Sasao-juki is planning dedicated Science and Engineering Education based on hands on training using computer.  According to a message from government issued on 2013 世界最先端 IT 国家創造宣, government may accelerate computer education in near feature, however teachers for computer and information technology is absolutely insufficient.  Since I have been studied computer science in UK and US for many years, it is a good opportunity to teach advanced science and computer science to the regional school students.  Ideally, we have been thinking of using extremely cheap but well designed computer, Raspberry Pi teach Science for summer seminar.  Raspberry Pi is ARM processor based and using Debian Linux as operating system.  More importantly, it hooks up Wolfram Mathematica and Language by free so it is really good material to learn mathematics and physics by using advanced software.  It might be a fun.

Since therefore, what we need is;

  1. Server computer which can host virtual machines for Windows 8 (for education material review) and Linux.
  2. Use Raspberry Pi as thin client in order to access Windows 8 desktop environment in virtual machine.
  3. Easy configuration and child safe computing environment

In order to realize above requirements, I bought cheap server machine PowerEdge T110 II from DELL that is single Intel XEON processor with 16GB memory and 2TB hard drive.   I’m expecting average 5 to 6 Windows 7/8 desktop as well as 2 to 3 Linux for ARM cross development will run on the server.

Following is the walk through log of Hyper-V server;

References:
 
Right after final reboot after Windows Server 2012 R2 Core installation, it automatically got a console.  Using “sconfig” command, change IP address to static, and computer name change to XENON.  I need to do most of setup and maintenance work from my Windows 8.1 desktop in order to avoid an LCD monitor occupied by the server.  Actually, I did not buy a monitor for the server for cost reduction.
 
On Windows 8.1 desktop, I already have powershell installed.  Run powershell and command;
enter-pssession -computername xenon -credential administorator
It works fine.  Then next, I also would like to enable “remote desktop” for some change from GUI in future.
On [xenon] powershell: (enable remote desktop)
cscript C:\Windows\System32\Scregedit.wsf /ar 0
This result can be verified as:
cscript c:\windows\system32\scregedit.wsf /ar /v
 

following command show whether network access allowed

get-netfirewallrule -DisplayGroup "Remote Desktop" | format-table Name, Enabled -autosize

if above command False to Enabled column;

Enable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Remote Desktop"

Go to windows 8.1, right click on Windows Start Menu and select “RUN” and start mstsc.exe.  Enter credentials start Remote Desktop Connection to the server — just a command console in full screen though.

Finally, I’ve activate Windows license via issue following command;

slmgr.vbs -ipk xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
English