Setting up Windows Server Core

windows-core-setup.md

Initial configuration

• Set the timezone

    tzutil /s "Eastern Standard Time"
  

• Enable automatic updates:

    cscript \windows\system32\scregedit.wsf /AU 4
  

• Enable Remote Desktop:

    cscript \windows\system32\scregedit.wsf /AR 1
  

• Install PowerShell:

    dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFx2-ServerCore
    dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:MicrosoftWindowsPowerShell
    dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:ServerManager-PSH-Cmdlets
  

• Set PowerShell execution policy

    C:\>powershell
    PS C:\> Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
  

• Install updates:

    cscript \windows\system32\en-us\wuasearchdownloadinstall.vbs
  

• Install and activate license key:

    slmgr /ipk <license key>
    slmgr /ato
  

Downloading from URLs with PowerShell

PS>$wc=new-object system.net.webclient
PS>$wc.downloadfile("your_url","your_file")

See the system.net.webclient documentation for more information.

Install Cygwin packages from command line

Use the -q flag to run Cygwin's setup.exe in batch mode.

setup.exe -q -n -P openssh git curl vim

Run ssh-host-config -y for initial sshd configuration.

Configuring the firewall

Opening up a port for ssh:

netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name=SSH protocol=TCP dir=in localport=22 action=allow

Show all firewall rules:

netsh advfirewall firewall  show rule name=all