Configuring a Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008 R2 with Sconfig.

cmd
In Windows Server 2008 R2, in addition to the Dism.exe command, you can use the Server
Configuration tool (Sconfig.cmd) to configure and manage several common aspects of Server
Core installations. You must be a member of the Administrators group to use the tool.
To start the Server Configuration Tool
1. Change to the system drive.
2. Type Sconfig.cmd, and then press ENTER. The Server Configuration tool interface
opens:

Domain/Workgroup settings
The current Domain/Workgroup settings are displayed in the default Server Configuration tool
screen.

1. Type 1 and press ENTER.

To join a
domain

2. Type D and press ENTER.

3. Type the domain name and press ENTER.

Example: domain.corp.company.com
4. Type an authorized domain\user.
Example: domain\user1
5. When prompted, type a password for the user, and then press ENTER.
6. You are prompted with You must restart your computer to apply these
changes. Restart now? Click Yes to restart the computer.
Note
If a domain user has not been added to the local administrators group, you will not
be able to make system changes, such as changing the computer name, by using the
domain user. To add a domain user to the local administrators group, allow the
computer to restart. Next, log on to the computer as the local administrator and
follow the steps in the Local administrator settings section later in this document.
1. Type 1 and press ENTER.
To join a
workgroup

2. Type W and press ENTER.

3. Do one of the following:
If you are currently joined to a workgroup
1. Type the name of the workgroup to join, and then press ENTER.
2. You are prompted with Welcome to the workgroup: workgroup
name. Click OK.
If you are currently joined to a domain
3. Type the name of the workgroup to join, and then press ENTER.
4. You are prompted with Machine currently joined to domain. Do you
want to remove this computer from the current domain now? Click
Yes.
5. Type an authorized domain\user.
Example: domain\user1
6. When prompted, type a password for the user and press ENTER.
7. You are prompted with You must restart your computer to apply
these changes. Restart now? Click No.

8. Type 1 and press ENTER to configure the Hyper-V Server

workgroup name.
9. Type W and press ENTER.
10. Type the name of the workgroup to join, and then press ENTER.
11. You are prompted with Welcome to the workgroup: workgroup
name. Click OK.
4. Type 11 and press ENTER to restart the computer.
5. You are prompted with Are you sure you want to restart? Click Yes.
Computer name settings
The current computer name is displayed in the default Server Configuration Tool screen.

1. Type 2 and press ENTER to change the computer name.

2. Type the new computer name, and then press ENTER.

If joined to a
domain

3. When prompted, type the domain and the name of an authorized user,
and then press ENTER.
4. Type a password for the user and press ENTER.
5. You are prompted with You must restart your computer to apply these
changes. Restart now? Click Yes to restart.
1. Type 2 and press ENTER to change the computer name.
2. Type the new computer name, and then press ENTER.

If joined to a
workgroup

3. You are prompted with The computer needs to be restarted in order to

complete the operation. The command completed successfully. Click
OK.
4. You are prompted with You must restart your computer to apply these
changes. Restart now? Click Yes to restart.

Local administrator settings

Follow these steps to add additional users to the local administrators group.

1. Type 3 and press ENTER.

2. Type the domain name and user name, and then press ENTER.
Example: domain\domain user
To add a domain user to
the local administrator
group

3. You are prompted with User added to local Administrators

group domain\domain user. Click OK.
Note
To add a domain user to the local administrator group, you
must be currently joined to a domain. See the
Domain/Workgroup settings section earlier in this document.
1. Type 3 and press ENTER.
2. Type the user name, and then press ENTER.
Example: user1

To add a workgroup user

to the local administrator
group

3. When prompted, type a password for the user, and then press
ENTER.
4. When prompted, type the password a second time, and then
press ENTER.
5. You are prompted with User added to local Administrators
group username. Click OK.

Network settings
You can configure the IP address to be assigned automatically by a DHCP Server or you can
assign a static IP address manually.
To configure network settings
1. Type 8 and press ENTER.
2. You are presented with a list of available network adapters that are attached to the server.
3. Type the index number of the adapter that you want to configure, and then press ENTER.
4. You are presented with the current configuration for the network adapter that you
selected.

5. Type 1 and press ENTER to configure the IP address for the selected network adapter.

To receive an IP address
from a DHCP server

To assign a static IP address

to the network adapter

1.
2.

Type S, and then press ENTER to manually

assign a static IP to the network adapter.

3.

Type the desired static IP address, and then

press ENTER.

4.

Type the desired subnet mask, and then press

ENTER.

5.

Type the desired default gateway, and then

press ENTER.

6.

To configure DNS Server

settings for the selected
network adapter

Type 2 and press ENTER.

7.

Type the IP address of the desired preferred

DNS server, and then press ENTER.

8.

You are prompted with Preferred DNS server

set. Click OK.

9.

Type the IP address of the desired alternate

DNS server, and then press ENTER.

10.

You are prompted with Alternate DNS Server

set. Click OK.

11.
To clear the current DNS
Server settings

Type D and press ENTER.

12.

Type 3 and press ENTER.

You are prompted with DNS Servers
removed. DNS Servers will be automatically obtained
from network. Click OK.

6. Type 4 and press ENTER to return to the default configuration screen.

Windows Update settings

The current Windows Update settings are displayed in the default Server Configuration Tool
screen.

1. Type 5 and press ENTER.

2. Type A and press ENTER to set updates to automatic.
To set updates to
automatic

3. You are prompted with Windows Update set to Automatic. System

will check for and install updates every day at 3:00AM. Click OK.
4. You are returned to the Server Configuration Tool and you will see
Automatic next to Windows Update Settings.
1. Type 5 and press ENTER.
2. Type M and press ENTER to set updates to automatic.

To set updates to
manual

3. You are prompted with Windows Update set to Manual. System will
never check for updates. Click OK.
4. You are returned to the Server Configuration Tool and you will see
Manual next to Windows Update Settings.

Update status settings

The current status of software updates is displayed in the default Server Configuration Tool
screen. Follow these instructions to download and install updates.
Note
You must be connected to the Internet to receive software updates.
1. Type 6 and press ENTER to search for updates. A Command Prompt window opens; type
A to download all updates.
2. You are presented with a list of applicable updates. Type Y and press ENTER to
download and install all updates.
Note
This may take some time.
Note

You may be prompted with A restart is required to complete Windows Updates. Restart
now? Click Yes to restart the computer.
3. You are returned to the Server Configuration Tool, where you will see the current
software update status next to Download and Install Updates.
Remote Desktop settings
The current status of remote desktop settings is displayed in the default Server Configuration
Tool screen.

1. Type 7 and press ENTER.

2. Type E and press ENTER to enable Remote
Desktop.
3. Type 1 and press ENTER to allow only clients
running Remote Desktop with Network Level
Authentication to connect.
To enable Remote Desktop for clients
running Remote Desktop with
Network Level Authentication

4. You are prompted with Remote Desktop enabled

for clients only running Remote Desktop with
Network Level Authentication (more secure).
Click OK.
5. You are returned to the Server Configuration Tool,
where you will see Enabled (more secure clients
only) next to Remote Desktop.
1. Type 7 and press ENTER.
2. Type 2 and press ENTER to allow clients running
any version of Remote Desktop (less secure).

To enable Remote Desktop for clients

running any version of Remote
Desktop

3. You are prompted with Remote Desktop enabled

for clients running any version of Remote Desktop
(less secure). Click OK.
4. You are returned to the Server Configuration Tool,
where you will see Enabled (all clients) next to
Remote Desktop.
1. Type 7 and press ENTER.

To disable Remote Desktop

2. Type D and press ENTER to disable Remote

Desktop.
3. You are prompted with Remote Desktop
disabled. Click OK.
4. You are returned to the Server Configuration Tool,
and you will see Disabled next to Remote
Desktop.
Date and time settings
Follow these instructions to change the current date and time settings:
1. Type 9 and press ENTER to configure or modify the Date and Time options.
2. You are presented with the Date and Time options control panel.
3. When you are finished configuring Date and Time options, click OK to apply the
changes or Cancel to discard them.
To enable remote management
1. Type 4 and press ENTER.
2. Select one of the following remote management options:

1. Type 1 to enable MMC Remote Management.

2. A message appears that says Enabling MMC firewall
exceptions and Virtual Disk Service.
Allow MMC Remote
Management

3. When the process is complete, a message appears saying

"Remote Management allowed for all Windows Firewall
profiles. Click OK.
1. Type 2 to enable Windows PowerShell.

Enable Windows
PowerShell

Allow Server
Manager Remote
Management

2. When the process is complete, the following message appears

You must restart the computer to complete the Windows
PowerShell installation. Restart now? Click Yes.
Note
You must enable Windows PowerShell and restart the computer before

you can enable Server Manager Remote Management.

1. Type 3 to allow the computer to be managed by using Remote
Server Manager.
2. When the process is complete, the following message appears
Remote Server Management enabled. Click OK.
To log off a user
1. Type 10 and press ENTER to log off the current user.
2. You are prompted with Are you sure you want to log off? Click Yes.
To restart the server
1. Type 11 and press ENTER to restart the server.
2. You are prompted with Are you sure you want to restart? Click Yes.
To shut down the server
1. Type 12 and press ENTER to shut down the server.
2. You will be prompted with Are you sure you want to shut down? Click Yes.
To exit to the command line
Type 13 and press ENTER to exit to the command line.