Brian W. McCann

Now that my home theater room is 99% complete it is time to update my computer. The reason being is that my current computer is too large and not powerful enough for what I need. Let's start with power… How does an Intel QX6700 Core 2 Extreme sound?

One of the great benefits of working at Intel is that we get CPUs at about half off. (No I will not buy one for you!) This should allow me to run several virtual machines and not run into a CPU bottleneck. I'm going to have to get some more RAM but the 3 GB I have now will work. Of course Windows Vista Ultimate x64 will be installed on it. I could have gone for huge drives but currently don't have the need for it. My total storage space will be around 500 GB. Shame on me but I went with an ATI 1950Pro video card. The big reason was that I didn't need to get a high performance GPU but instead was looking for a low power GPU that will still allow me to game if need be.

But wait…I said my original computer was too large. My new computer is going to use a Shuttle XPC and specifically the SD39P2. This will fit perfectly in my component stand for in my home theater room.

Love to hear if anyone has any thoughts on the system.

After the initial install of Server Core the "Wow" factor ends fairly soon. The main reason for this is because the server is really not doing much. Like any server if you want to start using a feature of it you have to install it…Server Core is no different. At the present time (it may change in the future) Server Core can be configured to support the following server roles:

• DHCP
• File Server
• DNS
• Active Directory

Server Core uses the Windows Optional Component Setup (OCSETUP) to install server roles and optional features. This blog is only intended to show you how to install the service NOT to configure it.

Installing Server Roles:

Installing the DHCP server role:

Type the following from the command prompt:

start /w ocsetup DHCPServerCore

Installing the File Server role:

Type the following from the command prompt:

For File Replication service, type:

start /w ocsetup FRS-Infrastructure

For Distributed File System service, type:

start /w ocsetup DFSN-Server

For Distributed File System Replication, type:

start /w ocsetup DFSR-Infrastructure-ServerEdition

For Network File System, type:

start /w ocsetup ServerForNFS-Base

Then type:

start /w ocsetup ClientForNFS-Base

For Single Instance Store, type:

start /w ocsetup SIS

Installing the DNS server role:

Type the following from the command prompt:

start /w ocsetup DNS-Server-Core-Role

Installing the Active Directory server role:

Active Directory has to be installed by using an Unattended Answer file. This is because it requires certain settings to be set up during the install.

Type the following from the command prompt:

Dcpromo /unattend:Unattendfile

Installing Optional Features:

Server Core also supports optional features that are not considered roles. Some of these roles require special hardware such as the Clustering optional feature. It will be interesting to see how many optional features finds their way into Server Core.

Server Core supports the following optional features:

• Microsoft Failover Cluster
• Network Load Balancing
• Subsystem for UNIX-based applications
• Backup
• Multipath IO
• Removable Storage Management
• Bitlocker Drive Encryption
• Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
• WINS

To install an optional feature

Just because you're running Server Core doesn't mean you can get around Activation. No more going to the Start Menu -> Programs option. In Server Core you can Activate the server in two ways, one locally and the other remotely. Both ways use the Software Licensing Management Tool (Slmgr.vbs)

Local Method:

At the command prompt type: Slmgr.vbs –ato

Remote Method:

Cscript windows\system32\slmgr.vbsServerName UserName password:-ato

You've installed Server Core and think it's time to join that new server to your domain. Since you can't right click on My Computer any more you'll have to learn how to do it the Server Core way.

• From the command prompt type the following with:

  netdom join ComputerName /domain:DomainName /userd:UserName /passwordd:*

A couple things to note here:

• Depending on how you have configured your DNS settings you may have to put the FQDN in for the DomainName
• Yes, /passwordd:* needs to have that second d at the end of it.

It may seem like an easy task but have you thought about how you're going to reset your password on a server running Longhorn's Server Core? Right after you install Server Core you are prompted to log on. It is a bit confusing since the user that shows up is called "Other". Once you click (yes the mouse is still there) on that user (which is really the local Administrator) you enter a blank password. One of the first things you should be thinking about is "How the hell do I change that password?"

I've found two ways to change the password.

• The first method is to press CTRL+ALT+DEL and then select the Change a password… option. But wait a minute…this is Server Core and we are supposed to be using the command prompt for all this.
• Option number two is to enter: net user administrator * at the command prompt. You will then be prompted to enter your new password. Don't worry it won't show up as you type it!

I was pleasantly surprised to get the email regarding my MVP renewal. This is my second year and I'm just as excited and thankful this time around as the first! I have to say the MVP summit really got me excited about wanted to work with technology even more and then to share that knowledge with the community.

Hopefully Microsoft picked up some really good people this year and of course kept some great talent. Congrats to all those others that got theirs.