Server Core to full Windows Server

     Have you ever logged onto a server that has Server Core installed? Did you know how to make the changes you logged on the server to make? Well if not here is a simple step-by-step guide on converting a Windows Server Core installation to the full Windows Server with a GUI.

So we begin with just a command prompt...

c:\Users\Administrator>

Then lets open up PowerShell by Typing 'powershell.exe' or just 'powershell' for short.

c:\Users\Administrator>powershell

TIP : 'powershell.exe -RunAs' opens an elavated PowerShell prompt.

c:\Users\Administrator>powershell
Windows PowerShell
Copyright (C) 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
PS C:\Users\Administrator>

It's time to install "The Shell" first things first, lets find out which features are needed. To do this I usually utilize the 'Get-WindowsFeature' cmdlet with the '-Name' parameter to search the Windows Feature I'm looking for like this 'Get-WindowsFeature -Name *Server-GUI*'.

PS C:\users\Administrator> Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Shell,Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra -restart

Break time: Go get a coffee this will take a couple minutes to install and then restart.

Welcome to Windows Server full GUI!