PowerShell - Switch Between Server Core and GUI

Switching Between Server Core and the GUI

In this Try It you will practice using Windows PowerShell to switch between Server Core and Server with GUI.

1. Login to LON-SVR1 as Adatum\Administrator with password Pa$$w0rd.
2. At a PowerShell prompt type: Get-WindowsFeature. Try to begin using the Tab key to autocomplete commands.
3. Review the User Interfaces and Infrastructure option. Notice the Server-Gui-Shell and Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra features are installed. This is a Server with GUI computer.
4. To remove the GUI features type: Uninstall-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Shell, Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra
5. Wait for the features to be uninstalled and restart the server: Restart-Computer [It can take between 10 to 15 minutes to complete this.]
6. Login to LON-SVR1 as Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.
7. You are now presented with only a command window. This is a Server Core machine.
8. Type powershell. The PS prompt appears.
9. To change to the Server with GUI option type: Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Shell, Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra
10. Notice the Warning message that you must restart this computer to finish the installation process.
11. After rebooting verify Server Manager is available.

Experiment as you like with adding only the Minimal Server Interface (Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra) feature. This feature provides an alternative feature set between Server Core and Server with GUI.