Installing Windows Server 2019 Server Core (Without GUI) Evaluation in VirtualBox
In our previous blog post we talked about unjoining a server from a domain:
https://eyeteahero.blogspot.com/2019/05/unjoin-windows-server-2019-server-from.html
Now, we will be installing the Server Core variant of Windows Server
Microsoft offers Server Core, a lightweight version of Windows Server without a GUI that is leaner, requires less patching and rebooting, is more secure, requires less CPU, RAM, and storage overhead and makes the OS more like Linux. While this is great it is not compatible with all applications and Windows Server Roles. In this blog we will install Windows Server 2019 Server Core Evaluation in VirtualBox.
Go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-server-2019
Expand Windows Server 2019, click the ISO radio button then click Continue
https://eyeteahero.blogspot.com/2019/05/unjoin-windows-server-2019-server-from.html
Now, we will be installing the Server Core variant of Windows Server
Microsoft offers Server Core, a lightweight version of Windows Server without a GUI that is leaner, requires less patching and rebooting, is more secure, requires less CPU, RAM, and storage overhead and makes the OS more like Linux. While this is great it is not compatible with all applications and Windows Server Roles. In this blog we will install Windows Server 2019 Server Core Evaluation in VirtualBox.
Installing Windows Server 2019 Server Core
Go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-server-2019
Expand Windows Server 2019, click the ISO radio button then click Continue
Fill in the required information and click Continue
In VirtualBox click Machine > New
Give the Virtual Machine a descriptive name, Choose Microsoft Windows for Type, and choose Microsoft Windows 2016 (64-bit) as this is the newest option available in this version of VirtualBox. Click Continue
Leave the default as 2048 MB unless you want to change it as this should be fine for our home lab testing, I do not recommend anything less than 1024 MB. Then click continue
Leave Create a virtual hard disk now radio button selected and click Create
Leave VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image) radio button selected and click Continue
Leave Dynamically allocated radio button selected and click Continue
50 GB should be more than enough unless you have a good reason to do so leave that default and click create
Single click the newly created VM and click Start
Select browse and choose the ISO file you downloaded in the first step and click Start
Change the values if necessary and click Next
Click Install now
Leave the default Windows Server 2019 Standard Evaluation version selected. This is the Server Core version as you can see the other choices have (Desktop Experience) in their name which is the full GUI. We will install Standard Edition as that is the more common version you will see in the real world in my experience. Click Next
Accept the terms and click Next
Click Custom
Click Next
Wait for the installation to complete. The server will reboot twice
When it boots up it will tell you that the administrator's password must be changed. Press Enter on OK
Type the password twice to confirm
Press Enter on OK
To shut the server down type
In the next blog we will be changing the computer name, IP v4 address, and other tasks in Server Core utilizing an excellent tools called sconfig:
https://eyeteahero.blogspot.com/2019/05/sconfig-configuring-windows-server-2019.html
Give the Virtual Machine a descriptive name, Choose Microsoft Windows for Type, and choose Microsoft Windows 2016 (64-bit) as this is the newest option available in this version of VirtualBox. Click Continue
Leave the default as 2048 MB unless you want to change it as this should be fine for our home lab testing, I do not recommend anything less than 1024 MB. Then click continue
Leave Create a virtual hard disk now radio button selected and click Create
Leave VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image) radio button selected and click Continue
Leave Dynamically allocated radio button selected and click Continue
50 GB should be more than enough unless you have a good reason to do so leave that default and click create
Single click the newly created VM and click Start
Select browse and choose the ISO file you downloaded in the first step and click StartChange the values if necessary and click Next
Click Install now
Leave the default Windows Server 2019 Standard Evaluation version selected. This is the Server Core version as you can see the other choices have (Desktop Experience) in their name which is the full GUI. We will install Standard Edition as that is the more common version you will see in the real world in my experience. Click Next
Accept the terms and click Next
Click Custom
Click Next
Wait for the installation to complete. The server will reboot twice
When it boots up it will tell you that the administrator's password must be changed. Press Enter on OK
Type the password twice to confirm
Press Enter on OK
To shut the server down type
- shutdown -r -f -t 0
In the next blog we will be changing the computer name, IP v4 address, and other tasks in Server Core utilizing an excellent tools called sconfig:
https://eyeteahero.blogspot.com/2019/05/sconfig-configuring-windows-server-2019.html
