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Student Tip: Installing Server Core Edition of Windows 2008 on ESX Server (Update)

This tip comes from a former student of mine, Michael Maher. Michael works as the Principal Infrastructure Specialist in Service Management & Infrastructure section of O2 Ireland. Michael has found a way of getting the vmxnet.sys driver working in the Server Core Edition of Windows 2008. Here’s the instructions that Michael sent me (Michael: Sorry it’s taken me so much time to posting this!)

“For those unfamiliar with Server Core it is a command line only version of Windows Server 2008 (formerly Longhorn). I have been trying to install this on ESX 3.0. On the GUI version of Windows 2008 server, VMWare tools must be installed to get the NIC working. Server Core however is command line only. VMWareTools is a GUI installation so this is not an option for Server Core. The workaround is to transfer VMWareTools (contained in a file called windows.iso) from your ESX server to a local drive. This can be done using Winscp. Use Virtual Center to mount the windows.iso file as a CDROM drive in the Server Core VM. The driver files are located in \Program Files\VMWare\VMWare Tools\Drivers\VMXNet\w2k of the windows.iso file. The command used to install the drivers is

C:\Windows\System32>pnputil -i -a vmxnet.inf
Microsoft PnP Utility
Processing inf : vmxnet.inf
Successfully installed the driver on a device on the system.
Driver package added successfully.
Published name : oem2.inf

Next check the installation of the driver. Vmxnet should be displayed near the end of the list.

C:\Windows\System32>driverquery
ws2ifsl Winsock IFS driver Kernel 18/04/2007 04:52:40
vmxnet VMware Ethernet Adapte Kernel 22/04/2006 23:13:11

You can then enable remote access of Server Core with the command.


netsh advfirewall set allprofiles settings remotemanagement enable

To disable the firewall.
netsh advfirewall set allprofiles firewallpolicy allowinbound,allowoutbound”
Update: After posting this entry I was contacted by RTFM reader, Justin Campbell – who has also worked out a way of installing VMware Tools Server Core 2008 using msiexec. You can read more about Justin’s method at this entry on his blog:

Link:

http://cmsjustin.blogspot.com/2007/09/windows-server-2008-core-not-what-i-had.html

This entry was posted on Friday, October 5th, 2007 at 12:21 pm and is filed under ESX. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

3 Responses to “Student Tip: Installing Server Core Edition of Windows 2008 on ESX Server (Update)”

  1. VMWare: Install VMWare Tools on Windows Server 2008 Core « ICT-Freak Says:
    October 8th, 2007 at 1:12 pm

    [...] Ik zag de volgende post op de blog van Mike Laverick: http://www.rtfm-ed.co.uk/?p=451. In deze post word door Michael Maher word uitgelegd hoe je de VMware Tools kunt installeren in een Windows Server 2008 Core VM. “For those unfamiliar with Server Core it is a command line only version of Windows Server 2008 (formerly Longhorn). I have been trying to install this on ESX 3.0. On the GUI version of Windows 2008 server, VMWare tools must be installed to get the NIC working. Server Core however is command line only. VMWareTools is a GUI installation so this is not an option for Server Core. The workaround is to transfer VMWareTools (contained in a file called windows.iso) from your ESX server to a local drive. This can be done using Winscp. Use Virtual Center to mount the windows.iso file as a CDROM drive in the Server Core VM. The driver files are located in Program FilesVMWareVMWare ToolsDriversVMXNetw2k of the windows.iso file. The command used to install the drivers is [...]

  2. The things that are better left unspoken : Firewall management in Server Core, Part 2 Says:
    November 13th, 2007 at 9:45 pm

    [...] How to Configure Windows 2008 Advanced Firewall with the NETSH CLI 942963 – The “netsh advfirewall consec” command does not preserve the order… [PPT] WCI341 – Windows Vista firewall and IPSec enhancementsManaging Windows 2008 Server Core Local Settings Windows Server 2008: Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Student Tip: Installing Server Core Edition of Windows 2008 on ESX Server (Update) How the Windows Firewall exception settings in the Group Policy administrative template work together with the Windows Firewall Control Panel program in Windows VistaUnable to remotely manage a Server Core machine (MMC, WMI, Device Manager) HOWTO: Adding a new rule for the Vista firewall using Netsh command Security rules for Windows Firewall and for IPSec-based connections  Getting Started with Windows Firewall with Advanced Security  Remotely Managing Windows 2008 Server Core Firewall Installing Windows Server 2008, as a Dedicated Print Server Windows Server 2008 Security – Time to Fight Back! Connecting Through Windows Firewall (Windows) Introduction to Windows Firewall with Advanced Security TechNet: Configure Windows Firewall using Netsh Unable to remotely manage a Server Core  Implement IPSec on Windows Server 2003  Netsh commands Ping! Posted: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 9:44 PM by Sander Berkouwer Filed under: Beta experiences, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Server Core [...]

  3. Howto: Install VMware Tools on Windows 2008 Server Core « the back room tech Says:
    March 11th, 2008 at 11:06 am

    [...] while Michael says by way of Mike’s blog: [...]