Windows 2012 Server How To's

Common Tasks

How To...

• Install Windows Server 2012 (see How to Install Windows Server 2012 section below)
• View the Desktop (when the TILES are visible): Press ESC.
• Search for a Program or App: Start > start typing the user friendly name (the search options will appear in top right corner).
• Close an App: Click and drag the app from the top of the screen to the bottom of the screen.
• Check for Windows Updates: Position mouse in top right corner, click Magnifying glass, type Control Panel, then click System and Security, then click Windows Update.
• Open the My Computer: Click Start > This PC.
• Open the Manage Computer: Right-Click Start > Computer Management
• Open the Server Manager: Click Start > type Server Manager (or click the (Blue and Gray) Server Manager icon right next to the Start button)
• Open the Folder Options: Right-Click Start button > Control Panel > Folder Options (Or on the File Explorer, on the v...)
• Open TSADMIN: 

How to Install RDP / Remote Desktop Services 

• NOTE 1: Before proceeding please see these sections first (as they are both required to be installed before installing RDP):
• How to Install DNS Role
• How to Install Active Directory Role
• NOTE 2: These instructions were written for Server 2012 (before R2). If any of these instructions are different with Service 2012 R2 please make a note with (R2 only) in parenthesis.
• From the Sever Manager Dashboard:
• click "Add Roles and Features"
• click "Next" if the "Before you begin" message appears
• select "Role based or feature based installation" and click "Next"
  
• select the server from the list (typically there will only be 1 if this is your initial setup) and click "Next"
• select Remote Desktop Services
• click "Next"
• click "Next"
• click "Next"
• When the Add Roles and Features Wizard appears, under the Role services section select:
• Remote Desktop Connection Broker (then click Add Features).
• Remote Desktop Licensing (then click Add Features).
• Remote Desktop Session Host (then click Add Features).
• Remote Desktop Web Access (then click Add Features).
• click Next
• click Next
• click Next
• click Restart the destination service automatically if required (and then click Yes when prompted to allow the automatic restart) and then click Install.
• When the Feature Installation progress bar is completed click  Close

NOTE: this section assumes the server has been Activated as the licensing server.  See How to Activate the Licensing Server section below. 

• When all RD Services are installed you will need to right click on the RD Session Host icon and choose Create Session Collection
• Name the Collection and click Next
• Choose the server and click the arrow between the boxes. Click Next
• Verify the Domain Users are in the Groups and click Next
• Un check the User Profile Disks and click next
• Click Deploy

NOTE: If you have previously installed RDP User Cals - they will automatically deploy

How to Install DNS Role

NOTE: This Role MUST be installed before Active Directory Services

• From the Sever Manager Dashboard:
• click "Add Roles and Features"
• click "Next" if the "Before you begin" message appears
  
• select "Role based or feature based installation" and click "Next"
  
• select the server from the list (typically there will only be 1 if this is your initial setup) and click "Next"
• select DNS Server
• NOTE:  if a pop up appears to add features required for DNS Server
• click "Add Features"
• click "Continue"
• NOTE: you will be returned to the "Add Roles and Features" screen
• click "Next"
• click "Next"
• click "Next"
• click "Install"
• When finished installing click "Close"

How to Install Active Directory Role

NOTE: The DNS server Role MUST be installed before Active Directory Services can be installed

• From the Sever Manager Dashboard:
• click "Add Roles and Features"
• click "Next" if the "Before you begin" message appears
  
• select "Role based or feature based installation" and click "Next"
  
• select the server from the list (typically there will only be 1 if this is your initial setup) and click "Next"
• select "Active Directory Domain Services"
• click "Add Features"
• click "Next"
• click "Next"
• click "Next"
• check mark the box to "Restart the destination server if required"
• click "Yes"
  
• click "Install"
• NOTE: When this is all done you may see a little warning icon to the left of the Manage menu in top right corner, if so:
• Click on the warning icon.
• If you see a 'Post-deployment Configuration warning (with the progress bar incomplete) click Promote this server to a domain controller.
• On the Deployment Configuration screen click Add a new forest and then type a name such as abcauto.local
• Click Next.
• Type in a Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) password (and then type it again to confirm it.  (Note: Suggested password will be the same as the Administrator password to make it easy to remember).
• Click Next.
• If you see the error: A delegation for this DNS server cannot be created because the authoritative parent zone cannot be found...  just click Next.
• Wait for a NetBIOS domain name to auto fill in the text box...  Then click Next.
• On the Paths screen just accept the default values and click Next.
• On the Review Options screen click Next.
• Wait for the server to verify the prerequisites... In the View results box scroll down and look for a BLUE Prerequisites Check Completed, and a GREEN All prerequisite checks passed successfully.  Then click Install.
• When finished click Close.
• Note: After the server is automatically (or manually) rebooted you can perform a simple test to see if the Domain is active. 
• Open the Server Manager
• Click Tools > Active Directory Users and Computers.  If the Active Directory Users and Computers windows appears (showing the domain name you selected) without any errors you have probably completed the installation correctly.

How to Activate the Licensing Server (& Install RDP Licenses)

Activating the Remote Desktop Licensing Server & Installing the RDP Licenses

• Click Server Manager > Tools > Terminal Services > Remote Desktop Licensing Manager
• Click + next to All Servers, then click on the server name that appears below All Servers.
• Right click on the server name and select Activate Server.  Then click Next. 
• In the Connection method drop down box select Automatic connection (recommended), then click Next > then fill in the fields when prompted.
• With the Start Install Licenses Wizard now click Next.
• Note: You can also just right click on the Server name and select Install Licenses.
• Then click Next
• Change the License program to: Open License, then click Next.
• Type in the Agreement Number (Authorization number), then type in the License Number and then click Next.
• Select the Product version (such as Windows Server 2012)
• Select the license type (such as RDS Per User CAL)
• Enter the # of licenses purchased (such as 5)
• This should ADD an additional license called something like: Windows Server 2012 - Installed RDS Per User CAL.
• Reboot the server. Log back in. Open the RUN tool and type in tlsbln.exe to check the # of days until the license expires. 

Troubleshooting Licensing Problems

• Open Server Manager > Tools > Terminal Services > RD Licensing Diagnoser
• Left click on the server (on the left) and look for any Yellow or Red icons stating a problem.
• Right click on the server (on the left) and select Review Configuration...
• If you see a warning about 'not a member of the Terminal Server License Servers group in the Active Directory Domain Services' click Add to Group.
• If you see a warning about 'This license server is not registered as a service connection point (SCP) in Active Directory Domain Services.' click Register as SCP.
• Then Reboot and run the Review Configuration again.

How to Promote to Domain Controller

NOTE: Windows Server 2012 no longer supports Local Workgroup RDS. Domain Controller MUST be installed

• From the Sever Manager Dashboard:
• Locate the tile titled "AD DNS" 
  
• click "Manageability"
• click "Go to AD DS"
• the next window will have a yellow banner across the top that reads "Configuration required for Active Directory Domain Services for ___SERVER NAME__" click "More" at the far right side of this banner
• A pop up will appear where you will see the Server name. Under the "Action" header you should see "Promote the server to a Domain Controller"
• click "Promote the server to a Domain Controller"
• the "Deployment Configuration" window will pop up
• select the configuration method
  
• Add a domain controller to existing Domain (if adding the server to the domain)
  
• Add a domain to an existing forest (if more than one server)
  
• Add a new forest (if new server)

• NOTE: the remaining steps assume "Add a new forest" has been selected 
• type the desired Domain name in the field
  
• click "Next"
• type in the new Password in the password field and the confirm password field
• click "Next"
• click "Next"
• verify the assigned name and click "Next"
• confirm the data folder directories and click "Next"
• click "Next"
• click "Install"
• click "Close"
  
• the server will REBOOT
• NOTE: you will now need to sign into the server using the new domain ie; domainname\administrator

How to Remote Control a User's Remote Desktop Session

• Open Server Manager (click Start > Server Manager)
• Click Remote Desktop Services (on far left list of icons) > Collections 
• Then under the 'Connections' section (in bottom right corner) right click on the connection that has the user name you are looking for.
• Select Shadow > Then click Control > Then OK.

How to Add a Trusted Site (to Internet Explorer)

• Open Internet Explorer
•  Press Alt (to see the drop down menus).
• Click Tools > Internet Options > Security > Trusted Sites
• Click Sites.
• Type in a site and then click Add.
• Note: You may want to make the site fairly generic, such as: http://*.onesourcesoftware.net

How to Manage Hyper-V

How To...

• Open Hyper-V Manager: Start > type Hyper-V Manager
• 
  

How to Install Windows 2012 Server

.Bat ( Batch ) File Commands & Examples

How to Copy a File

• copy "C:\OneSource\TermUsers\OneSource.mdb" "C:\OneSource\TermUsers\John\OneSource.mdb"
• ...
• ...

How to Rename a File

• REN C:\OneSource\Data \DataDefs.mdb *DataDefs1.mdb
• ...
• ...

How to Compact and Repair the Database

• "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 15\office15\MSACCESS.exe" "C:\OneSource\Data\APTData.mdb" /Compact  (Note: The first part of this is just the path on their server where the MSACCESS.EXE is located and may be different than what you see above.)

• ...
• ...

Other Admin Tasks

How to change port forwarding

• Connect to your server via Remote Desktop
• Click on the Windows logo type and execute the “cmd” command
• Open the registry editor by typing the “regedit” command
•  Search for this registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\TerminalServer\WinStations\RDP-Tcp\PortNumber
• Double-click or right-click on the “PortNumber” registry subkey, select the decimal base and type the port number of your choice (the default port is 3389). Click on “Ok” to save your selection.
• IMPORTANT: Make sure that remote access to your server through the new port is authorized in your Windows firewall before executing the next step.
• Exit the registry editor
• Restart your server

Links to Additional Support

• Microsoft TechNet - Windows 2012: https://technet.microsoft.com/library/hh801901.aspx