Method #1: Convert Server Core to Full Gui using PowerShell
Get ready to convert Server Core to Full Gui using Windows PowerShell. In order to do this, login to Server core with administrator account and open the PowerShell through opened command prompt. To open PowerShell type “start PowerShell” on command prompt and press enter. The PowerShell will open in a new window. See the screenshot.
Start PowerShell on Server Core
Now convert server core to full Gui using with the following “install-WindowsFeature” PowerShell command.
Fist of all get the name of GUI features with “Get-WindowsFeature *GUI*” command.
Windows GUI Shell
You see the two Graphical Management Tools and Infrastructure and Server Graphical Shell which we need to install it.
Install-WindowsFeature -Name Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra, Server-Gui-Shell -Source:E:\sources\install.wim
Convert Server Core to Full Gui
The “E:” is the DVD ROM of my computer and the Windows Server 2012 R2 is already in.
OK, when the installing features has finished successfully, restart the server core using “Shutdown -r -t 0” command.
Restart Server Core
After rebooting the system, you will see the Windows Server with full Gui and all necessary graphical management tools.
Convert Server Gui to Server Core
Finally Windows Server with full Gui is here.
Convert Windows Server Full Gui to Server Core
OK, let’s convert Server from full Gui back to Server Core using “Uninstall-WindowsFeature” PowerShell command. We can do it with graphical as well, but the command is easy and you must learn for exam.
Uninstall-WindowsFeature -Name Name Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra, Server-Gui-Shell -Restart
Uninstall Windwos Feature with PowerShell
The command will uninstall and remove features and convert Server Gui to Server Core. After restarting system, you will see your old Server core with only one opened command prompt.
Method #2: Convert Server Core to Full Gui using DISM
Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM.exe) is a command-line tool that can be used to service a Windows image or to prepare a Windows Pre-installation Environment (Windows PE) image. DISM can be used to service a Windows image (.wim) or a virtual hard disk (.vhd or .vhdx). But here we are using DISM to Install Windows Features or convert Server Core to full Gui with DISM.
Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:ServerCore-FullServer /featurename:Server-Gui-Shell /featurename:Server-Gui-Mgmt /Source:E:\sources\install.wim
Convert Server Core to Full Gui using DISM
After installing Windows features with DISM, type “Y” to restart the system.
Remove Windows Features with DISM
To remove the Gui features or Convert Server full Gui back to Server Core, do with the following command.
Dism /online /Disable-feature /featurename:ServerCore-FullServer
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