Server 2012 R2: Post Installation Checklist

|Microsoft, Windows Server 2012 R2

 

A checklist of tasks one can do after installing Server 2012 R2.  Note that Sysprep will reset some of these changes.

Server Configuration Tasks

  • Server Manager > Local Server
  • Enable Remote Desktop
  • Change Time Zone
  • IE Enhanced Security – Admin: Off; User: On
  • Change Computer Name, and add a domain suffix, or join to the domain
  • Reboot
  • Server Manager > Local Server > Manage > Add Roles and Features
    • Features to Add (wait for features to install before doing any reboots)
      • .NET Framework 3.5 (only if needed)
      • SNMP Service
      • Telnet Client (only if needed)
  • Server Manager > Local Server > Manage > Server Manager Properties
    • Check: Do Not Start Server Manager Automatically at Startup
  • Reboot

 

Control Panel Tasks

  • Right-click Start > Control Panel > Taskbar and Navigation > Navigation (tab)
    • Check: Replace Command Prompt with PowerShell
    • Check: When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start
    • Check: Show the Apps view automatically when I go to Start
    • Check: Search everywhere instead of just my apps…
  • Control Panel > User Accounts > Change User Account Control Settings
  • Control Panel > Power Options > High Performance
    • Change plan settings > Turn off the display > Never
  • Control Panel > Sound
    • Pop-up: “Would you like to enable the Windows Audio Service?” – No
    • Sounds (tab) > Sound Scheme: No Sounds
    • Uncheck: “Play Windows Startup sound”
  • Control Panel > System > Advanced System Settings > Advanced (tab) > Performance Settings
    • Choose: “Adjust for best performance”
  • Control Panel > Windows Firewall > Advanced Settings > Inbound Rules
    • Filter using the File and Print Services Group
    • Enable (Allow) Echo Request ICMPv4-In
    • Enable (Allow) Echo Request ICMPv6-In

 

Computer Management Tasks

  • Right-click Start > Computer Management
  • System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Users
    • Set Administrator account:
  • Services and Applications > Services > (Double-click) SNMP Service
    • Agent (tab)
      • Contact:
      • Location:
    • Security (tab)
      • Clear: Send authentication trap
      • Accepted Community Names > Add
        • Read Only
        • Community Name:
      • Security Level (Less Secure) – Select: Accept SNMP packets from any host
      • Security Level (More Secure) – Add IP Addresses of hosts to accept SNMP packets
    • Close and restart SNMP Service

 

Windows Updates

  • Install all windows updates until there are no more
  • If disk space is needed, remove the backup copies of the updates
    • Open Powershell prompt as administrator
    • dism /online /cleanup-image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase

 

Miscellaneous

  • Open Internet Options, and save the home page as About:blank
  • Disable the index on drive C
    • Open Explorer
    • Right-click the C: drive, and select Properties
    • You will see at the bottom of the screen the option to disable indexing
  • Turn off Hibernation
    • Right-click Start > PowerShell (admin)
    • Powercfg.exe -h off