The one thing I missed with Server Core was PowerShell.  While you can run PowerShell cmdlets and scripts remotely, at times it would have been nice to run it locally.  The reason PowerShell was not included was due to the lack of .NET in Server Core.  That changes in R2.

Windows Server Core 2008 R2 includes a subset of .NET which allows PowerShell, as well as other components like ASP.NET.  Specifically Server Core R2 includes:

• .NET 2.0
• .NET 3.0 and 3.5
• Windows Workflow Foundation (WF)
• Windows Communication Foundation (WCF)
• Language Integrated Query (LINQ)
• Support for WoW64 if you are running 32 bit applications

Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) isn’t included but then with no GUI in Server Core it doesn’t really matter much.  There are a few commands you need to know to get it working in R2.

Install .NET 3.0 and 3.5

Start /w ocsetup NetFx3-ServerCore

Enable 32 bit support, run the above, then

Start /w ocsetup ServerCore-WOW64

Start /w ocsetup NetFx3-ServerCore-WOW64

Enable PowerShell

Start /w ocsetup MicrosoftWindowsPowerShell

Launch PowerShell

Start c:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\PowerShell.exe