Enabling or Disabling the GUI in Windows Server 2012 using the command line

Windows Server 2012 does not come in a server core AND a Full version, like Windows Server 2008. Now the software is the same for both types of installs. You can choose, during install, whether to install the Full version or the server core version, but the nice feature is now you can add a GUI to the SC version as remove a GUI from the Full version, as they are in effect, the same OS type.

Enabling or Disabling the GUI in Windows Server 2012 using the command line

Here’s how.

to Enable the GUI

1. Login
2. Open a command prompt
3. type “powershell” and press enter
4. type Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Shell, Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infr press enter
5. restart your Windows Server and you now have a GUI

to Disable the GUI

1. Login
2. Open a command prompt
3. type “powershell” and press enter
4. type “Uninstall-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Shell, Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra” press enter
5. restart your Windows Server and you now are back to server core only (GUI-Less)

enjoy