Windows Server 2012 interface tour

One of the first surprises you might encounter is not seeing the user interface pictured above. In Windows Server 2012, Microsoft is encouraging administrators to use PowerShell as the primary management tool. In fact, Microsoft is so gung-ho on command line management that Windows Server Core is now the default installation type. An administrator who doesn't pay close attention to the installation process might find themselves without a graphical user interface (GUI).

The good news is that if you do find yourself in  the situation of Windows Server Core as the default, you don't have to completely reinstall Windows like you would have in the past. Now, you can simply enter a PowerShell command to install the GUI. That command is as follows:

Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra,Server-Gui-Shell -Restart