How to enable Windows Remote Shell

This article helps you enable Windows Remote Shell.

Applies to:   Windows Server 2003
Original KB number:   555966

This article was written by Yuval Sinay, Microsoft MVP.

Tips

To enable Windows Remote Shell, you need to deploy the server-side and client-side settings:

Server Side

Note

The server definition in the article describes a Windows host that gets into remote management shell.

  1. Log into the Windows console.

  2. Optional (For Windows Vista serves as remote server): Start the service "Windows Remote Management " and set it for auto start after reboot.

  3. Write the command prompt WinRM quickconfig and press the Enter button.

  4. The following output should appear:

    WinRM is not set up to allow remote access to this machine for management.
    The following changes must be made:
    
    Set the WinRM service type to delayed auto start.
    Start the WinRM service.
    Create a WinRM listener on HTTP://* to accept WS-Man requests to any IP on this
    machine.
    
    Make these changes [y/n]? y
    
  5. After pressing the y button, the following output should appear:

    WinRM has been updated for remote management.
    
    WinRM service type changed successfully.
    WinRM service started.
    Created a WinRM listener on HTTP://* to accept WS-Man requests to any IP on this machine.
    

    Note

    We recommend that you change the default settings via the winrm.cmd command (Like enable HTTPS support etc.).

    Windows Remote Shell using SOAP. Some firewalls may block SOAP traffic. For more information, see the vendor documentation.

Client Side

On Windows Vista/Windows 2008 host, use the command winrs -r:%servername% remote command and press the Enter button.

Example: To review remote file system, write the following command:

winrs -r:DC1 dir

Note

In Windows Workgroup environment, there is a need to add a trust for the server that the client initiate a connection to it by using the command winrm set winrm/config/client @{TrustedHosts="%servername1%,"%servername2%"}.

Verify the new settings by using the command winrm enumerate winrm/config/listener.

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