Tip: Quickly Add Features in Windows Server 2008 R2

Follow Our Daily Tips

• facebook.com/TechNetTips
• twitter.com/TechNetTips
• blogs.technet.com/tnmag
• TechNet Tips library

In earlier versions of Windows, you use the Add/Remove Windows Components option of the Add Or Remove Programs utility to add or remove operating system components. In Windows Server 2008 R2, you configure operating system components as Windows features that you can turn on or off rather than add or remove. To add server features, simply do the following:

1. Launch Server Manager (Start | Administrative Tools | Server Manager).
2. In Server Manager, select Features in the left pane and then click Add Features in the Features pane. This starts the Add Features Wizard.
   (If the wizard displays the Before You Begin page, read the intro text and click Next. You can avoid seeing this page the next time you start this wizard by selecting the Skip This Page By Default check box before you click Next.)
3. On the Select Features page, select the feature or features you want to install. If additional features are required to install the feature you selected, you’ll see the Add Features Required For dialog box. Click Add Required Features to close the dialog box and add the required features to the server installation.
4. When you have finished selecting features that you want to add, click Next, and then click Install.

For information on removing features, see Removing Features in Windows Server 2008 R2

Tip adapted from the Microsoft Press book Windows Server 2008 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant, Second Edition by William R. Stanek.