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Reducing the Server Core disk footprint

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In the Server Core installation option, there is a way to remove the server roles and optional features from the disk, to free up more space. In addition to reducing disk usage, this could be used to ensure an administrator doesn’t add a role or feature to a server that is supposed to perform a fixed function.

Warning: This is a one way operation, once you remove a role or feature there is NO way to bring it back. If you realize later that you need the role or feature the only option is to reinstall.

To do this:

1. Run: pkgmgr /up:<package to remove>

2. Reboot – you can remove multiple packages before rebooting.

3. Wait about 30 minutes for the disk cleanup to occur.

You will then see the disk space used by the role or feature is freed up, oclist will no longer show the role or feature as being available, and trying to install it using ocsetup will result in an error. Once again, read the warning above – there is no way to put the role or feature back, it is permanently gone from the system.

The role and feature packages available for removal are:

· Microsoft-Hyper-V-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-BLB-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-DFSN-ServerCore~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-DFSR-ServerEdition-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-DhcpServerCore-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-DirectoryServices-ADAM-SrvFnd-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-DirectoryServices-DomainController-SrvFnd-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-DNS-Server-Core-Role-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-FailoverCluster-Core-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-FileReplication-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-IIS-WebServer-Core-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-Internet-Naming-Service-SC-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-MultipathIo-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-NetworkLoadBalancingHeadlessServer-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-NFS-ServerFoundation-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-Printing-ServerCore-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-QWAVE-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-RemovableStorageManagementCore-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-SecureStartup-OC-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-SNMP-SC-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-SUA-Core-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-Telnet-Client-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

If you are running on an x86 box, change the amd64 above to x86.

In addition to the roles and features listed in oclist, it is also possible to remove IME support as well as the supporting fonts by removing the following packages:

· Microsoft-Windows-ServerCore-EA-IME-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

· Microsoft-Windows-ServerCore-EA-Fonts-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.0.6001.18000

Removing these will reduce the on disk footprint by ~200MB.

 

Andrew

p.s. - don't forget about the warning above

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Server Core is proving to be a versatile infrastructure platform. After installing your basic Server

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Microsoft announced the much anticipated Hyper-V Server Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) last week and they intend

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    informacja z cyklu "ciekawostki dla wyciskaczy" - bo czy zwolnienie 2ooMB miejsca na dysku jest faktycznie

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Part II : Windows Server 2008 R2における IIS 変更点 それでは R2 でバージョン以外（それだけってことは無いですな）に何が変わったか見ていきましょう。 ただ、この

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Technorati-Tags: Windows Server 2008 Server Core f&#252;r Absolutisten: wem die Optimierung des Server

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    In the Server Core installation option, there is a way to remove the server roles and optional features

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Als je Windows 2008 Server Core installeert dan betekent dat een veel kleinere Windows omgeving, simpelweg

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Sul blog di Windows Server 2008 Core c&#39;&#232; un post interessante per ridurre il footprint del disco

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    But why is it this way? Please make it addable in R2 or vNext.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Where is says: If you realize later that you need the role or feature the only option is to reinstall., is it referencing the Role or Feature as needing to be re-installed, or is the entire server core OS.  Sorry if that sounds stupid, but the only stupid questions that don't get asked are the ones people keep to themselves, right?  Had to ask it.   Seems like it would just be the role or feature.  If that is the case, how do you install just the role or feature without using ocsetup on server core?

  • Anonymous
    August 21, 2012
    The comment has been removed