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averyfreeman/server-core-enable-remote-computer-management.md

Created November 26, 2023 13:20
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Allow remote access of Computer Management to Windows Server Core from RSAT Server Manager
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server-core-enable-remote-computer-management.md

Trying to remotely invoke Computer Management on newly installed Server Core instance invokes warning by default:

COM+ and WMI closed to you

To enable Computer Management from remote Server Manager instance in Windows Server Core:

open regedit - type regedit, hit enter

navigate: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\COM3 switch Com+Enabled DWORD from 0 to 1

or, change the regsitry from the command line:

reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\COM3 /v Com+Enabled /t REG_DWORD /d /1 /f

(if need to change back, change /d 1 flag to /d 0)

lastly, run these two firewall opening commands:

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)" new enable=yes

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Remote Event Log Management" new enable=yes

If still not connecting with Computer Management, try this:

Set-NetFirewallRule -Name  "WMI-RPCSS-In-TCP" -Profile Domain -Enabled True

Now you should have access to remote Computer Management option in Server Manager

@hamidx64
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hamidx64 commented May 9, 2025

I have tested all of the above methods and even the methods related to Group Policy, but I still get the above error.

@VentByte
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VentByte commented Aug 29, 2025

I found that in most cases (especially when setting up a fresh system which is not a domain member yet) it is either caused by the network category being set to Public and/or the firewall rules being disabled.

Caution

If the server is reachable over the internet this could be insecure!

To check the current network category you can run Get-NetConnectionProfile. If the NetworkCategory is public, run Set-NetConnectionProfile -InterfaceAlias "Ethernet" -NetworkCategory Private.

Then to enable the firewall groups run the following PowerShell Commands:
Enable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)"
Enable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Remote Event Log Management"

Those two commands are the PowerShell equivalents to the netsh commands used by OP.

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