Starting PowerShell as default within Windows Core

My lab environment runs on Windows 2012 R2 Core, with Hyper-V installed. It runs smoothly. When I need to manage the environment I can do the most common task right there on the prompt.

But with Microsoft pushing everyone to use PowerShell I don’t understand why Windows Core start with a normal prompt instead of a PowerShell prompt.

In this article I will describe how you can change the prompt that is launched when Windows Core boots from CMD to PowerShell.

In Windows Core there is no explore. All you get to see is al black command box..

Schermafdruk 2014-08-11 20.53.59

Now let’s see if we can find out how to change the cmd prompt to a PowerShell prompt.
First I need to know what’s the current value for the shell that is launched at startup.

Schermafdruk 2014-08-11 21.02.09Surprisingly the shell for Windows Server 2012 R2 Core is explore.exe. But as I searched a bit further I found that this version of Windows is using a value for AlternativeShells. And there we find the reference to cmd.exe

Schermafdruk 2014-08-11 21.16.05The value for alternate shell 3000 can’t be edited but I did found a different way the accomplish my goal.

With the following code I’ve changed the value for the Shell property. Schermafdruk 2014-08-11 21.27.51

Now lets reboot to see if we now have a PowerShell prompt..

Schermafdruk 2014-08-11 21.40.51

The big question remains, why is this not the default.

Geef een reactie

Het e-mailadres wordt niet gepubliceerd. Vereiste velden zijn gemarkeerd met *