Windows Server Guides & Usage

eastonch

Hey guys,

I'm not much of a Windows Server fan, I'm more of a Linux lover, especially when it comes to servers, however, with my Uni date being announced and knowing that Windows Server is something I'll be dealing with, I need some help.

I'm looking for something that would simply get me into Windows Server 2008 R2, I'd be blank when somebody asked me about Active Directory or How to setup a web server, I assume it's much easier.

This thought came to me, after yesterday in an applicant day we were told step by step how to exploit this 2000 server which they had virtualised locally, the aim was to exploit, privledge escalate then write messages. Some people got clever and started shutting it down, I was sat there constantly tapping in 'shutdown -a' to avoid this, just to be able to play around with it, but without much of a knowledge on DOS commands, I was clueless, is there even a DOS CLI File editor? Like nano?

Any links would be helpful, and any provider who has KVM available, I'd be interested in something sufficent.

Thanks,
Chris.

raindog308

@eastonch said: Any links would be helpful, and any provider who has KVM available, I'd be interested in something sufficent.

You can download server from Microsoft with a 120-day free eval, fire it up in VirtualBox, and break it to your heart's content.

Your school may also give you a DreamSpark or whatever they call it membership, in which case you can get a free Server license.

Honestly...I'd get a book from the library and read it. Pick up one of the cert guides for Windows Server.

I've always found Windows Server to be very distasteful. Server 8 is more CLI-oriented but still...

SQL Server is about the only Microsoft server product I've actually liked.

joepie91

@eastonch said: is there even a DOS CLI File editor? Like nano?

If it's still included, try EDIT.

Infinity

Active Directory and Web Servers etc. are very easily learnt by playing around with a few virtual machines on a virtual network. Provided you have some Dreamspark license and some spare XP licenses to test client computers etc. Power shell and all that however has always confused me on Winblows.

Ree

@joepie91 said: If it's still included, try EDIT.

Not as of 2008 R2 since it won't run on 64bit operating systems.

eastonch

I heard the dissapointing news of EDIT, this is a shame.

So as of now, there is no way to write to files, except 'echo' into a file?Not even a way to read the contents of a file? Silly. I need to learn some more commands

George_Fusioned

There are 64bit vim binaries for Windows 2008/2012:

https://code.google.com/p/vim-win3264/

joepie91

@eastonch said: Not even a way to read the contents of a file?

There is. type filename.txt, the Windows commandline equivalent of cat.

EDIT: You may also find findstr useful as a Windows version of grep.

eastonch

@joepie91 that's helpful

talsit

@eastonch check out MS Dreamspark. They have free full versions of Server 2008 and (I think) Server 2012 for students. It was a pain to get verified as a student through them but once I did, things went pretty smoothly.

Also... might try Websitespark, I don't remember what affiliation got me access but I have licenses for three copies of Server 2012 and one 2008. I set them up as VMs under ESXi to learn the ins and outs of server management and haven't bothered turning them on since...

goexodus

I was clueless, is there even a DOS CLI File editor? Like nano?

Kid you need to open a book ...

Just get a KVM with nodedeploy for the rest ...

eastonch

@goexodus how exactly would one kvm help? Local testing proves that it's much more effective to have everything virtualises for testing, rather than paying and deploying systems. Thousands of miles away.

I'm not afraid to say I'm clueless with windows servers.