Microsoft Windows server GUI not loading
In new windows Server versions windows GUI is will not load by default in some scenarios. Only command prompt will load normally . Especially if you download the image directly from Microsoft . Looks this issue not occurring in cloud platforms.
Reason:
The main reason is GUI’s features/roles not enables by default .
How to resolve:
Need to enable manually from command line.
1. Map the image as DVD or insert the updated Windows Server 2012 R2 DVD into the computer’s DVD drive.
2. Get the index number
Dism /get-wiminfo /wimfile:<drive>:\sources\install.wim
Note In this command, <drive> represents the actual drive letter.
Example output from the DISM command:
Note When you specify the <index> number in the Install-WindowsFeature PowerShell cmdlet in step 4, you must use the index number for the full (non-core) version of the SKU that you currently have installed. For example, if you have Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter installed, the required index number is 4. If you have Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard installed, the required index number is 2.
3.Open a PowerShell command prompt by typing the following command:
Powershell.exe
4.Type the following PowerShell command, in which <drive> represents the location of the Windows Server 2012 R2 installation files and <index> represents the numbered index from step 2:
Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra,Server-Gui-Shell –Source wim:<drive>:\sources\install.wim:<index>
For example: If your media is on drive F, and you are installing the full version of Datacenter, enter the following command:
Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra,Server-Gui-Shell –Source wim:f:\sources\install.wim:4
Reboot the server . It should work.