Initial configuration tasks for Windows Server 2008

The initial configuration task is a new feature in Windows Server 2008 that automatically opens to help administrators complete the installation and initialization of new servers once the Windows Server2008 system installation process is complete. The initial configuration tasks include tasks such as changing the name of the Administrator account to enhance the security of the server, joining the server to an existing domain, enabling Remote Desktop for the server, enabling Windows updates, Windows Firewall, and so on.

Before Windows Server 2008, Setup paused to prompt the administrator for Administrator account, domain, and network information during the installation of the Windows Server operating system. Feedback shows that such deferred operations slow down the operating system and the server deployment process. The initial configuration task allows administrators to defer these tasks until they reach the desktop until the installation is complete, which means less disruption during installation.

The initial Configuration Tasks window helps administrators configure the server and shorten the time between installing the operating system and deploying servers in the enterprise. It allows administrators to logically specify operating system settings that are exposed in previous Windows Server 2003 Setup, such as domain Information and network settings.

The following figure is the Initial Configuration task window in Windows Server 2008.

You can start adding roles and features to the server immediately by using the Add roles and add features commands in the Initial Configuration Tasks window.

In addition, you can use the Initial Configuration Tasks window to participate in the following plans to provide Microsoft with anonymous feedback on the operation of the software.

-windows Server Customer Experience Improvement Program

-windows Error Reporting

Default settings in the initialization configuration

The following table shows some of the default settings configured by the Windows Server 2008 installation process. The commands available in the Initial Configuration task window allow administrators to modify these defaults.