Installing the SysInternals Suite on Nano Server: A Step-by-Step Guide

Microsoft's Nano Server is a lightweight, headless version of Windows Server that provides a secure and efficient way to deploy applications and services. However, installing and extracting files on this platform can be challenging due to its limited interface and lack of certain cmdlets. In this article, we will explore the steps required to install the SysInternals Suite on Nano Server.

Before we dive into the installation process, it's essential to understand that not all tools from the Sysinternals Suite are compatible with Nano Server. Specifically, those with graphical user interfaces (GUIs) may not work remotely against this platform. Nevertheless, many of the command-line tools have been rewritten and are available for use on Nano Server.

To begin the installation process, you will need to download the Sysinternals Suite specifically designed for Nano Server from the TechNet website. The suite contains a range of essential tools that every IT professional should have in their tool belt, including Process Explorer, Autoruns, and Disk2Vhd.

Once you have downloaded the installer, you can use PowerShell 5.0's new remote file copy capabilities to transfer the files to your Nano Server machine. This process involves creating a PSSession on both the local machine and the remote machine, and then using the `Copy-Item` cmdlet to transfer the files.

Here's an example of how to do this:

```

Invoke-PSSession -ComputerName -Credential

sysinternals suite install

Copy-Item -Path C:\Path\To\SysInternalsSuite.zip -Destination \\\C$\Path\To\SysInternalsSuite -FromSession 1 -ToSession 2

```

Replace `` with the name of your Nano Server machine, `` with your credentials to access the remote machine, and `C:\Path\To\SysInternalsSuite.zip` with the path to the installer file.

After transferring the files to your Nano Server machine, you can extract them using the `Expand-Archive` cmdlet. However, this cmdlet is not available on Nano Server in Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5. To overcome this limitation, you can use a third-party tool like 7-Zip or WinZip to extract the files.

Once the installer has been extracted, you can run it to install the Sysinternals Suite on your Nano Server machine. This process will typically involve running the installer file and following the prompts to install the tools.

In conclusion, installing the Sysinternals Suite on Nano Server requires careful planning and execution due to its limited interface and lack of certain cmdlets. However, by using PowerShell 5.0's remote file copy capabilities and third-party tools like 7-Zip or WinZip, you can successfully install and extract the files on your Nano Server machine.

For more information about the Sysinternals Suite and how it can be used with Nano Server, I recommend watching a Channel 9 interview with Andrew Mason from the Nano Server team and Mark Russinovich, the creator of the Sysinternals tools.

Sysinternals suite install