Although unsupported, it is possible to install Microsoft Security Essentials on a Windows Server 2012.

To do this, set the compatibility of the downloaded file to Windows 7, then start that file with the parameter /disableoslimit.

The installation goes without a problem, and as far as I can tell, there are no compatibility issues.

With dcpromo.exe now being deprecrated on 2012 and 2012 R2, it is no longer obvious which method to use to demote a domain controller. Although you could resort to Powershell to get it done, there's also a way to demote using Server Manager, albeit not a very clear one.

The trick is to attempt to remove the Active Directory Domain Services role from the server, using Server Manager. When you do remove this, you will be prompted to demote the domain controller before the role can be removed, along with a link to actually perform this task.

Start Server Manager. In the upper right corner, click Manage, then click Remove Roles and Features.

Continue in the wizard that appears, making sure th  ...

When deploying KMS on a Server 2012 R2, you may run into the error message saying nothing more but STATUS_SUCCESS.

The reason for this is that the KMS TCP Listening Port in the wizard, is by default set to 0, which is of course incorrect. Typing in the correct default value (1688) resolves the issue.

Currently, vCenter Server 5.1 is not supported on Windows Server 2012. Trying to install usually results in several errors, but they can be resolved with some workarounds and things to consider. This post is a gathering of (some of) those things.

First of, be sure to install .NET 3.5 using the Server Manager. It can be found as a feature. The installation delivered in the vCenter installation cannot be installed.

It's best to install the required components (SSO and Inventory Service) separately to ensure the installation of the different components goes smoothly. You will have to type in and remember the SSO passwords though.

Upon installation of the vCenter Server, it will insta  ...