Server Core cuts down on the number of built-in apps, and understandably so given the push to go "window-less". However one glaring omission I just stumbled upon is a missing mstsc.exe from the System32 directory. What's the point of this? Certainly there are scenarios where you'll be logged into a Server Core box and need to Remote Desktop back out again... One instance in particular would be RDPing to a virtual machine hosted on the Core box.
To re-establish the Remote Desktop Connection client in server core, copy the following files from a working Vista SP1 or Server 2008 installation to the same folder on the destination box (note that you need to make sure you are using the name processor platform on both machines, i.e. x86, x64 or ia64):
-
\Windows\System32\mstsc.exe
-
\Windows\System32\mstscax.dll <- Note that this file may be in use on your source workstation, but it also appears to not be necessary for RDC to operate
-
\Windows\System32\en-US\mstsc.exe.mui
-
\Windows\System32\en-US\mstscax.dll.mui