In this post I will show you, how to disable Server Manager Management console from auto starting on all your domain joined servers for all users once and for all.
Server Manager AutoStart
If you like me are working with Windows Servers, you might have been frustrated about, how Server Manager automatic is configured to start for all users on all servers. I know you can disable it, but every time you login to a new server it is all the same. Let’s be honest, Server Manager Management Console is a very slow program to start and it takes a lot of resource to start as well. If the server has just been booted a lot of the background services is not yet ready, when the console starts at login.
It is not, that I never use Server Manager, of cause I do, but I just want to start it myself, whenever I need it. I hate to wait for it to load, just so I can close it again. It is a waste of time, if you ask me.
How to Disable Server Manager Using GPO
If this is something that might have been a frustration to you as well, I will show you how to disable AutoStart from all your server once and for all, using a Group Policy.
- First login to a Domain Controller and Start Group Policy Management.
- Create a new Group Policy object and give it a good name. E.g. Server – Disable Server Manager AutoStart
- Under Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> System -> Server Manager – Enable: Do not display Server Manager automatically at logon
- Finally link the new GPO to one or more OU where your servers are located or simply to the top level of your domain.
Next time your restart one of your servers, the issue should be fixed for whoever logging in to any of your servers for the first time.
How to disable Using Task Scheduler
If you server isn’t Domain joined, you can disable the task scheduler forcing Server Manager to start automatically. This will work for all user, but only on the server where you disable the task. You will need to do this on all individual server, for this to work.
- Open Task Scheduler
- Navigate to the Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > Server Manager
- On right panel right click ServerManager and select disable.
This can also be done from an elevated command prompt using the following command:
schtasks /change /TN “\Microsoft\Windows\Server Manager\ServerManager” /disable
This might be a fast way to change it, if you have multiple servers, that are not domain joined.
Disable via Server Manager Dashboard
The last solution I will show you, is the simple one, that you properly already know about. Simply just disable AutoStart via Server Manager Dashboard. Under Manage -> Server Manager Properties, from the top bar Menu, you can simply disable it from starting doing logon. The downside with this solution is that it will only work for the user logged in to the server and you will have to do it on all the server you have access to.
To sum up
I hope you have found this article useful and where able to follow my instruction to disable AutoStart. I don’t know why Microsoft insist, that AutoStart is the behavior we all want. It has been like this since its introduction in Windows Server 2008 and it has been annoying my ever since. The good thing is, that it is something we can fix once and for all. For me the GPO solution is the best, but if you have servers that are not domain joined the other options works well too. Feel free to leave me a comment or question below.
