RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools) can be installed manually using FOD (Features on Demand). However, if your system is joined to domain and is controlled by existing WSUS (Windows Server Update Services) as Software Update point role is installed through SCCM, you won’t be able to download or deploy easily.
Hurdle for installing RSAT
Starting onwards Windows 10 October 2018 update, Microsoft is not including it in FOD ISO. The easiest way to install is using Settings > Manage optional Features which enables you to directly download the required package from Microsoft. You may check How to install RSAT on windows 10 manually
There is a registry key present at location HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU with the name UseWUServer which has a value set to 1.
There is another key present which points to WSUS Server name.
HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
WUServer
WUStatusServer
These specified keys exists because of WSUS / SUP configuration or Group Policy configuration which applies corresponding policy:
Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update > Specify intranet Microsoft update service location
If you try to install RSAT FOD, you will get error code 0x800f0954. There is a package available for Remote Server Administrator Tools for Windows 10 , however Microsoft doesn’t recommend using this patch for any version starting onwards October 2018 update.
If you are interested installing RSAT manually (in the absence of WSUS), use How to install RSAT tools on Windows 10 – Multiple methods
Trick to use
Following trick will help us getting rid of WSUS temporarily. We will disconnect the system to use WSUS Server and will install the component using internet connection, once done we will revert back the system to start again using WSUS. A PowerShell script can be used to achieve this which will do following:
- Will change the value of UseWUServer to 0.
- Will restart Windows Update Service
- Will run Add-WindowsCapability PowerShell cmdlet to install RSAT Components
- Will revert UseWUServer to 1
- Will restart Windows Update service again
The whole process will take the system back to its original state ie. After installing RSAT tools, it will again start pointing to WSUS Server.
Installation components of RSAT
Remote Server Administration Tools consists of various tools such as Group Policy Management editor, Active Directory users and Computers etc , The following tools can be installed using the same technique, this is the complete:
| Name | Display Name |
| Rsat.ActiveDirectory.DS-LDS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Active Directory Domain Services and Lightweight Dire… |
| Rsat.BitLocker.Recovery.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities |
| Rsat.CertificateServices.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Active Directory Certificate Services Tools |
| Rsat.DHCP.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: DHCP Server Tools |
| Rsat.Dns.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: DNS Server Tools |
| Rsat.FailoverCluster.Management.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Failover Clustering Tools |
| Rsat.FileServices.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: File Services Tools |
| Rsat.GroupPolicy.Management.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Group Policy Management Tools |
| Rsat.IPAM.Client.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: IP Address Management (IPAM) Client |
| Rsat.LLDP.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Data Center Bridging LLDP Tools |
| Rsat.NetworkController.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Network Controller Management Tools |
| Rsat.NetworkLoadBalancing.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Network Load Balancing Tools |
| Rsat.RemoteAccess.Management.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Remote Access Management Tools |
| Rsat.RemoteDesktop.Services.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Remote Desktop Services Tools |
| Rsat.ServerManager.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Server Manager |
| Rsat.Shielded.VM.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Shielded VM Tools |
| Rsat.StorageMigrationService.Management.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Storage Migration Service Management Tools |
| Rsat.StorageReplica.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Storage Replica Module for Windows PowerShell |
| Rsat.SystemInsights.Management.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: System Insights Module for Windows PowerShell |
| Rsat.VolumeActivation.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Volume Activation Tools |
| Rsat.WSUS.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0 | RSAT: Windows Server Update Services Tools |
Following PowerShell cmdlets will be used for PowerShell script to be used for SCCM application / MECM:
Get-WindowsCapability – Name Rsat* -Online
Remove-WindowsCapability -Name Rsat* -Online
Create SCCM Application
Launch Configuration Manager Console, navigate to \Software Library\Overview\Application Management\Applications and create new Application.
Under Create Application Wizard > Specify settings for this application, select Manually specify the application information, click Next.
Under Specify information about this application, provide Name as RSAT Windows 10, click Next.
Under Specify the Software Center entry, click Next.
Under Deployment Types page, click on Add to open under page related to Create Deployment Type Wizard. Under that page, select Manually specify the deployment type information, click Next.
Under Specify general information for this deployment type page, specify name as Remote Server Administration Tools, click Next.
Under page Specify information about the content to be delivered to target devices, specify the content location where InstallRSAT.ps1 exists. Following is the snippet / content of InstallRSAT.ps1
<# Disable WSUServer value to 1 Run Windows Capability to directly download the components from internet Enable WSUServer value to 0 #>
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" -Name "UseWUServer" -Value 0
Restart-Service "Windows Update" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Write-Host "Adding Components…" -ForegroundColor Green
Get-WindowsCapability -Name "RSAT.*" -Online | Select-Object name | ForEach-Object {Add-WindowsCapability -Name $_.Name -Online}
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" -Name "UseWUServer" -Value 1
Restart-Service "Windows Update" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Specify following for install & uninstall:
Installation program:
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -NoLogo -NonInteractive -NoProfile -WindowStyle Hidden -File .\InstallRSAT.ps1
Uninstall program:
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -NoLogo -NonInteractive -NoProfile -WindowStyle Hidden -command "Get-WindowsCapability -Name "RSAT.*" -Online | ForEach-Object {remove-WindowsCapability -Name $_.Name -Online}"
Under Detection Method page, click on Add Clause to open Detection Rule properties. Specify
Setting Type: File System
Type: File
Path: %Windir%\System32
File or folder name: ServerManager.exe
Click OK to save and exit and you will see Clause shown as ServerManager.exe exists. Click Next.
Under Specify user experience settings for the application set:
Installation behavior: Install for system
Logon requirement: Whether or not a user is logged on
Click Next.
Under Requirements & Dependencies page, click Next and complete the remaining wizard.
Distribute the content to Distribution points and create deployment for the Deployment types.
Install RSAT on Windows 10 workstation
Logon to one of the windows 10 workstation, wait for SCCM machine policy to arrive. Launch Software Center and you will be able to see RSAT Windows 10. Initiate the Install.
Once installed, we can see following in start menu under Windows Administrative Tools:
Active Directory Administrative Center
Active Directory Domains and Trusts
Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell
Active Directory Sites and Services
Active Directory Users and Computers
ADSI Edit
DFS Management
DHCP
DNS
Group Policy Management
Using following PowerShell command, you can see the following components are present related to RSAT:
Get-WindowsCapability -Name “rsat.*” -Online | Select displayname,state
Conclusion
As RSAT is included in “Features on Demand” starting onwards Windows 10 October 2018 Update, it is not recommended to install Update Package from Microsoft link Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 10 which shows following msu’s available:
WindowsTH-RSAT_WS_1709-x64.msu
WindowsTH-RSAT_WS_1709-x86.msu
WindowsTH-RSAT_WS_1803-x64.msu
WindowsTH-RSAT_WS_1803-x86.msu
WindowsTH-RSAT_WS2016-x64.msu
WindowsTH-RSAT_WS2016-x86.msu
Using ISO for “Features on Demand” as a source could be quite overwhelming because of big size. Hence the above mentioned method is good to install the RSAT tools.
Useful Links
Download Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 10 from Official Microsoft Download Center
Deploy Remote Server Administration Tools | Microsoft DocsUseWUServer: Core Services | Microsoft Docs
It looks like it doesn’t work for me when running through Software Center, but works while running the script manually.
I am using Windows 10 20H2 and the latest MECM version.