Azure Serial Console

To use the Serial Console (preview) in Azure it will need to be enabled (it is not enabled by default on existing VM’s)

Note: SAC is supported on server versions of Windows but is not available on client versions (e.g. Windows 10, Windows 8 or Windows 7).

To enable SAC (Special Access Console) in Azure:

1.  Start up your Virtual Machine (if not already)
• To confirm SAC needs to be enabled select ‘Serial console (Preview)’ under the ‘SUPPORT + TROUBLESHOOTING’ section of your VM
• You will see
2.  If it does need enabling continue, if not skip this section


• Connect to your Windows virtual machine via Remote Desktop
• From an Administrative command prompt run the following commands
• bcdedit /ems {current} on
• bcdedit /emssettings EMSPORT:1 EMSBAUDRATE:115200
• Reboot the system for the SAC console to be enabled
  

Accessing PowerShell

1. On the SAC interface type ‘cmd’
   
2. A new channel will be opened and its name displayed (in the below it is named ‘Cmd0001’)
3. Type ch -sn <channel name> in this instance the command will be ch -sn Cmd0001
   
4. Press any key to enter the Channel
5. Now authenticate using the credentials of a user account with permissions to access the VM (not azure credentials)
   
6. You will be presented with Command prompt upon successful logon
7. To make this a PowerShell session type ‘Powershell’
   
8. The session is now a PowerShell Session and all available PowerShell cmdlets can be executed.
   
9. To exit type ‘exit’ which will return you to the command prompt
10. Type ‘exit’ to return you to the SAC screen
    
11. Press ‘esc’, ‘tab’ and ‘0’ to return to SAC prompt and close the cmd channel