Server Manager cannot connect to XXXXX. Click Retry to try to connect again.

Problem:

When you try to manage a 2008 or 2008 R2 server remotely using a Server Manager MMC snap-in, you receive the below message.

msg_1.png

“Connection to the remote server failed with the following error message : The client cannot connect to the destination specified in the request. Verify that the service on the destination is running and is accepting requests. Consult the logs and documentation for the WS-Management service running on the destination, most commonly IIS or WinRM. If the destination is the WinRM service, run the following command on the destination to analyze and configure the Win RM service “winrm quickconfig”. For more information, see the about_Remote_Troubleshooting Help topic.”

 

Solution:

On the server you are tring to remotely administer you will need to run the command winrm quickconfig and press y when prompted, your output should look something like the below.

WinRM already is set up to receive requests on this machine.
WinRM is not set up to allow remote access to this machine for management.
The following changes must be made:

Create a WinRM listener on HTTP://* to accept WS-Man requests to any IP on this
machine.
Enable the WinRM firewall exception.

Make these changes [y/n]? y

WinRM has been updated for remote management.

Created a WinRM listener on HTTP://* to accept WS-Man requests to any IP on this
machine.
WinRM firewall exception enabled.

 

You should now be able to make a fresh connection using Server Manager, I would no recommend using the Retry button.

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