Run this Script before you install Skype for Business
Create a Topology
Publish Topology
Configure Certificate
Tag: Server 2012
Powershell Script to Install Requirements for Skype for Business Server 2015 on Server 2012 R2
I Created a powershell script to install Requirements for Skype for Business Server 2015 on Server 2012 R2
You can download the Script from Technet Script Libary
https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/Install-Requirements-for-aabf7358
Clean Up your template before Sysprep and Capture a reference image in MDT
When you create a reference Image it will in most cases it will be updated with patches. That will make the image bigger and bigger and there fore the deployment of that image will take longer and consume more network resources & unneeded disk space. That can be corrected by getting rid of superseded patches, junk, temp files and much more.
The Solution
Since MDT is the preferred method to create reference images you can download the script, import it as an application and then run the application just before the Sysprep and Capture step. The Script works for the following versions of Windows:
- Windows 7 SP1
- Windows 8
- Windows 8.1 Update
- Windows Server 2008 2 SP1
- Windows Server 2012
- Windows Server 2012 R2
To make this work in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 you need to add a hotfix to Packages in MDT. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2852386
Download the script
Download the script from here: Mirror Mirror 2
Action-CleanupBeforeSysprep Application
Task Sequence
Created a Group Clean.
Add install a application –> Action-CleanUpBeforeSysprep
Restart Computer (Very Important) without it will not work
Installing Windows 10 & Server vNext Technical Preview via PXE on Gen 2 VM
If you try to PXE boot a Windows 10 or Server vNext Technical Preview VM running on Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012 R2, you are greeted by a nice error message: Boot Failed. EFI Network. Failed Secure Boot Verification.
The simple fix
Until there is an update available turn off secure boot for the Gen 2 VM.
Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter 3.0 Released
New Features in Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter 3.0
The 3.0 release of MVMC adds the ability to convert a physical computer running Windows Server 2008 or above server operating systems or Windows Vista or above client operating systems to a virtual machine running on Hyper-V host.
Standard stuff is:
- Converts virtual disks that are attached to a VMware virtual machine to virtual hard disks (VHDs) that can be uploaded to Microsoft Azure.
- Provides native Windows PowerShell capability that enables scripting and integration into IT automation workflows.
Note The command-line interface (CLI) in MVMC 1.0 has been replaced by Windows PowerShell in MVMC 2.0. - Supports conversion and provisioning of Linux-based guest operating systems from VMware hosts to Hyper-V hosts.
- Supports conversion of offline virtual machines.
- Supports the new virtual hard disk format (VHDX) when converting and provisioning in Hyper-V in Windows Server® 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2012.
- Supports conversion of virtual machines from VMware vSphere 5.5, VMware vSphere 5.1, and VMware vSphere 4.1 hosts Hyper-V virtual machines.
- Supports Windows Server® 2012 R2, Windows Server® 2012, and Windows® 8 as guest operating systems that you can select for conversion.
- Converts and deploys virtual machines from VMware hosts to Hyper-V hosts on any of the following operating systems:
- Windows Server® 2012 R2
- Windows Server® 2012
- Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
- Converts VMware virtual machines, virtual disks, and configurations for memory, virtual processor, and other virtual computing resources from the source to Hyper-V.
- Adds virtual network interface cards (NICs) to the converted virtual machine on Hyper-V.
- Supports conversion of virtual machines from VMware vSphere 5.5, VMware vSphere 5.0, and VMware vSphere 4.1 hosts to Hyper-V.
- Has a wizard-driven GUI, which simplifies performing virtual machine conversions.
- Uninstalls VMware Tools before online conversion (online only) to provide a clean way to migrate VMware-based virtual machines to Hyper-V.
Important MVMC takes a snapshot of the virtual machine that you are converting before you uninstall VMware Tools, and then shuts down the source machine to preserve state during conversion. The virtual machine is restored to its previous state after the source disks that are attached to the virtual machine are successfully copied to the machine where the conversion process is run. At that point, the source machine in VMware can be turned on, if required.
Important MVMC does not uninstall VMware Tools in an offline conversion. Instead, it disables VMware services, drivers, and programs only for Windows Server guest operating systems. For file conversions with Linux guest operating systems, VMware Tools are not disabled or uninstalled. We highly recommend that you manually uninstall VMware Tools when you convert an offline virtual machine. - Supports Windows Server and Linux guest operating system conversion. For more details, see the section “Supported Configurations for Virtual Machine Conversion” in this guide.
- Includes Windows PowerShell capability for offline conversions of VMware-based virtual hard disks (VMDK) to a Hyper-V–based virtual hard disk file format (.vhd file).
Note The offline disk conversion does not include driver fixes.
Performance issues or delays when you connect to Exchange Server 2013 that is running in Windows Server
Microsoft released a new KB article about a performance issue with Exchange 2013
When you connect to a Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 server that is installed in Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2008 in which Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 is included, you may experience delays to access email messages or disconnections to the Exchange server. When this issue occurs, the CPU or memory usage on the server is high for some services that include one or more of the W3wp.exe processes.
This issue occurs because too many objects are pinned on the .NET Framework 4.5 garbage collector heap. It causes heap fragmentation in addition to an increase in CPU and memory usage by the garbage collector.
Important Follow the steps in this section carefully. Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Before you modify it, back up the registry for restoration in case problems occur.
For Exchange Server 2013 that is installed in Windows Server 2012
Apply hotfix 2803755 that needs a restart, and then use one of the following methods to enable the hotfix:
- Create the COMPLUS_DisableRetStructPinning environment variable, and set the value of the variable to 1.
- Create a DWORDvalue of the DisableRetStructPinning entry at the following registry subkey, and set the DWORD value to 1:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\.NETFramework
Then, restart the computer.
For Exchange Server 2013 that is installed in Windows Server 2012 R2
Create a DWORDvalue of the DisableRetStructPinning entry at the following registry subkey, and set the DWORD value to1:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\.NETFramework
Then, restart the computer.
For Exchange Server 2013 that is installed in Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2008
Apply hotfix 2803754 that needs a restart, and then use one of the following methods to enable the hotfix:
- Create the COMPLUS_DisableRetStructPinning environment variable, and set the value of the variable to 1.
- Create a DWORDvalue of the DisableRetStructPinning entry at the following registry subkey, and set the DWORD value to 1:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\.NETFramework
For the home lab: free toolkit from Veeam, Starwind and 5nine!
This is a little cool gem I discovered today: a free toolkit made available by Veeam, Starwind and 5nine software. This toolkit enables anyone to get started with virtualization, completely free. And even better, it’s very well known and high-quality stuff, too.
The most affordable toolkit to meet your goals!
There is no better way to start virtualizing than with a FREE Microsoft Hyper-V environment, free backup, free virtual storage and free management software!
With this free toolkit, you can create your own test lab, run a small business or even scale your production environment up to 1,000 VMs. It’s a FREE way to virtualize!
The toolkit consists of the following software:
- Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 R2
Free Hypervisor with all the functionality of it’s ‘big brother’, Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper-V - Veeam Backup & Replication
Effective and easy-to-use tool for Hyper-V backup - StarWind Virtual SAN
Reliable shared storage with unlimited storage capacity for a single-node device - 5nine Manager
Simple and easy-to-use Graphical User Interface, local or remote, to manage Hyper-V virtual machines
Now obviously, since it’s a free bundle, the contained software will be free editions with limited functionality. But for in a lab, or when you’re just getting started with virtualization, it might be very cost-effective.
Finally, here’s the evaluation guides for each of the products.
I think this is a good way to show the world what each of the products have in store, especially now with Hyper-V’s ecosystem evolving and maturing and having vendors like Veeam, Starwind and 5nine integrate not only with the hypervisor, but with each other, too!
Thnx to JOEP PISCAER
Exchange 2013 Enable MAPI over HTTP BUG/ERROR on Server 2012 non R2
With the release of SP1 for Exchange 2013 there is a new feature introduced MAPI over HTTP
Doing some testing in my Demolab. I have 2 Exchange 2013 servers with CU5 installed on Server 2012 (No R2)
Set-MapiVirtualDirectory -Identity “<servername>\mapi (Default Web Site)” -InternalUrl https://<fqdn>/mapi -IISAuthenticationMethods Negotiate
Set-OrganizationConfig -MapiHttpEnabled $true
Test-OutlookConnectivity –RunFromServerId <servername> -ProbeIdentity OutlookMapiHttpSelfTestProbe
I get the following error…. 
After Download & Install DotNet 4.5.2 but still not working… Keep your informed!
Important Hotfixes when running Exchange 2013 on Server 2008 R2 and Server 2012
Additional pre-reqs needed above and beyond Exchange requirements
.NET Framework 4.5.1 deployed on all Exchange servers with CAS role
If .NET Framework 4.5.1 cannot be installed, a hotfix for .NET Framework 4.5 is required
KB2745583 – Windows Server 2012 Download
KB2745582 – Windows Server 2008 R2 Download
Decreases CPU spent in .NET garbage collector
Benefits Mailbox & multi-role
Enable by installing hotfix and setting regkey:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\.NETFramework\DisableRetStructPinning (REG_DWORD) = 1
A hotfix is now available for Windows Server 2012
Adds two control codes to determine which node owns the GUM lock and which node(s) is/are stuck
Server 2012 R2 Update & Windows 8.1 Update (KB2919355) direct download links
Server 2012 R2 Update & Windows 8.1 Update is a cumulative set of security updates, critical updates and updates.
Windows 8.1 Update for x86 (KB2919355)