Category: Microsoft

MDT 2010 Update 1 Beta Released

The Solution Accelerators Team have released Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Update 1 Beta and would like your feedback.

Download the beta now at https://connect.microsoft.com/site14/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?DownloadID=8689

MDT 2010 Update 1 provides new capabilities, such as:

· Support for Microsoft Office 2010.

· A new User-driven Installation (UDI) deployment method (formerly known as “Modena”) for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007. UDI gives information technology (IT) staff control over the deployment experience while empowering users to interact with and customize their operating system deployment through an easy-to-use wizard.

· Improvements to the Deployment Workbench driver import process, detecting each driver’s true supported platforms.

· Many bug fixes and other small improvements.

This release supports the deployment of the Windows® 7; Windows Vista®; Windows XP; Windows Server® 2008 R2; Windows Server 2008; and Windows Server 2003 operating systems. See the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit Documentation Library, which is included with MDT 2010 Update 1, for the complete documentation for this release.

BitLocker to Go & Save the Recovery key in Active Directory

Before you start wit Bitlocker to Go your domain controllers must be 2008 R2. You must upgrade your Schema.

After done that I made a group policy named Bitlocker to Go.
You can find the Bitlocker Policy under: Computer Configuration | Policies | Administrative Templates: Policy Definitions | Windows Components | BitLocker Drive Encryption | Removable Data Drives.

I enabled the following policies:

Choose How BitLocker Removable Drives Can Be Recovered

image

At first you must select the Allow Data Recovery Agent option. This option should be selected by default, but since this option is what makes the entire key recovery process possible, it is important to verify that the option is enabled.

Next, you will enable the Omit Recovery Option From The BitLocker Setup Wizard option. This prevents users from saving or printing their own copies of the recovery key.

Next, you will have to select the Save BitLocker Recovery Information to AD DS for Removable Data Drives. This is the option that actually saves the BitLocker recovery keys to the Active Directory.

Finally, you should select the Do Not Enable BitLocker Until Recovery Information Is Stored To AD DS For Removable Data Drives option. This option forces Windows to confirm that the recovery has been written to the Active Directory before BitLocker is allowed to encrypt the drive. That way, you do not have to worry about a power failure wiping out the recovery key half way through the encryption process.

Windows XP SP2 & SP3 can only read the bitlocker usb stick.

MDT HP,Lenovo,Dell tools for getting the right drivers for a specific model

When you search a driver for a specific model you always go to the HP, Dell, Lenovo, Dell site and  then you go to download section and chose the model of your pc/laptop and os version and download the drivers.

The Are some handy tools for you:

Dell Tool:
Dell makes drivers driver CABs which incluse all your drivers for your model and OS.
image

HP Tool:
HP SoftPaq Download Manager provides a simple, powerful way to download software updates for the HP client PC models in your environment. HP SDM can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to locate and download updates. SoftPaqs can be downloaded in as few as three easy steps from a single user interface after initial setup.

SDM_IM 

Lenovo Tool:
ThinkVantage Update Retriever enables you to download update packages from the Lenovo Help Center Web site to a network share repository folder.
This is a search tool. You give the model nummer en os and Update Retriever and scan the Lenovo Help Center Web site for the latest driver
image

WAIK Add Drivers to a Wim File

Some handy Windows 7 Waik commands to add drivers to a wim file.
Before you start copy the wim file to your harddisk

1. Some information about the Wim:
Dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:d:\boot.wim

2. Mount the wim file to a folder:
Dism /Mount-Wim /index:1 /WimFile:d:\boot.wim /MountDir:d:\mountpe

3. Add the Driver:
Dism /Image:d:\mountpe /Add-Driver /Driver:d:\nic\b57nd60x.inf

4. Close the wim file and saving the file:

Dism /Unmount-Wim /MountDir:d:\mountpe /Commit

Defrag your Virtual Machines (VMs’)

Just like any other operating system, over time, a disk will become fragmented. Virtual machines are no different. The time that it takes for a disk to become fragmented depends on what data is being added to and removed from the virtual machine hard drive.

Why use MyDefrag instead of the standard Windows defragger?

  • Much faster.
  • Totally automatic, extremely easy to use.
  • Optimized for daily use.
  • Disk optimization, several strategies.
  • Directories are placed together.
  • Reclaims NTFS reserved areas after disk-full.
  • Maintains free spaces for temporary files.
  • Can defragment very full harddisks.
  • Can defragment very large files.
  • Can defragment individual directories and files.
  • Can be run automatically with the Windows Scheduler.
  • Can be used from the commandline.
  • Can be used as a screen saver.
  • Can be run from cdrom or memory stick.
  • Script language, can be customized.
  • Better voor VCB, VDR, DPM & Snapshots.

When you run MyDeFrag.exe with /verysilent it detect automatically the OS and then install x86 or x64 version from MyDefrag. It’s always installed at c:\program files. You can deploy it with MDT 2010 automatically when installing the OS. Or run it from a network share.

You can use Group Policy Preferences to schedule it. 
image

Best Practices Analyzer Updates for Server 2008 R2

Update for Best Practices Analyzer for HYPER-V for Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Edition (KB977238) You can use Hyper-V Best Practices Analyzer to scan a server that is running the Hyper-V role, and help identify configurations that do not comply with the best practices of Microsoft for this role.

Update for Best Practices Analyzer for DHCP Server for Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Edition (KB977236) You can use DHCP Best Practices Analyzer to scan a server that is running the DHCP role and help identify configurations that do not comply with the best practices from Microsoft for this role.

Update for Best Practices Analyzer for Network Policy and Access Services for Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Edition (NPAS) (KB977239) You can use the Network Policy and Access Services update for Best Practices Analyzer to scan a server that is running one or more of following the role services: Network Policy Server, Health Registration Authority, and Routing and Remote Access Service.

Update for Best Practices Analyzer for File Services for Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Edition (KB981111) You can use File Services Best Practices Analyzer to scan a server that is running the File Services role and one or more of following role services: DFS Namespaces, DFS Replication, File Server, File Server Resource Manager, Services for Network File System.

Update for Best Practices Analyzer for Active Directory Rights Management Services for Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Edition (KB981391) You can use Active Directory Rights Management Services Best Practices Analyzer to scan a server that is running the AD RMS role and help identify configurations that do not comply with the best practices of Microsoft for this role.

Update for Best Practices Analyzer for Windows Server Update Services for Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Edition (KB981390) You can use the Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) update for Best Practices Analyzer to scan a server that is running WSUS.

Update for Best Practices Analyzer for Application Server for Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Edition (KB981392) You can use the Application Server update for Best Practices Analyzer to scan a server

Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT)

The Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) 5.5 is a free tool from Microsoft. It helps customers understand their application compatibility situation by identifying which applications are compatible with the Windows 7 RC and Windows Vista® operating system and which require further testing. ACT helps customers lower their costs for application compatibility testing, prioritize their applications, and deploy Windows more quickly. You can use the ACT features to:

  • Verify an application’s compatibility with a new version of the Windows operating system, or a Windows Update, including determining your risk assessment.
  • Become involved in the ACT Community, including sharing your risk assessment with other ACT users.
  • Test your Web applications and Web sites for compatibility with new releases and security updates to the Windows® Internet Explorer® Internet browser.

Software Requirements:

Type of Software Type of Software
Operating Systems – Windows 7
– Windows Vista
– Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (SP1)
– Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) or Service
   Pack 3 (SP3)
– Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 (SP2)
– Windows Server 2008 R2
Database Components – Microsoft SQL Server 2008
– Microsoft SQL Server 2005
– Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express
– Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express
.NET Framework – ACT requires the .NET Framework 2.0 or newer.

Download HERE
image

Free eBook! Understanding Microsoft Virtualization R2 Solutions

There is a second release from: Understanding Microsoft virtualization Solutions updated for Windows 2008 R2. 480 Pages.

The ultimate virtualization guide for IT professionals and decision makers.

Download Click on the Picture

image

Hyper-V Updates for Windows 2008 R2

Knowledge Base Article

Name

Date

Required?

KB974598

“You receive a "Stop 0x0000007E" error on the first restart after you enable Hyper-V on a Windows Server 2008 R2-based computer”

10/1/2009

Yes, if you encounter this error and your server uses a “C-state” (lower power state) that is supported by the processor, but is not supported by Hyper-V.

KB974909

“The network connection of a running Hyper-V virtual machine is lost under heavy outgoing network traffic on a Windows Server 2008 R2-based computer”

10/21/2009

No.

KB975354

“A Hyper-V update rollup package is available for a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2”

11/10/2009

Yes, if you are running a backup or restore solution.

KB975530

“Stop error message on an Intel Xeon 5500 series processor-based computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2 and that has the Hyper-V role installed: "0x00000101 – CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT"

11/20/2009

Yes, if you are running Hyper-V on the affected hardware.

KB974672

“Virtual machines stop responding (hang) during startup and the Vmms.exe process crashes on a Windows Server 2008 R2 computer that has the Hyper-V role installed“

10/14/2009

No.

KB977894

“MS10-010: Vulnerability in Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V could allow denial of service”

2/9/2010

Yes.

KB980856

“Stop error in Windows Server 2008 R2: "0x000000CA PNP_DETECTED_FATAL_ERROR"”

3/12/2010

Yes, if you store VHDs on non-PNP disks.

KB981618

“The computer stops responding or restarts during the Hyper-V Live Migration process in Windows Server 2008 R2” (relates to AMD Errata 383)

3/27/2010

Yes, if you are running Hyper-V on AMD processors.

KB 981836

“Network connectivity for a Windows Server 2003-based Hyper-V virtual machine is lost temporarily in Windows Server 2008 R2”

4/28/2010

Yes, if the server running Hyper-V has a virtual machine that is running Windows Server 2003.

KB981791

“"STOP: 0x0000001a" error message on a computer that has an Intel Westmere processor together with the Hyper-V role installed on Windows Server 2008 or on Windows Server 2008 R2”

5/5/2010

Yes, if you are running Hyper-V on Intel Westmere processors.

Source: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff394763(WS.10).aspx

EBook: Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2

Microsoft released SQL Server 2008 R2 to manufacturing (RTM). To promote this new version they have released a free ebook: Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2.
To download the ebook just click on the picture.

image

Translate »