To convert to a Server Core installation with Windows PowerShell: run the following cmdlet: Uninstall-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra -restart
Tag: Server 2012
FREE e-Book: The Hands-on Guide: Understanding Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012
The Hands-on Guide: Understanding Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012 gives you simple step-by-step instructions to help you perform Hyper-V-related tasks like a seasoned expert.
You will learn how to:
- Build clustered Hyper-V deployment
- Manage Hyper-V through PowerShell
- Create virtual machine replicas
- Transition from a legacy Hyper-V environment, and more
Download the first 5 chapters (180 Pages) today! Klik on the Picture to go to the Veeam Website
Windows 8 – Customizing the Default Lock Screen
The update “Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 cumulative update: November 2012” adds functionality to the Control Panel group polices that allow an administrator to designate a lock screen image on their Windows 8 and Windows 2012 computers. This setting lets you specify the default lock screen image shown when no user is signed in, and also sets the specified images as the default for all users (it replaces the inbox default image) Some restriction apply. See the Restrictions section below.
The new group policy is named “Force a specific default lock screen image” and can be found in this path in the group policy editor: “Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Personalization”
Requirements:
To deploy the new “Force a specific default lock screen image” GP the following requirements must be met:
- The update “Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 cumulative update: November 2012” must be applied to all Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 computers that you want to deploy customer lock screen images to. This is required as the Control Panel group policy client side extension must be updated to enforce the group policy
- The group policy used to deploy the custom lock screen image must be edited on a machine that has been patched with “Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 cumulative update: November 2012”
Restrictons
- Windows 8 Enterprise or Windows Server 2012 can use the new GP “Force a specific default lock screen image” via Domain GP or via local GP
- Windows 8 Pro can also be a target of the GP if the machine is joined to a domain
Implementation Steps for Domain Based Group Policy
- Patch all system with update “Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 cumulative update: November 2012” KB 2770917
- Create a GPO and link it to the OU where the computer accounts are located that you want to deploy the custom lock screen image to. Alternatively you can use an existing GPO.
a. Open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC)
b. Create and link a GPO to an OU or Locate an existing GPO that you want to use - Create and link a GPO to an OU or Locate an existing GPO that you want to use
a. In GPMC right click the GPO from step 2b and select edit
b. Go this path “Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Personalization”
c. Enable the GP “Force a specific default lock screen image”
d. Specify the path to the image file. It is recommended to use a DFS network path to provide redundancy. - After Sysvol replication has occurred and clients have refreshed their group policy settings the new lock screen will be used.
Implementation Steps for Local Group Policy
1. Patch the system with update “Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 cumulative update: November 2012” KB 2770917
2. Edit Local Policy
a. Run GPEDIT.MSC
b. Go this path “Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Personalization”
c. Enable the GP “Force a specific default lock screen image”
d. Specify the path to the image file.
e. Click OK
3. Policy will be enforced as the next GP background refresh.
Microsoft Office 2013 KMS Volume License Pack
Volume license editions of Office 2013 client products require activation. This download enables IT administrators to set up a Key Management Service (KMS) or configure a domain for Active Directory-Based activation. Either of these volume activation methods can locally activate all Office 2013 clients connected to an organization’s network.
Download
Overview
If you want to activate volume license editions of Office 2013, Visio 2013, or Project 2013 with a KMS host or Active Directory-Based activation, you need to first install Office 2013 Volume License Pack. When an Office 2013 volume edition client is installed, it will automatically attempt to activate via either Active Directory by using its existing domain pairing or a DNS-discoverable KMS host on your organization network. To set up Active Directory-Based activation, you must be running Windows Server 2012, Windows 8, or newer.
All volume editions of Office 2013 client products are pre-installed with a Generic Volume License Key (GVLK) key, which supports automatic activation for both KMS and Active Directory-Based Activation, so you will not need to install a product key.
This download contains an executable file that will extract and install KMS host license files. These license files are required for the KMS host service to recognize Office 2013 KMS host keys. On Windows Server 2012 and volume license editions of Windows 8, you can use your same KMS host key to set up Active Directory-Based activation.
System requirements
Supported operating systems: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012
- KMS Host: Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7 (volume editions), Windows Server 2012, or Windows 8.
- Active Directory-Based Activation
- Set-up and Configuration: Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or newer.
- Domain controller: Active Directory Domain Services with the Windows Server 2012 schema installed.
Instructions:Microsoft Office 2013 Volume License Pack
- You need to perform this step only if you’re setting up a KMS host on Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7 (volume editions). Download and run the update contained in the KB article below. This update enables your Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7-based KMS host to successfully activate Office 2013 clients that are running on Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012:
KB 2691586 - Download and run the executable file on this page on a supported operating system.
- Enter your Office 2013 KMS host key when prompted.
- Activate the product key online.
- If setting up a KMS host, open port 1688 to allow the KMS host service through the firewall:
- Open Control Panel and click on the Windows Firewall icon.
- Click the “Allow a program through Windows Firewall” link.
- Click the Change Settings button.
- Check the box for Key Management Service.
- To learn more about configuring your KMS host with slmgr.vbs, see the TechNet documentation found on this page.
MAP Toolkit 8.0 Beta released
The MAP Toolkit team announced that MAP Toolkit 8.0 beta is available. MAP Toolkit 8.0 beta has rich feature set to plan and prepare your environment to adopt next wave of Microsoft products and cloud services. The MAP Toolkit has readiness assessments that range from desktop to cloud — Windows 8 to Windows Azure.
The MAP Toolkit 8.0 Beta program is open for general testing today and you need to register to download and try MAP Toolkit 8.0 beta in your environment as you prepare your IT infrastructure to evaluate and deploy the latest Microsoft products and cloud services.
MAP Toolkit 8.0 Beta is available for download here
MAP Toolkit 8.0 has completely revamped modern user interface, which provides easy and clear access to assessment scenarios supported in MAP Toolkit and assessment summaries and results. If you have used a prior version of the MAP Toolkit, you will find MAP Toolkit 8.0 much easier and simpler to navigate, find and run assessment scenarios you are interested and review the assessment results.
Following are some of the key assessment scenarios in the MAP Toolkit 8.0:
Windows Server 2012 Readiness
MAP 8.0 Beta assesses the readiness of your IT infrastructure for deploying Windows Server 2012. This assessment includes detailed and actionable recommendations indicating which machines meet Windows Server 2012 system requirements and which may need hardware updates. A comprehensive inventory of servers, operating systems, workloads, devices, and server roles is included to help in your planning efforts.
Windows 8 Readiness Assessment
MAP 8.0 Beta assesses the readiness of your IT environment for a Windows 8 deployment. This assessment evaluates your existing hardware against the recommended system requirements for Windows 8. It provides recommendations detailing which machines meet the requirements and which may need hardware upgrades.
Office 2013 and Office 365 Readiness Assessments
MAP 8.0 Beta assesses readiness for Office 2013 and provides an in-depth assessment of client desktops for upgrading or migration. It also offers support for Office 365 features such as web apps, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, or full Office 365 client support.
Windows Azure Virtual Machines Migration Recommendation
MAP 8.0 Beta performs a comprehensive assessment of Windows Server and Linux machines to determine if a migration to Windows Azure Virtual Machines is possible. The toolkit then offers suggested changes to prepare the machines for migration. Key features help you reduce the operating costs of hosting on-premise servers as well as estimating the required size and monthly network and storage usage required to migrate on-premise Windows and Linux servers to Windows Azure Virtual Machines using the data from the environment.
Software usage assessment for Lync
MAP 8.0 Beta’s Lync Enterprise and Usage Tracking feature counts the number of Lync Enterprise/Plus users as well as device activities for determining the number of required client access licenses (CAL). For Lync 2010, MAP provides a server inventory and software usage by device and user for Lync Standard features. MAP’s updated Software Usage Tracking feature provides consistent software usage reports for key Microsoft products including Windows Server, SQL Server, System Center, Forefront Endpoint Protection (FEP), and Lync.
Starting today, beta program will be open for six weeks and will end on Dec 14th, 2012. You can participate in beta by downloading and running MAP Toolkit 8.0 beta in your environment.
Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit 7.0 Now Available
Get ready for Windows Server 2012 with the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit 7.0. The latest version of the MAP Toolkit adds several new planning scenarios that help you build for the future with agility and focus while lowering the cost of delivering IT. Download MAP 7.0 and begin planning your server deployments today!
New capabilities allow you to:
· Understand your readiness to deploy Windows Server 2012 in your environment
· Determine Windows 8 readiness. For more info, see this blog post.
· Investigate how Windows Server and System Center can manage your heterogeneous environment through VMware migration and Linux server virtualization assessments
· Size your desktop virtualization needs for both Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and session-based virtualization using Remote Desktop Services. For more information, see these blog posts.
· Ready your information platform for the cloud with the SQL Server 2012 discovery and migration assessment. For more info, see this blog post.
· Evaluate your licensing needs with usage tracking for Lync 2010, active users and devices, SQL Server 2012, and Windows Server 2012. For more information, see this blog post.
Download MAP 7.0 now from http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?&id=7826
Upgrading the ADMX files to Windows 8 & 2012
When you want to use a new OS in your domain you need to upgrade de ADMX files. The easy way to get all the possible ADMX/ADML files for a particular OS without having to install all the roles/features is to simply copy them out of the winsxs directory (replace en-US in the commands below if your OS is installed in a language other than English). Here is a sample set of commands which can do this for you. You’d need to run this on both a Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 computers to capture all possible admx/adml files.
cd /d %windir%\winsxs
dir *.admx /s /b > %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\admx.txt
dir *.adml /s /b | find /i “en-us” > %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\adml_en-us.txt
mkdir %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\PolicyDefinitions
mkdir %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\PolicyDefinitions\en-US
FOR /F %i IN (%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\admx.txt) DO copy %i %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\PolicyDefinitions\
FOR /F %i IN (%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\adml_en-us.txt) DO copy %i %USERPROFILE%\Desktop\PolicyDefinitions\en-US\
Source: Upgrading the ADMX Central Store files from Windows 7/2008R2 to Windows 8/2012
Announcing Exchange 2010 Service Pack 3
The Exchange Team is pleased to announce that in the first half of calendar year 2013 we will be releasing Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 3 (SP3) to our customers. With SP3, the following new features and capabilities will be included:
Coexistence with Exchange 2013: Customers that want to introduce Exchange Server 2013 into their existing Exchange 2010 infrastructure will need the coexistence changes shipping in SP3.
Support for Windows Server 2012: With Service Pack 3, you will have the ability to install and deploy Exchange Server 2010 on machines running Windows Server 2012.
Customer Requested Fixes: All fixes contained within update rollups released prior to Service Pack 3 will also be contained within SP3. Details of our regular Exchange 2010 release rhythm can be found in Exchange 2010 Servicing.
Windows 8 en Server 2012 KMS Service Activation
For Licensing Server 2012 and Windows 8 on a Windows 2008 R2 server you need to update the KMS Service.
Install the following update: An update is available for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 KMS hosts to support Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 as described in KB2691586.
If you don’t install this hotfix registering a Windows Server 2012 KMS will throw an Error: 0xC004F050 The Software Licensing Service reported that the product key is invalid
So request the hotfix and install it. Just follow the instructions and you’ll be fine 
We can start putting our brand new KMS key into action.
Uninstall the current KMS key using slmgr.vbs /upk 
Now you can install the new KMS key. The key listed here is obviously a demo one ![clip_image002[1]](https://i0.wp.com/www.wardvissers.nl/wp-upload/ad61c5949012_DF23/clip_image0021.png "clip_image002[1]"){kind=small}
If you run in to any issues here, restarting the KMS Service can help. Try that first.
slmgr.vbs /ipk NOPEI-AMNOT-GIVIN-GITTO-YOU!
Now activate your brandnew KMS key running slmgr.vbs /ato
We run slmgr.vbs /dlv again and as you can see now we can activate all our Windows 2012 servers and Windows 8 computers
Group Policy Settings Reference for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
These spreadsheets list the policy settings for computer and user configurations that are included in the Administrative template files delivered with the Windows operating systems specified. You can configure these policy settings when you edit Group Policy Objects.
You can use the filtering capabilities that are included in this spreadsheet to view a specific subset of data, based on one value or a combination of values that are available in one or more of the columns. In addition, you can click Custom in the drop-down list of any of the column headings to add additional filtering criteria within that column.
To view a specific subset of data, click the drop-down arrow in the column heading of cells that contain the value or combination of values on which you want to filter, and then click the desired value in the drop-down list. For example, to view policy settings that are available for Windows Server 2012 or Windows 8, in the Administrative Template worksheet, click the drop-down arrow next to Supported On, and then click At least Microsoft Windows Server 2012 or Windows 8.
What’s New?
The Administrative Template spreadsheet contains three columns that provide more information about each policy setting’s behavior related to reboots, logoffs, and schema extensions. These columns are the following:
- Reboot Required: A “Yes” in this column means that the Windows operating systems requires a restart before it applies the described policy setting.
- Logoff Required: A “Yes” in this column means that the Windows operating system requires the user to log off and log on again before it applies the described policy setting.
- Active Directory Schema or Domain Requirements: A “Yes” in this column means that you must extend the Active Directory schema before you can deploy this policy setting.
- Status: A “New” in this column means that the setting did not exist prior to Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8. It does not mean that the setting applies only to Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8. Refer to the column entitled “supported on” to determine to which operating system the policy setting applies.
WindowsServer2012andWindows8GroupPolicySettings.xlsx
Group Policy Settings Reference for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012