FREE Microsoft eBooks! Who doesn’t love FREE Microsoft eBooks? Well, for the past few years, I’ve provided posts containing almost 150 FREE Microsoft eBooks and my readers, new and existing, have loved these posts so much that they downloaded over 3.5 Million free eBooks as of last June, including over 1,000,000 in a single week last year (and many, many more since then).
Source : Eric Ligman, Microsoft Senior Sales Excellence Manager, Blog
Microsoft is taking an important step towards helping businesses stay up to date with the latest software, services, and devices. Enterprise Mode for Internet Explorer 11, announced today as an update for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, provides better compatibility for older versions of Internet Explorer and tools to manage which Web apps use it.
Source : IEBlog
Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) is available worldwide in 95 languages for download today. We will begin automatically updating Windows 7 customers to IE11 in the weeks ahead, starting today with customers running the IE11 Developer and Release Previews. With this final release, IE11 brings the same leading standards support--with improved performance, security, privacy, and reliability that consumers enjoy on Windows 8.1—to Windows 7 customers.
Source : IEBog
Today I tried to do a sysprep of a Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 computer before capturing an image of it via imagex.
sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:unattend.xml
Everything went fine and the computer shutdown.
Then I rebooted the server and had a blue screen (BSOD) :
STOP: c000021a {Fatal System Error}
The session manager initialization system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc000003a (0x00000000 0x00000000).
The system has been shut down.
I found out that SYSPREP had made some changes to my Boot Configuration Data (BCD). Here’s an extract of my setupact.log file :
LaunchDll:Found 'C:\Windows\System32\spbcd.dll,Sysprep_Generalize_Bcd'; executing it
Sysprep_Generalize_Bcd: Located BCD store on system drive. Generalizing it...
GeneralizeBcdStore: Found the memory tester object.
GeneralizeBcdStore: Found the Windows OS Loader object {bb3f7e5d-3afe-11e1-908d-0010184c4562} for the currently running OS.
GeneralizeBcdStore: Found the resume object {bb3f7e5c-3afe-11e1-908d-0010184c4562} for the OS loader.
GeneralizeBcdStore: System drive backed by VHD = 0
GeneralizeBcdStore: Generalizing object {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}
GeneralizeBcdStore: Successfully generalized application device. Status = [0x0]
GeneralizeBcdStore: Generalizing object {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d}
GeneralizeBcdStore: Successfully generalized application device. Status = [0x0]
GeneralizeBcdStore: Generalizing object {bb3f7e5d-3afe-11e1-908d-0010184c4562}
GeneralizeBcdStore: Successfully generalized application device. Status = [0x0]
GeneralizeBcdStore: Successfully generalized OS device. Status = [0x0]
GeneralizeBcdStore: Generalizing object {bb3f7e5c-3afe-11e1-908d-0010184c4562}
GeneralizeBcdStore: Successfully generalized application device. Status = [0x0]
GeneralizeBcdStore: Successfully generalized hiberfile device. Status = [0x0]
Sysprep_Generalize_Bcd: Successfully generalized the bcd store. Status=[0x0]
LaunchDll:Successfully executed 'C:\Windows\System32\spbcd.dll,Sysprep_Generalize_Bcd' without error
So, after running sysprep /generalize my BCD looked like this :
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {default}
device locate=\windows\system32\winload.efi
path \windows\system32\winload.efi
description Windows Server 2008 R2
locale en-us
inherit {bootloadersettings}
osdevice locate=\windows
systemroot \windows
resumeobject {bb3f7e5c-3afe-11e1-908d-0010184c4562}
nx OptOut
detecthal Yes
Did you noticed the locate=… value for the device and osdevice entries ? Well it seems that those new values were causing my blue screen.
I restored the previous values (before Sysprep) with the following commands :
bcdedit /set {default} device partition=C:
bcdedit /set [default} osdevice partition=C:
After that, my computer was able to boot again.
I’m not sure, but i suspect that this little mixed up with the BCD Store maybe related to how I partitioned my disk :
| WinPE Size 900Mb, boot WinPE to capture or apply an image from imagex |
| ESP Size 100Mb, EFI System Partition, Active Partition |
| Microsoft Reserved Size 128Mb |
| Windows Size 120Gb, C: drive |
| Data Size 400Gb, E: drive |
My disk is initialize as a GPT disk and this is an EFI Computer.
Always make a backup of the BCD store before running SYSPREP :
bcdedit /export backupbcd.bcd
This article introduces Group Policy Preferences, explains how they differ from Group Policy settings, compares Preferences to logon scripts, and covers a few Group Policy Preferences gotchas.
The introduction of Group Policy Preferences into Group Policy seems to have quite a few people confused. I think that confusion has been compounded by all of the people who skipped Windows Vista, stayed with Windows XP, and are just now starting to implement Windows 7 on the desktop.
Source : 4sysops
Excellent post from Robert McMurray :
I've mentioned in previous blog posts that I use the Windows WebDAV Redirector a lot. (And believe me, I use it a lot.) Having said that, there are a lot of registry settings that control how the Windows WebDAV Redirector operates, and I tend to tweak those settings fairly often.
I documented all of those registry settings in my Using the WebDAV Redirector walkthrough, but unfortunately there isn't a built-in interface for managing the settings. With that in mind, I decided to write my own user interface.
Source : blogs.iis.net/robert_mcmurray
Related : using-the-webdav-redirector
I just wanted to make you all aware of a new KB article myself and a couple of teammates put together around component store growth and remediation. I wanted to have something short and to the point and I think a lot of you might find this more useful than sifting through the blog trying to piecemeal together the same information. I'll probably try to put together something a little more verbose here that goes more into the internals of some of this but I am busy working on a new project and dont have tons of time. If you have any questions or comments about the material please ask them here.
How to Alleviate Disk Space Pressure Caused By a Large Windows Component Store (WinSxS) Directory
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=2592038
Source : The Windows Servicing Guy
Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows® 7 with SP1 enables IT administrators to manage roles and features that are installed on computers that are running Windows Server® 2008 R2, Windows Server® 2008, or Windows Server® 2003, from a remote computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows 7 with SP1.
Download : www.microsoft.com/downloads
Hello, my name is Emmers Presson. I am a Support Escalation Engineer for Microsoft in the Windows Core team.
The purpose of this blog is to give you the steps to install a hotfix (or any other “package”) on the currently running operating system using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command.
Source : Ask the Core Team blog
This article describes the System Update Readiness Tool for Windows Vista-based computers, for Windows Server 2008-based computers, for Windows Server 2008 R2-based computers, and for Windows 7-based computers. Microsoft released the System Update Readiness Tool to resolve certain conditions that could cause installing updates and other software not to work. You do not have to manually run this tool. This tool is offered automatically through Windows Update to computers that have a condition that the tool could resolve.
After you download the System Update Readiness Tool, it runs a onetime scan for inconsistencies that might prevent future servicing operations. This scan typically takes less than 15 minutes to run. However, the tool might take significantly longer on some computers. The Windows Update progress bar is not updated during the scan, and progress seems to stop at 60% complete for some time. This behavior is expected. The scan is still running and you should not cancel the update.
Source : support.microsoft.com
You may receive the following error when installing Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 or Windows 2008 R2:Source : The Windows Servicing Guy
0xC0000022 (STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED)
This can be due to McAfee Host Intrusion Protection being installed on the system. To workaround this problem, disable the following option in McAfee: Startup IPS Protection Enabled
More information is available on this thread: https://community.mcafee.com/message/177267#177267
Some of you probably noticed a new download showed up today:
The Windows® Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows® 7 SP1
Be sure to read the “readme” that goes along with this at:
Windows Automated Installation Kit for Windows 7 Readme
A quick Q&A that I assembled from information in this readme and our own MDT testing ...
I guess those of you who are responsible for patch management have heard of the trick before. I tried it with RSAT on Windows 7 SP1, and it appeared to work fine.
In the description of this workaround, I assume that you want to install x86fre_GRMRSAT_MSU.msu. If you need amd64fre_GRMRSATX_MSU.msu, you have to change the file names accordingly. I also assume that you downloaded the RSAT MSU file to c:\tmp.The workaround description is slightly different than in chibisuke’s comment.
Install RSAT on Windows 7 SP1
- Launch a command prompt with Administrator rights.
- Execute the following commands:
md c:\rsat
expand -f:* c:\tmp\ rsat-windows-7-x86fre_GRMRSAT_MSU c:\rsat
cd c:\rsat
pkgmgr /n:Windows6.1-KB958830-x86.xml /l:log.txt- Wait until this line appears in c:\log.txt: DISM Provider Store: PID=1120 Releasing the local reference to DISMLogger. Stop logging….
- Reboot.
- Launch the “Turn Windows Feature on or off” applet in the Control Panel under Programs, and enable the Remote Server Administration Tools or Role Administration Tools you need.
Source : 4sysops.com
Il you have exprienced an error with SP1 for Windows 7 / Windows 2008 R2 installation you should take a look at the Ramblings of a Support Engineer blog from a Microsoft Engineer.
Source : www.zdnet.com/blog/bott
When you try to install RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7) on Windows 7 SP1, you will get this error message: "This update is not applicable to your computer".Source : 4sysops.com/archives/install-rsat-on-windows-7-sp1
Thanks you all for your patience waiting for the full set of deployment walkthrough videos to be posted on TechNet Edge. As per my previous post, over the past few months I have been updating the deployment walkthrough videos and I am pleased to announce that the whole video series has now been posted. In all there are seven videos (around 10 hours of content) - you can see the full list of videos here or you can link to the individual videos below:
DEPLOYMENT PLANNING:
OFFICE DEPLOYMENT:
- Exploring the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) 2.0
- Exploring the User State Migration Toolkit (USMT) 4.0
- Exploring the Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) 5.5
IMAGE ENGINEERING AND SERVICING: IMAGE DEPLOYMENT:
- Deploying 2007 Office System (I'm working on the Office 2010 deployment video – will be out early January)
Source : The Deployment Guys
Yesterday I was trying to build a bootable USB Key with WinPE 3.0 (from Win7/2008 R2 AIK) to use on my new IBM x3550 M3. I was unable to boot the computer with the key. Strangely the key works fine on another computer.
I was building my boot image (boot.wim) for x86 (32bit) OS. This morning it hits me, why not try to build an x64 image (amd64) ? and it worked !
Here’s my understanding of the problem (and I could be wrong) :
My IBM x3550 M3 is an EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) system, you know the replacement of the old BIOS. It looks to me that booting an EFI system with a x86 WinPE is not supported because the bootmgr.efi file is missing. When you build an x64 (amd64) WinPE the file (bootmgr.efi) is present and everything works fine on my server.
Sandro Villinger wrote an excellent article on speeding up boot-times, most of these articles do not go further than msconfig.exe, this article does.
Like this article talks about “MainPathBootTime”
Read the full article: What’s Taking So Long How to Fight Slow Startup Times in Windows 7 « IT Expert Voice
Source : Bink.nu
From time to time people have asked me how to install Virtual Server on Windows 7, and have even pointed me towards attempts made by other people with varying levels of success. But I have not looked into this until today – because it is unsupported.
Source : Virtual PC Guy's WebLog
