Tag: Microsoft

The top 10 features of Windows Server 2016

October 10, 2018October 10, 2018 · Leave a comment ·

Windows Server 2016 as compared to the previous version focuses more on cloud and virtualization. The top 10 features of 2016 version are as follows:

1. Windows Nano Server

Nano Server is a pared down headless version (no local login) of Windows Server. Nano Server will have a 93% smaller VHD size, 92% fewer critical bulletins and 80% fewer required reboots. Nano Server is a Windows Server installation options and it’s completely headless – there’s no GUI and no command prompt. Nano Server is designed to run Hyper-V, Hyper-V cluster, and Scale-Out File Servers (SOFSs) and cloud service applications.

2. Windows Server Containers and Hyper-V Containers

The next biggest change in Windows Server 2016 will be support for containers. Containers enable you to isolate your applications from the underlying OS improving the deployment and reliability of those applications. Windows Server 2016 will provide two kinds of native containers: Windows Server Containers and Hyper-V Containers. Windows Server Containers are isolated from each other, but they run directly on the Windows Server 2016 OS. Hyper-V Containers provide enhanced isolation by running the containers from a Hyper-V VM.

FB-Server-2016-2-1200x600

3. Docker Support

Docker is an open-source engine that’s used for building, running and managing containers. Docker containers were originally built for Linux but the next version of Windows Server will provide built-in support for the Docker engine as well. A new open-source Docker engine project has been built for Windows Server with Microsoft participating as an active open source community member. You can use Docker to manage Windows Server and Hyper-V Containers.

4. Rolling upgrades for Hyper-V and Storage clusters

One of the biggest new changes for Hyper-V in Windows Server 2016 is rolling upgrades for Hyper-V clusters. The new rolling upgrades feature allows you to add a new Windows Server 2016 node to a Hyper-V cluster with nodes that are running Windows Server 2012 R2. The cluster will continue to run at the Windows Server 2012 R2 functional level until all of the cluster nodes have been upgraded to Windows Server 2016. When the cluster has mixed level nodes the management must be done from Windows Server 2016 or Windows 10. New VMs on a mixed cluster will be compatible with the Windows Server 2012 R2 feature set.

5. Hot add & remove of virtual memory network adapters

Another great new feature in Windows Server 2016 Hyper-V is the ability to add and remove the virtual memory and virtual network adapters while the virtual machine is running. In previous releases, you need to use dynamic memory to change the minimum and maximum RAM settings of a VM that is running. Windows Server 2016 enables you to change the allocated RAM while the VM is active even if the VM is using static memory. Likewise, you add and remove network adapters while VM is running.

6. Nested virtualization

Added primarily for the new container support, Windows Server 2016’s nested virtualization capabilities will also be a handy addition for training and lab scenarios. With this new feature, you are no longer limited to running the Hyper-V role on a physical server. Nested virtualization enables you to run Hyper-V within a Hyper-V virtual machine.

7. PowerShell Direct

PowerShell is a great management automation tool but it can be complicated to get it to run remotely against your VMs. You need to worry about security policies, firewall configurations, and your host networking configuration. PowerShell Direct enables you to run PowerShell commands in the guest OS of a VM without needing to go through the network layers. Like VMConnect (the remote console support provided by the Hyper-V Manager) it requires zero configuration it connects directly to the guest VM and all you need are authentication credentials for the VM’s guest OS.

8. Linux Secure Boot

Another new feature in Windows Server 2016 Hyper-V is the ability to enable secure boot for VMs with Linux guest operating systems. Secure Boot is a feature of the UEFI firmware specification incorporated in Generation 2 VMs that protects the VM’s hardware kernel mode code from being attacked by rootkits and other boot-time malware. Previously, Generation 2 VMs supported Secure Boot for Windows 8/8.1 and Windows Server 2012 VMs but not VM’s running Linux.

9. New Host Guardian Service and Shielded VMs

The Host Guardian Service is a new role in Windows Server 2016 that enables shielded virtual machines and protects the data on them from unauthorized access – even from Hyper-V administrators. Shielded VMs can be created using the Azure Management Pack Portal. Standard VMs can also be converted to Shielded VMs. With Shielded VMs Hyper-V virtual disks can be encrypted with BitLocker.

10. Storage Spaces Direct

Windows Server 2016 also has a number of storage system improvements one of the most important is the new Storage Spaces Direct feature. Storage Spaces Direct is the evolution of the previous Storage Spaces technology found in Windows Server 2012 R2. Windows Server 2016 Storage Spaces Direct allows a cluster to access JBOD storage in an external enclosure like Windows Server 2012 R2 or it can also allow access to JBOD and SAS disks that are internal to the cluster nodes. Like the previous release, Store Spaces form the basis for Storage Pools and they support both SSD and HDD disks and data tiering.

Source: itprotoday

What is that popup on Windows 10 that disappears after a split second?

May 31, 2017June 1, 2017 · 2 Comments ·

If you run Windows 10, you may have noticed a popup window being launched on the screen once a day, or even regularly.

It is spawned and immediately closed again. This makes it difficult to understand what spawns it, why it is launched, and whether it is something that you need to be concerned about.

One of the issues of this is that you may be thrown out of full-screen applications when that happens. Several users of Windows 10 reported that they get the window every hour or so and that it makes playing games a nightmare because of that.

The file that gets executed every hour or so is called officebackgroundtaskhandler.exe, and you can find it under

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\officebackgroundtaskhandler.exe

If you check the log on your system, for instance, you may notice that this is the case on your Windows 10 device.

officebackgroundtaskhandler

This issue has been a hot topic since April 15th when a user reported it on Microsoft’s official Answer forum.

Is there a really, really good reason that the “OfficeBackgroundTaskHandlerRegistration” task (see it in Task Scheduler, Microsoft, Office) must run every hour? This is what it says that it does: “This task initiates Office Background Task Handler, which updates relevant Office data.”

I ask because it runs officebackgroundtaskhandler.exe in such a way that it flashes a window (itself) on the screen. Only instantaneously to be sure, but it’s noticeable, especially once you catch onto what’s happening. You can run the task manually if you want to see it without waiting.

Why doesn’t the task use one of the many tricks to hide a window from displaying?

If Microsoft Office runs on the Windows 10 machine, two tasks are scheduled to run OfficeBackgroundTaskHandler. They are:

OfficeBackgroundTaskHandlerLogon which runs when the user logs on to the system.
OfficeBackgroundTaskHandlerRegistration which runs every hour.

Solutions:

The task window should not be launched when the task is run, and there are plenty of ways that Microsoft could have picked to hide the task window instead of spawning it every hour on the user system.

The two main options that you have been to disable the task, or to switch it from running under User to System.

1. Disabling the Task:

office task

It is unclear what the task does, and you should monitor Office closely after disabling it to make sure everything works as intended. The task is still run on login though.

Tap on the Windows-key, type Task Scheduler, and hit the Enter-key.
Go to Task Scheduler > Task Scheduler Library –> Microsoft > Office
Locate the task OfficeBackgroundTaskHandlerRegistration.
Right-click on the task, and select the disable option.

2. Run under System account:

The second option that you have is to change the user group the task runs under. Switching it to System reportedly hides the popup window from spawning.

office task2

Tap on the Windows-key, type Task Scheduler, and hit the Enter-key.
Go to Task Scheduler > Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Office
Right-click on OfficeBackgroundTaskHandlerRegistration and select Properties.
Select “Change User or Group”.
Type system.

Click ok.

Or Wait for some time, Microsoft is going to release the patch build 16.0.8201.2025. As of now this patch released for those participating in the Office Insiders Slow program. It will be included in a future update for those not participating in Insiders.

How to install Office updates manually?

Check the link given below:

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Install-Office-updates-2ab296f3-7f03-43a2-8e50-46de917611c5

Source: ghacks, Microsoft, MS Office

There’s an important UPDATE that there’s no UPDATE

March 22, 2017March 22, 2017 · Leave a comment ·

Microsoft blocking new security patches and updates for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users running the latest processors from Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and others.

Don’t panic, this new policy doesn’t mean that all Windows 7 and 8.1 users will not be able to receive latest updates in general because Microsoft has promised to support Windows 7 until 2020, and Windows 8.1 until 2023.

But those who have upgraded their machines running older versions of Windows to the latest processors, or manually downgraded their new laptops to run Windows 7/8.1 would be out of luck.

Last week, Microsoft published Knowledge Base article, with the title “‘Your PC uses a processor that isn’t supported on this version of Windows’ error when you scan or download Windows updates”, suggesting that the restriction was now being enforced.

In the article, Microsoft describes the “symptoms” of the error as:

When you try to scan or download updates through Windows Update, you receive the following error message:

Unsupported Hardware
Your PC uses a processor that isn’t supported on this version of Windows and you won’t receive updates.

Additionally, you may see an error message on the Windows Update window that resembles the following:

Windows could not search for new updates
An error occurred while checking for new updates for your computer.
Error(s) found:
Code 80240037 Windows Update encountered an unknown error.

The “cause” of the error being:

This error occurs because new processor generations require the latest Windows version for support. For example, Windows 10 is the only Windows version that is supported on the following processor generations:

Intel seventh (7th)-generation processors (“Kaby Lake”) or a later generation

AMD “Bristol Ridge”
Qualcomm “8996”

Because of how this support policy is implemented, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 devices that have a seventh generation or a later generation processor may no longer be able to scan or download updates through Windows Update or Microsoft Update.

Users would require upgrading their systems to the newest version of Windows, i.e. Windows 10, despite Windows 7 being supported to 2020 and Windows 8.1 to 2023.
Microsoft announced this limitation in January 2016, when the company said making Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 OSes run on the latest processors was “challenging.”

“For Windows 7 to run on any modern silicon, device drivers and firmware need to emulate Windows 7’s expectations for interrupt processing, bus support, and power states- which is challenging for Wi-Fi, graphics, security, and more,” Terry Myerson, VP of Microsoft’s Windows and Devices Group, said last year.

The initial announcement also included PCs that use 6th-generation Intel processors (“Skylake”), but Microsoft backed off on its plan and released a list of Skylake-based systems that will be fully supported to receive security updates through the official end of support phase for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, i.e. January 14, 2020, and January 10, 2023, respectively.

This end of updates for new devices doesn’t come as a surprise to some PC owners, as Microsoft is making every effort to run its latest Windows on all Windows computers since the launch of Windows 10.

An alarm for those still running Windows Vista on their machines: The operating system will no longer receive security updates, non-security hotfixes, paid assisted supports, or online technical updates from Microsoft beginning April 11, 2017.

So, it’s high time for Windows Vista users to upgrade their PCs to the latest version of Windows operating system in order to protect your devices from malware or other security threats.

Source: Microsoft, The hacker news, Beta News

How to enable Administrator account in Windows 8.1 & Windows 10 Home Single Language

June 19, 2016June 19, 2016 · Leave a comment ·

Use the following steps to active administrator account.

Open the command prompt as Administrator

Normally, the command prompt can be opened as a regular user to run commands that don’t require administrative rights. However, if you need to run a command that requires administrative rights, you must open the command prompt window as administrator.

The first method of accessing the command prompt as administrator is to right-click on the Start button in the lower-left corner of the screen and select the Command Prompt (Admin) option from the User menu.

You can also press the Windows key + X to access this menu.

– The second method involves the Start screen. If you are currently on the Desktop, click the Start button in the lower-left corner of the screen.

On the Start screen, start type “command prompt” (without the quotes). The Search panel displays on the right side of the screen and results of the search display as you type. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator from the popup menu.

So now you are opened the command prompt in administrator mode.

2. Type below given command to see the users list:

C:\WINDOWS\System32>net user

3. Unlock the administrator account.

C:\WINDOWS\System32>net user administrator /active: yes

Give a password.

C:\WINDOWS\System32>net user administrator *

(* – type the password)

Source: howtogeek

How to: Determine Which .NET Framework Versions Are Installed

March 30, 2016 · Leave a comment ·

Users can install and run multiple versions of the .NET Framework on their computers. When you develop or deploy your app, you might need to know which .NET Framework versions are installed on the user’s computer.

Note that the .NET Framework consists of two main components, which are versioned separately:

A set of assemblies, which are collections of types and resources that provide the functionality for your apps. The .NET Framework and assemblies share the same version number.
The common language runtime (CLR), which manages and executes your app’s code. The CLR is identified by its own version number.

To get an accurate list of the .NET Framework versions installed on a computer, you can view the registry.

To find .NET Framework versions by viewing the registry (.NET Framework 1-4)

On the Start menu, choose Run.
In the Open box, enter regedit.exe.

You must have administrative credentials to run regedit.exe.

3. In the Registry Editor, open the following subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP

The installed versions are listed under the NDP subkey. The version number is stored in the Version entry. For the .NET Framework 4 the Version entry is under the Client or Full subkey (under NDP), or under both subkeys.

1 Frame work

To find .NET Framework versions by viewing the registry (.NET Framework 4.5 and later)

On the Start menu, choose Run.
In the Open box, enter regedit.exe.

You must have administrative credentials to run regedit.exe.

3. In the Registry Editor, open the following subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\V4\Full

Note that the path to the Full subkey includes the subkey Net Framework rather than .NET Framework.

2 Framework

Check for a DWORD value named Release. The existence of the Release DWORD indicates that the .NET Framework 4.5 or newer has been installed on that computer.

IC664979

The value of the Release DWORD indicates which version of the .NET Framework is installed.

Net Frame work

Source: Microsoft

You cannot modify the Hosts file or the Lmhosts file in Windows 7 and Windows 10

March 22, 2016March 24, 2016 · 1 Comment ·

When you try to change the Hosts file or the Lmhosts file in Microsoft Windows 10, or Windows 7, you may receive an error message that resembles either of the following.

Error message 1

Access to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\ hosts was denied

Error message 2

Cannot create the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts file.
Make sure that the path and file name are correct.

This issue occurs even though you log on by using an account that has administrative credentials.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, follow these steps:

Click Start , click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Notepad, and then click Run as administrator.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow or Yes.

Open the Hosts file or the Lmhosts file, make the necessary changes, and then click Save on the Edit If using Windows 7, you will need to click Save on the File menu.

source: Microsoft

How to enable the ‘God Mode’ in Windows 10

October 19, 2015October 20, 2015 · 2 Comments ·

Windows 10 “GodMode” is the feature something that not many Windows users will be aware of. However,

GodMode is built into Windows 10, just as it was in previous Windows versions.

In fact, its real name is the Windows Master Control Panel shortcut.

Follow the steps given below to enable the God Mode in your Windows 10:

Create a new folder on your Windows desktop (New –>Folder) and save it with the name: {ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
The folder’s icon will change to an icon as of a Control Panel. Double-click on the new icon to see your universal settings panel.
You can name the folder other than “GodMode”; before the Period (.).
Now, click the folder, open it and get God-like access to more than 260 functions and tools.

Some functions are unique to Windows 10 while others are similar to the previous versions of Windows.

when you open that folder, you can see around 40 different settings, including Devices and Printers, Credential Manager, Indexing, etc. Some variations exist depending if you have a Home or Pro version and different hardware.

Note – your system account must have administrative privileges for this folder to work.

Source: Microsoft, windows 10

How to change IP address using a Batch File Script on Windows?

August 11, 2014July 22, 2016 · 21 Comments ·

How to change IP address using a Batch File:

Starting with Windows 2000, Microsoft has provided a powerful utility, Netsh, which lets you display and modify the network configuration of Windows computers. You can use the Netsh on the command line or in a batch file. Here’s an example of how you can create a batch file that changes the IP address of the local machine.

Netsh is a command-line scripting utility that allows you to, either locally or remotely, display or modify the network configuration of a computer that is currently running. Netsh also provides a scripting feature that allows you to run a group of commands in batch mode against a specified computer. Netsh can also save a configuration script in a text file for archival purposes or to help you configure other servers.

In my environment, we don’t use DHCP. We use static IP addresses. Using static IP addresses usually doesn’t present any problems because we rarely move desktops between locations. However, the people who use laptops usually visit multiple locations. At each location, they’ve been assigned a separate IP address. Each time they change location, they look up the appropriate network settings in a .txt file, then manually change those settings. This occasionally creates problems because they have to remember the correct steps to change their network settings and sometimes they mistakenly enter wrong numbers.

I found a solution. For each location, I created a simple batch file that the laptop users can run. Whenever they want to change their IP settings, all they have to do is execute the appropriate batch file.

The batch file uses the Netsh utility and contains below given commands.

Copy the code given below in the Notepad and save it with the .bat extension.

– Run the .bat file with double click.

– In the some cases, the .bat file needs to run with administrator’s privileges. Right-click on the .bat file and choose “Run as administrator“.

@echo off

ipconfig /flushdns

ipconfig /release

netsh interface set interface "Local Area Connection" disable

netsh interface ip set dns "Local Area Connection" static

netsh interface ip set address "Local Area Connection" static

echo Wait 5 seconds...

ping -n 60 -w 1000 0.0.0.1 > nul

netsh interface set interface "Local Area Connection" enable

netsh interface ip set address "Local Area Connection" static 192.168.XXX.XX 255.255.255.0 192.168.XXX.X

netsh interface ip set dns "Local Area Connection" static 192.168.XXX.XXX

To change the IP Address to “obtain an IP address automatically” or to remove the IP Address, Copy the code given below in the Notepad and save it with the .bat extension.

@echo off

ipconfig /flushdns

ipconfig /release

netsh interface set interface "Local Area Connection" disable

netsh interface ip set dns "Local Area Connection" dhcp

netsh interface ip set address "Local Area Connection" dhcp

echo Wait 5 seconds...

ping -n 60 -w 1000 0.0.0.1 > nul

netsh interface set interface "Local Area Connection" enable

Now, whenever the users want to change their IP settings, all they have to do is run the batch file.

Note: This entire process (IP Address change process) will take max 60 to 80 seconds.

Source: windowsitpro, sevenforums

Microsoft Names Satya Nadella Its New CEO

February 6, 2014February 6, 2014 · Leave a comment ·

Microsoft Names Satya Nadella Its New CEO:

Microsoft Corp. Announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Satya Nadella as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors effective immediately. Before being named CEO in February 2014, Nadella held leadership roles in both enterprise and consumer businesses across the company.

Joining Microsoft in 1992, he quickly became known as a leader who could span a breadth of technologies and businesses to transform some of Microsoft’s biggest product offerings.

Most recently, Nadella was executive vice president of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise group. In this role he led the transformation to the cloud infrastructure and services business, which outperformed the market and took share from the competition. Previously, Nadella led R&D for the Online Services Division and was vice president of the Microsoft Business Division. Before joining Microsoft, Nadella was a member of the technology staff at Sun Microsystems.

Originally from Hyderabad, India, Nadella lives in Bellevue, Wash. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Mangalore University, a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago. He is married and has three children.

“During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead Microsoft than Satya Nadella,” said Bill Gates, Microsoft’s Founder and Member of the Board of Directors. “Satya is a proven leader with hard-core engineering skills, business vision and the ability to bring people together. His vision for how technology will be used and experienced around the world is exactly what Microsoft needs as the company enters its next chapter of expanded product innovation and growth.”

Since joining the company in 1992, Nadella has spearheaded major strategies and technical shifts across the company’s portfolio of products and services, most notably the company’s move to the cloud and the development of one of the largest cloud infrastructures in the world supporting Bing, Xbox, Office and other services. During his tenure overseeing Microsoft’s Server and Tools Business, the division outperformed the market and took share from competitors.

“Microsoft is one of those rare companies to have truly revolutionized the world through technology, and I couldn’t be more honoured to have been chosen to lead the company,” Nadella said. “The opportunity ahead for Microsoft is vast, but to seize it, we must focus clearly, move faster and continue to transform. A big part of my job is to accelerate our ability to bring innovative products to our customers more quickly.”

“Having worked with him for more than 20 years, I know that Satya is the right leader at the right time for Microsoft,” said Steve Ballmer, who announced on Aug. 23, 2013 that he would retire once a successor was named. “I’ve had the distinct privilege of working with the most talented employees and senior leadership team in the industry, and I know their passion and hunger for greatness will only grow stronger under Satya’s leadership.”

Microsoft also announced that Bill Gates, previously Chairman of the Board of Directors, will assume a new role on the Board as Founder and Technology Advisor, and will devote more time to the company, supporting Nadella in shaping technology and product direction. John Thompson, lead independent director for the Board of Directors, will assume the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors and remain an independent director on the Board.

Nadella addressed customers and partners for the first time as CEO during a Customer and Partner Webcast event.

https://az169342.vo.msecnd.net/events/2014/1402/PublicEvent/media/Customer_Partner_Webcast_1000k.mp4

How peoples’ lives are changed through Microsoft technology with a Super Bowl ad. This one-minute ad celebrates what technology can do, and is narrated by Steve Gleason, former NFL player and post-Katrina hero of the New Orleans Saints, now living with ALS. Steve narrates the spot in the same way he communicates daily — using his Surface Pro to speak, via eye tracking technology

Source: Microsoft

McAfee ePO Installation errors

January 16, 2014October 20, 2015 · 2 Comments ·

McAfee ePO Installation errors:

I had encountered three problems when installing McAfee ePO 4.5, 4.6 & 4.6.6 on Windows 2008 server standard edition R2.

Problem 1: SQL2005 backward compatibility:
McAfee ePO comes with SQL 2005 express, however you will encounter a problem of unable to install the SQL 2005 backward compatibility on Windows 2008 server R2 standard edition. You have to install SQL 2008 otherwise ePO installation cannot be preceded.

Problem 2: 8.3 naming convention was disabled:

You need to modify the registry to enable the 8.3 convention. 8.3 naming is needed for the tomcat service.

computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem\NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation from 2 to 0

Another method which is easier – is to use fsutil.exe.

NOTE: While installing McAfee ePO 5.0, it won’t throw 8.3 naming convention error.

Problem 3: Setup is unable to access UDP port 1434:

This problem will arise while installing all versions of McAfee ePO 4.5, 4.6. 4.6.6 and 5.0.

To resolve above error, we have to start SQL server browser service. By default SQL server browser is disabled. SQL Server Network Configuration protocols TCP/IP to be enabled, this protocol also by default disabled.

Go to Start -> All programs -> MS SQL Server 2008R2 ->Configuration Tools ->click on Configuration Manager (for details see the image given below)

Once changes done we have to restart the SQL server service (see the below image)

That’s it, further click Next… Next finish the installation.

Happy computing….

From here forward, McAfee will be known as Intel Security.

Source: Microsoft, cyruslab, McAfee, McAfee community

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