Thursday, July 29, 2010

Hyper-V backup can cause slow system boot / large registry files

There is a bug in Windows 2008 and Windows 2008 R2. The startup time increases every time after you back up the data on all the disks of the computer in Windows Server 2008 R2, if the computer runs some virtual machines. For more details and a hotfix look at this KB article from Microsoft
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/982210
Also take a look at these posts
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_guy/
http://garysgambit.blogspot.com/2010/05/windows-2008-hyper-v-vss-backup-bug.html
http://virtuallyaware.spaces.live.com/

Hyper-V resources in Microsoft

Please take a look at the following link from Microsoft
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/bb802511.aspx

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

How to install the VESI

Please read the following post The VESI – Getting it up and running from Arnim van Lieshout

Thursday, July 22, 2010

vSphere 4.1 - The Links

Read the following post from vSphere-land.

How to remove Windows NT4 BDC From Active directory

From this Microsoft article we read:
After upgrading the NT4 domain to Windows 2000/2003 Domain, you may find out that the old BDC (Backup Domain Controller) computer account still exits in the Active Directory.We have the following options to remove the old BDC from the Active Directory:
- Option A: Upgrade the current BDC server to Windows 2000/2003.
- Option B: Remove the computer account from the Active Directory from the BDC.
  1. Log on into the BDC with an account that is a member in "Domain Admins" users group.
  2. Go to "Start" -> "Run" -> Write "srvmgr" and press on "Enter" button.
  3. Remove the BDC computer account from the domain.
- Option C: Remove the computer account from the Active Directory manually.
   1. Logon into a Windows XP workstation or into the domain controller with an account that is a member of "Domain Admins" users group.
   2. Install Windows Support tools.
   3. Go to "Start" -> "Run" -> Write "adsiedit.msc" and press on "Enter" button.
   4. If your FQDN domain name is: domain.local and the BDC remains in "Domain Controller" you can use the following instructions:
a. Expand Domain NC, expand DC=Domain,DC=Local, and then expand OU=Domain Controllers.
b. Right-click the computer name BDC, and then right click and choose "Delete"..
Note: Removing the computer account will prevent the BDC functions and will drop the option to use network resources from the domain.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

How to enable Tech Support Mode (TSM) in ESXi 4.1

From VMware KB we read:


To enable local or remote TSM from the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI):
At the DCUI of the ESXi host, press F2 and provide credentials when prompted.
Scroll to Troubleshooting Options, and press Enter.
If you want to enable local TSM, select Local Tech Support and press Enter once. This allows users to login on the virtual console of the ESXi host.
If you want to enable remote TSM, select Remote Tech Support (SSH) and press Enter once. This allows users to login via SSH on the virtual console of the ESXi host.
Optionally, if you want to configure the timeout for TSM:
Select Modify Tech Support timeout and press Enter.
Enter the desired timeout value in minutes and press Enter.
Press Esc three times to return to the main DCUI screen.
To enable local or remote TSM from the vSphere Client:
Select the host and click the Configuration tab.
Click Security profile > Properties.
Click Local Tech Support or Remote Tech Support (SSH) and click Options.
Choose the desired startup policy and click Start, then click OK.
Verify that the daemon selected in step 3 shows as running in the Services Properties window.
To configure the TSM timeout value using the vSphere Client:
Select the host and click the Configuration tab.
Click Advanced Settings.
Change the UserVars.TSMTimeOut field to the desired value in minutes.
Click OK.
To access the local TSM:
At the main DCUI screen, press ALT+F1 simultaneously. This opens a virtual console window to the host.
Provide credentials when prompted.
To access the remote TSM:
Open an SSH client.
Specify the IP address or domain name of the ESX host.
Provide credentials when prompted.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Removing the Windows Logon and Forcing Users to the VMware View Client

From this link we read:
# Log in to Windows as the user whose shell you want to change.
# Start the Windows Registry Editor by entering regedit at a command prompt.
# Locate the following subkey:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
# Select Edit --> New --> String Value and give the new value the name Shell
# With the new value selected, select Edit --> Modify.
# Set the value data to the path of the new shell— for example
C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware VDM\client\bin\wswc.exe
Note: No quotations.
# Click OK, and then exit Registry Editor, log out of the user’s account, and log back in.
# Apply it to a group of computers via a GPO to their computer account.
# Turn on auto logon using this article from Microsoft KB.

Forcing adsl Modulation on Thomson 585v7

from this link we read:

for adsl
xdsl debug multimode config=g992.1_annex_a

or, the following for adsl2
xdsl debug multimode config=g992.3_annex_a

or, for adsl2+
xdsl debug multimode config=g992.5_annex_a

Once the disclaimer message shows your router will resync; finish off by typing
saveall
which saves the settings, use exit to shut the telnet session down

To switch back to multi mode use the following in place of the single mode command (typed on a single line).
Don't forget to saveall afterwards.
xdsl debug multimode config=t1.413issue2+g992.1_annex_a+g992.3_annex_a+g992.3_annex_m+g992.5_annex_a+g992.5_annex_m

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

How to find where is you .PST outlook file and move it somewhere else

Read the following post
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/21384/where-is-my-pst-file-and-how-can-i-move-it-somewhere-else/

How to install and use PowerShell Management library for Hyper-V R2

Read the following posts:
http://trycatch.be/blogs/roggenk/archive/2010/02/08/powershell-management-library-for-hyper-v-r2.aspx
http://trycatch.be/blogs/roggenk/archive/2010/05/26/managing-windows-server-2008-r2-using-powershell.aspx
Examples:
# get default VHD path for server ariadne
Get-VHDDefaultPath -server ariadne
# get VM state for all VMs in server ariadne with a formated output
get-VMState -server ariadne | ft -property VMElementName,GuestOS,EnabledState,Name -auto
# Start a VM Session
New-VMConnectSession -vm strgsrv -server ariadne
# Start a VM
Start-VM -vm strgsrv -server ariadne
# Shutdown a VM
Invoke-VMShutdown -vm strgsrv -server ariadne -Force
# Shutdown all VMs in server ariadne
Invoke-VMShutdown (Select-VM -Server ariadne -Multiple) -Force
# Shutdown all VMs in server ariadne
Get-VM -Server ariadne -Running | Invoke-VMShutdown -Force
# List all stopped VMs in server ariadne
get-VM -Server ariadne -Stopped
# Start all VMs in server ariadne
get-VM -Server ariadne -Stopped | Start-VM
# Get a build script for VM strgsrv of server ariadne
Get-VMBuildScript -vm strgsrv -server ariadne

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

How To Perform Scheduled Backups For SQL Server 2005 Express In Windows 7

from http://www.mydigitallife.info/2010/07/06/how-to-perform-scheduled-backups-for-sql-server-2005-express-in-windows-7/ we read:

The steps to perform scheduling backups for SQL Server 2005 Express in Windows 7:

1. Create a store procedure that allows generate the dynamic backup file name, with types of backup to run such as full, differential or transaction log backups and location of the backup files:

USE [master]

CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[sp_BackupDatabase]
@databaseName sysname, @backupType CHAR(1)
AS
BEGIN
SET NOCOUNT ON;

DECLARE @sqlCommand NVARCHAR(1000)
DECLARE @dateTime NVARCHAR(20)

SELECT @dateTime = REPLACE(CONVERT(VARCHAR, GETDATE(),111),’/',”) +
REPLACE(CONVERT(VARCHAR, GETDATE(),108),’:',”)

IF @backupType = ‘F’
SET @sqlCommand = ‘BACKUP DATABASE ‘ + @databaseName +
‘ TO DISK = ”C:\Backup\’ + @databaseName + ‘_Full_’ + @dateTime + ‘.BAK”’

IF @backupType = ‘D’
SET @sqlCommand = ‘BACKUP DATABASE ‘ + @databaseName +
‘ TO DISK = ”C:\Backup\’ + @databaseName + ‘_Diff_’ + @dateTime + ‘.BAK”
WITH DIFFERENTIAL’

IF @backupType = ‘L’
SET @sqlCommand = ‘BACKUP LOG ‘ + @databaseName +
‘ TO DISK = ”C:\Backup\’ + @databaseName + ‘_Log_’ + @dateTime + ‘.TRN”’

EXECUTE sp_executesql @sqlCommand
END

2. Create a SQL script to run the backup. In this example, we will backup database master and saved the below SQL script as dbbackup.sql and save in “c:\Backup” folder.

sp_BackupDatabase ‘master’, ‘F’
GO
QUIT

3. Create a scheduled task in Windows 7 which can be found in Control Panel -> System and Security -> Administrative Tools -> Schedule Tasks.

Click on “Create a Basic Task” and “Create Basic Task” wizard will be displayed. Type in “SQL Express Data Backup” in the “Name” and click “Next” button.

4. Specify when you want the task to be start (Daily), then click “Next” button.

5. Specify what time you want the task to be start, then click “Next” button.

6. Click Start a program to perform the task, then click “Next” button.

7. Click on Browse button to select SQLCMD.exe file from “C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\Binn” and type the following command in “Add arguments (optional)”: -S serverName -E -i C:\Backup\dbBackup.sql

The meaning of the command:

-S (this specifies the server\instance name for SQL Server)
serverName (this is the server\instance name for SQL Server)
-E (this allows you to make a trusted connection)
-i (this specifies the input command file)

8. Click on “Next” button to finish creating task.

If you want to test the task which has been created then you can go back to the Task Scheduler, right click on the task and select "Run".