Upcoming Webcast: Exchange 2010 Management Tools (Level 300)

Exchange 2010 includes new capabilities that make the operation of your Exchange environment more efficient. Learn how we’ve made the Exchange Management Console more powerful, extended the reach of PowerShell, and made it easier to delegate management tasks. You can register HERE.

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FREE: Specops Password Policy Basic - Fine-Grained Password Policies

Michael Pietroforte, from 4sysops.com, talking about really interesting a free tool (Specops Password Policy Basic), that allows much easier to define and manage policies.

Continue at 4sysops.com

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Hyper-V: Step-by-Step Guide to Using Live Migration in Windows Server 2008 R2

Microsoft released Step-by-Step Guide to Using Live Migration in Windows Server 2008 R2

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Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE 3.0 - based on Windows 7)

Windows® Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) is a minimal operating system designed to prepare a computer for Windows installation (and not just for Installation). Windows PE is available as a stand-alone product to customers with the proper licensing agreement. It is an integrated component of many Windows Setup and recovery technologies, including Setup for Windows® 7and Windows Deployment Services (WDS).

Windows PE 3.0 is the latest release based on the Windows 7 operating system.

I've changed few scripts that I've found on MSFN Forum and now I'd like to share a script, that will create a WinPE 3.0 ISO just by one click :)...

I called this script _WinPE-3_Builder.bat. here is a content of _WinPE-3_Builder.bat

@Echo off
%SYSTEMDRIVE%

CD "C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools"

Set Architecture=x86
Set PEDest=c:\winpe_x86
Set ISOName=winpe_x86.iso
Set removeboot=true

pushd %cd%

call copype.cmd %Architecture% %PEDest%

Dism /Mount-Wim /WimFile:%PEDest%\winpe.wim /index:1 /MountDir:%PEDest%\mount
Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Get-Packages

Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\winpe-hta.cab"
Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\en-us\winpe-hta_en-us.cab"

Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\winpe-legacysetup.cab"
Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\en-us\winpe-legacysetup_en-us.cab"

Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\winpe-mdac.cab"
Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\en-us\winpe-mdac_en-us.cab"

Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\winpe-pppoe.cab"
Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\en-us\winpe-PPPOE_en-us.cab"

Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\winpe-scripting.cab"
Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\en-us\winpe-scripting_en-us.cab"

REM Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\winpe-setup.cab"
REM Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\en-us\winpe-setup_en-us.cab"

REM Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\winpe-setup-client.cab"
REM Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\en-us\winpe-setup-client_en-us.cab"

REM Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\winpe-setup-server.cab"
REM Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\en-us\winpe-setup-server_en-us.cab"

Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\winpe-wmi.cab"
Dism /image:%PEDest%\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\%Architecture%\WinPE_FPs\en-us\winpe-wmi_en-us.cab"

copy "C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\%Architecture%\imagex.exe" %PEDest%\mount\Windows\System32\

Dism /Unmount-Wim /MountDir:%PEDest%\mount /Commit
Copy %PEDest%\winpe.wim %PEDest%\ISO\sources\boot.wim

IF "%removeboot%"=="true" del /q %pedest%\iso\boot\bootfix.bin

oscdimg -n -b%PEDest%\etfsboot.com %PEDest%\ISO %PEDest%\%ISOName%

popd

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Information about WIM file by ImageX

I guess today it's not necessary to explain what Imagex.exe is and what it does :).
Personally, I really love this tool, but I don't like the way Imagex responses to the parameter /INFO. When we run the following:
IMAGEX /INFO D:\Sources\install.wim

We will see the following result (just part of the result):

ImageX Tool for Windows
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp. All rights reserved.
Version: 6.1.7100.0

WIM Information:
----------------
Path:        D:\Sources\install.wim
GUID:        {0d111cde-2c81-41f9-8a12-c6a4ea332f6c}
Image Count: 5
Compression: LZX
Part Number: 1/1
Attributes:  0xc
             Integrity info
             Relative path junction


Available Image Choices:
------------------------

  2407585560
  
    9062
    46181
    7966805292
    
      0x01C9CFC1
      0xAC43B062
    
    
      0x01C9CFD1
      0x1DB61AA6
    
    
      0
      MicrosoftR WindowsR Operating System
      Starter
      Client
      acpiapic
      WinNT
      Terminal Server
      
        en-US
        en-US
      
      
        6
        1
        7127
        0
        0
      
      WINDOWS
    
    Windows 7 STARTER
    Windows 7 STARTER
    Starter
    3064992513
    Windows 7 Starter
    Windows 7 Starter
  
  
    9095
    46384
    8019432535
    
      0x01C9CFC1
      0xAC43B062
    
    
      0x01C9CFD4
      0x05378D42
    
    
      0
      MicrosoftR WindowsR Operating System
      HomeBasic
      Client
      acpiapic
      WinNT
      Terminal Server
      
        en-US
        en-US
      
      
        6
        1
        7127
        0
        0
      
      WINDOWS
    
    Windows 7 HOMEBASIC
    Windows 7 HOMEBASIC
    HomeBasic
    3096342833
    Windows 7 Home Basic
    Windows 7 Home Basic
  

So, one day I decided to simplify the ImageX's result, make it more readable, and I've created one script. I've called it _Info_About-WIM.bat. So, when I run _Info_About-WIM.bat D:\Sources\install.wim I see the result in following format:

Index Image Name
[1] Windows 7 STARTER
[2] Windows 7 HOMEBASIC
[3] Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM
[4] Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL
[5] Windows 7 ULTIMATE


So, here is a content of _Info_About-WIM.bat:

@echo off

IF {%1}=={} @Echo Please provide a path to the .WIM file. For ex. D:\Sources\install.wim &goto :EOF

SET WIMPATH=%1
SET Images-Num=
SET LoopNum=
SET I=

FOR /F "TOKENS=3 Delims=: " %%a in ('imagex /INFO %1 ^| Find /i "Image Count"') do set Images-Num=%%a
SET /a LoopNum=%Images-Num% + 1

@Echo Index Image Name

:LOOP1
SET /a I=%I% + 1 
IF "%I%"=="%LoopNum%" goto END
FOR /F "TOKENS=3 Delims=>,<" %%a in ('Imagex /INFO %1 %I% ^| find /i ""') do @Echo [%I%] %%a
goto LOOP1

:END

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Operations Manager 2007 R2 RTM (build 7221)

The trial version of Operations Manager 2007 R2 RTM (build 7221) is now available via the Microsoft Download

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Windows 7 Product Key

If you would like to install “Windows 7”, you can get Product Key (and then Activate your Windows) directly from Microsoft, by visiting the following links:

Windows 7 Beta 64-bit Product Key: https://www.microsoft.com/betaexperience/productkeys/win7-64/enus/default.aspx
Windows 7 Beta 32-bit Product Key: https://www.microsoft.com/betaexperience/productkeys/win7-32/enus/default.aspx

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VMware vSphere 4 Available for Download Now

Download Now VMware vSphere 4.

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Native VHD Support in Windows 7 - Core Storage System Support

Windows Server 2008 R2 and Hyper-V uses the new Native support for VHDs in the core operating system.

Access to VHD file contents is provided by a completely new mini-port driver in the storage stack for VHD files. The VHD driver is what enables I/O requests to files in the VHD to be sent down to the host NTFS file system on the physical partition where the VHD file is located. VHD operations can also be performed on a remote share.

Continue on Microsoft | Virtualization Team Blog

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Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V News!

64 logical processor support. This is a 4x improvement over Hyper-V R1 and means that Hyper-V can take advantage of larger scale-up systems with greater amount of compute resources. As our friends at AMD and Intel drive up core counts, we want you to know that Hyper-V is ready to take advantage of the compute resources in your server today and those you're buying tomorrow.

Support for up to 384 Concurrently Running Virtual Machines & 512 Virtual Processors PER SERVER. (No, that's not a typo.) Going hand in hand with our support for 64 logical processors, we're upping the maximum number of concurrently running virtual machines to 384 per server and the maximum number of virtual processors to 512 for the highest virtual machine density on the market. Here are a few examples. You could run:

1. 384 single virtual processor vms OR
2. 256 dual virtual processor vms (512 Virtual Processors) OR
3. 128 quad virtual processor vms (512 Virtual Processors) OR
4. any combination so long as you're running up to 384 VMs and up to 512 Virtual Processors

Continue at source: Windows Virtualization Team Blog

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Virtual Server to Hyper-V Migration

VMC2HV - Free tool that can be used to import a Virtual Server (or VirtualPC) based VM into Hyper-V

Download VMC2HV here

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Hyper-V FAQ

The following are some of the most frequently asked questions about Hyper-V. These questions are based on actual calls and e-mails to Microsoft and might save you time and effort.

Continue at Source

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Volume Activation in Windows 7

Ram Rathnam, Director of Product Management in the Windows Activation Technologies team again, talks about how volume activation has changed in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

For upcoming Windows 7 volume activation guidance, visit www.technet.com/volumeactivation

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Access Windows Server 2003 Share Without Login Prompt

Few steps that allow you to create a share on server that does not need a Login, as "Anonymous Login". Now you can get access the computer \\Server without getting a log in prompt.

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Windows Server 2008 R2 - What's New in Group Policy?

PowerShell integration, new functionality in Directory Services, Auditing, Direct Access, UI enhancements and...

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What's New in Windows 7 for IT Professionals

This is FREE, two-hour clinic provides you with an overview of the new and enhanced deployment, security, manageability, and performance features in Windows 7. It describes how these features meet the day-to-day needs of IT professionals.

Clinic 10077: What's New in Windows 7 for IT Professionals

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