list of simple commands to check the health of AD
- DCs replication status (CMD):
repadmin /showrepl - domain replication status (CMD):
dcdiag /v - MS AD replication status tool:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30005
Purple screen crash on ESXi 5.5 with Windows Server 2012 R2
the problem seems to be in the NIC driver.
https://communities.vmware.com/message/2313523
There are two reported fixes:
- Disable Receive-side scaling (MS article)
-
On the virtual machine, open Device Manager (In Settings click Control Panel, and then click Device Manager).
-
Expand Network adapters, right-click the network adapter you want to work with, and then click Properties.
-
On the Advanced tab in the network adapter properties, locate the setting for Receive-side scaling and make sure it is disabled.
or use powershell:
Set-NetAdapterRSS -Name "AdapterName" -Enabled $False
-
- Second option is to use vmxnet3 driver instead of the E1000E
- Inside the windows host OS make a note of all the NIC information (IP/ MASK/Gate/DNS etc.)
- Remove the old NIC using the vSphere console by editing the windows 2012 server host properties (if needed copy the old MAC address and after deleting the old NIC enter it to the properties of the new NIC)
- Using the VMWARE vSphere client edit the virtual machine and add new NIC card (make sure to select VMXNET3 as a adapter type).
- Edit the new NIC properties inside the windows 2012 server host OS with the previously noted information to make the new NIC be identical to the old one.
- Enable the new nic and restart the windows 2012 server
I found some people to report that turning OFF the Receive-side scaling didn’t help.
The second option seems to be a better choice since the new VMWARE VMXNET3 driver has a better design with many improvements.
Switch to AHCI mode in windows 10 with BitLocker enabled
- click on start and type manage BitLocker and launch it. (requires administrative user)
- click on Turn off BitLocker (wait on the decryption to finish – it is indicated in the system tray)
- reboot your computer to make sure BitLocker is disabled.
- Right-click the Windows Start Menu and click on Command Prompt (Admin).
- Enter: bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal
- Reboot the computer in to the BIOS (F2,Del,ESC,F12 or other key depending on the computer manufacturer).
- Look for SATA operation mode and change it to AHCI and save + reboot computer. (F10 key etc.)
- windows should start up in safemode.
- Right-click the Windows Start Menu and click on Command Prompt (Admin).
- Enter: bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot
- reboot computer and windows should start up normally again.
- click on start and type manage BitLocker and launch it. (requires administrative user)
- click on Turn ON BitLocker you will be required to reboot computer.
- after reboot wait on the encryption to finish – it is indicated in the system tray
Reuse/ recycle your old computer as a chromebook
Disable iCloud and siri prompt when new user login
After setting up clean install of macOS Sierra in a multi-user environment (computer lab) it is useful to disable iCloud and siri prompt at the first login.
Here is the original link with instructions and a script to disable iCloud promt:
the script is:
#!/bin/sh
# Determine OS version
osvers=$(sw_vers -productVersion | awk -F. '{print $2}')
sw_vers=$(sw_vers -productVersion)
# Checks first to see if the Mac is running 10.7.0 or higher.
# If so, the script checks the system default user template
# for the presence of the Library/Preferences directory.
#
# If the directory is not found, it is created and then the
# iCloud pop-up settings are set to be disabled.
if [[ ${osvers} -ge 7 ]]; then
for USER_TEMPLATE in "/System/Library/User Template"/*
do
defaults write "${USER_TEMPLATE}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant DidSeeCloudSetup -bool TRUE
defaults write "${USER_TEMPLATE}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant GestureMovieSeen none
defaults write "${USER_TEMPLATE}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant LastSeenCloudProductVersion "${sw_vers}"
done
# Checks first to see if the Mac is running 10.7.0 or higher.
# If so, the script checks the existing user folders in /Users
# for the presence of the Library/Preferences directory.
#
# If the directory is not found, it is created and then the
# iCloud pop-up settings are set to be disabled.
for USER_HOME in /Users/*
do
USER_UID=`basename "${USER_HOME}"`
if [ ! "${USER_UID}" = "Shared" ]
then
if [ ! -d "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences ]
then
mkdir -p "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences
chown "${USER_UID}" "${USER_HOME}"/Library
chown "${USER_UID}" "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences
fi
if [ -d "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences ]
then
defaults write "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant DidSeeCloudSetup -bool TRUE
defaults write "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant GestureMovieSeen none
defaults write "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant LastSeenCloudProductVersion "${sw_vers}"
chown "${USER_UID}" "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant.plist
fi
fi
done
fi
And here is the original link with information on how to disable siri:
https://derflounder.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/supressing-siri-pop-up-windows-on-macos-sierra/
and here is the script
#!/bin/bash
# Determine OS version
osvers=$(sw_vers -productVersion | awk -F. '{print $2}')
sw_vers=$(sw_vers -productVersion)
# Determine OS build number
sw_build=$(sw_vers -buildVersion)
# Checks first to see if the Mac is running 10.7.0 or higher.
# If so, the script checks the system default user template
# for the presence of the Library/Preferences directory. Once
# found, the iCloud, Diagnostic and Siri pop-up settings are set
# to be disabled.
if [[ ${osvers} -ge 7 ]]; then
for USER_TEMPLATE in "/System/Library/User Template"/*
do
/usr/bin/defaults write "${USER_TEMPLATE}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant DidSeeCloudSetup -bool TRUE
/usr/bin/defaults write "${USER_TEMPLATE}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant GestureMovieSeen none
/usr/bin/defaults write "${USER_TEMPLATE}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant LastSeenCloudProductVersion "${sw_vers}"
/usr/bin/defaults write "${USER_TEMPLATE}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant LastSeenBuddyBuildVersion "${sw_build}"
/usr/bin/defaults write "${USER_TEMPLATE}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant DidSeeSiriSetup -bool TRUE
done
# Checks first to see if the Mac is running 10.7.0 or higher.
# If so, the script checks the existing user folders in /Users
# for the presence of the Library/Preferences directory.
#
# If the directory is not found, it is created and then the
# iCloud, Diagnostic and Siri pop-up settings are set to be disabled.
for USER_HOME in /Users/*
do
USER_UID=`basename "${USER_HOME}"`
if [ ! "${USER_UID}" = "Shared" ]; then
if [ ! -d "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences ]; then
/bin/mkdir -p "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences
/usr/sbin/chown "${USER_UID}" "${USER_HOME}"/Library
/usr/sbin/chown "${USER_UID}" "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences
fi
if [ -d "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences ]; then
/usr/bin/defaults write "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant DidSeeCloudSetup -bool TRUE
/usr/bin/defaults write "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant GestureMovieSeen none
/usr/bin/defaults write "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant LastSeenCloudProductVersion "${sw_vers}"
/usr/bin/defaults write "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant LastSeenBuddyBuildVersion "${sw_build}"
/usr/bin/defaults write "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant DidSeeSiriSetup -bool TRUE
/usr/sbin/chown "${USER_UID}" "${USER_HOME}"/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SetupAssistant.plist
fi
fi
done
fi
exit 0
simple HTML page redirection
Create page index.html (or which ever is your server default page to be loaded when you access a folder)
type:
<meta http-equiv=”refresh” content=”0;URL=’http://domain.com/page-to-be-redirected-to'” />
this way when someone opens domain.com/old-location will be redirected to domain.com/page-to-be-redirected-to
Grant printer admin rights on a mac to domain users
allow administration of printers by domain users:
/usr/sbin/dseditgroup -o edit -n /Local/Default -a ‘Domain Users’ -t group _lpadmin
If not part of domain you can grant printer admin rights to everyone:
/usr/sbin/dseditgroup -o edit -n /Local/Default -a everyone -t group _lpadmin
Free backup software for windows “Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE”
Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE
There are many options for desktop backup solution if you have windows 10 computer.
You can use build in file history features or classic windows 7 style backup.
It is important to have a backup and the Microsoft included solutions will work fine as long as they are setup.
If you are looking for something with more features and easy setup look at free backup solution from VEEAM.
Here is the link: https://www.veeam.com/endpoint-backup-free.html
Short list of some of the important features:
- You can create recovery boot disk or USB flash drive
- Choose bare-metal, volume or file level backup.
- Schedule recurring backup (Initial backup is full and then incremental)
- New feature to eject USB backup hard drive after successful backup to protect from ransomware CryptoLocker.
- Set it and forget it 🙂
There are many reasons to have a backup so please go and do it! 🙂
Phishing attack threat reminder!
Here is a good article about phishing attacks.
They are always a great threat and it is best to trust no one and carefully examine links in your emails.
Disable spellcheck word 2016
Here is a solution on how to disable spellcheck in word 2016 using group policy:
reference: http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows/181129-disable-spellcheck-word-2016-a.html
Additionally we create special domain user which is blocked at the firewall level from internet content.