How to create a Windows Image (.wim) file

Method one:- With SCCM build and capture

Method two : WDS capture Wizard

method three: details steps are below

Depending on what you need the .wim file for, you can create it manually or automatically.

- To manually create a .wim file (capture image) you need a bootable CD with Windows PE (with ImageX.exe included) that you can create using Windows Automated Installation Kit.

The basics steps are:

1. Boot your computer using Windows PE disk.
2. In the Windows PE command prompt navigate to the folder with ImageX.
3. To capture the C: partition, use the following example:
   imagex.exe /capture C: D:\CapturedImage.wim “My captured image”

   Where: C: is the partition to be captured; D:\CapturedImage.wim is the place of the captured file; “My captured image” is the name of the file.
   More switches can be found on the ImageX Command-Line Options page.

If you need the image for deployment, do not forget to run sysprep before capturing the image!

- To automatically create a .wim file you can use a capture media created using Configuration Manager.

If you want to capture a Windows XP OS, copy sysprep files to C:\sysprep. Newer operating systems have sysprep files installed by default.

To use capture media:

1. Insert the CD into your CD/DVD drive and shortly autoplay will open Image Capture Wizard.
2. Clicking Next will show you Image Destination page. Select where to save the wim file.
3. On the next page enter some information about the image.
4. On the Summary page click Finish. The task sequence will start sysprep and restart the computer. After restart, the computer will boot to Windows PE and will capture a image of the machine.

Deploy Office 2007 SP2 with ConfigMgr 2007

As Microsoft recently released Service Pack 2 for Office 2007 suite, it is a good idea to add the update files to the package so it it can be deploy during the installation.

So, first of all we have to download the SP2 executable file from here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=b444bf18-79ea-46c6-8a81-9db49b4ab6e5&displaylang=en (see additional information bellow).

Then, using a command prompt window, extract the content of the package to a folder you can browse to.

Accept EULA and click Continue.

Select a folder to extract the files to.

When the extraction is complete, you should have the following files:

At this point, you can delete the office2007sp2-kb953195-fullfile-en-us.exe file. Copy the other 9 files to “Updates” folder from your Office 2007 source folder.

Now you only have to update the distribution point/s and the next time Office 2007 will install, it will apply the SP2 update during Office 2007 installation.

The same steps are valid for Visio and Project 2007.

Microsoft Office Visio 2007 Service Pack 2 (SP2) can be downloaded from here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=78E36742-8BDA-471E-88E6-9B561BB06258&displaylang=en.
Microsoft Office Project 2007 Service Pack 2 (SP2) can be downloaded from here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=c126fa4a-b43f-4f7e-a9d4-522e92a6cfee.

Install drivers by computer model using WMI query

When using task sequence, you might want to install different driver packages for different computer models. This can be accomplished by using a WMI query.

First of all you need to have driver packages for all your computer models and know the exact model name for every computer.

To find this, open a command prompt and type WMIC ComputerSystem GET Model (use this command on every computer to find it’s model).

Then, Edit your task sequence. Add how many steps you need with “Apply Driver Package”. Select the driver package you have created for a certain computer model (HP dc5700 in my case).

In the Options tab, click Add Condition and select Query WMI. In the WMI Query Properties window, make you sure you have root\cimv2 as WMI Namespace and write the following query in the WMI Query input box:

SELECT * FROM Win32_ComputerSystem WHERE Model LIKE “%dc5700%” for HP Compaq dc5700 computer models.

Now, for every driver package, replace the model name with the computer model name the driver package is for. This way, the task sequence will install the correct drivers on every computer that will match the model specified in the query and will skip other steps sending the following status message: “The task sequence execution engine skipped the action (HP Compaq dc5700) in the group (Apply driver packages) because the condition was evaluated to be false”.

Create a collection with systems without Adobe Reader 9

select SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceID, SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceType, SMS_R_SYSTEM.Name, SMS_R_SYSTEM.SMSUniqueIdentifier, SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceDomainORWorkgroup, SMS_R_SYSTEM.Client from SMS_R_System inner join SMS_G_System_COMPUTER_SYSTEM on SMS_G_System_COMPUTER_SYSTEM.ResourceID = SMS_R_System.ResourceId where SMS_R_System.OperatingSystemNameandVersion not like "%Server%" and SMS_G_System_COMPUTER_SYSTEM.Name not in (select distinct SMS_G_System_COMPUTER_SYSTEM.Name from SMS_R_System inner join SMS_G_System_COMPUTER_SYSTEM on SMS_G_System_COMPUTER_SYSTEM.ResourceID = SMS_R_System.ResourceId inner join SMS_G_System_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS on SMS_G_System_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.ResourceID = SMS_R_System.ResourceId where SMS_G_System_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS.DisplayName like "%Adobe Reader 9%")

Install software using Task Sequence

The TS Looks like this… to install software using a TS, is to have only Install Software steps. This way, you can install multiple software products using one advertisement instead of advertising every package. I use this only when I have an OS installed and I want to install software on it.

This is how such a TS looks like:

Windows Installer : MSIEXEC Silent Install End to END

The Windows Installer technology uses Msiexec.exe for installing MSI and MSP packages. This tool gives you full control over the installation process, allowing you to set:

• install options (install, uninstall, administrative install, advertise a product)
• display options (full, basic or no UI during the installation)
• restart options (if the machine will be restarted after the installation)
• logging options
• update options (apply or remove updates)
• repair options (only for an installed package)
• public properties which are used by the installation

The usual form of the msiexec command line is this:

msiexec.exe <install_option> <path_to_package> [package_parameters]

Install Options

When launching an installation package, you can set the install type through these options:

msiexec.exe [/i][/a][/j{u|m|/g|/t}][/x] <path_to_package>

• /i - normal installation
  
• /a - administrative install
  
• /j - advertise the product
  
  
  
  • u - advertise to the current user
    
  • m - advertise to all users
    
  • /g - the language identifier used by the advertised package
    
  • /t - apply transform to advertise package
  
  
• /x - uninstall the package

Sample command line:

msiexec.exe /i "C:\Example.msi"

Display Options

The user interface level of the installation can be configured according to the target environment. For example, a package distributed to clients should have a full UI, while a package deployed through Group Policy should have no user interface. Msiexec.exe sets the UI level of the installation through these options:

msiexec.exe /i <path_to_package> [/quiet][/passive][/q{n|b|r|f}]

• /quiet - quiet mode (there is no user interaction)
  
• /passive - unattended mode (the installation shown only a progress bar)
  
• /q - set the UI level:
  
  
  
  • n - no UI
    
  • b - basic UI
    
  • r - reduced UI
    
  • f - full UI

Sample command line:

msiexec.exe /i "C:\Example.msi" /qn

Restart Options

Sometimes an installation overwrites files which are in use or it needs to reboot the machine in order to finish. The reboot policy used by the installation can be set through these options:

msiexec.exe /i <path_to_package> [/norestart][/promptrestart][/forcerestart]

• /norestart - the machine will not be restarted after the installation is complete
  
• /promptrestart - the user will be prompted if a reboot is required
  
• /forcerestart - the machine will be restarted after the installation is complete

Sample command line:

msiexec.exe /i "C:\Example.msi" /norestart

Logging Options

When debugging an installation package you can use multiple logging parameters in order to create a log. This log will contain different information for each parameter you use:

msiexec.exe [/i][/x] <path_to_package> [/L{i|w|e|a|r|u|c|m|o|p|v|x+|!|*}][/log] <path_to_log>

• /L - enable logging
  
  
  
  • i - include status messages
    
  • w - include non-fatal warnings
    
  • e - include all error messages
    
  • a - mention when an action is started
    
  • r - include action-specific records
    
  • u - include user requests
    
  • c - include the initial UI parameters
    
  • m - include out-of-memory or fatal exit information
    
  • o - include out-of-disk-space messages
    
  • p - include terminal properties
    
  • v - verbose output
    
  • x - include extra debugging information
    
  • + - append to an existing log file
    
  • ! - flush each line to the log
    
  • * - log all information, except for v and x options
  
  
• /log - the equivalent of /l*

Sample command line:

msiexec.exe /i "C:\Example.msi" /L*V "C:\package.log"

Update Options

The Windows Installer command line can apply or remove updates (patches for example) through these options:

msiexec.exe [/update][/uninstall[/package<product_code_of_package>]] <path_to_package>

• /update - apply updates (if there are multiple updates, you can separate them through the ";" character)
  
• /uninstall - remove an update for a product (if there are multiple updates, you can separate them through the ";" character)
  
  
  
  • /package - specifies the package for which the update is removed

Sample command lines:

msiexec.exe /update "C:\MyPatch.msp"
msiexec.exe /uninstall {1BCBF52C-CD1B-454D-AEF7-852F73967318} /package {AAD3D77A-7476-469F-ADF4-04424124E91D}

TipIn the above command line the first GUID is the Patch identifier GUID and the second one is the Product Code of the MSI for which the patch was applied.

Repair Options

If you have an installed package, you can use the Windows Installer command line for repairing it:

msiexec.exe [/f{p|o|e|d|c|a|u|m|s|v}] <product_code>

• /f - repair a package
  
  
  
  • p - repair only if a file is missing
    
  • o - repair if a file is missing or an older version is installed
    
  • e - repair if file is missing or an equal or older version is installed
    
  • d - repair if a file is missing or a different version is installed
    
  • c - repair if a file is missing or the checksum does not match the calculated value
    
  • a - forces all files to be reinstalled
    
  • u - repair all the required user-specific registry entries
    
  • m - repair all the required computer-specific registry entries
    
  • s - repair all existing shortcuts
    
  • v - run from source and recache the local package

Sample command line:

msiexec.exe /fa {AAD3D77A-7476-469F-ADF4-04424124E91D}

In the above command line the GUID is the Product Code of the MSI which will be repaired.

Set public properties

The name of a public property contains only uppercase letters (for example PROPERTY). This type of properties can be set through the command line like this: PROPERTY="value".

Sample command line:

msiexec.exe /i "C:\Example.msi" MY_PROP="myValue"

MSIEXEC.EXE - the MSI executable, the program that performs the actual installation of the application.

/I - this switch informs the Windows Installer to install the specified application (as opposed to removing, reinstalling or repairing the application)

/QB-  - this switch instructs the Windows Installer to perform the installation with a basic user interface requiring no dialog boxes to be displayed. You might also use /QN to perform the installation with no user interface at all.

Correct syntax:

msiexec /i A:\Example.msi PROPERTY=VALUE

Incorrect syntax:

msiexec /i PROPERTY=VALUE A:\Example.msi

Property values that are literal strings must be enclosed in quotation marks. Include any white spaces in the string between the marks.

msiexec /i A:\Example.msi PROPERTY="Embedded White Space"

To clear a public property by using the command line, set its value to an empty string.

msiexec /i A:\Example.msi PROPERTY=""

For sections of text set apart by literal quotation marks, enclose the section with a second pair of quotation marks.

msiexec /i A:\Example.msi PROPERTY="Embedded ""Quotes"" White Space"

The following example shows a complicated command line.

msiexec /i testdb.msi INSTALLLEVEL=3 /l* msi.log COMPANYNAME="Acme ""Widgets"" and ""Gizmos."""

The following example shows advertisement options. Note that switches are not case-sensitive.

msiexec /JM msisample.msi /T transform.mst /LIME logfile.txt

The following example shows you how to install a new instance of a product to be advertised. This product is authored to support multiple instance transforms.

msiexec /JM msisample.msi /T :instance1.mst;customization.mst /c /LIME logfile.txt

The following example shows how to patch an instance of a product that is installed using multiple instance transforms.

msiexec /p msipatch.msp;msipatch2.msp /n {00000001-0002-0000-0000-624474736554} /qb

When you apply patches to a specific product, the /i and /p options cannot be specified together in a command line. In this case, you can apply patches to a product as follows.

msiexec /i A:\Example.msi PATCH=msipatch.msp;msipatch2.msp /qb

Some Sample Commands for EXE files:--

setup.exe /q

setup.exe /qn

setup.exe /silent

setup.exe /s

setup.exe /NoUserInput

setup.exe /unattended

setup.exe /CreateAnswerFile

setup.exe /quiet

Symantec

MsiExec.exe /norestart /q/x{BA4B71D1-898E-4306-AE87-8BA7A596F0ED} REMOVE=ALL

psexec \\computer_name MsiExec.exe /norestart /q/x{BA4B71D1-898E-4306-AE87-8BA7A596F0ED} REMOVE=ALL
cmd='msiexec /qn /i %SOFTWARE%\adobereader93\AdbeRdr930_en_US.msi TRANSFORMS=%SOFTWARE%\adobereader93\AdbeRdr930_en_US.mst'
'msiexec /qn /update %SOFTWARE%\AdobeReader93\AdbeRdrUpd932_all_incr.msp'

'MsiExec.exe /x{AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A80000000002} /qn '

msiexec /qn /x{AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A93000000001}

msiexec.exe /qn /update "%SOFTWARE%\AdobeReader93\AdbeRdrUpd932_all_incr.msp"'
'msiexec /qb /uninstall "%SOFTWARE%\adobe-reader\AcroRead.msi'
siexec /i "UNCPath\filename.msi" /qn

With the Product key

msiexec /i "UNCPath\filename.msi" /qn PIDKEY="Key value without dashes

Java

jre-1_5_0-bin-b99-windows-i586-12_aug_2003.exe /s ADDLOCAL=jrecore,extra MOZILLA=1

jre-1_5_0-bin-b99-windows-i586-12_aug_2003.exe /s /v"/qn ADDLOCAL=ALL IEXPLORER=1 INSTALLDIR=D:\java\jre"

start /w jre-1_5_0-bin-b99-windows-i586-12_aug_2003.exe /s ADDLOCAL=jrecore,extra MOZILLA=1

msiexec.exe /qn /x {3248F0A8-6813-11D6-A77B-00B0D0n1n2n3n4n50}

msiexec.exe /qn /x {3248F0A8-6813-11D6-A77B-00B0D0150000}
msiexec.exe /qn /x {3248F0A8-6813-11D6-A77B-00B0D0151020}

Creating a Log File
If you want to create a log file describing the installation/uninstallation, append /L C:\<path>setup.log to the install/uninstall command. The following is an example for installation:
Installation Example
jre-1_5_0-bin-b99-windows-i586-12_aug_2003.exe /s /L C:\<path>setup.log
The following is an example for uninstalling:

Uninstalling Example
msiexec.exe /qn /x {3248F0A8-6813-11D6-A77B-00B0D0150000} /L C:\<path>setup.log

Note:- Adobe Customization Wizard 9 will help you to create MST file for silent installation

WINZIP:-

Below is available WINZIP MSI File http://download.winzip.com/ov/winzip100.msi
ymsgrie.exe /s /v/passive - install Yahoo! Messenger silent, with progress bar

Team Viewer :--

The /S switch for silent install of TEAMVIEWER WORKS!
but you must do the following :
download the program (preferably the latest version) ..or ..if you have it on your hard drive , open it... (AND LET IT OPEN! DO NOT CLOSE OR INSTALL THE APLICATION. JUST DUBLE-CLICK IT!!)
Then , go to C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp. There you'll see a folder called TeamViewer. Open that folder. Inside you'll have 2 files. Teamviewer.exe and tvinfo.ini
Copy the Teamviewer from that folder and paste wherever you want. After this you can close the other application.
With the new teamviewer.exew which you copyed from the temp folder , u can run it sillently. Use the /S Switch. Works with WPI also.

 

If you find MSiexec has problem then you can run below two commands

msiexec /unregister  ---> for unregistering the windows installer

 

msiexec /regserver---> for registering the windows installer

Released Versions of Windows Installer

The table in this topic identifies the released versions of the Windows Installer.

Release
Version
Description

Windows Installer 2.0
2.0.2600.0
Released with Windows XP.

Windows Installer 2.0
2.0.2600.1
Released with Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 3 (SP3).

Windows Installer 2.0
2.0.2600.1183
Released with Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 4 (SP4).

Windows Installer 2.0
2.0.2600.2
Released as a redistributable.

Windows Installer 2.0
2.0.2600.1106
Released with Windows XP with Service Pack 1 (SP1).

Windows Installer 2.0
2.0.3790.0
Released with Windows Server 2003.

Windows Installer 3.0
3.0.3790.2180
Released with Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2). Released as a redistributable.

Windows Installer 3.1
3.1.4000.1823
Released as a redistributable. This version is has the same functionality as version 3.1.4000.2435.

Windows Installer 3.1
3.1.4000.1830
Released with Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition. Update this version to version 3.1.4000.2435 to address the issue discussed in KB898628.

Windows Installer 3.1
3.1.4000.3959
Released with Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 (SP2).

Windows Installer 3.1
3.1.4000.2435
Released with a fix to address the issue discussed in KB898628. This is the latest version of Windows Installer 3.1.

Windows Installer 3.1
3.1.4001.5512
Released with Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3).

Windows Installer 4.0
4.0.6000.16386
Released with Windows Vista.

Windows Installer 4.0
4.0.6001.18000
Released with Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Windows Server 2008.

Windows Installer 4.5
4.5.6002.18005
Released with Windows Vista with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and Windows Server 2008 with Service Pack (SP2.)

Windows Installer 4.5
4.5.6000.20817
Released as a redistributable for Windows Vista.

Windows Installer 4.5
4.5.6001.22162
Released as a redistributable for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista with SP1.

Windows Installer 4.5
4.5.6001.22159
Released as a redistributable for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and later, and Windows Server 2003 with SP1 and later.

Windows Installer 5.0 is released with Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7.

 

To create exe file by using winrar for silent installation / Self Extractor

 

create SFX archive”. Change the archive name if you like but it must have the .exe extension.

Switch to the Advanced tab and select “SFX options” to open Advanced SFX options window.

On the General tab in the “Path to extract” box type the path you want to extract the installer to. Make sure it is the same path you have in the antivir.cmd file. Then in the “Run after extraction” box type in the path to the antivir.cmd file.

Change to the Modes tab and select the “hide all” and “overwrite existing files” radio buttons.

Close the “Advanced SFX Options” window by clicking OK, then click OK on the “Archive name and parameters” window to start creating the installer. The finished installer is created in the antivirpec folder.

 

Also you can do with 7zip  where you will have more options compare to winrar or winzipself extractor.

Office 2007 silent install with SCCM 2007

So here is his tip on how to create a customized MSP file with OCT:

1. Go to the original package source that contains the Office 2007 setup files
   
2. From the directory that contains the Office 2007 setup files, run setup.exe /admin. This should open the Office Customization Toolkit (OCT)
   
3. Select to Create a new Setup customization file
   
4. In the “Install location and organization name”, set the default installation location and organization name.
   
5. Click on Licensing and user interface. Make sure you enter a valid product key, check the EULA checkbox and set Display level to None. Completion notice checkbox should not be checked and Suppress modal should be checked.
   
6. Save the MSP file by going to File --> Save. Give the file a name and save it to the Updates folder located in the Office 2007 installation source folder. By saving it to the Updates folder, the /adminfile switch will not need to be used as part of setup.exe. If the file is not saved to the Updates folder, make sure that the /adminfile switch is used as part of setup.exe and that it points to the MSP file just created.

Further more, with OCT you can customize almost everything regarding how your Word/Excel etc. applications will run. What I liked most is the possibility to create the default profile in Outlook if you are using an Exchange server in your organization.

Don’t forget to save the MSP file and to put the file in Updates folder or to use /adminfile <path to MST file> switch .

 

Hope I will try to post when i get some time

Before You Begin patching the

Before You Begin/ready for patching

Always read the Release Notes for the patch you are about to install. The Release Notes usually contain information on known issues with the patch and specific procedures on how to install them.

Online resources for SCCM training

Online hosted virtual machines :  http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/configurationmanager/en/us/virtual-labs.aspx

Downloadable VHD of with sccm 2007 R2 installed. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=E0FADAB7-0620-481D-A8B6-070001727C56&displaylang=en

List of all predefined SMS/SCCM Exit-Codes:

Success:
0 

Reboot:
1604
1641
3010
3011 

Retry*:
4
5
8
13
14
39
51
53
54
55
59
64
65
67
70
71
85
86
87
112
128
170
267
999
1003
1203
1219
1220
1222
1231
1232
1238
1265
1311
1323
1326
1330
1618
1622
2250*) A retry exit code will force SMS/SCCM to rerun the advertisement after a timeout of 10 minutes.

The Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit : MAP

The Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit is an agentless toolkit that finds computers on a network and performs a detailed inventory of the computers using Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and the Remote Registry Service. The data and analysis provided by this toolkit can significantly simplify the planning process for migrating to Windows® 7, Windows Vista®, Microsoft Office 2007, Windows Server® 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Hyper-V, Microsoft Application Virtualization, Microsoft SQL Server 2008, and Forefront® Client Security and Network Access Protection. Assessments for Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Vista include device driver availability as well as recommendations for hardware upgrades.

 

System Requirements

• Supported Operating Systems: Windows 7; Windows Server 2003; Windows Server 2003 R2 (32-Bit x86); Windows Server 2003 R2 Datacenter Edition (32-Bit x86); Windows Server 2003 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition; Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition (32-Bit x86); Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition; Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition (32-bit x86); Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard x64 Edition ; Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 editions; Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1; Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 for Itanium-based Systems; Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2; Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 for Itanium-based Systems; Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 x64 Edition; Windows Server 2003 x64 editions; Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86); Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition for 64-Bit Itanium-Based Systems; Windows Server 2003, Datacenter x64 Edition; Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86); Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems; Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition; Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86); Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition; Windows Server 2008; Windows Vista; Windows Vista 64-bit Editions Service Pack 1; Windows Vista Business; Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition; Windows Vista Enterprise; Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition; Windows Vista Service Pack 1; Windows Vista Service Pack 2; Windows Vista Ultimate; Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition; Windows XP; Windows XP 64-bit; Windows XP Professional 64-Bit Edition (Itanium) ; Windows XP Professional 64-Bit Edition (Itanium) 2003; Windows XP Professional Edition ; Windows XP Professional x64 Edition ; Windows XP Service Pack 1; Windows XP Service Pack 2; Windows XP Service Pack 3

• Hardware Requirements:
  • 1.6 GHz or faster processor minimum (dual-core 1.5 GHz or faster recommended for Windows Vista, Windows 7 or later, or Windows Server 2008 or later)
  • 1.5 GB of RAM minimum (2.0 GB of RAM recommended for Windows Vista, Windows 7 or later, or Windows Server 2008 or later)
  • 1 GB of available hard-disk space
  • Network adapter card
  • Graphics adapter that supports 1024x768 or higher resolution
• Software Requirements:
  • .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
  • Windows Installer 4.5
  • Microsoft Office Word 2007 or Word 2003 SP2
  • MIcrosoft Office Excel 2007 or Excel 2003 SP2
  • Microsoft Office Primary Interop Assemblies
  • Installation of all updates for the operating system and Microsoft Office
  • SQL Server 2008 Express Edition, SQL Server 2008, or SQL Server 2005

Note MAP supports x86 and x64 versions of operating systems.

Download Location

http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/6/F/46F45C42-D679-404E-9812-6053DD59A0D2/Microsoft_Assessment_and_Planning_Toolkit_Setup.exe

SQL Server 2008 Express Edition Limitations

SQL Server 2008 Express Edition is a fantastic option for those seeking the power of a full-featured relational database but with low performance requirements. It replaces the Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE) as the free version of SQL Server for application development and lightweight use. It remains free and retains the limitations of MSDE with respect to client connections and performance. It’s a great tool for developing and testing applications and extremely small implementations, but that’s about as far as you can run with it.

SQL Server 2008 Express has the following features and limitations:

• Limited to one CPU
• Limited to 1GB of RAM
• Database size limited to 4GB
• Does not offer database mirroring
• Does not offer log shipping
• Does not allow merge publication
• Does not offer Oracle replication
• Does not provide the Database Tuning Advisor, SQL Agent or SQL Profiler
• Does not offer SQL Server Analysis Services or Advanced Analytics

If you’re able to live within those limitations, SQL Server 2008 Express may be the best choice for you. It’s available for free download from the Microsoft website.
Another option for database developers is SQL Server 2008 Developer Edition. Unlike Express Edition, Developer Edition has no limitations on database size, performance characteristics or functionality. However, it’s only licensed for use by a single developer in a non-production development environment. Translated: you may use it for your own use in developing applications, but you may not allow others to access either the database or those applications. Before you put the applications into production, you must transfer the database to a fully licensed version of SQL Server.

You want to stop unwanted things while loading or want to get control of boot load files??

Ohh.. my systems dead slow after joins here… they given me T61 with 1 GB..  Where my system taking more than 1 Gb almost every time I am working my Page file…. 

I checked this utility, which has the most comprehensive knowledge of auto-starting locations of any startup monitor, shows you what programs are configured to run during system bootup or login, and shows you the entries in the order Windows processes them. These programs include ones in your startup folder, Run, RunOnce, and other Registry keys. You can configure Autoruns to show other locations, including Explorer shell extensions, toolbars, browser helper objects, Winlogon notifications, auto-start services, and much more. Autoruns goes way beyond the MSConfig utility bundled with Windows Me and XP.

Autoruns' Hide Signed Microsoft Entries option helps you to zoom in on third-party auto-starting images that have been added to your system and it has support for looking at the auto-starting images configured for other accounts configured on a system. Also included in the download package is a command-line equivalent that can output in CSV format, Autorunsc.

You'll probably be surprised at how many executables are launched automatically!

 

Here is the link to download http://live.sysinternals.com/autoruns.exe

WINDOWS 2008 R2 : MY FINDINGS

 

There are 17 possible roles and 42 different features that can be enabled on Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Edition.

Hyper-V role is not available for Windows Server 2008 R2 Itanium, Windows Server 2008 R2 Web, or Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation.

Another problem in Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V was the inability to dynamically change the storage on a running VM. Unlike in the physical world where you can easily add or remove Universal Serial Bus (USB), eSATA, or iSCSI drives without shutting down a server, the only way to add or remove VHDs from a VM was to shut the VM down

SCCM client version

 SCCM client version

' RTM 4.00.5931.0001
' SP1 4.00.6221.1000
' SP2 4.00.6487.2000

Memory Limits in Windows OS

Memory and Address Space Limits

The following table specifies the limits on memory and address space for supported releases of Windows.

Memory type	Limit in 32-bit Windows	Limit in 64-bit Windows
User-mode virtual address space for each 32-bit process	2 GB Up to 3 GB with IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE and 4GT	2 GB with IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE cleared (default) 4 GB with IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE set
User-mode virtual address space for each 64-bit process	Not applicable	With IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE set (default): x64:  8 TB Intel IPF:  7 TB 2 GB with IMAGE_FILE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE cleared
Kernel-mode virtual address space	2 GB From 1 GB to a maximum of 2 GB with 4GT	8 TB
Paged pool	Limited by available kernel-mode virtual address space or the PagedPoolLimit registry key value. Windows Vista:  Limited only by kernel mode virtual address space. Starting with Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (SP1), the paged pool can also be limited by the PagedPoolLimit registry key value. Windows Home Server and Windows Server 2003:  530 MB Windows XP:  490 MB Windows 2000:  350 MB	128 GB Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP:  Up to 128 GB depending on configuration and RAM. Windows 2000:  Not applicable
Nonpaged pool	Limited by available kernel-mode virtual address space, the NonPagedPoolLimit registry key value, or physical memory. Windows Vista:  Limited only by kernel mode virtual address space and physical memory. Starting with Windows Vista with SP1, the nonpaged pool can also be limited by the NonPagedPoolLimit registry key value. Windows Home Server, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP/2000:  256 MB, or 128 MB with 4GT.	75% of RAM up to a maximum of 128 GB Windows Vista:  40% of RAM up to a maximum of 128 GB. Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP:  Up to 128 GB depending on configuration and RAM. Windows 2000:  Not applicable
System cache virtual address space (physical size limited only by physical memory)	Limited by available kernel-mode virtual address space or the SystemCacheLimit registry key value. Windows Vista:  Limited only by kernel mode virtual address space. Starting with Windows Vista with SP1, system cache virtual address space can also be limited by the SystemCacheLimit registry key value. Windows Home Server, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP/2000:  860 MB with LargeSystemCache registry key set and without 4GT; up to 448 MB with 4GT.	Always 1 TB regardless of physical RAM Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP:  Up to 1 TB depending on configuration and RAM. Windows 2000:  Not applicable

 

Physical Memory Limits: Windows 7

The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows 7.

Version	Limit in 32-bit Windows	Limit in 64-bit Windows
Windows 7 Ultimate	4 GB	192 GB
Windows 7 Enterprise	4 GB	192 GB
Windows 7 Professional	4 GB	192 GB
Windows 7 Home Premium	4 GB	16 GB
Windows 7 Home Basic	4 GB	8 GB
Windows 7 Starter	2 GB	2 GB

 

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Server 2008 R2

The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Server 2008 R2. Windows Server 2008 R2 is available only in 64-bit editions.

Version	Limit in 64-bit Windows
Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter	2 TB
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise	2 TB
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems	2 TB
Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation	8 GB
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard	32 GB
Windows HPC Server 2008 R2	128 GB
Windows Web Server 2008 R2	32 GB

 

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Server 2008

The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Server 2008. Limits greater than 4 GB for 32-bit Windows assume that PAE is enabled.

Version	Limit in 32-bit Windows	Limit in 64-bit Windows
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter	64 GB	2 TB
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise	64 GB	2 TB
Windows Server 2008 HPC Edition	Not applicable	128 GB
Windows Server 2008 Standard	4 GB	32 GB
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based Systems	Not applicable	2 TB
Windows Small Business Server 2008	4 GB	32 GB
Windows Web Server 2008	4 GB	32 GB

 

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Vista

The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Vista.

Version	Limit in 32-bit Windows	Limit in 64-bit Windows
Windows Vista Ultimate	4 GB	128 GB
Windows Vista Enterprise	4 GB	128 GB
Windows Vista Business	4 GB	128 GB
Windows Vista Home Premium	4 GB	16 GB
Windows Vista Home Basic	4 GB	8 GB
Windows Vista Starter	1 GB	Not applicable

 

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Home Server

Windows Home Server is available only in a 32-bit edition. The physical memory limit is 4 GB.

Physical Memory Limits: Windows Server 2003

The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Server 2003. Limits over 4 GB for 32-bit Windows assume that PAE is enabled.

Version	Limit in 32-bit Windows	Limit in 64-bit Windows
Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 (SP2), Datacenter Edition	128 GB 64 GB with 4GT	2 TB
Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 (SP2), Enterprise Edition	64 GB	2 TB
Windows Storage Server 2003, Enterprise Edition	8 GB	Not applicable
Windows Storage Server 2003	4 GB	Not applicable
Windows Server 2003 R2 Datacenter Edition Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1), Datacenter Edition	128 GB 16 GB with 4GT	1 TB
Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1), Enterprise Edition	64 GB 16 GB with 4GT	1 TB
Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition SP1 Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition SP2	4 GB	32 GB
Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition	128 GB 16 GB with 4GT	512 GB
Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition	32 GB 16 GB with 4GT	64 GB
Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition	4 GB	16 GB
Windows Server 2003, Web Edition	2 GB	Not applicable
Windows Small Business Server 2003	4 GB	Not applicable
Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003	Not applicable	32 GB

 

Physical Memory Limits: Windows XP

The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows XP.

Version	Limit in 32-bit Windows	Limit in 64-bit Windows
Windows XP	4 GB	128 GB
Windows XP Starter Edition	512 MB	Not applicable

 

Physical Memory Limits: Windows 2000

The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows 2000.

Version	Limit in 32-bit Windows
Windows 2000 Professional	4 GB
Windows 2000 Server	4 GB
Windows 2000 Advanced Server	8 GB
Windows 2000 Datacenter Server	32 GB

 

Thanks to Ajay for recollecting this – Virus Clean with the help of Super DAT File

How to scan for viruses in DOS

 

Step 1 - Download and Extract the current SuperDAT Files

1. Click on the following link or type the URL into an Internet browser address bar:
   http://www.mcafee.com/apps/downloads/security_updates/superdat.asp?region=us&segment=enterprise
2. Click the I Agree button (if needed) to verify you have a current support agreement with McAfee.
3. English users, please click the link named sdatxxxx.exe (where 'xxxx' replaces the current SDAT version number) and save the file to your C:\ Drive.
4. All others please select the appropriate localized language from the drop-down list, click the link named sdatxxxx.exe (where 'xxxx' replaces the current SDAT version number) and save it to your C:\ Drive.
5. From the Taskbar, select Start and then Run.
6. In the Open field, type command and click OK. A DOS command window will open.
7. Type CD\ and press Enter. You should now be at a C:\ prompt.
8. Type SDATXXXX.EXE /E C:\SDAT and press Enter. (Note: The 'x's should be replaced with the appropriate numbers of the file that was downloaded above.) This will create an SDAT folder on the C:\ drive, and extract the SDAT files to this folder.
   Note: Windows XP Users with Service Pack 2 installed will be presented with a security warning when attempting to extract the file. Please click Run to continue the extraction process.
   
9. Once the C:\ prompt is displayed again, please type exit and press Enter.

Step 2 - Disable Windows System Restore

Windows XP utilize a restore utility that backs up and protects selected files automatically to the C:\_Restore folder. This means that an infected file could be stored there as a backup and VirusScan would be unable to delete these files. The System Restore utility must be disabled to remove any infected files from the C:\_Restore folder.

 

Windows XP

1. Right-click the My Computer icon on the Desktop and click Properties.
2. Click on the System Restore tab.
3. Put a check mark in the box next to Turn off System Restore.
4. Click the OK button.
5. You may be prompted to restart the computer. Click Yes to restart.
   Note: To re-enable the System Restore utility, repeat the steps above and in step 3 remove the check mark from the box next to Turn off System Restore.

Step 3 - Boot the Computer to DOS

1. If the computer is on: From the Taskbar, click Start, then Shutdown and choose Restart.
2. If the computer is off, turn the computer on.
3. When the opening splash screen appears, begin tapping the F8 key every second.
   Note: On some computers, if you press F8 too soon you will get a keyboard error. If this happens, press the F1 key to continue.
4. The Windows 2000 (or XP) Advanced Options Menu will appear. Use the arrow keys to choose Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
5. Login to your computer (if necessary).
6. When the computer is finished booting, the c:\> prompt will appear on the screen.
   Note: If there is anything typed after c:\>, type cd\ and press Enter.
7. Continue with the scan instructions below.

Step 4 - Scan the Computer

1. At the c:\> prompt, type cd sdat and press Enter.

2. Type scan.exe /adl /clean /all /sub /program /unzip /analyze /rptall /report report.txt and press Enter.

This will perform a virus scan, which will clean and delete any viruses you may have on your computer.

Explanation of DOS scan switches:

• /all - Scans all files
• /adl - Scans all local drives
• /sub - Scans within subdirectories
• /program - Enables Potentially Unwanted Program scanning
• /unzip - Enables archive scanning
• /analyze - Enables heuristics
• /clean - Sets the automatic action for the scanner to Clean anything detected
• /rptall - Enables verbose logging
• /report=C:\scan.txt - Saves the verbose logging as a text file in the root of C: called scan.txt

Multiple Infections

After the scan has run, a summary report of the scan will be created in the sdat folder on the C:\ drive. If this summary reports that your computer had multiple infections, it is recommended that you run the scan again to make sure the computer has been completely cleaned.
To determine if an additional scan is needed, please complete the following steps:

Step 5 - Review the Scan Report

1. Restart the computer into Normal Mode.
2. Double-click the My Computer icon.
3. Double-click the C:\ drive.
4. Double click the sdat folder.
5. Locate the file named report.txt and double-click to open.
6. The report contains several lines that look similar to this:
   
   If the top line named Possibly Infected has a number greater that 5, it is recommended that you run the scan in DOS again.
7. If you need to run the scan again, repeat the above instructions for Boot the Computer to DOS and Scan the Computer.

Additional Information

• How to perform a DOS virus scan in Windows Vista

Miscellaneous notes for “Dummy”s

Never select a PXE Distribution Point when deploying packages.

This may stop that PXE point from functioning. Use the list of DP Groups or select the specific DPs required.

When setting up Advertisements to execute at specific times use:-

UTC if you want the installation to start at the same time the world over regardless of local time. For example, if you want the installation to commence on all PCs regardless of location at 3:30AM Dallas time, select UTC on the Advertisement window.

Local Time if you want the installation to commence at a specific local time, ie at 2:00PM UK time and 2:00PM Canada time.

The “All Packages” canned report now shows all packages and not all packages at all distribution points.

If you wish to view all packages at a specific DP, please select the “All Packages for Distribution Point“ report.

Site WAN throttling

If a site with an SCCM DP Server has issues around bandwidth utilization and it seems that when SCCM deploys a new version of the Package (12GB) that users are impacted. The SCCM team can then throttle the SCCM utilization of the bandwidth during business Hours (6AM-6PM) so it only uses 50% or 20% of available bandwidth. Note that the less bandwidth the longer packages will take to reach the site.

Clean out obsolete client records

When a PC is being built from a PXE boot task sequence, an option exists for the immediate installation of other applications, This will only work if the flag is set on the packages program as per the below screen shot – “Allow the program to be installed from the Install Software Task Sequence without being advertised. If this flag is not set, the package will install approximately 2 hours after the task sequence is complete.

When the you notices packages without a source, they you can deleted those.

CREATE All Non Client Systems collection

 

The below is the query for creating All Non Client Systems:-

 

select SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceID,SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceType,SMS_R_SYSTEM.Name,SMS_R_SYSTEM.SMSUniqueIdentifier,SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceDomainORWorkgroup,SMS_R_SYSTEM.Client from SMS_R_System where SMS_R_System.Client = 0

Updates Performance Monitor counter : LODCTR

Updates Performance Monitor counter

 

LODCTR
    Updates Performance Monitor counter names and explain text for an extensible
counter

Usage:
    LODCTR [\\computername] filename
        computername is the name of the remote computer.
            Local machine is used if computername is not specified.
        filename is the name of the initialization file that contains
            the counter name definitions and explain text for an extensible
            counter DLL.

    LODCTR /S:<FileName>
        save current perf registry strings and info to <FileName>

    LODCTR /R:<FileName>
        restore perf registry strings and info using <FileName>

Note: any arguments with spaces in the names must be enclosed within
Double Quotation marks.

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

1. HABIT ONE: BE PROACTIVE
2. HABIT TWO: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND
3. HABIT THREE: PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST
4. HABIT FOUR: THINK WIN – WIN
5. HABIT FIVE: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD
6. HABIT SIX – SYNERGISE
7. HABIT SEVEN: SHARPEN THE SAW

WMI Repair Command:- For Windows 2008 and Windows Vista/7

For For Windows 2008 and Windows Vista/7

winmgmt  /salvagerepository

 

For Windows Server 2003

rundll32 wbemupgd, RepairWMISetup

• cd /d %windir%\system32\wbem
• for %i in (*.dll) do RegSvr32 -s %i
• for %i in (*.exe) do %i /RegServer

Note that none of the above two methods restore the missing files related to Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). So, below is a comprehensive repair procedure that restores all the missing WMI modules. In case of missing WMI modules, you may use the following method.

 

FOR XP

 

Comprehensive rebuild method

Important note:  If you've installed a Service Pack, you need to insert your Windows XP CD with Service Pack integration (called as the Slipstreamed Windows XP CD). If you don't have one, you may point to the %Windir%\ServicePackFiles\i386 folder for a recent version of the system files required during WMI repair. Or you may create a slipstreamed Windows XP CD and insert it when prompted.

Click Start, Run and type the following command, and press ENTER:

rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection WBEM 132 %windir%\inf\wbemoc.inf

Insert your Windows XP CD into the drive when prompted. Repair process should take few minutes to complete. Then restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

 

 

For XP/2k3/2000

//

1. Open a CMD prompt on the server and change directory to %windir%\System32\WBEM (\SysWOW64\WBEM on x64)

2. Execute the following:

FOR /f %s in ('dir /b /s *.dll') do regsvr32 /s %s
Net stop /y winmgmt
FOR /f %s in ('dir /b *.mof *.mfl') do mofcomp %s
Net start winmgmt

Note: Don't attempt to compile the MOF files in the \bin\i386 folder on a site server, as we contain stub files (names start with an underscore character such as _smsprov.mof) that need to be populated with site specific data through other means.   

//

SCCM in Multi Forest design

Full information available for multiple forest is here
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb694003.aspx
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb694289.aspx

Top Rapidshare Search Engines

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Where Name0 in

Deleting Machines Directly From The SMS Database

To delete an individual machine from the SMS database using the SMS console it is necessary to create a collection using the direct membership rule wizard or base your new collection on a newly created Query. The first method is slow and can be time consuming, the second option just doubles your work and it the least desired method for most people.

The other automatic means in which you can remove or otherwise delete the machine(s) from the SMS database is to let the SMS_SQL_MONITOR service automatically remove the machine after it has reached its predefined Site maintenance task ‘Delete Aged Discovery Data’ and ‘Delete Aged Inventory History ‘ specifications if you have left it enabled. It is enabled by default and is set to 90 days. You can however change this to a more reasonable time period appropriate for your sites hierarchy if needed.

Below you will find a SQL query that will allow you to delete machines from the SMS database as the task “Delete Special” performs the removal process. It is important to note here that when you delete machines from a collection within the SMS console the machine is deleted from the database however the History table is not purged or removed. When you use the task Delete Special the machine is not only removed from the SMS database but the history for the machine is also deleted.

NOTE: You must uninstall the SMS client software to ensure that it does not report back in. If you are simply removing the machine name(s) from the SMS database because your site support staff has informed you that the machines were retired or re-imaged then this is not necessary. It is important to also note here that this is not a Microsoft supported means for deleting machines from the SMS database and should be used in a non production environment.

When you are done use the query in my earlier post entitled: ‘Searching Your SQL Database For A Specified Column String’ and search for the machine(s) that you just deleted to ensure that they have in fact been purged.

To delete multiple machines using the query that follows you can simply change the line that reads: Where Name0 = 'Machine_Name' To the following: Where Name0 in ('Machine_One', 'Machine_Two') as in the Deleting Multiple Machines SQL Query found at the end of this post.

• Deleting An Individual Machine SQL Query:

Insert DeletedMachines (SmsId)

Select IsNull(Sms_Unique_Identifier0,'')

From System_Disc

Where Name0 = 'Machine_Name'

And Sms_Unique_Identifier0 is not null

Delete System_Disc from System_Disc

Where Name0 = 'Machine_Name'

Delete System_Data from System_Data

Where Name0 = 'Machine_Name'

• Deleting Multiple Machines SQL Query:

Insert DeletedMachines (SmsId)

Select IsNull(Sms_Unique_Identifier0,'')

From System_Disc

Where Name0 in ('Machine_One', 'Machine_Two')

And Sms_Unique_Identifier0 is not null

Delete System_Disc from System_Disc

Where Name0 in ('Machine_One', 'Machine_Two')

Delete System_Data from System_Data

Where Name0 in ('Machine_One', 'Machine_Two')

Group Policy Software Deployment: Targeting the right computers with WMI filters

Group policy was introduced with Windows 2000, and is an easy way of centralizing many Windows settings. In addition to centralizing event log and firewall settings, I personally like the ability to deploy MSI-based software applications with Group Policy, since it makes it extremely easy to deploy new software packages.
Even though Software Installation only works only with MSI-based packages, it does make deploying MSI-based software packages extremely easy.  

We generally deploy software through Group Policy when three or more computers use it, since it's very easy to create a new package (if you already have a network share etc. setup, then you can literally do it in 2 minutes).

Before I list some of the useful WMI queries we use to target certain operating systems or computer types, there are a couple of things to note for those who are new to software deployment via group policy:

• Software packages are always installed right after a reboot, so they're mostly suitable for workstations.
• The network share which hosts the MSI files needs to give the computer accounts (e.g. DESKTOP1$) at least read access. Generally, giving EveryOne Read access works well unless you have a reason to restrict access to the software packages that you distribute.

Since the mechanism to distribute software is based on group policies, any sort of software package you create inside a group policy, will need to be assigned to an organizational unit (OU).
Since OUs can contain a large amount of computers that might not all need that particular software package, you can use two techniques to narrow down which computers receive the software:

1. Security Filtering
2. WMI Filtering

Security Filtering
With this method, you create a security group in Active Directory, place the computers that should get a particular software package into the group, and then specify this group in the Security Filtering list.
The screen shot below shows a group policy that will only be applied to members of the "Source Control Computers" group:

WMI Filtering
With this method, you can filter the computers which are affected by your policy, based on common properties of the Operating System. For example, some packages might distinguish between 32-bit and 64-bit, some packages might only work on Vista or later, whereas other packages apply only to servers. With WMI, you can target the right computers without having to mess with group memberships (though you will probably still need to do that). For example:

• 32-bit vs. 64-bit computers
• only workstations
• only computers running a certain OS
• only computers with a certain amount of RAM
• only computers of a certain brand

With WMI filtering, you just create the software group policy, for example:

• 7-Zip 32-bit
• 7-Zip 64-bit

and then apply the respective WMI filter to them. But lets cut to the chase, here are a few WMI queries that you can cut & paste:
Operating System 32-bit
Select * from Win32_Processor where AddressWidth = '32'
Operating System 64-bit
Select * from Win32_Processor where AddressWidth = '64'

Workstation
Select * from WIN32_OperatingSystem where ProductType=1
Domain Controller
Select * from WIN32_OperatingSystem where ProductType=2
Server
Select * from WIN32_OperatingSystem where ProductType=3
Some filters require multiple WMI queries, which are just chained together.
Workstation 32-bit
Select * from WIN32_OperatingSystem where ProductType=1
Select * from Win32_Processor where AddressWidth = '32'
Workstation 64-bit
Select * from WIN32_OperatingSystem where ProductType=1
Select * from Win32_Processor where AddressWidth = '64'

Windows XP
Select * from WIN32_OperatingSystem where Version='5.1.2600' and ProductType=1
Windows Vista
Select * from WIN32_OperatingSystem where Version='6.0.6002' and ProductType=1
Windows 7
Select * from WIN32_OperatingSystem where Version='6.1.7600' and ProductType=1
Windows 2003
Select * from WIN32_OperatingSystem where Version='5.2.3790' and ProductType>1
Windows 2008
Select * from WIN32_OperatingSystem where Version='6.0.6002' and ProductType>1
Windows 2008 R2
Select * from WIN32_OperatingSystem where Version='6.1.7600' and ProductType>1
WIN32_OperatingSystem of course includes more information that can be useful for WMI queries, such as a descriptive name of the installed OS ("Name") as well as the service pack installed ("ServicePackMajorVersion").
Manufacturer (e.g. DELL)
Select * from WIN32_ComputerSystem where Manufacturer = 'DELL'
Installed Memory (e.g. more than 1Gb)
Select * from WIN32_ComputerSystem where TotalPhysicalMemory >= 1073741824

For more information, check out these resources on WMI:
WMI
Secrets of Windows Management Instrumentation
Scriptomatic (Vista/Win2k8/Win7: run as administrator!)

Reset done by any user for Site Status (SMS_COMPONENT_STATUS_SUMMARIZER)

If any user done Site reset if found in red/yellow to set to OK… then below message will appear

 

also you will see below information in one of other message

“SMS Site Control Manager added a "Property List" item named "Reset SMS_COMPONENT_STATUS_SUMMARIZER:1269225968" to the actual site control file D:\apps\sccm\inboxes\sitectrl.box\sitectrl.ct0.

This addition occurred as a result of a site configuration change request in delta site control file D:\apps\sccm\inboxes\sitectrl.box\incoming\t1wv43np.CT1. The change will take effect in serial number 84 of the actual site control file.”

 

Hope this helps to find who has reset the SMS / SCCM Site

Remote Server Administration Tools RSAT

Remote Server Administration Tools(RSAT)

Download Location:-
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7d2f6ad7-656b-4313-a005-4e344e43997d&displaylang=en

DirectAccess

VPN Reconnect

Offline Domain Join

BranchCache

New Group Policy capabilities

AppLocker

Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC)

Windows Deployment Services supports Windows 7 deployments

What is Disaster? DR?

An event, usually a major or catastrophic that denies access to the normal facility of business (or technology processing) for an extended period that would require relocation to an alternate site or sites.

Batteries recommended

SEMI - TUBULAR Batteries - These are Modified Versions of Automotive Batteries and are Designed for Inverter Applications .. They come with 18 Months Replacement Warranty + Some Rebate for the Next 6 months if battery Fails and Average Life of these Batteries is 3 years..These Batteries Need Topping of Distilled Water once in 3 4 Months .

Models  Recommended  by us :- EXIDE INVERTER + Series /  SF POWERBOX Series. ( 18 Months Replacement + next 6 Months 50% Rebate )

TUBULAR Batteries :-  These are the Batteries which are Specially Designed for Inverters , UPS & Telecom Purpose where Continuos Current is Required at the Time of Power Failure .. The Plates in the Batteries are Very Thick which gives you Excellent Power Back up and Life .. They Usually come with 2 Yrs & 3 Yrs Replacement Warranty and average Life of these Batteries is 5 -7 Years..there is no smell or fumes from these batteries and maintainance is required only once in 6-8 months

-------------------
Thanks,

Windows 7 Research deployment

　

Key Findings

• 46% are not waiting for the release of Service Pack 1 to deploy Windows 7

• 87% are planning to deploy Windows 7 compared to 47% who had plans to deploy Vista at a comparable point

after the operating system release

• 58% expect to deploy Windows 7 by the end of 2010

• 27% are using commercial tools for migration

• 57% are concerned about Windows 7, down from 67% in 2009

• 25% expressed concerns about performance, down from 47% in 2009

• 41% are anxious about stability, down from 62% in 2009

• 86% are concerned about software compatibility, consistent with 88% in 2009

-------------------
Thanks,

to know the user password last changed time Command

C:\>NET USER administrator | FIND /I "Password last set"
Password last set            2/17/2010 5:20 PM

C:\>

SMS_Outbox_Monitor and SMS_Inbox_Monitor Errors

 

When you see below kind of errors in your Site status…

 

 

 

 

Solution:- Connect to ConfigMgr Service Manager and connect to the problem Site and “Stop SMS_Inbox_monitor and SMS_Outbox_monitor and start it “

how to move the Site Database in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 from a computer

INTRODUCTION
This article describes how to move the Site Database in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 from a computer that is running Microsoft SQL Server 2005 to another drive on the same computer, or to another computer that is running SQL Server 2005.

MORE INFORMATION
In certain situations, you may have to move the Site Database from a computer that is running SQL Server 2005 to another drive, or to another computer that is running SQL Server 2005. For example, the following situations may require that you move the Site Database:

•You experience hardware issues on the server that you currently use. Additionally, you do not consider the server to be reliable.
•You have to move the Site Database and the log file to a different volume because the database requires more space, or because you want to improve performance.
•The server that you currently use is leased. The lease on the server is scheduled to expire soon.
•New hardware standards have been developed and approved. You must upgrade the computer that is running SQL Server 2005 to the new hardware specifications.
SQL Server 2005 supports the following:

•You can move files and log files from one computer to another computer if both computers are running SQL Server 2005.
•You can move data files and log files from one instance of SQL Server 2005 to another instance of SQL Server 2005 if both instances are on the same computer.
•You can move data files and log files from one volume to another volume on a computer that is running SQL Server 2005.
For more information about these functionalities in SQL Server 2005, visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms203721.aspx

PREREQUISITES
Before you move the Site Database from a computer that is running SQL Server 2005 to another drive or another computer that is running SQL Server 2005, follow these steps:

1.Back up all the databases from their current locations. This includes the master database.
2.Verify that you have system administrator permissions on both the computers that are running SQL Server 2005.
3.Verify that you have configured the computer where you want to move the Site Database exactly like the computer that currently hosts the Site Database.
4.Verify that you know the name and the current location of the Site Database.
5.Stop the following Configuration Manager services on the Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 site server:
• SMS_EXECUTIVE Service
• SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER Service
• SMS_SITE_SQL_BACKUP Service
• SMS_SITE_VSS_WRITER
Note: You can stop all of these services using the Preinst.exe utility by running the following command without the quotes:

"Preinst.exe /STOPSITE"

Preinst.exe is included with Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Server and is located in the following path:

Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\bin\i386\00000409 (the last folder is dependent upon the language of the product, 00000409 is for the English version).

Note: If you are running the SMS Provider and the Site Database on the same SQL 2005 Server, and you are moving the Site Database to a new server, you will also need to modify the SMS Provider Configuration in order to move it as well, For more information about moving the SMS Provider in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007, visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb693923.aspx.

MOVING THE DATABASE
To move the Site Database from a computer that is running SQL Server 2005 to another drive or another computer that is running SQL Server 2005, follow these steps:

Step 1: Detach the database
1. On the computer that currently hosts the Site Database, click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server 2005, and then click SQL Server Management Studio.

2. Click the appropriate values in the Server type list, in the Server name list, and in the Authentication list. Then, click Connect.

3. Expand the Databases folder, right-click the SMS_ folder, point to Tasks, and then click Detach. Note that the Detach command is visible only if the following conditions are true:

• You are a member of the sysadmin fixed server role.
• The server to which you are connected is running SQL Server 2005.

4. Verify the status of the Site Database. Note that to successfully detach the Site Database, the status in the Databases to detach box in the Status column must read: "The database is ready to be detached." Optionally, you can update statistics before the detach operation. To do this, select the check box under the Update Statistics column in the Databases to detach box.

5. To close any existing connections in the Site Database, select the check box under the Drop Connections column in the Databases to detach box.

6. Click OK. The database node of the detached Site Database disappears from the Databases folder.

7. After the Site Database is detached, copy the SMS_.mdf file and the SMS_.ldf file to the drive and path you want to move it to, or to a folder on the computer to which you want to move the Site Database.

Note: The following path is the default path of the SMS_.mdf file:

Drive :\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Data

The following path is the default path of the SMS_.ldf file:

Drive :\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Data

Step 2: Attach the database

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server 2005, and then click SQL Server Management Studio.

2. Click the appropriate values in the Server type list, in the Server name list, and in the Authentication list. Then, click Connect.

3. Right-click the Databases folder, and then click Attach. Note The Attach command is visible only if the following conditions are true:

•You are a member of the sysadmin fixed server role.
•The server to which you are connected is running SQL Server 2005.
4. In the Attach Databases dialog box, click Add to specify the database that you want to attach.

5. Locate and then click the SMS_.mdf file. Then, click OK.

Note The following path is the default path of the SMS_.mdf file: Drive :\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Data

6. On the View menu, click Refresh to view the database node of the attached Site Database.

Note: If you moved the Site Database files to another drive on the same computer, then your move is complete, and you can start the following services:

•SMS_EXECUTIVE Service
•SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER Service
•SMS_SITE_SQL_BACKUP Service
•SMS_SITE_VSS_WRITER
Step 3: Update the database server name

If you moved the Site Database to another server, you need to run the Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager Setup Wizard on the Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Server to modify the SQL Server configuration to specify the new SQL Server name.

1. Ensure the primary site server computer account has administrative privileges over the new site database server computer.

2. Close any open Configuration Manager console connections to the site server.

3. On the primary site server computer, use the hierarchy maintenance tool (Preinst.exe) to stop all site services with the following command: Preinst /stopsite.

4. On the primary site server computer, click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft System Center, click Configuration Manager 2007, and click ConfigMgr Setup, or navigate to the .\bin\i386 directory of the Configuration Manager 2007 installation media and double-click Setup.exe.

5. Click Next on the Configuration Manager Setup Wizard Welcome page.

6. Click Perform site maintenance or reset this site on the Configuration Manager Setup Wizard Setup Options page.

7. Select Modify SQL Server configuration on the Configuration Manager Setup Wizard Site Maintenance page.

8. Enter the appropriate SQL Server name and instance (if applicable) for the new site database server as well as the site database name on the Configuration Manager Setup Wizard SQL Server Configuration page.

9. Configuration Manager Setup performs the SQL Server configuration process.

10. Restart the primary site server computer, and verify the site is functioning normally.

Note: If you also need to move the Software Update Services Database (SUSDB) you will need to stop IIS Admin Service, and Update Services Service and follow Steps 1 and 2 above to detach, then move the SUSDB.MDF and SUSDB.LDF files, then attach the SUSDB.MDF, in the new drive location or on the new SQL Server 2005.

Enjoy

High level of Tech Talk :- Take this Print

Communication errors between Site’s
SQL Server Errors

For Every Term you need to get a log file Name, Glossary should learn it

Site Server issues :-

1. Not able to connect to the Console
2. Site is not sending status messages, the procedure to confirm and the default report
3. Site Server Slow or CPU High Utilization
4. backlogs finding
5. Backlogs Story…
6. MY Script to check the Backlogs
7. Database errors related to Site Server and SQL
8. Importance of SMS Provider
9. Collections are not appearing in the hierarchy log file
10. Some of IMP Log Files
11. Status messages not for set to clear you must understand what happens when we set to clear and act to the situation
12. SMS 2003 Troubleshooting Workflow
13. News / MYITForum Group Importance
14. Backup of Sites
15. Uninstallation of Sites
16. Planning of Sites “”Configuration Manager Preplanning Worksheets””
17. Primary Site
18. Secondary Site
19. Just the DP
20. Boundaries
21. Boundary Overlapping
22. FSP and it’s history why we need FSP?
23. Site to Site key exchange
24. Possibility of NLBs and for MP and WSUS
    
25. OSD Coverage and steps
26. lets try MDT also
27. If possible Lets try Native Mode also

Client Issues:-

1. Client Installation Methods
2. Software Update point Based Client installation
3. Disadvantages of Client Push
4. Client installation Log files

Client Installation Troubleshooting:-

1. WMI Connectivity check
2. WMI Rebuild
3. WMI Log Files
4. MOF FILES RELATED TO WMI
5. Drive Space issues, FS.exe
6. Permissions, admin$, 64 bit ccm folder location & 32 bit control panel
7. Not found MP
8. not detecting the site code
9. client not assigning to site code and trying to install\
10. possible of command line option of ccmsetup.exe
11. ccmclean.exe
12. IMP log Files related to Client
13. patching related log file and issue
14. patching is failing to install
15. is sms/sccm client is manacle of things to automate?
16. Trace32.exe
17. Client Status Reports
18. SMS Client Health Monitor
19. Some of the “”State Messages in Configuration Manager 2007”

 

• MP Troubleshooting
• Reporting Point Troubleshooting
• Secondary Site Installation
• Ports Document
• patching the Systems
• Workstation Patching style and server patching status
• maintenance window
• SCCM R2 Advantages
• SCCM Features comparison with SMS

 

Inventory:-

Software inventory
Hardware inventory
SMS_def.mof File and tool from MYITFORM for registry key
mof compile
no idmif
idmif

 

 

Log files for Communication

1. Component Configuration Manager Troubleshooting
2. ADMINUI.log file
3. Delegation of Configuration / SMS Console
4. Status messages

Package Distribution Issues

1. Procedure to Confirm the Package  is reached to the DP And  Log File
2. Procedure to Package Source Version and Current Version finding
3. What is refresh and Update package and resend to DP?
4. How to Distribute the Packages to Multiple DPs? DP Groups?
5. IMP Log Files related to Distribution:- Sender and Scheduler and Distmgr.log
6. Compressed files like .Pck story
7. What is the Compressed Package?
8. What is Binary replication in Distribution?
9. What is the Package Creation Flow, I mean what kind of files gets changed in the work flow, like Dispooler and etc…
10. Importance of BITS on DP
11. Distribution points Related reports to the DP and Database Tables
12. Troublshooting steps for a Package is not reaching DP
13. Download package and run from DP
14. Virtual Applications and relationship with DP
15. In the Event of Distribution Point OS Failed how to proceed further to get it corrected?
16. Document from my blog DP in and Outs

Distribution Point Family and its Terms:-

 

1. Understanding of Advertisement?
2. Standard DP
3. Protected DP
4. Branch Distribution Point
5. peer DP
6. Nomad DP
7. Check in IE
8. More than 700 do we need another DP?
9. DFS and DP ?
10. File Server and DP ?
11. For each above Log files

Advertisement:-

1. Working style of Advertisement..
2. When we advertise the Command line Options that we can see…. for executing style
3. Default report that we can check for advertisement
4. Log files for advertisement
5. From console view of Advertisement status
6. If Advertisement failed how to make sure it to run again
7. Suppressing the Advertisement
8. how to use toolkit to see advertisement history
9. related information in control panel for advertisement
10. maintenance of Cache folder
11. If report is not showing more than 10000 rows for any advertisement
12. Advertisement to advertise Users and User groups
13. Advertisement interaction with user
14. Advertisement running with the administrator privileges and Logged in user account rights
15. Administrator Flow for Advertisement
16. advertisement to be appear in the add and remove programs

 

Other Topics

WOL in and Outs from my blog document

MP Issues

DP Issues

Preinst.exe

How to find the What deployment that are using… currentsly for this month

notification for Technet patching

PXE Issues and ports and fast port and iphelper

Wake on LAN ports and difference and unicast and subnet broad cast

Schema Extention two methods

Software Updates desgin and flow for how to create and deploy with the reports and log files

Small talk on OBT

SCCM Client Installation Batch Script

Psexec tool

psexplorer

Collections Database Table

Right Click Tools

System Center Clint Center

SCCM R3

Configuration Manager Preplanning Worksheets

Finally Glossary

IP Sec

Isolation of Domains

VLans

wdsutil

Multicasting

My Fav Photo