if (ms) blog++;
Random bits of (hopefully) useful technical information on Windows, with a focus on understanding and troubleshooting.
Exodus
My time at Microsoft has now come to an end, and I start my new job next month – meaning that this...
Date: 03/14/2013
RDP8 + Ribbons + RemoteApp = Known Issue
If you have Windows 7 SP1 and install the Remote Desktop Protocol 8.0 update (KB2592687) then you...
Date: 02/18/2013
SQL Server 2012 may fail to install on Windows Server 2012 under VMWare
I was recently asked if I knew of any reason for SQL Server failing to install if the one of the...
Date: 02/11/2013
Support phases ending in the next 2 years
April 8th 2014 (2014-04-08) Windows XP - end of support - no more updates for this product -...
Date: 08/05/2012
Windows 8 / Server 2012 release dates announced
Over at the Windows Team Blog it was announced yesterday that RTM will be the first week in August,...
Date: 07/10/2012
Windows 8 Release Preview, Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate available for download
Windows 8 Release Preview is here. x86 and x64 ISO images available for download. Windows Server...
Date: 05/31/2012
Windows Server 2012 (codename “8”) Beta Resources
Last month the official name of Windows Server “8” was confirmed as being Windows Server 2012, so...
Date: 05/25/2012
Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy event 1502 not being logged after successful application of GPOs
Recently I encountered a customer who had several Windows 7 clients which initially had the symptom...
Date: 01/24/2012
Available Updates for Remote Desktop Services (Terminal Services) in Windows Server 2008 R2
KB2601888 is a comprehensive list of hotfixes applicable for W2K8R2 Remote Desktop Services, updated...
Date: 01/18/2012
Q: When is System32 not System32?
A: When the question comes from a 32-bit process on a 64-bit version of Windows. In 32-bit...
Date: 11/22/2011
Script error ‘res://ieframe.dll/preview.js’ trying to print from Outlook 2003 in a TS/RDS session with IE9 installed
Update 2012-01-11: There is now a hotfix available for Windows 7 / Server 2008 R2 to address this...
Date: 11/03/2011
Internet Printing Protocol (IPP), Legacy Windows & 64-bit Windows Server
The Internet Printing role service in Windows Server 2008R2 is under the Print and Document Services...
Date: 05/11/2011
Post-SP1 hotfixes recommended for W2K8R2 Hyper-V hosts
Here is a quick round-up of post-SP1 hotfixes that it is good to know about, if you are running...
Date: 05/09/2011
RSAT Tools for Windows 7 SP1 now available
Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) can now be downloaded so...
Date: 04/08/2011
XP clients using RDC 7.0 & RD Gateway = no SSO
I have summarized in a previous blog the requirements for getting SSO to work on XP clients, but...
Date: 02/24/2011
Service Pack 1 Has Landed (W2K8R2 / Windows 7)
Announced yesterday (2011-02-09): ”Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 SP1 will Release to...
Date: 02/09/2011
User Profiles – Location, Location, Location
When a user logs on, regardless of whether they have a local, roaming, mandatory (or even no)...
Date: 01/26/2011
Enabling CredSSP on XP SP3 clients via script
Following on from my previous blog entry, while the manual method is simple enough, and we could...
Date: 12/21/2010
XP Clients, CredSSP, SSO, Connection Broker and other animals
Imagine the following scenario: DC01 is a Domain Controller for test.net with the Remote Desktop...
Date: 12/16/2010
UAC Virtualization – Allowing standard users to update a system protected area
You should know the score by now – I install application FOO into “C:\Program Files\Foo Inc\Foo” and...
Date: 08/11/2010
More info on SP1 for Windows 7 / Server 2008 R2
Following on from my previous blog entry, there is now a public FAQ to address the questions being...
Date: 07/21/2010
SCVMM Self-Service Portal
The Self-Service Portal is a web application provided as part of the System Center Virtual Machine...
Date: 07/16/2010
View TS/RDS Configuration Remotely
Here is a VBScript which can be used to get the following information from a W2K, W2K3, W2K8 or...
Date: 07/14/2010
GDR & LDR : The Next Generation
Following on from: GDR, QFE, LDR… WTH? Branching Out Service Packs – Levels vs Installers One of the...
Date: 07/14/2010
Service Pack 1 BETA available for download for Windows 7 & Server 2008 R2
If you need to test the new RemoteFX or Dynamic Memory features in W2K8R2 RDS or Hyper-V...
Date: 07/12/2010
Windows Server 2008R2 Server Core Installation & Setup Notes
After setting up a W2K8R2 “Server Core” Hyper-V host recently, I thought it a good idea to jot down...
Date: 06/21/2010
Remote Desktop Client 7.0 KB979425 now available for Vista
KB979425 (A combo box item in a RemoteApp application is updated incorrectly when you connect by...
Date: 06/09/2010
Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 public beta ETA announced
Pop on over to the Windows Server Division Weblog for the detailed announcement, but the snippet of...
Date: 06/09/2010
Batch Files – Basic Error Checking and Running as Scheduled Tasks
Batch files may be considered “old hat” by a lot of people (or a complete mystery to the younger...
Date: 06/06/2010
Windows 7 & Server 2008 R2 – What to expect from SP1?
Windows Service Packs are traditionally roll-up packages of hotfixes into a single, manageable...
Date: 05/25/2010
Hyper-V VMs in a Lab Environment
Before I start, a note on “differencing disks”… these are .AVHD files which contain a list of the...
Date: 05/25/2010
SCVMM Console-ation - Addendum
Update to my blog entry from March 30th, there is now a public KB article describing the issue....
Date: 05/16/2010
Trust what I say… but make sure you understand what I’m saying
As a general rule we trust software, to various degrees (based on its source, reputation of vendor,...
Date: 04/25/2010
Printers in sandboxes
Previously I have described how the spooler process can fall over due to any 3rd party module loaded...
Date: 04/13/2010
VDI Connection BrokeN?
There a couple of step-by-step guides available for setting up VDI deployments that are very good...
Date: 03/31/2010
SCVMM Console-ation
The Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager, other than being a mouthful to say and hence...
Date: 03/30/2010
You U2U? Me too!
Windows Vista and 7 have a “Remote Assistance” feature where users can attempt to share control of...
Date: 03/25/2010
Remote Desktop Services & WebSSO
With Windows Server 2008 R2 we introduced “Web Single Sign-On” (WebSSO) to eliminate some of the...
Date: 03/22/2010
Avoid expansion if you’re snap-happy
Occasionally the purpose of snapshotting VMs in Hyper-V is misunderstood (and hence misused), and...
Date: 03/03/2010
Q: When is a validity period not a validity period?
A: When it’s a Certificate Authority after Windows 2000. Back Story… Those helpful chaps over...
Date: 03/02/2010
The Browser Choice in Europe - Addendum
For those that wish/need to block the Browser Choice from being presented (for example in large...
Date: 03/01/2010
Registry Marriage
“The Registry” is something most, if not all Windows users have heard of – but I would guess that...
Date: 03/01/2010