Windows Server: Stop Programs Auto Starting / Auto Running
KB ID 0001600 Problem I like to learn the keyboard shortcuts for these sort of things, (because developers will change the way things are done in the GUI). So in the good old days I simply ran msconfig, and located the offending software on the startup list and disabled it. Then that got removed and put in ‘Task Manager’, then that got removed. So I’m pulling a frowny face at Microsoft Developers for their lack of...
Convert MBR Partitioned Drives to GPT
KB ID 0001407 Problem I got asked if I’d ever had to do this today, I vaguely remember having this problem in the past, but I can’t remember how I solved it. You set the ‘Partition Table Type’ on a disk in Windows, when the drive is first initialised, like so; And the default is MBR, so that usually gets ticked, the problem is MBR only supports disks up to 2TB in size. Now if it’s just a new disk, with...
Windows 10 & Windows Server Update Error 0x800705b4
KB ID 0001569 Problem I can’t remember Windows being so diabolically bad at simply updating? I built a new 2016 server, simply to create a VM template, and it would not update; There were some problems installing updates, but we’ll try again later. If you keep. seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information this may help: (0x800705b4) Solution Well that’s a very polite but useless error!...
Windows Disks ‘CanPool’ set False?
KB ID 0001560 Problem While attempting to create some Storage Spaces in Server 2016 today, I presented a bunch of ‘new’ disks and some of them were flagged CanPool as false? CanPool simply means the disk it available to be added to a storage pool, Id just removed all the arrays from these drives so I was confused? Solution Just because we’re on Powershell does not mean I can’t go old school! Launch Diskpart and...
Windows Adding Firewall Rules With PowerShell
KB ID 0001538 Problem There was a question on Experts Exchange this morning, the asker wanted to be able to add a ‘Trusted’ network range to their Windows Server Firewall settings as a ‘allow all ports’ rule. Solution You can of course add this manually in the GUI, normally I’d simply Add a Firewall Rule with a Group Policy. but the problem with that is, that’s fine if you want to open a particular...
Sysprep Was Unable to Validate
KB ID 0001535 Problem While building a new Windows 10 machine to be used as a template, I ran Sysprep to generalise the installation, and got this; Sysprep was not able to validate your Windows Installation. Review the log file at %WINDIR%\System32\Sysprep\Panther\setupact.log for details. After resolving the issue, use Sysprep to validate yout Installation again. Solution What I did was Google the error, instead of looking at the log...
Recovering Windows Activation Keys
KB ID 0001115 “Have you got one of those programs that gets the Windows key?”, My colleague asked me the other week. I said “Just download a key finder application?”, “Yeah I’ve tried that and is showing the code as all B’s”. You may also just see ‘Product key was not found’ on some software. I sent him some more links and got back to what I was doing. He was having no joy...
Windows Administrator “Lost Password” / “Password Reset”
KB ID 0000159 Problem You have forgotten your password, or the administrators password fo your Windows machine. Note: You can also ‘Blank’ or reset the DSRM (Directory Services Restore Mode) password on a Domain Controller (Tested on 2012 R2, by blanking the password). Using this method. Lost Password : Fix Lost Password Software Download Links Password Reset CD Image (3.5Mb) Note: This is a .iso file – you need to...
How to Tell if Windows is 32 or 64 bit
KB ID 0000153 Problem If you want to know what version (x64 or x86) of Windows you are running, then this is the simplest way to find out. Solution Under accessories run system information; Under System Type: If it says x86 then it’s 32 bit. However if it says x64 then it’s 64 bit. Windows XP and Server 2003 1. Click Start > Run > sysdm.cpl {enter} > General Tab. Windows XP x32 (x86) and Windows XP x64 Windows...
Windows – Lost / Forgotten Password?
KB ID 0000755 Problem There are many reasons why you might want to do this, someone has managed to change a user password and that person is not available, you might simply have forgotten it. Or you might have been given a machine, or bought one from ebay that has come without a password. Also there have been a few times when a user has looked me in the eye and said “I’m typing my password in, but it’s not...