I don’t deploy large amounts of servers at once, so Windows Server sysprep is not as important as it is with the client operating systems I deploy. But I do need to create virtual machine templates, (mostly for testing), but some clients like to have server templates. I prefer to manually sysprep and shutdown a server then either convert or clone it to a template.
Thankfully sysprep is in the same place as it was with Server 2008 R2.
Solution
As before you can either run sysprep from command line by navigating to its location and running it with the correct switches. Or simply browse to it with Windows Explorer and double click it.
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I usually only have to do this on very small sites, or occasionally on the test bench. Most of the time we will have a server sat doing DHCP. The procedure below was carried out on a router, but the procedure is the same for a catalyst switch.
By default DHCP is disabled, you have to turn it on, then create a ‘dhcp pool.’
[box]
Petes-Router(config)#service dhcp
Petes-Router(config)#ip dhcp pool DATA-VLAN-10
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Then set the range of addresses and scope options.
There’s nothing to stop you running multiple scopes either, below I add another scope for my voice VLAN, and exclude the router IP on that VLAN, and my PBX.
Seen on VMware Workstation, when attempting to virtualise a product that IS a virtualisation hypervisor (ESX for example).
Error: Virtualized Intel VT-x/EPT is disabled for this ESXVM. You will only be able to run 32-bit nested VMs.
At first I (wrongly) assumed that I needed to enable something in the BIOS on my laptop, and searched though every page to enable some virtualization setting that was turned off. But that’s NOT what it’s telling you. what it is telling you is you are trying to virtualize a virtualization product, so all the clever VT settings from your physical machines CPU will be shown to VMware workstation. But that presents a Virtual CPU to the OS you are installing as a guest (In the case above ESX) and THAT virtual CPU does NOT have Intel- VT-x/EPT enabled.
So a “Nested VM” – is a Guest VM, running Inside a Guest Hypervisor, that’s been virtualized.
Solution
Note: I’m using VMware workstation 8.
1. Right click the VM in question and select “Settings”.
2. Hardware Tab > Processors > Tick the option to enable VT-x/EPT or V/RVI > OK.
3. Restart the guest machine.
Note: You can also do this be editing the machines .vmx file with a text editor and adding the following lines;
Server Manager on Windows Server 2008 and Server 2012, launches every time you log on, (with administrative access). After a while this can get very annoying, if you log into a lot of servers for example. So I tend to stop it auto-launching (it’s still on the taskbar if you need it!)
Solution
Disable Server Manager Opening on Startup
1. With Server Manager Open > Manage > Server Manager Properties > Tick ‘Do not start Server Manager automatically at Logon’ > OK.
Disable Server Manager Starting on Server 2008
1. With Server Manager Open > Server Summary Section > Tick “Do Not Show this console at Logon”.
OR Via the Registry (2008 NOT 2012 For one user i.e. the domain admin).
1. Start > Start Search Box > Regedit {enter}.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMICROSOFTSERVERMANAGER
3. Locate the DoNotOpenServerManagerAtLogon value.
Set 1=Enabled (The console WILL NOT load at logon). Set 0=Disabled (The console WILL load at logon).
For All users HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftServer Manager set as above.
Disable Server Manager Auto Start via Group Policy
1. Open your group policy editor (either gpedit.msc for local policy or gpms.msc for domain policy).
2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Server Manager.
3. Locate “Do not display Server Manager automatically at logon”.
Set Enabled=Server Manager is NOT Displayed.
Set Disable= Server Manager is displayed (only when an administrator logs on).
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I know Microsoft is from America, that’s fair enough, and they have built into Windows the ability to change the ‘locale’ and language. But its really annoying when you install Office and it just assumes you want an American dictionary. Now something like 80% of my visitors are American and they will probably be surprised that us limeys spell things differently, after all we all speak English right – well yes we do, but written (British) English is different to written (American) English.
e.g. Centre, Colour, Theatre, Analyse, Catalogue, and Programme, etc.
Which is OK, you’ve had a few hundred years to do you own thing, and English is derived from Anglo-Saxon/German, Latin, French, Greek and a great deal of other languages anyway.
So when I go into Office Settings and SPECIFICALLY TELL IT I want my default language to be English (United Kingdom). Why would I want it to set the dictionary to English (US)?
Solution
I’m assuming you have already gore to File > Options > Language > And set the correct language settings.
1. Review > Language > Set Proofing Language.
2. Select your desired language > Set as Default.
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I was trying to do some online VMware training today, and this was really annoying me, every link I clicked up it came.
Popup:
Only secure content is displayed – What’s the risk? – Show all content
Eventually after clicking show all content (A LOT) I could take no more, and had to disable it.
Solution
Warning: There’s a sound reason for this, over https all traffic is encrypted with SSL/TLS and cannot be seen by someone analysing network traffic, if you are sending password or credit card data you might not want to do this.
1. Click Start and in the search/run box type inetcpl.cpl {enter}.
2. Select the Security tab > Internet > Custom Level.
3. Locate the “Display mixed content” section and enable it > OK.
4. Select Yes to confirm, and restart Internet Explorer.
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