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 Server 2003 x32 (x86) and Windows Server 2003 x64

Windows Vista / Windows 7 / Server 2008

1. Start > Control Panel > System.

Windows Vista and Windows 7

Windows Server 2008

 

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NA

ASDM on Windows 10: ‘Cannot find Javaw.exe?’

KB ID 0001478

Problem

Windows 10 machine, (with Latest Java installed), while attempting to launch the ASDM you see;

Windows cannot find ‘javaw.exe’. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.

Solution

I should have fixed this a lot quicker than I did, because the error message was a lot more descriptive in older versions of Windows and the ASDM! This is the same problem seen on Windows 8.

You still need to install the x32 bit versions of Java! once you do it will work fine.

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NA

Using 32 and 64 Bit WMI Filters For Group Policy

KB ID 0001341 

Problem

I was trying to deploy some client AV packages today, there was an x86 version (x32 Bit) and a x64 bit version of the client software. As I was deploying the software via Group Policy I needed to write a different policy for each package. Then I needed to make sure the x32 bit client only deployed to x32 bit machines, and the 64 bit client only deployed to x64 bit machines.

To do that you need a simple WMI filter.

Create an x86 (32 Bit) WMI Filter

Open the Group Policy Management Console (gpmc.msc) on a domain controller > Drill down to your domain > WMI Filter > New > Give it a sensible name (you will be picking it from a list) > Add > Paste in the following;

[box]SELECT AddressWidth FROM Win32_Processor WHERE AddressWidth =’32′[/box]

Click OK > Accept the warning > OK.

Create a 64 Bit WMI Filter

Open the Group Policy Management Console (gpmc.msc) on a domain controller > Drill down to your domain > WMI Filter > New > Give it a sensible name (you will be picking it from a list) > Add > Paste in the following;

[box]SELECT AddressWidth FROM Win32_Processor WHERE AddressWidth =’64′[/box]

Click OK > Accept the warning > OK.

Applying a WMI Filter to a GPO

With the group policy selected > Scope Tab > WMI Filtering > Select the appropriate filter.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Windows 10 Create a WMI Filter for Group Policy

Terminal Server / Remote Desktop Services Server – Printer Not Working (Adding Print Drivers)

KB ID 0000850 

Problem

Windows Server 2008 R2 and 2012 are a lot better with printing support over remote desktop, that their predecessors were. But to be able to print to your remote users ‘local’ machines. The TS/RDP server still likes to have the correct drivers installed.

What about Easy Print?

Easy Print (Introduced with Server 2008 R2) is a ‘proxy’ service that simply sends all print processes to the remote machine rather than the server itself, thus negating the need for a driver. That’s great! Unless your remote home users still have Windows XP or Vista (Pre SP1).

Solution

1. Before troubleshooting, make sure the printer actually works on the client machine, you don’t want to spend an hour trying to get it working when it’s actually out of paper or not turned on, (sorry but users are ‘challenging’).

2. Download the Drivers to the Remote Desktop Server. MAKE SURE if your clients are a mix of x86 and x64 bit versions of Windows you need to download BOTH versions of the driver.

Note: Download x86 and x64 bit versions of the SAME driver, i.e. Try and install an x86 PCL6 driver and an x64 bit PCL5 Driver and you may get an error.

Note 2: With some older printers, you can save a lot of time by simply plugging them into the server and letting Windows Update do the hard work for you. You might think that this is ‘time/cost prohibitive’. But I once spent an afternoon trying to get an HP multifunction printer to work that was worth about £60. The remote client was 45 minutes away, by the time I was finished the cost was greater than replacing this printer with 6 or 7 new ones that would have worked out of the box!

3. You can simply install the printer on the Server if you wish, then delete the printer and the drivers will remain, though the correct way is to add the drivers via the servers ‘Print Server Properties’.

Server 2000 / 2003

Start > Run > control printers {Enter}.

Server 2012/2008 R2

Windows Key+R > control printers {Enter}.

Note: Print server properties is not visible until you select a printer.

4. Repeat the process to add additional driers for the CPU architecture of your remote clients (x86, x64, etc).

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

NA

WDS – “The Network Path was not found” when adding an Unattend file

KB ID 0000487

Problem

Saw this last week, while trying to use an unattended file for the roll out of some machines with WDS.

Every time you try and enter a value you get “The network path was not found” error, no combination of file path or UNC path seems to cure the problem.

Solution

This is a “work around” not a fix, essentially it will not accept any value you put into the path without throwing and error. If you close and reopen this page the value you enter has not been accepted.

So we are going to populate the entry by editing the registry, if you go back and view the entry afterwards it will STILL ERROR but the value will say put and the unattended file will work (providing the path you specify is correct of course!)

1. On the WDS server >Start > regedit {enter}.

2. Navigate to:

[box]HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesWDSServerProvidersWdsImgSrvUnattend[/box]

3. Locate the “Enabled” value and change it from 0 to 1.

4. Below this key you will see there is a key for each “image processor type”. I’m adding a 32 bit (x86) Unattended file so expand that, and set the “FilePath” value to your unattended xml file (Note: the path is from the WDS root directory, keep it simple and put your unattended file in the WDSClientUnattend folder. In this example mines called WDSClientUnattend.xml).

5. Finally restart the “Windows Deployment Services Server” service.

 

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NA

Windows – Create ‘Multiple Version’ Install Media(x32 and x64 bit)

KB ID 0000164 

Problem

When Microsoft released Windows Vista and Server 2008 they had the brilliant Idea of putting all the versions you would require in the same install media. With Windows 7 they have changed their approach, and the install media is specific to the version that is going to be installed. Well actually that’s not true the version is decided by a file in the installation media called ei.cfg and all versions are STILL in there.

What they still do, is have their x32 bit and their x64 bit Operating Systems on different media. If you do a lot of installs you might want them all on one DVD. Below are two walkthroughs, the first shows you how to make an x32 and x64 bit install DVD with all the versions* on it, the second shows you how to unlock your exiting install media so that all the versions on it are accessible.

Create an x32 and x64 bit Windows 7 Multi Install Media DVD

Create an x32 or x64 bit Windows 7 Multi Install DVD.

*When I say “all versions” I’m NOT including Windows 7 Enterprise, that comes on separate media, and is just for open value subscription customers, or customers with software assurance.

Solution

Create an x32 AND x64 bit Windows 7 Multi Install Media DVD

1. Download your Windows 7 ISO Images (x32 and x64), from VLSC, Technet, or MSDN etc.

2. Make two Directories on your Machine’s C: Drive called Master and Images.

3. Using 7Zip open the x32 bit ISO file you have downloaded, and extract the sourcesinstall.wim file to the C:Images folder.

4. Then rename the file you just extracted to x32.wim.

4. Using 7Zip open the x64 bit ISO file you have downloaded, and extract the sourcesinstall.wim file to the C:Images folder.

5. Then rename the file you just extracted to x64.wim.

5. Install the WAIK on your machine (instructions here).

6. Check the x32 image for the “Image Index” (these are the numbers of all the Windows versions in this image), Yours will probably be identical, but you may have different media so check! Launch the “Deployment Tools Command Prompt”

To check the image index, execute the following command;

[box]
imagex /info C:Imagesx32.wim
[/box]

You can see (above) this image has five images within it, scroll down and you can see them.

Mine is structured as follows;

Image 1 – Starter Edition
Image 2 – Home Basic
Image 3 – Home Premium
Image 4 – Professional
Image 5 – Ultimate

7. Create a new image from all these Windows 7 x32 images, by executing the following commands;

[box]

IMAGEX /Export C:Imagesx32.wim 1 C:ImagesInstall.wim “Windows 7 Starter x32”
IMAGEX /Export C:Imagesx32.wim 2 C:ImagesInstall.wim “Windows 7 Home Basic x32”

IMAGEX /Export C:Imagesx32.wim 3 C:ImagesInstall.wim “Windows 7 Home Premium x32”

IMAGEX /Export C:Imagesx32.wim 4 C:ImagesInstall.wim “Windows 7 Professional x32”

IMAGEX /Export C:Imagesx32.wim 5 C:ImagesInstall.wim “Windows 7 Ultimate x32”

[/box]

8. Now check the x64 image (Note: There is NO x64 bit Starter Edition).

To check the image index, execute the following command;

[box]
imagex /info C:Imagesx64.wim
[/box]

You can see (above) this image has four images within it, scroll down and you can see them.

Mine is structured as follows;

Image 1 – Home Basic
Image 2 – Home Premium
Image 3 – Professional
Image 4 – Ultimate

9. Create a new image from all these Windows 7 x64 images, by executing the following commands;

[box]
IMAGEX /Export C:Imagesx64.wim 1 C:ImagesInstall.wim “Windows 7 Home Basic x64”

IMAGEX /Export C:Imagesx64.wim 2 C:ImagesInstall.wim “Windows 7 Home Premium x64”

IMAGEX /Export C:Imagesx64.wim 3 C:ImagesInstall.wim “Windows 7 Professional x64”

IMAGEX /Export C:Imagesx64.wim 4 C:ImagesInstall.wim “Windows 7 Ultimate x64”
[/box]

10. Extract the contents of one (I used the x32 bit one) of your ISO files to the C:Master Directory.

11. Delete the C:MasterSourcesei.cfg file.

12. Copy the C:ImagesInstall.wim to c:MasterSources (Select Yes to Overwrite).

13. Create a new ISO file, by executing the following command;

[box]
oscdimg.exe -lMulti-Windows-7 -m -u2 -b”C:MasterBootetfsboot.com” C:Master C:Multi-Windows-7.ISO
[/box]

14. Test your new install media (Note: if you want to Burn a DVD from this ISO use ImgBurn (it’s free).

Create an x32 OR x64 bit Windows 7 Multi Install DVD.

So if you have the installation media in .iso format you can change it so you can see the other install versions. On THIS site there are some utilities to help you – the “eicfg removal utility” removes the pointer to the file (which means you can install any version by picking it from the install menu (like you did with Windows Vista). Or you can swap your version with the second tool “Windows 7 iso image edition switcher”. I deploy a lot of machines so the former is a much better option for me.

1. Drop the windows 7 .iso file somewhere you can get at it (i.e. on your desktop).

2. Download eicfg removal utility, Extract it and run the eicfg_remover.exe

3. Browse to your .iso file > Open.

4. Now if you boot with this media you will get a choice of which version you want to install.

 

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Original article written 02/01/10

Windows Printer – Setting up an IP Network Printer

KB ID 0000624

Problem

Originally I wrote this back for Windows 7, but I have now updated it for Windows 10. How to add an IP network printer.

Setup a Windows Printer

1. If you don’t have a CD/DVD that came with the printer, then get onto the manufacturers website and download the correct drivers for your printer, you will need to know if you require 32 or 64 bit drivers.

How to Tell if Windows is 32 or 64 bit

2. Start > Devices and Printers.

3. Add Printer.

4. Choose “Add a local printer“. I only ever choose the network printer option if I’m connecting to a printer by name in the win7printer name format, or I’m going to browse Active Directory for a printer.

5. Select a new port > Set the type of port to “Standard TCP/IP Port” > Next.

6. Enter the IP address of the printer. Either you have set this up manually, or you have got it from a configuration page that you printed off the printer > Next.

7. Have Disk.

8. Navigate to your drivers.

9. Some drivers are for multiple printer types, select yours. Note: It’s not unusual for multiple manufacturers models to be listed here > Next.

10. Give the printer a name > Next.

11. Choose whether you want to share the printer or not > Next.

Test Your Windows Printer

12. Print a test page.

13. There’s your new printer setup and ready (the green tick denotes it’s the default printer).

Note: The Default Printer, is where your print jobs are sent if you have multiple printers installed, and you simply hit the print button in an application.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

NA

Deploying Office 2010 via Group Policy

KB ID 0000464 

Problem

What used to be the simplest task, has now been overly complicated (Thanks Microsoft!) Simply deploying from a single .msi file would have been far too easy! This procedure uses group policy to install Microsoft Office 2010 via group policy. It uses the Microsoft preferred method of employing startup scripts.

Below I’ve also disabled UAC, I found it was stopping my automated install, (If I ran the script manually I was prompted by UAC to continue – that took me about 3 hours to work out).

It also automatically “Activates” Office as soon as its installed, (using a MAK key). In the following scenario I deployed Office 2010 (Pro Plus) x32 bit to Windows 7 machines. In a clean VMware test environment my target machine took 6 minutes to silently install. So on a production network it will probably take a little longer (be patient). But any more than 10 minutes and the process will time out, if that’s happening make sure you do this.

Solution

1. On a server create a shared folder called Office_2010, give Authenticated Users – read access.

2. . In that folder create a folder called LogFiles.

3. Copy the contents of the Office DVD to this share.

4. Open the shared folder locate the ProPlus.WW folder and open it.

5. Locate config.xml open it with notepad.
Change:

<Display Level=”full” CompletionNotice=”yes” SuppressModal=”no” AcceptEula=”no” />
to
<Display Level=”none” CompletionNotice=”no” SuppressModal=”yes” AcceptEula=”yes” />

6. You can also change Username and companyname if you wish.

7. Save and exit config.xml

8. While in the Office_2010 folder Shift+Right Click > Open New command windows here.

9. Run setup.exe /admin

10. Accept the defaults on the popup menus.

11. Locate “Licensing and User interface.”

12. Enter a valid MAK license key (Take out the dashes and/or spaces). Tick to accept the EULA, and set the display level to none.

13. Locate “Set feature installation stats”, and set for the Office features you require.

To Set Office to Auto Activate (Without user intervention).

 

14. Locate “Modify Setup properties” , add a new one.

15. Set the name the value to AUTO_ACTIVATE.

16. Set the value to 1 (number one), and click OK.

Note: If you need to remove previous versions of Office you will find the option to do that in here also.

17. Click File > Save as > Save the msp file in the shareupdates folder (you can call it what you want).

18. Open notepad and paste in the following text:

[box]

setlocal

REM *********************************************************************
REM Environment customization begins here. Modify variables below.
REM *********************************************************************

REM Get ProductName from the Office product’s core Setup.xml file, and then add “office14.” as a prefix.
set ProductName=Office14.PROPLUS

REM Set DeployServer to a network-accessible location containing the Office source files.
set DeployServer=DC2AOffice_2010

REM Set ConfigFile to the configuration file to be used for deployment (required)
set ConfigFile=DC2AOffice_2010ProPlus.WWconfig.xml

REM Set LogLocation to a central directory to collect log files.
set LogLocation=DC2AOffice_2010LogFiles

REM *********************************************************************
REM Deployment code begins here. Do not modify anything below this line.
REM *********************************************************************

IF NOT “%ProgramFiles(x86)%”==”” (goto ARP64) else (goto ARP86)

REM Operating system is X64. Check for 32 bit Office in emulated Wow6432 uninstall key
:ARP64
reg query HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWOW6432NODEMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstall%ProductName%
if NOT %errorlevel%==1 (goto End)

REM Check for 32 and 64 bit versions of Office 2010 in regular uninstall key.(Office 64bit would also appear here on a

64bit OS)
:ARP86
reg query HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionUninstall%ProductName%
if %errorlevel%==1 (goto DeployOffice) else (goto End)

REM If 1 returned, the product was not found. Run setup here.
:DeployOffice
start /wait %DeployServer%setup.exe /config %ConfigFile%
echo %date% %time% Setup ended with error code %errorlevel%. >> %LogLocation%%computername%.txt

REM If 0 or other was returned, the product was found or another error occurred. Do nothing.
:End

Endlocal

[/box]

19. Change the ProductName to the correct one you are deploying (search for ProductName in the setup.xml file that’s in the same folder you found config.xml in).

20. Change the THREE values in this script “DC2A” to your servername.

21. Save the file as a batch file (not a .txt file!) and right click the file > copy.

22. On your domain controller Start > Administrative tools > Group Policy management console > either create a new policy and link it to your COMPUTERS or edit an existing policy.

23. Navigate to:

[box] Computer Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Scripts > Startup. [/box]

24. Add the batch file you created earlier (open the folder and right click > paste).

Note: That should be all you need to do however – The first time I did this, UAC on the Windows 7 machines blocked the install, so I had to turn it off. You can do that in the same policy.

25. Navigate to:

[box] Computer Configuration > Policies > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options[/box]

Set the Following:

a. User Account Control Behaviour of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin approval mode – No Prompt or Elevate without Prompting.
b. User Account Control Detect Application installations and prompt for elevation – Disabled.
c. User Account Control Run all administrators in Admin approval mode – Disabled.

Timing

Policies like this will “time out” if running for more than 600 seconds (10 minutes). Our install may take longer than that, so you may need to set the time out in the policy, Navigate to:

[box] Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > System > Scripts[/box]

Select “Maximum wait time for group policy scripts” set it to 0 (zero) for unlimited.

26. Close the policy editor.

Note: At this point every time Office starts for a new user, it presents you with:

27. To Suppress that you need to create a USER policy with a Custom ADM Template, download the template here.

28. Note this is a USER Policy, so if you add it to the policy you have already created to deploy Office, then that policy needs to be linked to your users. So I would just create a new user policy and link it separately. Navigate to:

[box] User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Classic Administrative Templates (ADM) > Microsoft Office 2010 > Miscellaneous [/box]

29. Locate the “Suppress recommended settings dialog” and enable it.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Office 2010 Administrative templates.

 

Exchange 2007 – Install the x32 Bit Management Tools

KB ID 0000285 

Problem

As you may already be aware Exchange 2007 on a x32 bit machine is NOT supported in a production environment, however there is one exception, x32 bit Exchange 2007 IS supported for management only.

Note: There is NO x32 bit support, (or media) for Exchange 2010 (and newer).

Solution

You can install these tools on XP, 2003, Vista or Windows 7. For this Example I’ll use XP

Pre-Requisites

1. Install IIS: Start > run > appwiz.cpl > add remove Windows Components > Internet Information Services(IIS) > Next.

2. Download and install .Net Version 2.0

3. Download and Install .Net SP1

4. Download and Install MMC 3.0

5. Download and Install Powershell

Install the Exchange 2007 x32 Management Tools

1. Download the Management Tools.

2. Run the .exe file and extract the files to a folder > From that folder run setup.exe

3. Select “Step 4 Install Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 SP1”

5. At the intro page > Next > Tick “I Accept…” > Next > Next >

6. Select “Custom Exchange Server Installation” > Next > Select Management Tools > Next.

7. Exchange will perform its readiness checks > Next > Finish.

8. Exchange Management Tools will launch automatically.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

NA

Installing Cisco ASDM Fails with ‘Java Runtime Environment is not installed’, ASDM on windows 8

KB ID 0000673 

Problem

While moving to Windows 8, I had a problem installing the Cisco ASDM software.

Cisco ASDM-IDM Launcher Information Java Runtime Environment is not installed on this machine. Please install Java Runtime Environment from http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/

Solution

I was sure I HAD installed Java, I headed here to make sure.

It turns out that the ASDM needs the 32 bit version of Java AS WELL. Download and install that, and he ASDM will install without error.

Update 25/01/13

Had this problem again this morning, I tried to install Java 32 and it complained that I already had it installed! I had to remove the 64 bit version, Install the 32 bit version and reboot before I attempted to install the ASDM. (I also connected to a 7.1(1) version of the ASDM to download the installer (I’m not sure that is relevant).

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Original Article Written 07/09/12