Scripting - Psexec problem when execute .cmd in task scheduler

I faced following problem executing, in task scheduler, following psexec command (trying to automate some tasks)

I could view cmd and psexec processes idle (from command line script worked well) and task was running indefinitevely.

Solution that I found was:

1. Execute psexec with different user to override first psexec window popup

2. Adding these bold parameters:

 psexec \\%%a -e -u domain\userdomain -p usernamepassword -h cmd.exe /c "c:\windows\system32\scriptname.cmd"

more details:

http://forum.sysinternals.com/using-psexec-and-windows-task-scheduler_topic9654.html

Backup - Domain controller 2008/2008R2

During last months we faced problems to backup various domain controller on 2008 R2.

The problem was, after first backup, next scheduled DC backup freezed and only forced reboot solved server unavailability. We worked on AV support but core problem was not there.

Here they are workarounds that solved problems and other notes about DC backups:

a.) Perform full backup like this workflow

To schedule daily backup of Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) by using the graphical user interface (GUI)


1.     Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Windows Server Backup.
2.     Click Action, and then click Backup Schedule.
3.     Review the information on the Getting Started page, and then click Next.
4.     Click Full Server (recommended), and then click Next.
5.     Specify a backup time, and then click Next.
6.     Click the check box for your destination disk, and then click Next.
7.     Click Yes to confirm that the destination disk will be reformatted.
8.     Verify the label for the destination disk, and then click Next.
9.     Verify the information on the Summary page, and then click Finish.
10.   On the Confirmation page, click Close.

b.) improve VSS space dedicated on drive C following this article






c.) Disable disk caching (optional but it should be done on all domain controllers)



WSUS - errors 800B0001 on clients from 2008/2012 server with Wsus role KB2720211

I had clients and server that was trying to download patches from Windows 2008/2012 R2 WSUS server.

Inside c:\windows\windowsupdate.log I got this error:

Agent WARNING: WU client failed Searching for update with error 0x800b0001

To solve this issue I applied this Microsoft article that talk about patch to be installed on Wsus server.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2720211


Update for Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP2 (KB2720211)

DownloadDownload the package now.

Update for Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP2 for x64-based Systems (KB2720211)

DownloadDownload the package now. 

Verbosely Procedure:

1. Install this patch on wsus server
  • Download and run Update for Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP2 for x64-based Systems (KB2720211)
  • http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29999
  • After the hotfix is complete, Stop your WWW Service
  • Stop you UPDATE SERVICES Service
  • Perform an IISRESET (which seemed redundant to me, but it does start the WWW service)
  • Start your UPDATE SERVICES

2. Install this patch on Wsus server


  • https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2734608
  • Issues that are fixed
  • This update lets servers that are running Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.2 provide updates to computers that are running Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012.


if c:\windows\windowsupdate.log on Windows 2012 R2 you view this raw:

WARNING: Failed to get Network Cost info from NLM, assuming network is NOT metered, error = 0x80240037


 open the "local group policy"
    expand  local computer policy -->computer configuration -->windows settings -->security settings --> network list manager policies
    in the right pane you will see Unidentified Networks , double click it , then you can configure theLocation Type when the network connection is unidentified
    If there is domain , you need to change the same entry in "Domain Policy"
    after that please restart your computer
==============================================================

Related articles:


Server - Windows 10 and Windows 2012 R2 share access denied

We faced share access problems between client and server Windows 10/Windows 2012 R2.

Network access problem was solved utilizing this powershell command on Server 2012 R2 and client Windows 10.


Set-SmbServerConfiguration -EnableSMB2Protocol $false

More details on this Microsoft support article 2696547

How to enable and disable SMBv1, SMBv2, and SMBv3 in Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2012

Hacker - Reset Windows local user password free tool.

About O.S. local user password recovery/reset I usually utilize Pc Login 2.0 that is free and work fine as Live CD/DVD/USB drive

Pc Login Download:

http://www.download3k.com/Install-PCLoginNow-2.0.5.html

You can review blog USB live section to learn about how to create USB 

http://www.alessandromazzanti.com/search/label/CD%20Live

http://www.alessandromazzanti.com/search/label/USB

Server - Putty with tab and alternative applications

Esiste una versione di putty con i tab, si chiama PuttyCM, è gratis e lo si scarica da qui:

PuttyCM download


Il vantaggio è di aprire tantissime sessioni putty facilmente visualizzabili tramite un'unica finiestra con i relativi tabs.

Di seguito un articolo che elenca la storia e i software putty like.

http://www.whoishostingthis.com/resources/ssh-putty/

----

There is an interesting putty version that has tabs features. 

PuttyCM is free and can be downloaded from here.

PuttyCM download

The biggest advantage is that you can open a lot of putty sessions on a single window.

Here is an interesting article that well explain software history and relatives alternatives.

http://www.whoishostingthis.com/resources/ssh-putty/

Recovery - Free tools to find Bad sectors and mark them

Here they are some tools that search about errors and meanwhile they mark sectors that are bad.

First step is utilizing chkdsk /A /R /F command.

Partition Master Free 10.8

http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm

Download

CheckDrive 2016

http://www.easeus.com/partition-manager/epm-free.html

Download


Monitoring - VirtualWin with Autoswitcher plugin

There is a very useful software that help to switch from a virtual desktop to another.

This software is VirtualWin with Autoswitcher plugin:

Here they are other plugins that could be useful:

http://virtuawin.sourceforge.net/modules.php

You must consider to copy modules here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\VirtuaWin\modules

You should implement a monitoring solution in this way:

1. Install your monitoring software on a VM or phisical pc with large monitor.

2. Install Ultravnc, Teamviewer, Vmware ESX client with precedent tools...

3. Install on that pc monitoring tools that you like (Veeam One, Opmanager, Nagious...)

4. Install Virtual Win with Autoswitcher feature 

5. You will have a single monitoring place where your IT guys can view or connect to verify your infrastructure status.

Here they is blog monitoring section:

http://www.alessandromazzanti.com/search/label/Monitoring








[update 2023.08.01]

To automatically update web page, on edge browser, after a minimal amount of seconds this is correct addon 

Toshiba - Post Warrany

Here is post purchase warranty support from toshiba that I utilize about Toshiba products in Italy:

http://www.toshiba.it/innovation/generic/ASS_POPS/




Qui si trova il servizio post vendita di Toshiba che utilizzo per i prodotti Toshiba in Italia.

http://www.toshiba.it/innovation/generic/ASS_POPS/

Exchange 2003 - Fixing “backOfficeStorage” MBX is not accessible Error When Opening OWA Folders

If you got, on Exchange Server this error:

“backOfficeStorage” MBX is not accessible Error When Opening OWA Folders



I succesfully solved appling this procedure:

https://ittutorials.net/fixing-backofficestorage-mbx-is-not-accessible-error-when-opening-owa-folders


Server - How to Pass proxy.pac script to client with DHCP

If your company has proxy to browse internally and externally thought internet your problem would be to publish automatically that to clients.

There are several ways to deploy proxy to client's browser like Wpad, GPO, login script...

One that I would like to focuse is DHCP with option 252 that will pass to clients a proxy.pac script that, depending on which subnet client is, will setting up a differently proxy to clients.

proxy.pac can be published in several ways:


  1. Distribute the tested proxy.pac file either by emailing it to your users or by posting it on an internal web server.
  2. Distribute the configuration as a wpad.dat file, which is documented in the Publishing Proxy Information as a wpad.datFile Knowledgebase article. 
  3. Enforce the proxy configuration by Creating a Group Policy Object (GPO) on your Active Directory server. 

Here they are some articles useful: