Windows Admin Blog: 2010

Microsoft Fix it Solution Center

Microsoft Fix it Solution Center is a great tool to solve many common issues we face with many Microsoft applications.

Microsoft Fix it Solution Center has automated solutions to fix common windows problems, which can run by novice users . Of course admin rights are required on the system to run the tool.

MS has also launched the online version of Fix it called “Fix it Center Online” , which scans the the system and suggest the solutions automatically if is find any issue in the system. Click here to go to the Fixit online web site:

Can’t find terminal services manager snap-in in Windows 7

The “Terminal Services Manager” snap-in has been changed “Remote Desktop Services Manager” in Windows 7 and can be accessed from:

Start -> All Programs –> Accessories –> Remote Desktop Services –> Remote Desktop Services Manager

These files can't be opened. Your Internet security……

Windows 7 Error: “These files can't be opened. Your Internet security settings prevented one or more files from being opened”

Today when I was trying to open a exe file that error came up showing the warning:

Here is the simple solution worked for me:

- Right click on the file for which warning is coming and open properties
- Click on Unblock button and click Apply
- Now open the file, you will not see the warning

In my opinion this is very feature of Windows 7 which prevent us accidently opening harmful files and programs.

cell drag-and-drop not working in Excel 2007

Today I found that cell drag-and-drop not working in Excel 2007....here is the procedure to enable that:

1.Open Excel 2007
2.Click on Office button

3. Click on Excel Options

4. Go to Advanced tab and select “Enable fill handle and cell drag-and-drop

Video: Virtualize Firefox with Thinapp

Free Application Virtualization Software- Cameyo

Cameyo is a free application virtualization software , “combines best-of-breed application virtualization technology with simplicity” as per their web site.

Application can be downloaded from :http://www.cameyo.com/index.aspx and
here is a small demo on you tube:

Create Portable Apps with Cameyo:

Hardware requirements for Hosted BranchCache

Hosted BranchCache consumes very less CPU and memory resources and it can co-exist with other server roles like file server etc. The only thing we need to consider is to have enough disk space to store the cached content. It is advisable to have a separate dedicated disk for BranchCache to avoid conflicts with other disk work loads.

Graphical PowerShell /PowerShell GUI for Windows

Graphical PowerShell !! Yes..new Version of PowerShell 2.0 have a graphical user interface along with many other enhancements .The Graphical PowerShell interface is known as “Windows PowerShell ISE” , where we can create, test and run PowerShell scripts and see the result with in the GUI Window.

PowerShell 2.0 comes inbuilt with Windows 7. To open the graphical PowerShell interface type “Power shell” in search box you will see this:
Now click on “Windows PowerShell ISE” to open the GUI interface:

Here are the links to the some useful resources for PowerShell including some scripting tools as well:

1. Windows PowerShell for XP , Vista and Server 2003

2. Windows PowerShell 2.0 Software Development Kit: Windows PowerShell 2.0 SDK contains sample code and reference assemblies that allow you to build applications based on Windows PowerShell. Download

3. Scripting with Windows PowerShell Guide

4. ADSI Scriptomatic :The ADSI Scriptomatic is designed to help you write ADSI scripts; that is, scripts that can be used to manage Active Directory.

5.Windows PowerShell Scriptomatic :A new utility that writes Windows PowerShell scripts that harness the power of WMI (Windows Instrumentation Management) for use in system management and administration. This tool was created by Microsoft consultant and author Ed Wilson.

6.Scriptomatic : Utility that helps you write WMI scripts for system administration.

7.PowerShell Do-It-Yourself Script Center Kit :Sample scripts and documentation enabling you to create your own version of the TechNet Script Center.

8.WMI Code Creator :The WMI Code Creator tool allows you to generate VBScript, C#, and VB .NET code that uses WMI to complete a management task such as querying for management data, executing a method from a WMI class, or receiving event notifications using WMI.

9.The WMI Diagnosis Utility : A new utility to help system administrators diagnose and repair problems with the WMI service.

10.Windows PowerShell Graphical Help File :View the Windows PowerShell 1.0 help (including cmdlet help and the About topics) in a fully-searchable, graphical format (a standard Windows .chm file).

11. PowerGUI :A graphical user interface and script editor for Microsoft Windows PowerShell.

12.PowerGUI Sample Scripts Library

Windows update error 80200053

Error 80200053 comes when am update related to some issue with .NET framework failed to install. Anti virus program installed in the system was causing the this issue. I was able to solve this problem by doing this:

1. Disable the antivirus program
2. Restart Windows Update service ( from services.msc)
3. Now run Windows Update ( from control panel)
4. Install missing updates
5. Restart the computer and make sure your antivirus program is enabled.

I hope this helps…

Windows 7 service pack 1,Windows 7 SP1….released?

Windows 7 service Pack 1 RC is available now with different download options. Is is available is DVDISO format as well as a standalone installer (exe). The package is combined of Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 service pack. Get started from here :
http://technet.microsoft.com/hi-in/evalcenter/ff183870.aspx

Windows 7 SP1 includes previous security updates as well some feature performance enhancements that includes :

Additional support for communication with third-party federation services
Improved HDMI audio device performance
Corrected behavior when printing mixed-orientation XPS documents
Corrected behavior when printing mixed-orientation XPS documents

Remove speedbit search from IE and Firefox

I installed DAP on my computer to speed up my downloads and now whenever I open a new tab in IE or try to search something in search box it was redirecting me to search.speedbit.com web page.

Same thing was happening with Firefox, I type a keyword in the location bar to search it ( default is Google ) but it was redirecting me to speedbit search page.
I removed DAP and speedbit search from my computer, still the same thing was happening. Here is the solution I found with some google search:

To remove speedbit search from IE:
1.Open registry editor and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft \Internet Explorer\AboutURLs2. Right click "Tabs" string value and select "Modify"4. Cnange the value to "res://ieframe.dll/tabswelcome.htm" which is the default value the Internet explorer.
5. Close Internet Explorer and open again

Remove Speedbit search from firefox:
1. Open firefox browser and type “about:config” in the address bar
2. Look for keyword.URL item in the list and right click on it select reset.

Note: Make sure you have already removed speedbit search from Add/remove programs.

How to disable the Autorun functionality in Windows

AutoPlay begins reading from a drive as soon as you insert media into the drive. Therefore, the Setup file of programs and the music on audio media start immediately. That behavior is very annoying as well as it imposes a security risk if there is any malware program stored in the device.

Microsoft has released a fix-it tool to disable or enable Autorun function. You can download the tool from here: http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9741395
To enable it back run this tool :http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9743275

Use Group Policy to block USB and Removable Storage devices on Windows

We can use this procedure to block USB and mass storage devices on Widows XP.
Import this administrative template into Group Policy as a .adm file. See the link in the More Information section if you are unsure how to do this.

How to display folder size in Windows explorer

The other day I was trying to see the size of the all folders in Windows explorer but that option is not available in Windows XP and Windows 7, although that works for files only.

Then after some google search I came across Folder Size for Windows utility on www.Sourceforge.net which is an excellent add-on to Windows explorer and work with Windows XP only.

Download for Folder Size for Windows XP : http://sourceforge.net/projects/foldersize/files/foldersize/2.5/FolderSize-2.5-x86.msi/download

Folder Size tool for Windows 7: This tool work differently than above one but still comes handy when you want to know the size of folder in a local or network folder .

Here is the link : http://foldersize.codeplex.com/releases/view/41473

Open source network simulators/emulators

Recently I came across two open source LAN/WAN simulators , which can very very useful in learning network administration and application testing.

1. GNS3 (http://www.gns3.net/)

GNS3 is a graphical network simulator that allows simulation of complex networks. GNS3 is an excellent complementary tool to real labs for network engineers, administrators and people wanting to pass certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, CCIP, CCIE, JNCIA, JNCIS, JNCIE.

It can also be used to experiment features of Cisco IOS, Juniper JunOS or to check configurations that need to be deployed later on real routers.

This project is an open source, free program that may be used on multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and MacOS X.

Features overview

Design of high quality and complex network topologies.
Emulation of many Cisco IOS router platforms, IPS, PIX and ASA firewalls, JunOS.
Simulation of simple Ethernet, ATM and Frame Relay switches.
Connection of the simulated network to the real world!
Packet capture using Wireshark.

Download : http://sourceforge.net/projects/gns-3/

2.WANem :The Wide Area Network emulator
( http://wanem.sourceforge.net/ )

WANem is a Wide Area Network Emulator, meant to provide a real experience of a Wide Area Network/Internet, during application development / testing over a LAN environment.

Branch Cache how to guides and learning resources

1. BranchCache Executive Overview

2. Early Adopter’s Guide to Branch Cache

3. BranchCache Hosted Cache Mode Step by Step Guide

4 .BranchCache Distributed Cache Mode Step by Step Guide

5. BranchCache Security Guide

6. BranchCache Technical Overview

7.Installing a non-domain member BranchCache-capable file server (Video)

8. Install and Configure Hosted BranchCache for Web Services

8.Branch Cache in Windows 7 (Video)

9.Netsh Commands for BranchCache in Windows Server 2008 R2

10. Branch Cache Technical case study 1

11.Branch Cache Technical case study 2

how to configure branch cache for share point server

How to configure Branch Cache in Hosted mode for SharePoint Optimization on WAN links with WIndows Server 2008R2 and Windows7?
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 introduce a new feature (BranchCache) that can reduce wide area network (WAN) utilization and enhance Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies responsiveness when users access content in a central office from branch office locations. When you enable BranchCache, a copy of the content that is retrieved from the Web server is cached within the branch office. If another client in the branch requests the same content, the client can download it directly from the local branch network without needing to retrieve the content by using the Wide Area Network (WAN).

Configuring BranchCache with Microsoft SharePoint :

Configuring Web Servers

The configuration of Web Servers in preparation for BranchCache requires only installing the BranchCache role on the server machine through the Server Manager or optionally the Command Prompt.

Open Server Management on each Web server by clicking Start | All Programs | Administrative Tools | Server Manager.
On the Server Manager dialog select the Roles node.
On the Server Manager dialog in the Roles window, select Add Role.
On the <> dialog select BranchCache from the list of available options and click Next.

Configuring the Hosted Cache Server

Install the BranchCache Feature

Open Server Manager on the Hosted Cache server by clicking Start | Administrative Tools | Server Manager.
On the Server Manager dialog select the Features node.
On the Server Manager dialog in the Features window, select Add Features.
On the Add Features Wizard select BranchCache from the list of available Features and click Next.
On the Confirm Installation Selections dialog click Install.
On the Installation Results dialog click Close.

Enable Hosted Cache Server Mode

Open an elevated Command Prompt on the Hosted Cache server by clicking Start | All Programs | Accessories | Command Prompt.
Enter netsh branchcache set service mode=HOSTEDSERVER in the Command Prompt and press Enter.

Configure the Cache

Open an elevated Command Prompt on the Hosted Cache server by clicking Start | All Programs | Accessories | Command Prompt.
Enter netsh branchcache set localcache directory=<drive>:\<share>
Enter netsh branchcache set cachesize size=<size in percent> percent=TRUE

Create a new Certificate

On the Hosted Cache server open Microsoft Management Console by clicking Start | Run… and entering MMC in the Open… field.
On the Microsoft Management Console click File | Add / remove snap-in.
On the Add or Remove Snap-ins dialog select Certificates from the list of available snap-ins and click Add.
On the Certificate snap-in dialog select Computer account from the list of available options and click Next.
On the Select Computer dialog select Local computer (the computer this console is running on) and click Finish.
On the Add or Remove Snap-ins dialog click OK.
On the Console1 – [Console Root] dialog expand the Certificates (Local Computer) | Personal | nodes and then select Certificates.
On the Console1 – [Console Root] dialog select Action | All Tasks | Import…
On the Certificate Import Wizard* dialog click Next.
On the Console1 – [Console Root] dialog double-click the certificate imported from the previous steps and select Details on the Certificate dialog.
On the Certificate dialog select Thumbprint and copy the Thumbprint.
Paste the copied Thumbprint into a text editor and remove any spaces.
Open an elevated Command Prompt on the Hosted Cache server by clicking Start | All Programs | Accessories | Command Prompt.
Enter netsh http add sslcert ipport:0.0.0.443 certhash=<paste from text editor> appid= and press Enter.
Enter netsh branchcache show status all to confirm the configuration

* The Hosted Cache server requires a certificate with the Server Authentication EKU. Follow the steps on the Certificate Import Wizard to install your certificate. Once the certificate has been imported, follow the remaining steps in this section.
Configure Client Machines
Refer to http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd637820(WS.10).aspx.
BranchCache can be used with Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010, and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010.
Other Resources: Learn more here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd755969(WS.10).aspx.

IE8 high CPU usage, IE8 running slow

Slow behavior has something to do with the recovery files that IE8 continually writes at “C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Recovery\Active\”

They have names like:
<GUID>.dat -- {0E133027-5389-11DF-8A21-001422335927}.dat, etc.

I resolve the issue by disabling “ Enable automatic crash recovery” option from:

Tools-->Internet Options--> Advanced (tab)-->Browsing (section) ….

I hope this helps..

The ConfigMgr Advanced Client rejected the site server signing certificate…

When SCCM is running in native mode, often SCCM clients fail to install Server Signing Certificate and we get this status message ( from site status node)

“The ConfigMgr Advanced Client rejected the site server signing certificate due to a trust-related failure (0x800b0109)”

LocationServices.log in the SCCM clients shows these errors:

“Failed to update Site Signing Certificate over AD with error 0x800b0109”
.
.
“Failed to set site signing certificate (0x800b0109”
.
.
“Failed to update Signing Certificate over HTTP with error 0x800b0109”

Solution:
Look for these registry values in a working client and apply the same on failing client:

X64 – HKLM\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\CCM\Security
X86 – HKLM\Software\Microsoft\CCM\Security
Keys - AllowedRootCAHashCode, Signing Certificate.

Now a client repair/install will resolve the issue.

Look at this Technet document also for renewing or changing the Site Server Signing Certificate.

How to delete windows.old in Windows 7

When we upgrade Windows 7 from a 32 bit version to 64 bit version, there is a folder called Windows.old get created the drive which may take up a huge disk space. Here is how we can get rid of that:

Click on Start -->All Programs-->Accessories-->System Tools-->Disc Cleanup.
When the dialog box comes up, select the drive that has the .old files on it and click OK.
The system then scans for the files to be cleaned up and another dialog box opens with the selection. Click on the button labeled Clean up system files at the bottom of that dialog box.
Another dialog box will come up, select the drive again that has the .old files on it. The system will perform another scan for the system files that need to be cleaned up.
After scanning, another dialog box opens up and there you will find a list of check boxes. Scroll through and check on the box labeled Older versions of Windows and click OK.

This can also help:

Click Start-->All Programs-->Accessories-->right-click "Command Prompt", and then click Run as administrator. Run following 3 commands on command prompt

takeown /F c:\Windows.old\* /R /A

cacls c:\Windows.old\*.* /T /grant administrators:F

rmdir /S /Q c:\Windows.old\

Can not maximize remote desktop window

This issue may arise when you access a remote PC through RDP from various computers with different different screen resolutions. To resolve the issue :
Delete the “Default.rdp” file from My Documents ( XP) or Documets( Win7) folder. Default.rdp is a hidden file hence make sure you select the proper view in folder options.

Excel 2007 error - There was a problem sending the command to the program

I came across this issue with Excel 2007 installed on a Windows 7 Enterprise 64 bit machine. Here is the solution I found at Technet:

Open Excel –> Go to Excel Options –> Advanced –> Scroll down to General section and make sure that “Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)" is unchecked.

User Profile Error - Logged on with a Temporary Profile

Many time I come across the issue with users where they are not able to log in to their original profile in Windows 7. They see an message after login which says:

“Your user profile was not loaded correctly! You have been logged on with a temporary profile.

Changes you make to this profile will be lost when you log off. Please see the event log for details or contact your administrator.”

Event viewer shows this application log:

Log Name: Application
Source: Microsoft-Windows-User Profiles Service
Date: Date
Event ID: 1511
Task Category: None
Level: Warning
Keywords: Classic
User: User
Computer: Computer
Description:
Windows cannot find the local profile and is logging you on with a temporary profile. Changes you make to this profile will be lost when you log off.

Resolution:To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

Log on to the system by using an administrative user account other than the user account that is experiencing the problem.
Back up all data in the current user's profile folder if the profile folder still exists, and then delete the profile folder. By default, the profile resides in the following location:
%SystemDrive%\Users\UserName
Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.
Locate the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
Under the ProfileList subkey, delete the subkey that is named SID.bak.
Note SID is a placeholder for the security identifier (SID) of the user account that is experiencing the problem. The SID.bak subkey should contain a ProfileImagePath registry entry that points to the original profile folder of the user account that is experiencing the problem.
Exit Registry Editor.
Log off the system.
Log on to the system again.

After you log on to the system, the profile folder is re-created.

Source :Microsoft Help and Support: KB947215

The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded

Error message when you log on to a Windows Vista-based or Windows 7-based computer by using a temporary profile: "The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded"

Possible causes:

This issue may occur if the user profile was manually deleted by using the command prompt or Windows Explorer by a user or by some program. A profile that is manually deleted does not remove the security identifier (SID) from the user profile list in the registry. Since the SID is still present, Vista will still try to load the profile by using the ProfileImagePath that points to a nonexistent path. Therefore, the profile cannot be loaded.
This can also be a issue with the user profile entering into a backup state.
Manually renaming the C:\Users\(User Name) folder.

To resolve this problem yourself, follow these steps:

Delete the profile by using the Computer Properties dialog box. To do this, follow these steps:

Click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Properties.
Click Change settings.
In the System Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab.
Under User Profiles, click Settings.
In the User Profiles dialog box, select the profile that you want to delete, click Delete, and then click OK.

Click Start, type regedit in the Start search box, and then press ENTER.
Locate and then expand the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
Right-click the SID that you want to remove, and then click Delete.
Log on to the computer and create a new profile.

Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947215

Fix a corrupted user profile

If you tried to log on to Windows and received an error message telling you that your user profile might be corrupted, you can try to repair it. You will need to create a new profile, and then copy the files from the existing profile to the new one.

To create a new user profile

To create a new profile, you must first create a new user account. When the account is created, a profile will also be created.

Open User Accounts by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking User Accounts and Family Safety (or clicking User Accounts, if you are connected to a network domain), and then clicking User Accounts.
Click Manage another account. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
Click Create a new account.
Type the name you want to give the user account, click an account type, and then click Create Account.

To copy files to the new user profile

After you create the profile, you can copy the files from the existing profile. You must have at least three user accounts on the computer to complete these steps, including the new account you just created.

Log on as a user other than the new user you just created or the user that you want to copy files from.
Open Documents by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Documents.
Click the Tools menu, and then click Folder Options.
If you don't see the Tools menu, press ALT.
Click the View tab, click Show hidden files and folders, clear the Hide protected operating system files check box, and then click OK.
Locate the C:\Users\Old_Username folder, where C is the drive that Windows is installed, and Old_Username is the name of the profile you want to copy files from.
Select all of the files and folders in this folder, except the following files:
- Ntuser.dat
- Ntuser.dat.log
- Ntuser.ini
Click the Edit menu, and then click Copy.
If you don't see the Edit menu, press ALT.
Locate the C:\Users\New_Username folder, where C is the drive that Windows is installed, and New_Username is the name of the new user profile you created.
Click the Edit menu, and then click Paste.
If you don't see the Edit menu, press ALT.
Log off, and then log back on as the new user.
If you have e-mail messages in an e-mail program, such as Windows Mail, you must import your e-mail messages and addresses to the new user profile before you delete the old profile. If everything is working properly, you can delete the old profile.

If the steps above do not fix the problem, you should contact your customer support provider for assistance. To find additional information about customer support options that apply to this computer, click the Start button , click Help and Support, and then click the Ask someone or expand your search link at the bottom of the Help window.

Source: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-AU/windows-vista/Fix-a-corrupted-user-profile

SCCM Free Tools Part-2

Stand Alone Tools:

1. 1E Migration Tool :This tool is designed to allow an SMS Administrator to Migrate all or selected packages and programs from his SMS environment into a System Center Configuration Management (ConfigMgr) environment.
2. Application Creator For SCCM :Streamline every aspect of the package creation process thus making the daily administration of the system smarter. In the latest version you'll also find functionality to pre-stage computers and configure variables used in the image deployment.
3. Client Diagnostic and Configuration Tool :The App-V 4.5 Client Diagnostic and Configuration tool makes it possible for administrators or users to troubleshoot virtual applications on their App-V Client and the environment they run in.
4. ConfigMgr Site Bound Tool : It allows bulk addition of boundaries to ConfigMgr(SCCM) sites.
5.ConfigMgr Branch DP Add :Tool that will bulk add protected branch distribution points to a ConfigMgr 2007 (SCCM) hierarchy.
6. CCR creator tool :A tool that allows the admin to create CCRs
7. Show All Packages :This utility is quite simple, it just queries the primary site server for all of its distribution points including child sites and then displays the packages for each distribution point. You check or uncheck which ones you want for that distribution point.
8. Collection Commander :Initiate SCCM advanced client actions on a collection: Ping,WakeUp,HW/SW Inventory,ReRun Advertisements,Show logged on user,Download/Refresh Policy,Repair SMS Agents,Import Clients to the Collection...
9. Custom Query Desktop by ScriptingIT.com :Create custom queries based on AD Group name.
10. ENGL Driver Manager: ENGL Driver Manager automates the download and injection of drivers into System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM).
11. ENGL Zwlancfg : Simplifies the unattended deployment of Microsoft wireless network settings to Windows 7 (32/64-bit), Windows Vista (32/64-bit), Windows XP SP2/SP3 (32-bit) machines. Profiles can be created, deleted, exported and imported.
12. Lumension Device Control for Microsoft System Center : Provides Device / Port Access and Data Encryption Policy Enforcement Capabilities to Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) Customers.
13. OSD Application Chooser: A small application that allows applications to be interactively chosen at deployment time during an OSD Task Sequence.
14. OU Collection Creation Tool: This tool will read the config file to determine the domain and then create collections (user/Computer).
15. Preload Package Tool: The Preload Package Tool is used to manually install compressed copies of software distribution package source files on Configuration Manager 2007 sites. After package source files are installed, a status message is sent up the site hierarchy indicating the presence of the new package source files. This avoids sites higher in the hierarchy from copying package source files over the network when distribution points at child site are selected to host software distribution package content that has already been preloaded.
16. RegKeyToMof Tool : RegKeyToMof allows SCCM admins to pull registry keys and convert them to MOF for easy use with Configuration Manager 2007.
17. SCCM Toolkit :The ConfigMgr 2007 Toolkit contains 7 downloadable tools to help you manage and troubleshoot ConfigMgr 2007.
18. SCCM Client Center: Troubleshoot and manage SCCM 2007 advanced clients (force inventory, show execution history, show running executions).
19. Site Status Sidebar Gadget :This tool will give you the ability to monitor the status of your SCCM Site server .
20. Web Essentials : Manage much of your Configuration Manager infrastructure via a web interface.

If you missed part-1 of Free SCCM Tools here is the link

SCCM Free Tools Part- 1

There are quite many free tools available out there , which can make the life much easier as an SCCM Administrator. Here is the part-1of the list of those tools:
1. SMS Map: SMSMap is a freeware ConfigMgr 2007 / SMS 2003 hierarchy drawing tool. It is an all-in-one solution for creating Visio drawings of any combination of ConfigMgr 2007 and SMS 2003 Site Servers. Download SMSMap.
2. SCCM 2007 Capacity Planner: This MS Excel based tool will help you to plan well before the deployment the SCCM 2007 server. Download the tool from here.
3.Dell Deployment Pack for Configmgr (Server Deployment):The Dell Deployment Pack (DDP) is an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI)-based tool that eliminates the need for command-line tools and scripts normally used in the Dell OpenMange Deployment Toolkit (DTK) software. Download and Instructions.
4.Collection Monitor Service :This service will watch a SCCM collection and email advertisement status reports 3 times daily. Good for new computer provisioning. Download and Instructions.
5.Advertisement Status Report: Right click on an advertisement and run the Status of Advertisement Report. Download and instructions are available here.
6.Cache Size :This VBScript will allow you to change the cache size on a computer or a collection and . Download is available here.
7.Client Actions :Right click on a computer or a collection and force the computer(s) to Clear Cache, Run Policy, or Inventory. Download.
8.Add Computer to Collection:This tools has two parts. It will allow you to add a computer to multiple collections or multiple computers to a single collection. This will also give you the ability to right click on a computer in a query as well. Download.
9.Collection Listing: Right click on a computer or user and see what collection that resource is in as well as what maintenance window is associated with it. Download.
10.Certificate Inventory :This tool will read the certificates in the personal "MY" folder and inject them in to WMI where they will be inventoried. Download.

Here you go for the Part-2 of the List of free SCCM tools

SMS 2003 and ConfigMgr 2007 Console Extensions

1.This gives you Right Click SMS Tool on packages. It shows package distribution staus using Web report ID 140. Click Here to download reg file.

2. Right click on any package and view all advertisements created for that Package. It shows all advertisements using Web report ID 132. This web report also has linked report for advertisement status (ReportID 111), so you can quickly look at the status of all advertisments right there. Click Here to download reg file.

3. Have you ever advertise software to wrong PC and then try to stop it? If SMS is still waiting at Mandatory Countdown on PC, you can use this right click tool and kill mandatory countdown. Click Here to download reg file.

4.This gives you Right Click SMS Tool on Advertisements. It shows Advertisement status using Web report ID 111. Click Here to download reg file.

5. Initiate Advanced Client Actions Remotely such as hardware, software, policies, advertisements, etc. - This add on tool will allow you to initiate advanced client actions remotely from the SMS 2003 administrator console and from a stand alone utility. You can also assign site codes, re-run advertisements, and change the advanced client configuration such as cache size and port number. Download

6. Terminal server client add-on for console - Adds Terminal server client control through the SMS MMC. Download

7. View the Client Log Files from the SMS Admin Console - SMS MMC Client Log file add in. Right click on any NT/Win2k client in the MMC and view the log files.Download

8. Initiate Advanced Client Actions Remotely such as hardware, software, policies, advertisements, etc. Offshore-it.co.uk or Direct Download

9. Right click tool to copy/paste programs - Direct Download

10. SCCM Console Right Click Tools Download

11.Change a client to Internet Based - Download

12. What collection is a user or computer in, does the collection have a maintenance window - Download

13. Add a computer to a collection - Download

14. Right click on Computer or Collection and run any web Reports. – Download

Upgrading WSUS3.0 SP1 to WSUS 3.0 SP2 on SUP in a SCCM 2007 site

Step 1: Upgrade the Windows Update Agent on client computers

1. Download the latest version of WU Agent from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949104

2. Create a Software Package from the new installer of WU.

3. Distribute this package to all existing clients in a phased manner. Target computers must be rebooted after installing the new WU agent.

4. Optionally we can create a collection that populate computers with older version of WU agent as mentioned here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb932139.aspx , so that we get to know how many clients need the latest version of WU agent.

Step 2: Upgrade the WSUS server on Software Update Point

1. Download and install new version of Report Viewer from: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=BB196D5D-76C2-4A0E-9458-267D22B6AAC6&displaylang=en

2. Download WSUS3.0 SP2 setup from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=A206AE20-2695-436C-9578-3403A7D46E40&displaylang=en .

3. Take a snapshot of SUP (INSMS01/HQSMS01) from VMware client.

4. Run WSUS30-KB972455-x86.exe on SUP site system.

Note: Check the WSUSSetup.log file in “C:\DOCUME~1\username\LOCALS~1\Temp\2” folder to see installation progress .

5. At the end of the setup, one configuration wizard will open which needs to closed by clicking “Cancel” button.

6. Restart following services on Site Server:

- SMS_EXECUTIVE

- SMS_SITE_COMPONENT_MANAGER

- Update Services

7. Check the WSUSCtrl.log on the Site Server for the health status of WSUS server (SUP).

Setup failed due to unexpected circumstances. The error code is 80041002.

You see this error code in ccmsetup.log when trying to install sms advanced client.
Client.msi log also show this error: Configuration Manager Client -- Installation operation failed.

This is the result of a corrupt WMI repository on that client machine.

This work around worked for me:
1. Stop the "Windows Management Instrumentation" service.
2. Rename the %WinDir%\System32\Wbem\Repository folder to “RepositoryOld”.
3. Restart the “Windows Management Instrumentation service”.
4. Verify that the %WinDir%\System32\Wbem\Repository folder has been recreated.
5. Reinstall the SMS client software.

The Configuration Manager 2007 SuperFlows

SCCM SuperFlow is dynamic and interactive content model that provides you with detailed steps that you can use to understand and prepare for functions of SCCM 2007 such as OSD, Software update management, Client Installation and Assignment,Backup and Recovery etc.

You can find more details and download the Super Flows here:

SyncBack Freeware : Free Backup Utility

This straightforward backup utility makes it a snap to safeguard and synchronize your files, and its freeware price just sweetens the deal. Surprisingly flexible for a free program, SyncBack can save your files anywhere: on external hard drives, in ZIP archives, on network drives, on CDs (using UDF), or transfer them via FTP. Recovering from a drive loss is also cinch, with a convenient restore tool that replicates folder trees along with the files in them.

It lets you define multiple scheduled backup jobs so you can just set 'em and forget 'em, allowing users to create specific backup jobs for certain folders or file types. You can control the way files are compared and selected for backup: the program comes with ready-made profiles to make the process as easy as possible. It's hard not to like that SyncBack doesn't use many system resources when working in the background, and backups can be set to export their logs to an HTML file for easy viewing. All in all, it's an excellent choice for home users and small businesses.

Download : http://download.cnet.com/SyncBack-Freeware/3000-2242_4-10413802.html

Remote Reboot X – WSUS companion tool

Remote Boot X application works in conjunction with WSUS, so if you have a WSUS server (or use Microsoft’s update server) but need precise control over when your computers install the updates and reboot, you can use my tool to handle the process. So, for example, I have about 150 servers that need to be updated and rebooted once per month, but I only have a 1-hour maintenance window. I’m able to load the list of 150 servers into my tool and initiate the updates installation and reboot on all machines simultaneously while monitoring the status in real-time.

Learn about Remote Boot X and download the application from: http://dougzuck.com/

Free Windows Administration Tools

I came across a nice website on Windows System Administration where you will find may useful and relevant articles, news , tips and tools. Have a look at the list of free Windows admin tools from the website:

http://4sysops.com/top-free-windows-administration-tools/

SCCM OSD Basic troubleshooting - SCCM, OSD, Task Sequence, Operating System Deployment

I came across a nice write up on Expert Excnahge about SCCM OSD trouble shooting. Here is the link:

http://www.experts-exchange.com/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Systems/Server/Systems_Management_Server/A_1259-SCCM-OSD-Basic-troubleshooting.html

Windows is unable to install to the selected location. Error: 0x80300001

This error comes up while installing Windows 7 on a SATA RAID drive. Set up doesn’t recognize the SATA controller. You can try this:

1. Load the RAID driver from CD. (Vista driver will work)
2. Install the driver and create partitions.
3. Remove the driver CD and insert the Windows 7 DVD.
4. Click on Refresh and the error should disappear.

Source : MS TechNet Post

Technorati Tags: Windows 7 Issues.

Windows Update Installation Errors

When you use the Windows Update Web site or the Microsoft Update Web site to check for and install updates, you may receive one of the following error messages:

0x80070008, 0x800705B4, 0x8007000E, 0x80072EE2, 0x80072EFD, 0x80072EE7, 0x80072EEF, 0x80072EFE, 0x8024400E, 0x80072F76, 0x80244016, 0x80072F78, 0x80244022, 0x80090305, 0x8024402F, 0x8009033F, 0xC80003FA, 0x80244008, 0xC800042D, 0x8024400A, 0x80071A90, 0x8024400D

This TechNet KB article describes the cause and cure about the issue: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/836941/en-us

Technorati Tags: Windows 7 Issues

Windows 7 Installation Error code:Error Code: 0x8007045D

When you try to install windows 7 on a fresh machine you get this pop up which says “Windows cannot install required files. Make sure all files required for installation are available and restart in the installation. Error code: 0x8007045D” and installation get failed.

This is usually indicate that the installation media is corrupt .

You ca try these things to resolve the issue:

- Create / re-burn a new media at a very slow rate
- use the best media that you can find
- avoid ISO mounting utilities that mount the image as a removable drive (to avoid CRC errors)
- replace the DVD drive ( rare)

Technorati Tags: Windows 7 Issues

Error 0x80070005 occurred while creating known folder..

This error usually comes when there is some issue in hard disk or disk controller. People are reporting other factors as well..go to this TechNet page for more details.

Technorati Tags: Windows 7 issues.

Backup Error 0x81000038 in Windows 7

When taking backup on external drives you may come across this error. Here are the two probable solutions:

1.emove and reconnect all drives
2.For every user on your machine,
- Login as the user
- Run -> regedit.exe
- Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Sofware\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
- Observe the value of Appdata and LocalAppdata.
If it has an empty value or a value of the type %Appdata%, this is the culprit. Can you verify that this is the case with your machine?

If so, the workaround is the following:
a. Open a command prompt
b. Type set Appdata / LocalAppdata depending on which registry entry has the

wrong value. If Appdata is wrong, type set Appdata and if Local Appdata is wrong, type set LocalAppdata.
c. Copy the value after the = sign. Example if the output is: APPDATA=C:\Users\John\Appdata\Roaming, copy the value C:\Users\John\Appdata\Roaming
d. Paste the value in the wrong registry value. Either replace the %<<<>>>% value or fill the empty value.
Run backup again. It should succeed.

Technorati Tags: Windows 7

Windows is unable to install to the selected location. Error: 0x80300001

This error can occur if you have installed incorrect driver. You can check the solutions in the following threads:

"Windows is unable to install to the selected location.

Technorati Tags: Windows 7 Error: 0x80300001

Error: 0x80300001" Can anyone elaborate?

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itproinstall/thread/3021b3aa-ce05-4cfa-8119-a531ed2e4d63

Windows 7 RC Installation Does Nothing at 'Completing Installation...'

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-CA/w7itproinstall/thread/86dc5fc5-d256-4e53-825f-042e6c78951c

Error 0x8030001

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itproinstall/thread/07eb39ed-884d-44fa-bcb4-bd109f2d8524/

Install Failure: Windows cannot be installed to disk 0 partition 1.

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itproinstall/thread/b8fbf1de-0d93-47ae-8ea8-70534f1816ba

Source : Microsoft TechNet

technorati

XA7NDPGNCQKD

Hanging application OUTLOOK.EXE

Solution 1:
1. Register an important send/receive library file. Go to Start > Run and type regsvr32 inetcomm.dll
2. Check if antivirus email check is slowing sending and receiving. Disable it.
3. In the account settings, Advanced settings, change the server timeout time from 1 min to 5 min
4. Check if outgoing mail server authentication is required. Select that option in account settings and use same settings as incoming server
5. Your ISP may be blocking port 25. Try using alternate port 587.
6. Check with email provider Tech Support to determine if server is having trouble.

Solution 2:
Repair Outlook by following instructions at:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook-help/repair-an-ost-or-pst-file-in-outlook-HA001056300.aspx

For more details check this out:
http://forums.techguy.org/business-applications/742774-solved-outlook-exe-error.html

http://www.slipstick.com/problems/nosend.htm

Outlook 2007 Error: “Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook window”

Here is the solution:

Start->run..then type the following -> "Outlook.exe /resetnavpane"

Source: http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistaprograms/thread/baf53169-0514-4dd3-808f-d8437c898e67

Some useful SCCM learning resources

Great SCCM 7 Guides :
http://www.windows-noob.com/forums/index.php?/topic/1064-sccm-2007-guides/

https://www.sit.auckland.ac.nz/SCCM_Deployment_Guide

http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/yli628/archive/2008/06/25/setup-configmgr-2007-sp1-from-start-to-finish.aspx

http://blogs.technet.com/configurationmgr/archive/2009/07/27/a-step-by-step-for-using-osd-through-system-center-configuration-manager-2007.aspx
http://communities.intel.com/docs/DOC-4079
Migrate to Windows 7 from XP:
http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/springboard/archive/2009/11/03/springboard-series-blog-migrating-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7-part-1.aspx

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7
http://communities.intel.com/community/openportit/vproexpert/blog/2009/11/19/vpro-windows-7-migration-with-sccm-sp2
http://www.irongeek.com/i.php?page=security/windows-7-copy-default-profile

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/973289

http://blog.brianleejackson.com/sysprep-a-windows-7-machine-%E2%80%93-start-to-finish-v2

Guidelines for SCCM 2007 SP2 Installation on Server 2008

I was working on project to set up SCCM2007 on Server 2008 platform and created a small document to outline all major steps/requirements needed to be considered. I am sharing that document here for the community:
1.Software Requirements for SCCM2007 SP2:   - Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition 32 Bit (with C: and D: partitions)
   - IIS 7.0 (including BITS and WebDav extension)
   - Microsoft Management Console (MMC) 3.0
   -.net framework 2.0
   - SQL Server 2005 SP2

2.Hardware Requirements:    - RAM: 16 GB recommended, minimum 4 GB
   - Storage: Four 15000 RPM hard disks(200 GB each) configured in RAID 10 mode
    (Write caching should be enabled on hardware RAID controllers)
   - CPU: quad core (recommended), 2 core (min)
3.Other requirements:
   - SCCM2007 SP2 DVD or ISO
   - Port number 445 needs to be opened for SCCM site to site configuration.
   - What will be the site code? (It’s a 3 character code)
   - SCCM server name?
   - SCCM server must be member of an AD domain
   - Admin rights on SCCM server
   - Schema Admin group should be added to Enterprise Admin group for extending     the schema by enterprise admin
   - Service account for installing SQL server (in case service account in not possible domain admin user account can be used)
   - To install client on target computers we SCCM server computer account should be a member of local admin group or we can use a domain admin user account with admin rights on target computers
4.Requirement for OS deployment:   - Reference machines( different hardware models)
   - OS CD with volume license key for target OS
   - Source files for Software packages( Office 2007, Adobe Reader, Java etc)
5.Extending Schema: Extend the Active Directory schema by running ExtADSch.exe on domain controller (from SMSSETUP\BIN\i386 directory of SCCM DVD) . Extending AD schema increases traffic between DCs to replicate the newly added schema attributes. It is recommended to do this activity when there is low traffic on the WAN links.

Benefits of extending the schema:
- Efficient client installation and site assignment
- Automatic port configuration for client-to-server communication
- Verifying a trusted management point
- We use all SCCM Features with the least amount of administrative overheads
- Offers the most secure solution for storing configuration information
Steps
- Fulfill hardware and software requirement
- download SCCM 2007 SP2 package
- Install OS, IIS, SQL and other prerequisites
- Create the System Management container in AD
- Set security permissions on the System Management container(from ADUS snap in)
- Extend AD schema
- Prepare Server 2008 for SCCM:http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc431377.aspx
- Install WSUS and WDS services
- Install SCCM
- Configure the basic settings
- Enable AD system discovery
- Configure the boundary
- Install clients on a small non critical group of computers
- Add distribution point, PSP and roles
- Configure SCCM to store distribution packages on D: drive
- Create software packages
- Created OS Install packages from OS CDs (Windows Vista, Windows 7)
- Arrange reference computer hardware models and their drivers
- Import drivers and create driver packages for all available models
- Create packages for Sysprep, Configmgr client
- Create task sequences to build the reference machine
- Deploy OS install package and build the reference machine
- Customize the reference machine
- Run Windows update
- Capture the OS image from the reference machine
- Copy the captured image file from reference machine to SCCM server
- Create the OS image
- Create task sequence including OS image, applications, SCCM clients etc
- Start deploying the image using the task sequence

Windows 7 Gadgets

Some cool resources for Windows 7 gadgets:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/personalize/gadgets
http://windows7gadgets.net/
http://www.intowindows.com/20-handy-gadgets-for-your-windows-7-desktop/
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windowsvista/tp/vistagadgetssu.htm

Failed to send HTTP request. (Error at WinHttpSendRequest: 12007)

I came across this error while installing SCCM client on a Windows 7 Machine. ccmsetup.log file was showing these errors:

Failed to send HTTP request. (Error at WinHttpSendRequest: 12002)    ccmsetup    8/18/2010 12:52:04 PM    2512 (0x09D0)
Can't connect to or retrieve file: http://smsserver/CCM_Client/ccmsetup.cab. Will attempt a retry...    ccmsetup    8/18/2010 12:52:04 PM    2512 (0x09D0)
Next retry in 10 minute(s)...    ccmsetup    8/18/2010 12:52:04 PM    2512 (0x09D0)
Failed to send HTTP request. (Error at WinHttpSendRequest: 12002)    ccmsetup    8/18/2010 1:02:26 PM    2512 (0x09D0)
Can't connect to or retrieve file: http://smsserver/CCM_Client/ccmsetup.cab. Will attempt a retry...    ccmsetup    8/18/2010 1:02:26 PM    2512 (0x09D0)

Solution provided at this Technet post worked for me:

-Go to IIS and expand Web Sites > CCM_Client
-Right click CCM_Client and select Permissions
-Add 'Everyone' and give them Read permissions.

SCCM Client Installation Error 80041001

While upgrading workstations from SMS client to SCCM client, you may come across this error which also indicate WMI errors in the CCMSETUP.LOG file :

"MSI: Warning 25001. Setup failed due to unexpected circumstance. The error code is 80041001"

Solution:

Uninstall the SCCM client by running "%WinDir%\System32\ccmsetup\ccmsetup.exe /uninstall"
Click on Start --> Run --> Type "services.msc" --> <enter>
Stop the "Windows Management Instrumentation" service
Open Windows Explorer and go to "%WinDir%\System32\Webem\Repository"
Rename the Repository folder to "OLDRepository"
Go back to Services.msc and start the "Windows Management Instrumentation" service
Install the SCCM client by either pushing the client or manually installing the client from the command line on the workstation.
View the "%WinDir%\System32\ccmsetup\ccmsetup.log" file to make sure the client installs as requested.
Verify the "%WinDir%\System32\Webem\Repository" folder was created.

Deploying Office 2007 via software distribution (SCCM 2007 or SMS 2003)

Here's a link to the whitepaper which contains a step be step instructions to setup na d deploy Office2007 package to SCCM or SMS clients:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/2/d/e2daa5d4-b813-4cb9-89aa-1c3a8099f347/deploying_office_2007_with_sms_2003_r2_white_paper.doc

Site Mode is unknown

Publish the site in AD as follows:

In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Site Management / <site code> - <site name>.
Right-click <site code> - <site name>, and click Properties.
On the Advanced tab of site properties, select the Publish this site in Active Directory Domain Services check box.

Fatal Error : Setup failed to install SMS Provider

Here are some pointers to resolve the issue:

-SPN registration for the SQL server is not done
-you have permission or other Kerberos issues with your machine accounts
-you don't have Domain Admin rights (it was one of the requirements from client) for sccm service account
-SCCM server is not the member of local administrators group of SQL server( in case of remote SQL server)
-SQL server instance may not necessarily be using the default port of 1433.

For more info check this out: http://blogs.technet.com/mkleef/archive/2007/07/19/getting-sccm-2007-rc1-to-install-and-work-properly.aspx

SMS_MPCONTROL_MANAGER error: management point is not resonding to HTTP requests.

Symptom:
After upgrading to Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 2, the SMS Agent Host service started to crash and at times failed to start. This was causing failure status messages associated with the Management Point.

Cause:
The SMS Agent Host can impact the Management Point services.

Resolution:
Uninstalled the ConfigMgr client from the Site Server.
Uninstalled the Management Point role and then rebooted the site server.
Reinstalled the Management Point role.
Reinstalled the SMS client.

Programs and Ports Required by Configuration Manager 2007

The following Configuration Manager 2007 features require exceptions to be made on the Windows Firewall:

Queries

If you are running the Configuration Manager console on a computer running Windows Firewall, queries will fail the first time they are run.
After failing to run the first time, the operating system displays a dialog box asking if you want to unblock statview.exe. If you unblock statview.exe, future queries will run without errors. You can also manually add statview.exe to the list of programs and services on the Exceptions tab of the Windows Firewall prior to running a query.

Client Push Installation

In order to successfully use client push to install the Configuration Manager 2007 client, you must add the following as exceptions to the Windows Firewall:

File and Printer Sharing
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

Client Installation using Group Policy

In order to successfully use Group Policy to install the Configuration Manager 2007 client, you must add File and Printer Sharing as an exception to the Windows Firewall.

Client Requests

In order for client computers to communicate with Configuration Manager 2007 site systems, you must add the following as exceptions to the Windows Firewall:
TCP Port 80 (for HTTP communication)
TCP Port 443 (for HTTPS communication)
Network Access Protection In order for client computers to successfully communicate with the system health validator point, you need to allow the following ports:

UDP 67 and UDP 68 for DHCP
TCP 80/443 for IPSec

Remote Control

In order to use the remote tools features of Configuration Manager 2007, you need to allow the following ports:

TCP port 2701
TCP port 2702
TCP port 135

Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop

To enable Remote Assistance to be initiated from the SMS Administrator console, add both the custom program helpsvc.exe and the custom port TCP 135 to the list of permitted programs and services in Windows Firewall on the client computer. Also, Windows Firewall must be configured to permit Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop. If a user initiates a request for Remote Assistance from that computer, Windows Firewall will automatically be configured to permit Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop.

Windows Event Viewer, Windows Performance Monitor and Windows Diagnostics

To enable Windows event viewer, Windows performance monitor and Windows diagnostics to be accessed from the Configuration Manager console, you must enable File and Printer Sharing as an exception on the Windows Firewall.

More info: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb632618.aspx and http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb694088.aspx

How to copy Outlook Personal Folders (PSTs) during XP to Win 7 Migration using USMT 4.0 Hardlinking

By default, USMT 4.0 migrates PST files that are linked to a user’s Outlook profile. This is done through internal USMT functions named SetPstPathInMapiStruct and UpdateMvBinaryMapiStruct which is called from within migapp.xml.
What this means is that PST files which are simply stored on the drive but not actually connected to Outlook will not migrate by default when using /i:migapp.cml and /i:migdocs.xml. It’s very possible a user is keeping those around for archive purposes, though. In the example below, the user has a copy of a PST in a c:\psts folder that is not attached to the Outlook profile. They also have a PST created by Outlook Auto-Archive.

In order to migrate those PST files we need to follow these steps:
1.Create a custom XML file
Here is a sample that will gather all PST files from all fixed drives:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<migration urlid="http://www.microsoft.com/migration/1.0/migxmlext/pst%22>
<component type="Documents" context="UserAndSystem">
    <displayName>All PST migrated from all fixed drives, regardless of location</displayName>
    <role role="Data">
      <rules>
        <include>
          <objectSet>
            <script>MigXmlHelper.GenerateDrivePatterns ("* [*.pst]", "Fixed")</script>
          </objectSet>
        </include>
      </rules>
    </role>
</component>
</migration>
Paste that into Notepad and save as PST.XML into your USMT folder and C:\Windows\System32 folder of the target Windows XP machine

2.Add a command switch /i:pst.xml in TS variable “OSDMigrateAdditionalCaptureOptionsscanstate” :

Automatic SCCM Site Discovery Unsuccessful

We have to make sure that:
1. Extend Active Directory Schema
2. Publish site information in Active Directory
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb680711.aspx
3. Boundary shouldn’t overlap

SCCM PXE boot - "File not found"

Solution1:
On Server which is hosting WDS service
1: Stop the WDS service.
2: Delete C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\PXEBootFiles\Windows
3: Start the WDS service.

Solution 2:
1. Uninstall PSP role from SCCM console
2. Stop the WDS service
3: Delete C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\PXEBootFiles\Windows
4: Start the WDS service.
5. Install PSP role

BSOD with error 0x0000007B while deploying XP

Most probably this issue comes when we do not use proper storage driver in the task sequence.
Here is resolution that works most of the time:
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrosd/thread/7a0c4e85-d7c1-4cea-b827-54a72f265895

Solution: Webex is not working on windows 7

After deploying the Windows 7 64 bit Enterprise version we had 1 issue where Webex was not working properly.
It was freezing, very slow and display was poor. One of my colleague found 2 work around to fix the problem:

1.Add one registry key( MTU ) at this path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces

Now look for the folder in which your IP address and other network related info is visible:

Now create a new “QWORD(64 bit) value” or “DWORD (32 bit) value, name it “Mtu” and give it a decimal value of value of 1500.

2.Set the value of registry key “EnablePMTUDiscovery” (at HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\) to 1

I hope this will be helpful to someone.

Reboot Coordinator prevents a System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 1-based client computer from restarting because it incorrectly concludes that a job is running

System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1) will not restart the client computer automatically. It prevents pending important updates from being installed successfully on these computers.
More investigation indicates that the value of the following registry key is greater than 0 on the affected client computers:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Sms\Mobile Client\Reboot Management\JobCounter

Microsoft has released a hot fix for that issue.

http://support.microsoft.com/hotfix/KBHotfix.aspx?kbnum=970635&kbln=en-us

To Manually resolve the issue follow this:

Stop the SMS Agent Host (CcmExec.exe) service on a System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 client computer.
Location the following registry subkey and change its value to 0:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Sms\Mobile Client\Reboot Management\JobCounter
Start the SMS Agent Host (ccmExec.exe) service on the client computer.

More details: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/970635

How to uninstall SCCM 2007 client

Option 1: Run ccmsetup.exe /uninstall command

Option 2: Download SCCM Client Center from http://smsclictr.sourceforge.net/ and use that program to remotely uninstall client from computers.