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Force Active Directory replication on a domain controller

To force Active Directory replication, on the server which needs forced to update, run using elevated CMD:

repadmin /syncall /AeD

A = All Partitions
e = Cross Site (Enterprise)
D = Show server name in output.

This will initiate a pull replication.

OR if you are already on on your main DC, and need to update any other servers in the AD, you can do a push replication:

repadmin /syncall /APeD

A = All Partitions
e = Cross Site (Enterprise)
D = Show server name in output.
P = Push

The technet article with further info can be found here:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-r2-and-2012/cc770963(v=ws.11)

Perhaps, you like me are trying to move away from the old CMD comandlines, and migrate into PowerShell – if that is the case, bad news -currently there is no update alternative for repadmin in powershell – the Get-ADReplication commands are great for troubleshooting but offer no easy interface for updating AD.

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Block users from logging on to an RDS Server [SOLVED]

Do you need to block users from logging on to an RDS Server

Problem:
You are updating an RDS server, or an application on the RDS server, but another users process is stopping your install. You need to stop access to other users to the RDS server but still be able to work on it yourself. but how?

Solution:
Open up administrative CMD
Change Logon /Disable
Then log all other users off using Task manager (users tab)

And when you are finished simply revert:
Change Logon /Enable

Sorted.

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Remote Web Workspace not working [Solved]

Remote Web Workspace breaks. Alot.

In all versions of SBS (now end of life) Microsoft graced us with the ability for remote users to remote into the server to then hop accross to their own PC’s via RDP.

This was great in theory, and worked for a while, until updated servers broke this feature. The root cause was an update to .net framework, starting at version 4.5.1 which included memory checking to make sure you have at least 5% free memory.

Ok, so why the issues. Well anyone who knows Exchange, knows that the information store will use as much free memory as possible – which in turn often caused the Remote desktop Gateway service to crash, due to not having 5% free memory.

Here is the quick fix if you only have 5 mins;

– Restart the MS Exchange information store,
– Then restart/start the Remote Desktop Gateway Service

Here is the proper fix:

– Run adsiedit.msc
– Connect to: Select a well known Naming Context : [Configuration]
– Expand the following:
Configuration\Services\Microsoft Exchange\ (First Organization) \Administrative Groups\ (Exchange Administrative Group) \Servers\ (Server Name)
– Right click on CN=Information Store and click properties
– Update the values of msExchESEParamCacheSizeMin and msExchESEParamCacheSizeMax to something below 94% of your servers max ram capacity – i is in KB’s divided by a 32byte page so…

Basic maths is ==> Target Cache Size in GB = (# * 1024 * 1024) / 32

There is an excellent table over at meridian.ws which is much easier than doing the maths:
http://meridian.ws/wordpress/?p=239

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Adobe reader on Server 2016

Adobe have been rather silent recently when it comes to running reader on server 2016

Adobe reader is used by many professions, and in many capacities. It used to be one of the most commonly installed applications on business PC’s by anyone in any sector. However, Server 2016 is not supported.

https://helpx.adobe.com/reader/system-requirements.html

This makes it a nightmare for modern portable apps, RDS servers(Terminal servers) or even just file servers.

So there is a work around, however it is not recommended. The best fix for this is to scrap Adobe, and move to one off the other large PDF Vendors out there to cater to your PDF viewing needs.

Three that i have personally verified as working and are supported on server 2016 are:

  • Nitro Pro
  • Abby PDF reader
  • TinyPDF

There will however be a small percentage of us admins or superusers, that have to get this Adobe based software working.

Workaround to get Adobe reader on Server 2016

Start by using the latest installer for Windows 10,
Once installed, you may find that it will work for a while, but eventually as it updates you will no longer be able to open PDF documents using it.
To get around this you have to unfortunately turn off protected mode.

Now, i shouldn’t really need to preface this, but i will. This is not supported, nor recommended – Reader has a protected mode for a reason, disabling it is opening you to all sorts of vulnerabilities.

If you do wish to continue, open up Adobe Reader – go into Edit –> Preferences –> Security (enhanced) –>

Turn Protected mode off, and untick ‘ Enable protected mode at startup’

If you like I could not even get to the preferences panel in order to change these settings then all you need to do is open adobe reader by accessing via compatibility mode. Set this as XP (which itself does not support protected mode) – then change settings, and then change compatibility mode back off.

Let me know in the comments if this has helped you.

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Get rid of the “Updates are available” pop-up

The Updates are available popup is the source of much irritation for anyone remotely administering windows 10, Server 2012 and server 2016

To get around this popup – which lets face it, is just downright inconvenient; we need to stop the exe file that produces this window from running. Code below, with comments preceded by a #

Run command prompt as administrator (elevated) and enter these commands:

#change directory to system32
cd /d "%Windir%\System32"

#Take over permissions owner to current admin
takeown /f musnotification.exe

#Change permissions to deny anyone/system running from it
icacls musnotification.exe /deny Everyone:(X)

#Take over permissions owner to current admin
takeown /f musnotificationux.exe

#Change permissions to deny anyone/system running from it
icacls musnotificationux.exe /deny Everyone:(X)

You will see form the above, that there are two processes ‘musnotificationux.exe’ and ‘musnotification.exe’ that are responsible for querying updates and notifying the end user. The great part of this fix, is that it will not interfere with any update processes themselves, just the notifications. So have no fear – updates will still continue to function as normal, just now without this troublesome pop-up.

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Enable disk performance in task manager, Windows Server

Can’t see the disk performance in task manager on a Windows Server?

There is multiple factors for disk performance not showing up, including raid cards, the server being nested on a HV or running as a VM, there is a simple quick fix though;

Step 1)
Open Elevated Command Prompt

Step 2)
Start disk performance counters:
diskperf –y

disk in task manager

With any luck, that should be it now showing in Task manager, if it does not, close and re-open it for the disk performance indicators to appear.
On occasion, you may need to re-install/install the latest raid card drivers if they are missing in order for the disk performance indicators to read and run correctly.

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[Resolved] Find the startup folder in windows 10

Need to find the startup folder in windows 10?

Since Windows 8, the startup folder has been an elusive beast, but fear not, this simple command will force it to reveal itself in no time at all.

1) Win + R
2) shell:startup
3) Enter/OK

find startup folder location win 10 shell:startup

Or the path for the startup folder in windows 10:
"C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"

startup folder in windows 10

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Powershell Migration Series | Setting bulk forwarding using powershell

Powershell Migration Series

Setting bulk forwarding using powershell

Whilst doing my migration, i want to set up the mailbox so that i can forward any new massages to O365 from the local exchange, after i have done the bulk of mail migration. In order to do this, we utilise the .onmicrosoft.com address space that O365 can provide each email user.

The plan is simple, forward mail from local exchange @contoso.com to O365 @contoso.onmicrosoft.com

Once you have created the contacts, the next step is Setting bulk forwarding using powershell

1) Create another CSV, this time in the following format,

DisplayName,MailAddress

DisplayName = the username in exchange, e.g. “Joe Bloggs”
Mail Address = Forwarding address @contoso.onmicrosoft.com address

Save it as “ForwardingAddresses.csv”

2) Run the following which creates the bulk forwarding using powershell

Import-Csv c:\scripts\ForwardingAddresses.csv | Foreach-Object{Get-Mailbox $_.DisplayName | Set-Mailbox -ForwardingAddress $_.MailAddress}

Now for me, i needed it to deliver to both the exchange mailbox and to forward to the O365 mailbox, if you need it to deliver to the mailbox AND forward, add the below switch to the end of the above before the last curley bracket }

-DeliverToMailboxAndForward $true

Final script i ran:

Import-Csv c:\ws\ForwardingAddresses.csv | Foreach-Object{Get-Mailbox $_.DisplayName | Set-Mailbox -ForwardingAddress $_.MailAddress -DeliverToMailboxAndForward $true}

Setting bulk forwarding using powershell

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Powershell Migration Series | Creating bulk contacts with powershell

Powershell Migration Series

Creating bulk contacts with powershell

Whilst doing my migration, i want to set up the mailbox so that i can foward any new massages to O365 from the local exchange, after i have done the bulk of mail migration. In order to do this, we utilise the .onmicrosoft.com address space that O365 can provide each email user.

The plan is simple, forward mail from local exchange @contoso.com to O365 @contoso.onmicrosoft.com

To do so, on the local exchange there is two steps,

1) create CSV with the following format and your contact data:

Firstname,LastName,ExternalEmailAddress

Save as external_users.csv

2) Run the following which creates the bulk contacts with powershell

Import-Csv “C:\scripts\external_users.csv” | ForEach {New-MailContact -Name $_.Name -Firstname $_.FirstName -LastName $_.LastName -ExternalEmailAddress $_.ExternalEmailAddress -OrganizationalUnit “DOMAIN.local/MyBusiness/Users/SBSUsers/Contacts”}

replace: “DOMAIN.local/MyBusiness/Users/SBSUsers/Contacts” with the OU you wish the contacts to be created in.

Creating bulk contacts with powershell

You then need to set up the forwarding within exchange, now you have already done the contacts using powershell, why not set forwarding with powershell also?