Default Limit to Number of Workstations a User Can Join to the Domain

By default, users can only add 10 workstations to the domain before loosing their delegation

If you may need to increase this:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/243327/en-us

 

The guilty attribute is ms-DS-MachineAccountQuota

vbscript to change printer server

Hello,

many people asked on newsgroup how to migrate from a printer server to another, without manual intervention off course.

1/Migrate drivers and declared printer with print migrator from Microsoft:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9b9f2925-cbc9-44da-b2c9-ffdbc46b0b17&displaylang=en

2/

Use the following simple vbscript. Jut replace MYNEWPRINTERSERVER with the new print server name.

You may call it with cscript to not send popup, or remove wscript.echo to not warn user.

The best way is during logon script

The new print server must be already online and ready, as it removes the current printer and map again on the new print server

You can download here:

http://gollum123.free.fr/printermigrator.vbs

here is the code source:

----------------------------------------------

On Error Resume Next
Function GetDefaultPrinter()
sRegVal = "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\Device"
sDefault = ""
On Error Resume Next
sDefault = objShell.RegRead(sRegVal)
sDefault = Left(sDefault ,InStr(sDefault, ",") - 1)
On Error Goto 0
GetDefaultPrinter = sDefault
End Function

Set objNetwork = CreateObject ("Wscript.Network")
Set objShell = CreateObject ("WScript.Shell")
Set objFSO = CreateObject ("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

LogonServer = objShell.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%logonserver%")
UserName = objShell.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%username%")

strComputer = "."
PrintServer = "MYNEWPRINTERSERVER"
PrintServer = LCase (PrintServer)

Err.Clear
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" & _
"{impersonationLevel=Impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")

If Err.Number Then
wscript.echo ("Error : " & Err.Number & ": " & Err.Description & VbCrLf)
Err.Clear

Else
ImpDefault = GetDefaultPrinter
Set colInstalledPrinters = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
("SELECT * FROM Win32_Printer")
For Each objPrinter in colInstalledPrinters
PrinterArray = Split (objPrinter.Name , "\")

If (LCase(objPrinter.ServerName) <> "") and (LCase(objPrinter.ServerName) <> "\\" & PrintServer) then

objNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\" & PrintServer & "\" & PrinterArray(3)
If Err.Number Then
wscript.echo ("Error : " & Err.Number & ": " & Err.Description & VbCrLf)
Err.Clear
End If

If ImpDefault = objPrinter.Name then
objNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter ("\\" & PrintServer & "\" & PrinterArray(3))
End If

objNetwork.RemovePrinterConnection objPrinter.Name
End If
Next
End If

-------------------

Deployment resources

BDD 2007 & co are evolving, keep your mind up to date!

http://www.deploymentforum.com/

http://blogs.technet.com/msdeployment/

http://windowsvistablog.com/blogs/windowsvista/archive/2007/09/18/just-released-deployment-4-beta-3-the-next-generation-of-business-desktop-deployment-bdd-2007.aspx

Greg the Architect: new episode

A new episode is out !

Off The Grid

http://www.gregthearchitect.com/episode_off_the_grid.html

Office 2003 GPO reference settings excel

As for Operating System, you can have the great Excel file that contains all settings that can be set from GPO on office 2003.

Download the Office 2003 Service Pack 3 Administrative Template (ADM), OPAs, and Explain Text Update:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=BA8BC720-EDC2-479B-B115-5ABB70B3F490&displaylang=en

It contains Office 2003 Group Policies.xls

How to remotely enable Remote Desktop

If you need to enable the remote desktop, you can set fDenyTSConnections to 0

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server

The same job can be done through GPO with "Allow users to connect remotely using Terminal Services"

http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/608fb22b-5138-4f4b-873d-4aa8fc23cd641033.mspx?mfr=true

Active Directory elementary best practices

hello folks,

many guys come to Microsoft newsgroups with AD related problems.

Many of them could be avoided by following these advices:

• never get more than 5 minutes clock offset between any computer in the domain (and the one you are going to put in the domain)
• Always have your domain members (servers and workstations)using you DC's DNS
• DC should point to themselves as DNS, not your ISP
• Operation Master FSMO role can't be on a Global Catalog, except if you have only one DC or if all DC are Global Catalog

Hope it helps,

Sysinternal tools update

Process Explorer has been updated, it mainly adds compatibility with Windows Vista.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/processexplorer.mspx

The way back machine

http://www.archive.org/web/web.php

A great site that keeps track of websites from years passed...
Microsoft Web site 10 years ago ?
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.microsoft.com

Windows Server 2008 Component Posters

You can freely download the Windows Server 2008 Component Posters:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c2b9e44e-0bbd-47cb-bc09-b3d48be7f867&DisplayLang=en

they were originally printed in the July 2007 issue of TechNet Magazine

DFS and FQDN Referrals

On the Microsoft Newsgroups, someone asked for using FQDN (Full Qualified Domain Name) with DFS-R Referrals.

While first of all that doesn't sound accurate, you must set the key as DFS:

How to configure DFS to use fully qualified domain names in referrals
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/244380/en-us

You must set this key before creating the DFS.

Schema Changes Reference for Exchange 2007

Schema Changes Reference for Exchange 2007
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa581540.aspx

Shared drive still displays after cluster move group

After moving cluster resources on a 2003 cluster, the passive node still get drive letter displayed in the explorer. This is a difference with Windows 2000:

Managing Disk Ownership in a Windows Server 2003 Cluster
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/818878/en-us

DHCP lease longer than expected

if you use Microsoft DHCP, you may have seen that lease last longer than expected. Between 4 & 5 hours more.
This comes from the grace period, which last 4 hours by default. If your dhcp is quite full or having people moving around, you may reduce this grace period:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\
DHCPServer\Parameters\LeaseExtension
Value Type: DWORD
Value Data: time in minutes

So that explain the 4 hours. But why 5 ? Because the dhcp cleanup only occurs every 60 minutes by default, except if dhcp lease are starving. You can make it more aggressive:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\
DHCPServer\Parameters\DatabaseCleanupInterval

Hope you will find it useful!

SCOM 2007: NLB Management Pack

Monitors Microsoft Network Load Balancing clusters. Detects, sends, alerts, and automatically responds to critical events.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=78d8c93a-bae6-4c5d-90af-b0bf2ce12998&displaylang=en&tm

Windows Vista: 2 updates that boost the beast

An update is available that improves the performance and reliability of Windows Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B938979&x=24&y=15

An update is available that improves the compatibility and reliability of Windows Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B938194&x=9&y=15

PowerShell - Great cmdlet from quest for FREE

quest has released free cmdlet for free:
http://www.quest.com/activeroles-server/arms.aspx

Wirelesstime - Freeware for smartphone/pocketpc

If you want to minimize battery usage at night, you may be interested by this tool:
http://www.lepocketpc.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=738&Itemid=6

It allow to turn off or on bluetooth, gsm radio, wifi at specified time.So it will turn off at night, and on when you wake up !

need a hotfix from Microsoft ? don't call, fill a form!

instead of calling Microsoft to get a Hotfix, you can fill an online form:
https://support.microsoft.com/contactus2/emailcontact.aspx?scid=sw;en;1410&WS=hotfix

source:http://msmvps.com/blogs/erikr/archive/2007/08/07/hotfix-request-web-submission-form.aspx

Windows Desktop Search On XP with office 2007

If you install Office 2007 AFTER Windows Desktop Search, it won't index Outlook Mail.
You need to install again WDS, it works immediately after !