Jason Yoder, MCT

We are in the home stretch! Over the past two days we have configured DFS on both Windows Server 2003 R2 and Windows Server 2012 R2. Re have replicated out data and we are now ready to start the process of decommissioning out old server. Change the GPO to point to the new server and the new folder paths Once you are confident that replication has occurred and completed successfully, you can now modify your GPOs to point to the new server. Clients will continue to use the old server until they are using the new GPO. The DFS Replication will make sure their data is moved to the new server. Open Group PowerShell management Console . In the GPO that controls the user profiles, open: Computer Configuration à Policies à Administrative Templates à System à User Profiles Open Set User Home Folder Change the server in the UNC to the new server. Click OK , and close the GPO. Open the GPO that controls the file redirection User Configuration à Policies à Windows Settings à Folder Redirection ...

Yesterday we set of DFS on both Windows Server 2003 R2 and Windows Server 2012 R2.   Today we are going through the steps to set up our DFS Namespace and Replication so we can start the transfer of data.   Add the DFS Namespace On S1 (Windows Server 2013 R2), click Start à Administrator Tools à DFS Monument Right click Namespaces and then select New Namespace . In the Namespace Server window, type S1 and click Next If you receive this message about the Distributed File System Service is not running, click Yes In the Namespace Name and Settings window, provide the name for the namespace.   In this example, we will use UserData . Click Edit Settings and select Administrators have full access; other users have read and write permissions Click OK Click Next In the Namespace Type window, select Domain-based Namespace and click Next . Click Create . Click Close   Add the folder targets for both the home and the Redirected folders Expand Namespaces ...

Last week I delivered a Windows Server 2012 R2 class in Fort Wayne.   I had a real neat idea from the class pop up during the Distributed File System (DFS) content.   The class member’s situation was that he had over a terabyte of user home folders and redirected folders on a Windows Server 2003 R2 box and needed to move it to a Windows Server 2012 R2 box with minimal, if not zero, disruption to his 24-7 organization.   DFS sounds like a good idea, but would the two versions of DFS work together? This is part 1 of a 3 part series on how we accomplished this task.   We started off with this configuration: Our general process looks like this: ·          Install DFS Namespace and replication on both servers (S1 and S2). ·          Create a DFS Namespace on S1 that has references to both shares. ·          Create a DFS Replication Group between ...

So in my Windows class this week, I was asked if it is possible to disable the initial logon animation on Windows 8. You know, that one where you have to connect to the Windows App Store and then have to move the mouse around. By some strange coincidence, I actually hade the Windows 8.1 GPO Registry spreadsheet up. I did a quick internet search to find the correct registry setting, but did not find it as a GPO setting. Next up GPO preferences. Normally I would throw PowerShell into the mix, but this is one of those cases where I feel that a GPO is the better choice. You see, with PowerShell, I would have to contact the computer when it is convenient for both of us. In other words, when I am running the script and the client is online. With a GPO Preference, I make this change and the domain tells the client what to do when the client comes online. The registry setting is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System The key is a DWORD of EnableFirstLogon...

Yesterday on Day 1 of a 20411 Administering Windows Server 2012 class we had a question pop up on the DNS chapter.  Right off the bat I knew this question came for a brain dump web site.  Let’s just get my position out in public right off the bat.  I expect those who are going to take the exam to take the time to learn the technology.  If you do use a practice exam to prep, use it as a learning tool.  Do not just memorize the exam.  It will not do you or anybody else any good.  From the perspective of others in the class, it was like watching the Big Bang Theory unfold in front of them.  We dove into this problem to try and find the correct answer the proper way using research. Let’s first take a look at the question and then we will learn from it by finding the answers to all of the questions that do not have the answers for. You work as an Administrator at iCompany.com. The iComapny.com network consists of a single domain named iComapny.com. Al...

This week, while delivering Microsoft course 20411D: Administering Windows Server 2012, I came up with an idea while delivering the chapter on encryption and advanced auditing.  One of the issues that we as Network Administrators needs to be aware of when removing a user account or formatting a client is the use of EFS.  When a user first encrypts a file or folder using EFS, a certificate is generated for EFS encryption.  If you lose this certificate, the data is no longer accessible.  One of my best practices has been to check for this certificate on the client prior to removing the account.  That way you know to start hunting for those encrypted files. This cmdlet is going to help me modify this practice.  I’m going to do some more development with this code to also issue decrypt the files and folders. This command was tested using the built in Domain Administrator account.  This account is the Disaster Recovery Key for files that were EFS encrypte...