Category: Windows

Learnt a funky tip yesterday from my mate Bungy … if you need to log on locally to a PC and can’t remember the name of it, use

.

in the logon box .Cool hey!

I received this email today … from Mark Parris who run the UK Active Directory User  Group

Towards the end of last year Mark Wilson and I had a conversation around combining the Active Directory User Group with the Windows Server Team user group that Mark had been looking after in Scotty McLeod’s absence.

The reasoning behind our conversation is that Active Directory touches almost every component of Windows Server and the division between Windows Server content and Active Directory content was becoming very blurred – so we agreed to merge the two user groups and become collectively known as the Windows Server User Group.

I have set up what is by no means perfect, a WordPress website and forums at:

http://wsug.co.uk.

The website and forums share credentials and support normal user authentication and OpenID credentials.

The Active Directory User Group will still exist – but will now be found at the WSUG website.

Please let me know what you would like to see on the forums and if you would like to get more involved, please drop me a line at mark.parris@wsug.co.uk

for the community.

Mark Parris
MVP-DS

Mark Wilson
MVP-VM

Stu just sent me this link .. go get it baby, it’s free

http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/C/0/5C0BD0AB-040D-4C56-A60B-661001012DDA/Windows_Server_2008_R2_e-book.pdf

Saw this email …

Windows 2000 Server

Extended Support for Windows 2000 Server will end on July 13, 2010. At this time, Windows 2000 Server will no longer be publicly supported.  You will be able to continue using “Self-Help Online Support”*

Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 R2

Also on July 13, 2010, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 R2 (at a supported service pack level) will move from the Mainstream Support phase to the Extended Support phase.  During the Extended Support phase:

• Microsoft will continue to provide security updates and paid support (Example: Premier and Essential support, per-incident telephone/web support, etc.)
• Customers will continue to have access to all security updates and Self-Help Online Support options (Example: Knowledge Base articles, online product information etc.)
• Non-security hotfixes developed during the Extended Support phase will be provided ONLY to customers who enroll in Extended Hotfix Support (EHS).

How funky is this!

Basically, navigate to C:WindowsGlobalizationMCT and see the themes. I have 5, AU, CA, GB, US and ZA

The wait is finally over ;-)

REDMOND, Wash. — July 22, 2009 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, the next versions of its flagship desktop and server operating systems. With the completion of this development phase, industry partners are readying products in time for the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 worldwide general launches. Windows 7 will be generally available to customers around the world on October 22, and Windows Server 2008 R2 will be generally available on or before that date

….

http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/07/21/when-will-you-get-windows-7-rtm.aspx

Developers with MSDN Subscriptions, IT Professionals with TechNet Subscriptions will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English on August 6th and remaining languages by October 1st.

If you are a Volume License (VL) customer with an existing Software Assurance (SA) license you will be able to download Windows 7 RTM in English starting August 7th via the Volume License Service Center (VLSC). The rest of the languages for Windows 7 RTM should be available within a couple of weeks after that. Volume License customers without a SA license will be able to purchase Windows 7 through Volume Licensing on September 1st as we announced last week at WPC09. Mark these dates on your calendar and start making your deployment plans!

This is interesting .. have seen this on a number virtual and physical windows 2003 servers, with NetApp or EMC storage.

For some reason, external storage is goes missing after a reboot.  I does appear in disk management, but as an initialized disk. 

So far we have found that if you use testdisk, you can recover the disk partition from the backup and get the data back, but it’s damm weird .

Anyone else seen this?