To Install VMtools
d:
d:\setup
Crtl-Alt-Dlt/Taskmgr – kill RunDLL process
Restart
To Change Computer Name
netdom renamecomputer %ComputerName% /NewName:NewComputerName
To enable automatic updates
cscript C:\Windows\System32\Scregedit.wsf /au 4
To set static ip
netsh interface ipv4 show interfaces Idx = ?
netsh interface ipv4 set address name="IDx" source=static address=IPAddress mask=SubnetMask gateway=DefaultGateway
To set preferred DNS Server
netsh interface ipv4 set dnsserver name="IDx" source=static address=IPAddress
To set alternative DNS Server
netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name="IDx" address= IPAdress index=ListNumber
To manage using a terminal server client
cscript C:\Windows\System32\Scregedit.wsf /ar 0
1 is denied, 0 is allowed
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Remote Desktop" new enable=yes
cscript C:\Windows\System32\Scregedit.wsf /ar /v
Watch video here or at Youtube
One of the main reasons for Windows slow down is installing and uninstalling the various freeware and shareware programs on the net. For example having a different media player for each file type leads to bloat.
Every now and then it is worth running through your list of installed programs and doing a good cull of programs no longer needed.
The best program for doing this is Revo Uninstaller, this program is freeware and truth be told you would buy it if you had to.
Revo Uninstaller not only uninstalls using the uninstaller provided with a program but then does a registry scan for left over strings and also deletes any files or folder associated with the uninstalled program.
Anyway download, install and start the program.
Click on the application you wish to uninstall. I’m going to do AVG Free 8.0.
Chose your Uninstall Mode, I go with Advanced, then click ‘Next’. This will run the Uninstaller provided with the program.
If you are prompted to Restart select ‘No’ and select then ‘Next’ on Revo.
It will now scan for leftover information. Once this is completed select ‘Next’, it will give you a list of leftover registry items.
Click on ‘Select all’ and then ‘Delete’, ‘Yes’ you are sure, then ‘Next’.
Do the same for Files and Folders.
This is by far the best Uninstaller I have come across. This type of functionality should really be built into Windows.
Watch video here or at Youtube
The one thing I really like about Vista is the theme, a lot of people knock but I think its great. Anyway now that I refuse to use Vista I would still like to use the theme….
One way of doing this (there are a few) is to install a program from www.crystalxp.net
Head over and click on the bricopacks link. As you will see there is a few themes to choose from.
Download Vista Inspirat 2. it is a .zip file. Extract using a program like Zip Central and Install. Restart PC
Probably the most linked to new blog going around at the moment.
Worth checking out if you are interested in Windows 7
Install Server 2008 Enterprise Edition
Turn on Automatic Updates and Update the server
Update drivers, install antivirus, change server name etc….
Restart
Configure Network Settings
Browse to: Start/Control Panel/Network and Sharing Center
Disable Ipv6 and assign it a Static IP and use your server as Preferred DNS Server
Setup Server as a Domain Controller
Start/Run and type: dcpromo
Select ‘Use advanced installaion mode’
‘Create a new domain in a new forest’ and give it a name
Select the required Forest functional level and Domain functional level
Tick the ‘DNS Server’ box under Additional Domain Controller Options and ‘Yes’ to continue
Complete the wizard and select ‘Reboot on completion’
Configure DNS Server
Start/Server Manager
Expand – Roles/DNS Server/DNS, select ‘Forwarders’
Enter your ISP’s DNS servers or your preferred external DNS servers
Check Network and Sharing Center to confirm that Preferred DNS has not been changed to 127.0.0.1. If it has change back to you servers static IP address.
Setup DHCP Server
Start/Server Manager/Roles/Add Roles
Select DHCP Server and run throught the wizard
Add desired scope
Reboot and confirm all installed items are functioning correctly.
Create Groups and Users in Active Directory
Start/Admin Tools/Active Directory Users and Computers
Create new Organistaion Unit, name it Groups
In that OU create a new group called ts_gateway, make this group a member of Remote Desktop Users and Domain Users
Create a new OU under Groups, call it Remote and add remote users to this group. Make them a member of ts_gateway group
Install and configure Terminal Services Gateway
Start/Server Manager/Add Roles
Select Terminal Services and then Terminal Server & TS Licensing. Select Install Terminal Serever anyway (not recommended) and then run through the wizard.
Specify whether Network Level Authenication is required
- If there is Windows 2000 clients select ‘Do not require…’
- If all clients are going to XP SP3 or above select ‘Require…’
Select ‘Per User’ licensing mode and the defaults for the rest of the wizard.
Restart
Configure Terminal Services Licensing
Start/Admin Tools/Terminal Services/TS Licensing Manager
Right click on server and select ‘Activate Server’
Run through the wizard
- Licensing Program – Other; enter any number as serial
- Product Version – Windows Server 2008
- Licensing Type – Per User
This gives 120 days without needing to enter correct details.
Start/Admin Tools/Terminal Services/Terminal Services Configuration
In the middle pane change Terminal Services licensing mode to ‘Per User’
Install TS Gateway
Start/Server Manager/Roles/Terminal Services
In the right-hand pane towards the bottom ‘Add Role Services’ and select TS Gateway
Confirm ‘Add Required Role Services’, then select ‘Create a self-signed certicate…’
Select ‘Later’ for TS CAP policy
Run through wizard accepting defaults, then ‘Install’
Create & Install Self-Signed SSL Certificate
Start/Admin Tools/IIS Manager
Double-click on server name, then in the middle-pane select ‘Server Certificates’
In the right-hand pane select ‘Create Self-Signed Certificate’, give it a name.
Highlight and select ‘Export’, save it to C:\Users\Public\Documents
Start/Admin Tools/Terminal Services/TS Gateway Manager
Double-click on server name, then in the right-hand pane select ‘Properties’
Select ‘SSL Certificate’ tab and ‘Select an existing…’, then browse and install
Create TS CAP & TS RAP
Start/Admin Tools/Terminal Services/TS Gateway Manager
Double-click server name, and expand ‘Policies’, then highlight ‘Connection Authorisation Policies’ and click on ‘Create New Policy’ in the right-hand pane and then ‘Wizard’
Select ‘Create TS CAP & TS RAP’, name TS CAP ‘General CAP’
Add the ts_gateway group, the accept defaults
Name TS RAP ‘General RAP’
Add the Domain Users group
Select ‘Allow user to connect to any network resource’
Select ‘Allow connection only through TCP port 3389′
Finish wizard
Configure Group Policy
Start/Admin Tools/Group Policy Manager
Double-click server name in the left-hand pane.
In the right-hand pane expand Domains, double-click on server, then right-click and ‘Edit’
In the left-hand pane browse to Computer Configuration/Policies/Security Setting/Local Policies/User Rights Assignments. Then in the right-hand pane select ‘Allow log on through Terminal Services’
Configure to allow access from ts_gateway group
Access Terminal Services Gateway from Remote PC
On remote computer install self-signed certificated.
Double-click certificate and follow wizard.
Install certificate into ‘Trusted Root Cerification Authorities’
Start Remote Desktop Client on remote pc
Under General tab enter server details and username and password
Under Advanced/Settings select ‘Automatically detect TS Gateway server settings’ and then ‘Connect’
Tags: blog, server, terminal services, windows
If you are running XP with 512MB of RAM or Vista with 1GB of RAM you are running with just the minimum RAM. This is a handy tip to free up some RAM without installing a dodgy program.
This tweak involves editing your registry.
Click on Start/Run and type ‘Regedit’ to open up registry editor
Browse down to
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
Add a new DWORD by right clicking in right hand pane.
Name it AlwaysUnloadDLL
Right click on new value and select ‘Modify’, enter Value data: 1
You will have to restart to get this to work.
The other thing you can do is copy and paste the following in a notepad and save as dll.reg. Double click to merge into registry and reboot.
—————————————————————————————————
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer]
"AlwaysUnloadDLL"=dword:00000001
—————————————————————————————————
When you are running with low RAM every little bit helps!
One of the things that Windows Vista does is index your files for faster searching. If, like me, you know where you have saved your files to or you do not do a lot of local searches then you can safely disable this service.
Click on Start/Run and type ‘services.msc’ to open up Service configuration panel.
Double click on Windows Search.
My suggestion is that this service can be safely disabled.
Change Startup Type: to Disabled and then under Service status: click on Stop. Click Apply then OK.
That’s it. If you find later that you actually need this to be running just go back in and change back to Automatic and select Start.
Feel free to leave a comment and use the ‘Share This’ button to post on digg, mixx, reddit etc….
This is a very simple tip and one that I employ on all PC that I work on.
Browse to Control Panel/Device Manager.
Expand the Disk drives icon, right click on your first hard drive and select Properties.
As you can see I have two hard drives, one contains my Windows installation and the other is for storage.
Select the Polices tab and check the bottom two boxes.
I do not recommend this tweak if you have a laptop running off battery only, however if you mainly run off power and only use the battery sometimes you should be fine.
All desktops should have this applied. If you lose power you will lose any unsaved work anyway so I wouldn’t stress.
Feel free to leave a comment and use the ‘Share This’ button to post on digg, mixx, reddit etc….