Tag: Windows 8

Immidio releases new version of Flex+ with Support of Windows 8 & Server 2012 & APP-V 5.0

Today, Immidio releases an updated version of its flagship product Flex+. With the Immidio Flex+ workspace virtualization solution, end users get a personalized and dynamic Windows desktop that adapts to their specific situation based on aspects like role, device and location.

Modern workforces expect flexibility from their employers; users need to have the capability to work anywhere with multiple devices and a high degree of self-service. With Flex+ workspace virtualization, Immidio enables such a flexible workstyle in a simple, scalable, extensible and affordable manner, without introducing additional complexity. Immidio Flex+ uses the existing Windows infrastructure, ensuring a low total cost of ownership.

Next to many small improvements, the latest version of Immidio Flex+ contains new features that were mostly developed based on feedback from Immidio’s partners and customers. The focus of this release is to support the latest Windows versions and application virtualization technologies, providing users with an even more dynamic desktop experience and improving the administration of Flex+ in enterprise environments.

Flex+ multi-tenancy support for IT departments
Immidio Flex+ has always supported multi-tenant environments, and this release introduces much improved management of scenarios with multiple environments, such as different customers, DTAP, or separately managed organizational divisions, for instance.

Such setups can now be managed from within a single instance of the Flex+ management console, making it possible for the IT department to switch between these environments and also export configuration items from one environment to another.

An even more dynamic desktop experience
In the initial release of Flex+, Immidio introduced many capabilities for managing the user environment. Flex+ support for shortcuts, file type associations and printers is now even more powerful thanks to the new UEM Refresh feature, which during a Windows session reapplies these user environment settings, dynamically re-evaluating conditions.

Another new feature is Triggered Tasks which executes a custom or built-in task (like UEM Refresh) when a certain trigger occurs. The triggers that Flex+ supports are the lock/unlock of a workstation and disconnect/reconnect of a remote session in VDI and RDS environments.

To improve the dynamic adaption of the Windows user environment, based on role, device and location, this release extends the conditions available in Flex+. The new battery condition makes it easier to detect laptops and tablet devices. The new “Computer or User in Active Directory” condition helps determine the role of the user within the organization and the place of the currently used device within the IT infrastructure.

Support of latest technologies
Immidio Flex+ now supports personalization for Microsoft App-V 5.0, in addition to the existing App-V 4.x integration. Platform support has been extended with Windows 8 and Server 2012.

Other improvements
Many other improvements have been made to the Flex+ management console and client component. These are all documented in the Administrator’s Guide of this Flex+ release.

Convert VHD to VHDX

VHDX is the new and default format of virtual hard disk (VDH) that is provided by Windows 8 Client Hyper-V and Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V. There are many reasons to favor VHDX files over VHD files, including:

  • scalability to 64 TB instead of 2040GB
  • better performance by offering 4 K sector matching
  • protection against data corruption during power outages
Using PowerShell to Convert to VHDX

You can dispense with the time-consuming wizard by using PowerShell. This will be extremely useful if you need to use a script to automate lots of VHD conversions across many virtual machines. The following snippet will convert a VHD to a VHDX:

Convert-VHD –Path d:\VM01\Disk0.vhd –DestinationPath d:\VM01\Disk0.vhdx

When you create a new VHDX file (not converted) it has a physical sector size of 4 K. A converted VHDX file has a physical sector size of 512 Bytes. You can change the physical sector size of a converted VHDX by running this piece of PowerShell before you power up the virtual machine:

set-vhd d:\VM01\Disk0.vhdx -PhysicalSectorSizeBytes 4096

Now you have a virtual machine that is using the best kind of virtual machine storage, the VHDX format virtual hard disk

The above instructions do not finish the job. The next essential set of steps are:

  1. Open the settings of the virtual machine.
  2. Replace the VHD with the VHDX.
  3. Start and test the virtual machine.
  4. Delete the VHD file.

Setting Up Windows 8 Mail for Exchange or Office 365

Before beginning these steps, ensure that:

You have setup a Microsoft account in Windows 8.

You have your Active Directory (AD) username and password. Your username is usually the first part of your UCSD email address (before the @ symbol). If you forgot your password, you can reset it.

You have an Exchange account in the UCSD Campus Exchange Organization.

Click the Mail tile in the Start screen to open the Mail program

Press Windows key + I on the keyboard to open Mail settings

Select Accounts

win8mailsettings
win8mailaddaccount1

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Enter your e-mail address in the Email address field

Enter your AD passsword in the Password field

Select Show more details

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Enter <yourservername> in the Server address field

Enter <yourdomain> in the Domain field

Enter your AD username in the Username field

Click Connect to add the account

Windows 8 Features on Demand (.Net Framework 3.5)

Features on Demand

“Features on Demand (FoD)” is a new concept in Windows 8 that allows administrators and image builders to reduce the amount of space. .

When you install an application that’s ask for .Net Framework 3.5 that will be automatically installed. You don’t have to deploy it automatically with it…

 

In Windows 8, .Net Framework 3.5 is now a Feature on Demand. And to simplify the installation of common legacy versions of the .Net Framework, .Net 3.0 and 2.0 have been included in the same feature package as 3.5. That means if any of those three versions need to be installed, all the administrator needs to do is enable the single .Net Framework 3.5 feature in Windows 8.

Installation Sources

The .Net Framework 3.5 payload can be obtained from any of the following sources:

· Windows Update (WU)

· A Windows Image file (.wim) to which the payload has been added

· The \sources\sxs folder on the installation media

There are unique advantages to using each. The source can be specified for the environment using a new Group Policy setting. It can also be specified when installing .Net 3.5 manually on an individual machine or image.

The simplest scenario is one in which WU is accessible to both the machine and the user, and the machine is not configured to obtain updates from Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). In this case, when the feature is enabled, the user will be prompted for permission to download the update. If permitted, Windows will download the payload directly from Windows Update and install the feature. Done!

In more controlled environments, administrators might want to redirect such download requests to an alternate source such as a Windows Image file (.wim) to which the payload was added, or the\sources\sxs folder from the installation media. There might also be network , proxy, or security configurations that prevent users from directly accessing Windows Update. Additionally, WSUS does not currently support the payloads for Features on Demand, although it does support the subsequent patching of the features. So in environments where machines are configured to obtain updates from WSUS, administrators will need to configure the source for initial FoD installations.

To allow administrators to manage these scenarios, a new Group Policy setting was introduced in Windows 8 / Windows Server 2012: “Specify settings for optional component installation and component repair”, located under Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System:

featuresondemand

This policy allows the administrator to configure the installation of Features on Demand and feature store repair operations to use only authorized locations.

When this policy is enabled, a network location (for example, a file server) can be specified for both repair of the feature store, and enabling features whose payloads were not originally added. The Alternate source file path can point to a \sources\sxs folder or a Windows image (WIM) file using the WIM: prefix. The repair WIM can be different than the initial WIM file used for installation. You can specify multiple paths by using “;” between the paths. Valid syntax is “wim:<path to wim>:<index>”. Or “<path to sxs folder>”.

Examples:

\\server\Win8Media\sources\sxs

wim:\\server\sourcewim\install.wim:3

If you select Never attempt to download payload from Windows Update, WU is not contacted during an installation or repair operation.

If you select Contact Windows Update directly to download repair content instead of Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), attempts to add features (for example, .NET Framework 3.5) or repair the feature file store use Windows Update to download files. Target computers require Internet and WU access for this option. Normal servicing operations continue to use WSUS if it has been configured as a source.

Windows 2012 DirectAccess Quick & Dirty

Install Server 2012. Join Server to your Domain.

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Select Behind an Edge Device
Public name voor mij is dat is: thuis.wardvissers.nl

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Remote Access Review & Next
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View Remote Access Review

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Finish

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Overview

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Policy’s

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Windows 8 Client

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I have a Firewall/NAT router. So you need open some ports
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DirectAccess works great. Every where I work I have access to my docs & email.

Remove the Windows 8 Animation during MDT Deployment

In Windows 8 there is a movie that is played for the first time logon and there is a Group Policy setting you can use to disable it. Mikael Nystrom writed a nice MDT Application you can download and install and put it into your task sequence for Windows 8 and you will never ever see it once more. Happy deployment!

Download the zip file, extract it and create a new Application in MDT 2012 Update 1.

Select Application with Source Files

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Edit Task Sequence

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VMware View preview Client for Windows Store

VMWare released a preview of the VMware View Client for Windows Store. This Windows Store client will run in the tiled view of Windows RT and Windows 8.

 

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As this is a preview, it does have a number of limitations:

  • The client supports RDP connections but not PCoIP yet
  • No support for smart card authentication
  • To use the onscreen keyboard on a tablet, go to Settings and select Keyboard

The Windows Store client has additional requirements for server certificate checking:

  • You cannot turn off certificate verification on the client.
  • The View Connection Server or security server must have a security certificate that the client can fully verify and it must match the host name in the View Client.
  • If you plan to use a secure tunnel connection, for instance if you will be connecting remotely, the tunnel server (View Connection Server instance or security server) must also have a security certificate that the client can verify. The host name in the View Client must match the host name in the “External URL” setting shown in the Edit View Connection Server Settings dialog box, in View Administrator. For example, the field cannot have an IP address and the certificate cannot be self-signed.
  • Alternately, the user can install a self-signed certificate into the client computer, but it must be put in the local machine store rather than the current user store. The app that end users should use is called “Manage computer certificates” (certlm.msc).

We are excited to release this Windows Store client and look forward to improving it in subsequent releases. To install the client, go to the store from your Windows 8 system and search on VMware.

The existing VMware View Client for Windows (version 5.2 or later) runs in Windows 8 desktop mode. If you are running Windows 8 (not Windows RT) VMware recommends that you use our existing VMware View Client for Windows in the Windows 8 desktop mode for maximum functionality

MDT & SAMSUNG ATIV Smart PC Tablet Part 1

Last week i was playing with Samsung ATIV Smart PC.

Samsung ATIV Smart PC is a great device. This is one of many Touch laptops from Samsung. This Laptop is also usable as Tablet PC. Because it run Windows 8 x86 you can run al your applications on this device.

De Samsung ATIV Smart PC does not have fast Ethernet nic onboard only a Wifi NIC.

I would like to deploy our company “image” to this device.

1. Download Software Update http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/XE500T1C-A01US

2. Install Software

3. Search for XE500T1C-A01NL

4. Download al the Drivers and Software

5. Extract all Packages en sort this in Driver and Applications

6. Import the drivers in MDT

7. You need the a NIC I uses the USB 2.0 to Gigabit Ethernet NIC Network Adapter

8. Download the Driver SMSC_LAN7500.zip

9. You find after unpacking in de Windows Folder de driver LAN7500-WDF-v1.2.0.0.exe

10. You can Extract the Driver with “LAN7500-WDF-v1.2.0.0.exe /extract d:\downloads\LAN7500”

11. Import the Drivers in to same Driver Store als descripted in 6.

12. Update Deployment Share Wizard

13. Create A Task Sequence

14. Create a selection Profile descripted here: MDT 2010 Importing automatically the right driver

15. Change import driver on the Task Sequence

16. You need at Least a 4GB USB Stick

17. Format the USB stick with FAT32 How to create a bootable USB drive from an ISO image for UEFI systems

18. Mark the partition als Active
1.Open Command Prompt

2 Type: diskpart

3. At the DISKPART prompt, type: list partition

Make note of the number of the partition that you want to mark as active.

4. At the DISKPART prompt, type:

select partition n

Select the partition, n, you want to mark as active.

5. At the DISKPART prompt, type: active

19. If you’re on Windows 8, double-click your ISO image to mount it. If you’re on earlier versions of Windows, use a 3rd party utility to mount the ISO. Just search the web and you’ll find options. Or, burn the ISO to a DVD and then mount it. Once the ISO is mounted, copy all files and directories over to your newly formatted USB drive by dragging and dropping. You can also do this from the command line using robocopy or xcopy.

20. Delete the install.wim and boot.wim from the sources directory

21. Copy LiteTouchPE_x86.wim from the Boot directory on the MDT server to de Sources Map on the USB Stick

22. Rename LiteTouchPE_x86.wim to boot.wim
WP_20121221_002

23. Disable Secure Boot:
WP_20121221_001

24. Boot From USB

25. You Can deploy now your OS to your Tablet.

Part Two I will write about installing Touch Driver Software/Driver

Windows 8 – Customizing the Default Lock Screen

The update “Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 cumulative update: November 2012” adds functionality to the Control Panel group polices that allow an administrator to designate a lock screen image on their Windows 8 and Windows 2012 computers. This setting lets you specify the default lock screen image shown when no user is signed in, and also sets the specified images as the default for all users (it replaces the inbox default image) Some restriction apply. See the Restrictions section below.
The new group policy is named “Force a specific default lock screen image” and can be found in this path in the group policy editor: “Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Personalization”

Requirements:
To deploy the new “Force a specific default lock screen image”  GP the following requirements must be met:

  1. The update “Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 cumulative update: November 2012” must be applied to all Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 computers that you want to deploy customer lock screen images to. This is required as the Control Panel group policy client side extension must be updated to enforce the group policy
  2. The group policy used to deploy the custom lock screen image must be edited on a machine that has been patched with “Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 cumulative update: November 2012”

Restrictons

  • Windows 8 Enterprise or Windows Server 2012 can use the new GP “Force a specific default lock screen image” via Domain GP or via local GP
  • Windows 8 Pro can also be a target of the GP if the machine is joined to a domain

Implementation Steps for Domain Based Group Policy

  1. Patch all system with update “Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 cumulative update: November 2012” KB 2770917
  2. Create a GPO and link it to the OU where the computer accounts are located that you want to deploy the custom lock screen image to. Alternatively you can use an existing GPO.
    a. Open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC)
    b. Create and link a GPO to an OU or Locate an existing GPO that you want to use
  3. Create and link a GPO to an OU or Locate an existing GPO that you want to use
    a. In GPMC right click the GPO from step 2b and select edit
    b. Go this path “Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Personalization”
    c. Enable the GP “Force a specific default lock screen image”
    d. Specify the path to the image file. It is recommended to use a DFS network path to provide redundancy.
  4. After Sysvol replication has occurred and clients have refreshed their group policy settings the new lock screen will be used.

Implementation Steps for Local Group Policy

1.      Patch the system with update “Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 cumulative update: November 2012” KB 2770917
2.      Edit Local Policy
a.       Run GPEDIT.MSC
b.      Go this path “Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Personalization”
c.       Enable the GP “Force a specific default lock screen image”
d.      Specify the path to the image file.
e.       Click OK
3.      Policy will be enforced as the next GP background refresh.

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