Tag Archives: Windows 2008 R2

Prepare and Service Windows Images Using the New DISM Tool

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Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM.exe) is a new command line tool that you can use to service a Windows image or prepare a Windows PE image. The DISM tool replaces the Package Manager (pkgmgr.exe), PEimg, and Intlcfg tools used with Windows Vista. DISM consolidates the functionality found in those three tools, as well as delivers new functionality to improve the experience of offline servicing.

DISM can be used to service Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Windows Server 2008. When used with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, you get the added functionality.
You can use DISM to:
  • Add, remove, and enumerate packages and drivers.
  • Enable or disable Windows features.
  • Apply changes based on the offline servicing section of an unattend.xml answer file.
  • Configure international settings.
  • Upgrade a Windows image to a different edition.
  • Prepare a Windows PE image.
  • Take advantage of better logging.
  • Service down-level operating systems like Windows Vista with SP1 and Windows Server 2008.
  • Service all platforms (32-bit, 64-bit, and Itanium).
  • Service a 32-bit image from a 64-bit host and service a 64-bit image from a 32-bit host.
  • Make use of old Package Manager scripts.

Command-Line Options

To service a Windows image offline, it must be applied or mounted. WIM images can be mounted using the Windows Image (WIM) commands within DISM, or applied and recaptured using ImageX.
You can also use commands to list the indexes or verify the architecture for the image you are mounting. After you update the image, you must unmount it and either commit or discard the changes you have made.
The base syntax for nearly all DISM commands is the same. After you have mounted your Windows image, you can specify any DISM options, the servicing command that will update your image, and the location of the mounted image. You can use only one servicing command per command line. If you are servicing a running computer, you can use the /online option instead of specifying the location of the mounted Windows Image.
The base syntax for DISM is:
DISM.exe {/image:<path_to_image> | /online} [dism_options] {servicing_command} [<servicing_argument>]
Movie : Technet

HP Sizer for Microsoft Hyper-V 2008 R2

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HP released an Sizer tool for Microsoft Hyper-V 2008 R2. Source : http://h71019.www7.hp.com/ActiveAnswers/us/en/sizers/microsoft-hyper-v2008.html

The HP Sizer for Microsoft Hyper-V 2008 R2 is an automated, downloadable tool that provides quick and helpful sizing guidance for “best-fit” HP server and storage configurations running in a Hyper-V R2 environment. The tool is intended to assist with the planning of a Hyper-V R2 virtual server deployment project. It enables the user to quickly compare different solution configurations and produces a customizable server and storage solution complete with a detail Bill of Materials (BOM) that includes part numbers and prices.

The HP Sizer for Microsoft Hyper-V 2008 R2 allows users to create new solutions, open already existing solutions, or use other types of performance data collecting tools, such as the Microsoft Assessment and Planning tool (MAP), to build rich Hyper-V R2 configurations based on HP server and storage technology. The tool allows rapid comparison of Hyper-V R2 characterizations using various HP server and storage choices.

Hyper-V How To: Plan Performance

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Good read from Microsoft. Source : http://blogs.technet.com/tonyso/archive/2009/11/30/hyper-v-how-to-plan-performance.aspx

Customers often ask “Given a hardware load-out X, how many Ys can I get/run/host?”

The frustrating answer always starts with “…it depends…”. We caveat this way not because we want to frustrate, but because it is true. Many teams will go on to say “We have tested the following in our labs and gotten the displayed results…”

1 X = thingy

2 X = more thingies

3X = many more thingies

While accurate, not super-helpful.

The truth is that to do good perf planning for Hyper-V you have to run some tests.

Run them using your actual production load (converted to Virtual Machines) in a test environment.

TIP: you can download the free VHD version of SCVMM, then run it as a VM to convert your production machines to “test” virtual machines.

Then play with your assumptions and tweak things higher and lower and to your design tolerance and actually observe how perf goes.

Add an overhead/forgot-to-test percentage, done.

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Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 – HOT ISSUES LIST

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A series Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 issues have been reported to Microsoft customer support. From these issues, we figured out several hot issues and authored Knowledge base articles to explain the solutions.

To identify and troubleshoot these issues, you can find more information from the KB articles:

  • 975787 Adjust User Account Control settings in Windows 7
  • 976832 Error message when you insert a smart card in a reader on a Windows 7-based or Windows Server 2008 R2-based computer: “Device driver software was not successfully installed”
  • 975784 Enable the Quick Launch bar in Windows 7
  • 975785 Customize the notification area in Windows 7
  • 975786 Customize the notification area in Windows 7
  • 975788 Turn off the secure desktop in Windows 7
  • 976034 Get a detailed Power Efficiency Diagnostics Report for your computer in Windows 7
  • 976170 Troubleshoot Aero problems in Windows 7
  • 976877 Troubleshoot Aero problems in Windows 7
  • 976736 How to install Windows PowerShell on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2 Core
  • 2006291 Error message When You Bring up the Server Manager Console and click on Add / View Roles: “0x800B0100”
  • 977510 Authentication fails when an external client tries to log on by using a read-only domain controller in a perimeter network

Source: http://blogs.technet.com/ferris/default.aspx

Create an All-in-one x86+x64 Win7/Vista/Server 2008/R2 USB stick

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One of the great things about the Vista and post-Vista operating systems is that the installer subsystem allows you a great deal of flexibility when it comes to installing multiple operating systems. It is fairly easy to put together a single installation DVD or USB stick that will allow you to install Vista, Windows 7, Server 2008 and Server 2008 R2 – in a variety of x86 and x64 flavors.

A couple of things to note about this guide:

  • I do not use Vista — I have never really used Vista and now with Windows 7 out there really is no reason to; however the steps here will work just fine with Vista installation sources
  • I have only tested this using a USB stick and will only cover that method here – it’s much more flexible (and faster) for installation than using DVD — but DVDs should work just fine: you can find plenty of tutorials on the web that will tell you how to use oscdimg.exe to take the files we create here and turn them into a burnable ISO

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

  • USB stick, at least 4 GB (perhaps larger depending on how many OSes you plan to integrate, I use a 16 GB) that has been properly formatted using Steps 1 and 2 here
  • ISOs or DVDs of the operating systems that you plan to integrate
  • imagex.exe (can be found for download on the web, or you can download the full 1.7 GB WAIK here)
  • computer running Vista or newer operating system (XP should work but I have not tested it)

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Booting from a VHD disk

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Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2 have a really useful feature called “VHD Boot”. With that you can boot your entire Windows out of a Virtual Hard Disk file (as those used with Virtual PC or Virtual Server).

This VHD file is mounted as a virtual disk, you can use it as a normal hard disk drive, but all the data is stored in ONE file. The machine is booted physically (unlike with Virtual PC), so you can only run one at a time, but have the full machine’s power.

The advantages are magnificent:

  • Simply copy one file (the .VHD file) and you’re entire system is included.
  • Create incremental VHD files: One VHD file can be based on another one. So if you have different systems, create a base Win7 VHD and make all others incremental. This will save a lot of disk space!

There’re also some small disadvantages 🙂

  • The .VHD booted OS needs to be Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 or later.
  • There’s a performance decrease of about 3%.
  • Hibernate and some BitLocker scenarios don’t work
    (BitLocker CAN be used within the guest VHD though, but not on the disk where the VHD resides).
  • Windows Experience index won’t work.

So how do you install a VHD-Boot machine?

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