Category: General Computing

Categories
Windows 7

Hide Windows 7 desktop icons through registry and a command or bat file

If you want to hide certain desktop icons via a bat file, you can use this. Just read the REM line to see which 4 registry adds will change a specific icon. I needed this to roll out to a couple hundred computers, versus logging on to them and disabling them individually.

REM hide Computer icon on the desktop
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel" /v "{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu" /v "{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel" /v "{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu" /v "{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REM hide Control Panel icon on the desktop
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel" /v "{5399E694-6CE5-4D6C-8FCE-1D8870FDCBA0}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu" /v "{5399E694-6CE5-4D6C-8FCE-1D8870FDCBA0}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel" /v "{5399E694-6CE5-4D6C-8FCE-1D8870FDCBA0}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu" /v "{5399E694-6CE5-4D6C-8FCE-1D8870FDCBA0}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REM hide User's Files icon on the desktop
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel" /v "{59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu" /v "{59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel" /v "{59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu" /v "{59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REM hide Network icon on the desktop
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel" /v "{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu" /v "{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel" /v "{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu" /v "{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REM hide recycle bin from desktop
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel" /v "{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu" /v "{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel" /v "{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu" /v "{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REM hide libraries icon from the desktop
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel" /v "{031E4825-7B94-4DC3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu" /v "{031E4825-7B94-4DC3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel" /v "{031E4825-7B94-4DC3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu" /v "{031E4825-7B94-4DC3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Categories
file sharing Operating Systems

Poor mans file audit on Windows Server 2008 R2 – with an easy search function and GUI

I needed a way to audit file deletions on our Windows 2008 R2 Server, but didn’t need to make pretty reports for our C levels, it was just for techs to track down who deleted what. So I used the built in Windows File Audit with GPO.

We also have about 1800 people who use this share, so we had to keep a watchful eye on how many logs were generated, and then script out deletions after a certain period, we chose 14 days is about how far back we want to retain.

Task 1 was to enable the GPO for the server to start actually recording the file deletions in Event Viewer.
Following this guide: http://www.morgantechspace.com/2013/11/Enable-File-System-Auditing-in-Windows.html
You can enable the GPO to start actually logging the deletions attempts.

Task 2 was to separate the security logs into it’s own directory, for easy pruning.
I then had to go to the file server and enable this: http://blogs.technet.com/b/askds/archive/2009/08/04/tracking-a-remote-file-deletion-back-to-the-source.aspx
So that I can start logging. You are essentially enabled file auditing. I only chose to enable the Success of file deletions, nothing else, as that was all the data I want logged.

Task 3 was to script automated deletions of the evtx files after 14 days of age.
I wrote this to do my automated deletions. You will make a cmd, or bat file on your desktop with these contents:
REM Remove Security older than 14 days
forfiles /p "C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs\Security" /s /m *.* /c "cmd /c Del @path" /d -14

You can adjust the 14 days to be whatever you like. Then add it to task schedule to automate and run once a day.

Task 4 was to find a way to prune through 2-3GB of evtx files easily.
SOURCE: https://martin77s.wordpress.com/2010/01/16/evtlogparser/
You will need to install LogParser.msi first.
Then run EVTLOGPARSER.EXE – it is portable after the LogParser.msi is installed.
You can then add the security directory directly: \\SERVERNAME\c$\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs\Security
and query eventid 4663 AND/OR under message, search for your file deleted, partials should work.

Categories
Operating Systems Powershell

Windows 10 not searching desktop applications with cortona

Out of the blue, my start -> search stopped functioning, it would just be blank.

I reinstalled Cortana using the following procedure:

Open an elevated Command Prompt window (press win + X, and then press A)
Type start powershell and press enter
Run the command (in one line):
Get-AppXPackage -Name Microsoft.Windows.Cortana | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
After 30 seconds the problem was solved on my machine. Incredible.

Source: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-win_cortana/cortana-not-finding-desktop-apps-when-searching/f612e995-6664-4b91-b6ae-96790e763858

Categories
Powershell

Adding User Principal Names in Active Directory via PowerShell for Federation

I wanted to update the UPN or User Principal Names in our AD, as we had a couple thousand users that had been in our AD for over 10 years, in the NT days. So they were created without UPN’s.

This will print out the list of users and output it to a file so you can review who will be changed. We did not want to change the admin users so I added a notlike clause.

get-aduser -Filter * -SearchBase ‘CN=Users,dc=vivithemage,dc=com’ | where {($_.userprincipalname -eq $null) -and ($_.name -notlike “*admin*”)} | format-table samaccountname,givenname,surname | Out-File c:\test\UPN-prechange2.txt

Reviewed the list, looked good, so I can now run this to make the blanket change, while manually specifying the domain name:

get-aduser -Filter * -SearchBase ‘CN=Users,dc=vivithemage,dc=com’ | where {($_.userprincipalname -eq $null) -and ($_.name -notlike “*admin*”)} | foreach { Set-ADUser $_ -UserPrincipalName (“{0}@{1}” -f $_.name,”vivithemage.com”)}

Lots of help from this article: http://blogs.technet.com/b/heyscriptingguy/archive/2013/08/13/add-user-principal-names-in-active-directory-via-powershell.aspx
and ss64.com

Categories
Operating Systems

power shell script unmounting system reserved

I need a powershell way to remove the system reserved drive letter, as there is no reason for our users to actually use that, and access it. In powershell drop this code in:

$target = (Get-Volume -FileSystemLabel “System Reserved”).DriveLetter+ “:”
$volume = Get-WmiObject Win32_Volume -Filter “DriveLetter=’$target'”

if ($null -ne $volume)
{
$volume.DriveLetter = $null
$volume.Put()
}

Save it, make sure it’s a ps1 file and execute, it will remove the Drive Letter, and unmount it.

Categories
Cisco

Copy cisco running config with putty

I wanted to do a quick backup of my running config without needing to setup a TFTP server.

You will first want to get to enabled mode

router$ enable

Then run terminal length 0, as this will let the screen spit out all data without pruning with the ‘—-more—-‘ from output.

router# terminal length 0

The next step is configuring your putty session as follows:

Right-click the window title and choose ‘Change Settings’
On the left, select ‘Logging’ under ‘Session’
Select the ‘All session output’ radio button and choose a destination file
Click “Apply”
Now send a ‘show running-config’ command and the config will be sent to your log file.

router# sh run

Categories
Windows 7

Disable Windows Startup Repair as Default Option

I was having issues where my older raid card would not get recognized on the first boot, causing windows to reboot, then BSOD. So 50% of the time I would reboot and would be stuck on the repair screen, so I wanted to disable it. Apparently you can through the bcdedit!

bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled No

Categories
Operating Systems Powershell Uncategorized Windows 7

copy a file into all user directories via bat files for windows 7 or xp using a wildcard

I needed to copy one file into all of the user directories on computers. I ended up creating a for loop, print it, then use that list as a variable to throw in, worked great. This was one of the few things I could not find on google, so hopefully this hits a few keywords for people when they’re searching. IT IS POSSIBLE! This can be done in BAT, CMD, OR just dump it into a command pronpt changing your own directories/variables as needed.

REM this prints all users in C:\Users\ and then copies the EssUser.cfg file to the PartsDoc Dir
FOR /D %%G IN (c:\Users\*.*) DO xcopy /Y /H /R "E:\PartsDoc Updates\EssUser.cfg" "%%G\Documents\CLAAS\PartsDoc\"

Categories
Operating Systems server 2012

How to change license from server 2012 r2 eval with MAK key

I found out you can do this pretty simply. I wanted to change my 2012 R2 Standard Eval ISO to use my 2012 R2 Standard MAK key. I ran this in an elevated command prompt:

DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx /AcceptEula

replacing the x’s with your key, hit enter and it should work with a requested reboot right after it completes.

Categories
Windows 7

creating large, empty files in windows

I ran this in Windows 7, but using fsutil you have a LOT of options.

fsutil file createnew c:\testfile.txt 150000000

this created a 150mb empty file so I can use for testing. If you run fsutil you will see you have a lot more options:

8dot3name 8dot3name managment
behavior Control file system behavior
dirty Manage volume dirty bit
file File specific commands
fsinfo File system information
hardlink Hardlink management
objectid Object ID management
quota Quota management
repair Self healing management
reparsepoint Reparse point management
resource Transactional Resource Manager management
sparse Sparse file control
transaction Transaction management
usn USN management
volume Volume management