All posts by Michael Albert

VMware: Computer Account is disabled after deploying Windows Clients

April 23, 2013 Michael Albert Leave a comment

Hello,

last week I had to deploy 25virtual Windows (XP) Clients an on VMware ESX Cluster. One of the requirements was that the clients must be member of a Windows Active Directory.

After setting up vCenter (copy sysprep) I installed a reference Windows XP vm, convert them to a template and defined a Customization Specification like this:

During the cloning process, by using the template with the recently created custom spec, the domain join always fails and the Computer Account was disabled at each try.

Ok, now I tried modify some parameter of the Custom Specification:

Changing the Domain from fqdn to the NetBIOS Domain “SUB”
Altered the Username to SUB\joinuser or joinuser@SUB or joinuser@sub.domain.org

Continue reading VMware: Computer Account is disabled after deploying Windows Clients →

Windows knowhow

Windows: Disable machine account password change

April 9, 2013 Michael Albert Leave a comment

Hi,

for test purposes it could be necessary to backup a computer by an image tool, i.e. Acronis TrueImage, and after the test is completed or in situations of a failure reset the computer back to it’s initial state by restoring the image.

In domain environments this could be a problem, because each computer which is member of a Windows Active Directory Domain is negotiating a password with the domain and this password is changed after 7 Days. If your Image is older the domain member ship is broken and you have to rejoin.

The password change is initiated by the client and this behaviour could be prevented by setting a registry value. Set this value, make an image afterwards and you will be able to restore the image as often you want or need without to leave the domain.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Netlogon\Parameters]
"DisablePasswordChange"=dword:00000001

Set it by command line
reg ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Netlogon\Parameters /v DisablePasswordChange /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Have a nice day

Michael

Windows knowhow

Windows Vista: Cannot install Service Pack 2

March 26, 2013 Michael Albert Leave a comment

Hello,

a customer had the problem that he couldn’t install the Windows Vista Service Pack 2 on his Laptop. Service Pack 1 seems to be installed, but the Service Pack 2 Setup says it isn’t.

Service Pack 2 Setup do not recognize Service Pack 1

I processed a query by using the WMI Command line tool and filtered for Service pack 1 (Hotfixnumber KB936330).
wmic qfe|findstr /I 936330
But in the list of installed hotfixes KB936330 is not listed. WinVer.exe reports a Vista with Service Pack 1 installed.

Continue reading Windows Vista: Cannot install Service Pack 2 →

VMware

VMware: Cannot connect from vCenter Webclient to VDP Appliance

March 26, 2013 Michael Albert Leave a comment

Hi,

the license of VMware vSphere 5.1 includes the diskbased Backup Solution VDP(vSphere Data Protection). So I’ve decited to try the appliance (Version 5.1 Timestamp 2012-10-02) whether these meets our requirements.

Before I started, I ensured that

The DNS forward and reverse resolution of the choosen name and IP address is possible.
The User, who manage the backup, have vCenter Administrator rights.
all prerequisites are fulfilled

Downloading and installing of the appliance works as expected. The Appliance is properly registered in the vSphere Webclient but I can’t start the VDP Frontend within.

Error: Could not connect to the requested VDP appliance. Would you like to be directed to the VDP configuration screen to throubleshoot the issue.

But whats wrong? I’m currently logged on to the Webclient with my Domain Login. When I’m using SSO Administrator admin@system-domain Login the VDP Frontends starts,
also another Domain Login can connect. Something in the chain Windows Domain, Single Sign On, vCenter and VDP Appliance fails.
Continue reading VMware: Cannot connect from vCenter Webclient to VDP Appliance →

Windows Scripts

Windows: Script to get the NetBIOS Name of an Active Directory Domain

March 25, 2013 Michael Albert Leave a comment

Hi,

just a short post :-). A powershell script to get the NetBIOS Name of an Active Directory Domain


###############################################################################
# Gets the NetBIOS Domain
# Author Michael Albert michlstechblog.info
# License: GPL v2
###############################################################################
[reflection.assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("System.DirectoryServices.Protocols")|Out-Null

if($args.count -ne 1){
    Write-Warning " Start script with fqdn as parameter"
    Write-Warning (" for example: "+$myInvocation.myCommand.name+" yourdomain.com")
    exit 1
}
$sDomainName=$args[0]
# Get AD Root
$oRootDSE = [ADSI]"LDAP://RootDSE"
$sConfig = $oRootDSE.Get("configurationNamingContext")
# AD Object AD Root
$oADSearchRoot=New-object System.DirectoryServices.DirectoryEntry("LDAP://CN=Partitions," + $sConfig)
# Search for Netbiosname of the specified domain
$sSearchString="(&(objectclass=Crossref)(dnsRoot="+$sDomainName+")(netBIOSName=*))"
$oSearch=New-Object directoryservices.DirectorySearcher($oADSearchRoot,$sSearchString)
$sNetBIOSName=($oSearch.FindOne()).Properties["netbiosname"]
# Print out
Write-Host "Domain NetBIOS Name:" $sNetBIOSName

Have fun :-)!