Category Archives: Windows knowhow

Howto do some things in Windows

Windows: Installing a language pack

Hi,

if your Windows installation should support multiple langauges you can install some Windows language pack.

Language packs, formerly known as MUI, are installable on Windows 7 Enterprise and ultimate and Windows 8/8.1.

The Download locations for individual language packs are:
Windows 7
Windows 8

Or, if you have a MSDN account, download the Language Pack DVD with the whole compilation.

Install the language pack in batch mode with the following command line, for example the german one:

C:\>dism.exe /online /add-package /packagepath:D:\langpacks\de-de\lp.cab

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7600.16385

Image Version: 6.1.7600.16385

Processing 1 of 1 - Adding package Microsoft-Windows-Client-Refresh-LanguagePack-Package~31bf38....

[==================         32.7%                          ]

reboot the system after installation.

Check for installed languages

C:\Windows\system32>dism /online /Get-intl

Reporting online international settings.

Default system UI language : en-US
System locale : de-DE

Default time zone : W. Europe Standard Time
Active keyboard(s) : 0407:00000407, 0409:00000409
Keyboard layered driver : PC/AT Enhanced Keyboard (101/102-Key)

Installed language(s): de-DE
Type : Fully localized language.
Installed language(s): en-US
Type : Fully localized language.

The operation completed successfully.

Now you change the UI from command line language by  intlcfg.exe, which is included in the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) or form the Regional Settings Control Panel intl.cpl.

 

To installing the language pack by GUI start:

lpksetup.exe

by selecting language lp.cab file.

Language Pack GUI
Language Pack GUI

Michael

Windows: Powershell script to fix and repair WMI

Hi,

this script repairs and recreates the WMI Repository of a Windows. For example, this occurs sometimes if you clone a Windows machine with an installed SCCM/SMS Client. The typical error in this case is “Failed to open to WMI namespace ‘\\.\root\CCM\SoftwareUpdates\DeploymentAgent’ (8007045b)”

Lasts start. Start a Powershell console as Administrator. Stop all services. Sometimes other services depends on the WMI Service and does not accept a stop request. Therefore you cannot stop the WMI service. TrendMicro Office is such a service. You have to kill them by TaskManager.

# Stop WMI
# Only if SCCM/SMS Client is installed. Stop ccmexec.
Stop-Service -Force ccmexec -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Stop-Service -Force winmgmt

(Re)Register WMI binary components

[String[]]$aWMIBinaries=@("unsecapp.exe","wmiadap.exe","wmiapsrv.exe","wmiprvse.exe","scrcons.exe")
foreach ($sWMIPath in @(($ENV:SystemRoot+"\System32\wbem"),($ENV:SystemRoot+"\SysWOW64\wbem"))){
	if(Test-Path -Path $sWMIPath){
		push-Location $sWMIPath
		foreach($sBin in $aWMIBinaries){
			if(Test-Path -Path $sBin){
				$oCurrentBin=Get-Item -Path  $sBin
				Write-Host " Register $sBin"
				& $oCurrentBin.FullName /RegServer
			}
			else{
				# Warning only for System32
				if($sWMIPath -eq $ENV:SystemRoot+"\System32\wbem"){
					Write-Warning "File $sBin not found!"
				}
			}
		}
		Pop-Location
	}
}

Reregister WMI Managed Objects
Continue reading Windows: Powershell script to fix and repair WMI

Windows: Change the Volume Serial Number of a partition or volume

Hi,

for some migration scenarios it is nesseccary to set Volume Serial Number of a partition or volume. For example when you move  a license manager to a new hardware and the licenses are bound to the disk serial.
Continue reading Windows: Change the Volume Serial Number of a partition or volume

Windows: Writing a new MBR an a USB Drive to boot Windows PE

Hi,

booting operating systems, such as linux live systems or Windows PE based installations (Windows Vista,7,8),  from a USB Drive or Stick is a nice featured.

Unfortunately each writes it own boot code to the MBR (Master boot record). The boot code of Windows PE 2 and later  loads \BOOTMGR, linux is usually loaded with \syslinux.

Well known linux installers like TUXBOOT, the Universal-USB-Installer or UNetBootin do updating the MBR by installing the syslinux bootloader.

To get the  Windows PE MBR back without formating the stick, do the following steps.
Continue reading Windows: Writing a new MBR an a USB Drive to boot Windows PE

Windows: Read the IP Address of a BMC Board

Most of the Serversystems have a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) integrated for maintenace and management tasks.

Typical functions are, indepentend from the running operating system:

  • Shutdown and reboot
  • Switch Power On and Off
  • KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) redirection
  • Hardware monitoring
  • USB redirection, connect the local DVD Drive to the Server over a LAN connection
  • and much more…

Usually, the BMC has its own LAN Interface and therefore an own IP Address.
Continue reading Windows: Read the IP Address of a BMC Board