IT Knowledge Base

In Windows XP you could simply login as administrator and rename the profile folder. As soon as logged back in as this user everything was recreated. In Windows 7 and Vista it doesn’t work like this anymore. If you just delete or rename the profile folder and you try to log back in it is going to create you a temporary profile. To avoid that you need to open the registry.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

Search there for the profile you renamed or deleted and delete the folder. Reboot the computer and it should work again.

It is actually very easy to get Windows 7 GPO Settings on a Windows 2008 Server. You just need to copy the %systemroot%\PolicyDefinitions from your Windows 7 machine into \\YOURSERVER\C$\Windows\SYSVOL\YOURDOMAIN\Policies\PolicyDefinitions on your server. After that you start your policy editor and you will find it under the section administrative templates.

You know the problem after a fresh windows installation. First you need to do all the windows updates and this takes some time to do it manually. This is the reason why I developed this script. I actually developed it for a packet manager called enteo but it can also be used without it.

Just download it and read the readme file carefully.

It is written in vbscript and can be easily adjusted to your packet manager. Use of course at your own risk!

PSWUInstaller100 4kb

1. Create a local user like Template
2. Login as this user and make all your adjustments
3. Best Restart your Computer
4. Login as Domain Administrator
5. Set your Explorer up so you can see all Hidden Files and Folder and System Files
6. Rename C:\Users\Default User in C:\Users\Default User Old
7. Rename your new Profile C:\Users\Template into C:\Users\Default User
8. Go to the Computer Settings [Windows Key+Break]
9. Go to the Users Profile and choose your Default User
10. Then click on Copy To and don’t forget to set the permissions to everybody 
11. IMPORTANT: Copy the file into %logonserver%\netlogon\Default User.v2 
      Don’t forget to put .v2 or you would just generate a profile for XP.

1. Delete all Snapshots or you can’t resize the disk
2. Shutdown Guest System
3. Go into Guest Properties and increase the disk size
4. Start Guest System
5. Create a Snapshot again

Windows Server Resize Partition
1. Download and install Diskpart from the Microsoft Webpage
2. Go into Command Console
3. Type: Diskpart
> LIST DISK
> SELECT DISK 0 [replace number with the disk you want to extend]
> LIST VOLUME
> SELECT VOLUME 1 [replace number with volume you want to extend]
> extend

Windows XP Resize Partition
Unfortunately Diskpart didn’t work for my Windows XP Version even it suppose to be supported. Anyway after try and error I found a good open source Partition Manager like Partition Magic.  It is called GParted and It is based on Linux and does a great job. You can get it here: http://gparted.sourceforge.net/

Command Prompt Command:
> Vssadmin List Providers

In the registry you will find them here:
HK\LM\System\Currentcontrolset\services\VSS\Providers

I had some trouble with our Backup System today and noticed that that another VSS was installed. After removing the Acronis Registy entry it worked like a charm.

Open Command Console and type:
nslookup
set type=mx
google.com

wuauclt /detectnow

Today I want to introduce to you a great tool with which you can make disk images during the time your OS is running. It is just about 250 KB big and you don’t even need to install it. It’s a dream. It belongs to all administrators pocket.

The name of the program is snapshot and can be downloaded here:
http://www.drivesnapshot.de/

If you believe or not I we still use Windows 2000 Server in our environment and today I faced the famous 128 GByte problem. Windows 2000 until Service Pack 2 just detects maximal 128 Gbyte HD Space. To solve this you need to make changes to the registry.

Go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Atapi\Parameters

Create a DWORD key:
EnableBigLba

Set value to:
1