Thursday, November 22, 2012


Volume Keys:

Windows 8 Professional: NG4HW-VH26C-733KW-K6F98-J8CK4
Windows 8 Professional N: XCVCF-2NXM9-723PB-MHCB7-2RYQQ
Windows 8 Enterprise: 32JNW-9KQ84-P47T8-D8GGY-CWCK7
Windows 8 Enterprise N: JMNMF-RHW7P-DMY6X-RF3DR-X2BQT
Windows Server 2012 Core: BN3D2-R7TKB-3YPBD-8DRP2-27GG4
Windows Server 2012 Core N: 8N2M2-HWPGY-7PGT9-HGDD8-GVGGY
Windows Server 2012 Core Single Language: 2WN2H-YGCQR-KFX6K-CD6TF-84YXQ
Windows Server 2012 Core Country Specific: 4K36P-JN4VD-GDC6V-KDT89-DYFKP
Windows Server 2012 Server Standard: XC9B7-NBPP2-83J2H-RHMBY-92BT4
Windows Server 2012 Standard Core: XC9B7-NBPP2-83J2H-RHMBY-92BT4
Windows Server 2012 MultiPoint Standard: HM7DN-YVMH3-46JC3-XYTG7-CYQJJ
Windows Server 2012 MultiPoint Premium: XNH6W-2V9GX-RGJ4K-Y8X6F-QGJ2G
Windows Server 2012 Datacenter: 48HP8-DN98B-MYWDG-T2DCC-8W83P
Windows Server 2012 Datacenter Core: 48HP8-DN98B-MYWDG-T2DCC-8W83P

Thursday, November 8, 2012

WINDOWS SERIAL KEYS


Windows 8 Professional: NG4HW-VH26C-733KW-K6F98-J8CK4
Windows 8 Professional N: XCVCF-2NXM9-723PB-MHCB7-2RYQQ
Windows 8 Enterprise: 32JNW-9KQ84-P47T8-D8GGY-CWCK7
Windows 8 Enterprise N: JMNMF-RHW7P-DMY6X-RF3DR-X2BQT
Windows Server 2012 Core: BN3D2-R7TKB-3YPBD-8DRP2-27GG4
Windows Server 2012 Core N: 8N2M2-HWPGY-7PGT9-HGDD8-GVGGY
Windows Server 2012 Core Single Language: 2WN2H-YGCQR-KFX6K-CD6TF-84YXQ
Windows Server 2012 Core Country Specific: 4K36P-JN4VD-GDC6V-KDT89-DYFKP
Windows Server 2012 Server Standard: XC9B7-NBPP2-83J2H-RHMBY-92BT4
Windows Server 2012 Standard Core: XC9B7-NBPP2-83J2H-RHMBY-92BT4
Windows Server 2012 MultiPoint Standard: HM7DN-YVMH3-46JC3-XYTG7-CYQJJ
Windows Server 2012 MultiPoint Premium: XNH6W-2V9GX-RGJ4K-Y8X6F-QGJ2G
Windows Server 2012 Datacenter: 48HP8-DN98B-MYWDG-T2DCC-8W83P
Windows Server 2012 Datacenter Core: 48HP8-DN98B-MYWDG-T2DCC-8W83P

Microsoft Download Center: Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows® 8


The Windows® Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) is a collection of tools that you can use to customize, assess, and deploy Windows operating systems to new computers.
Windows Deployment is for OEMs and IT professionals who customize and automate the large-scale installation of Windows, such as on a factory floor or across an organization. The Windows ADK supports this work with the deployment tools that were previously released as part of the OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK) and the Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) and include Windows Preinstallation Environment, Deployment Imaging, Servicing and Management, and Windows System Image Manager.
IT Professionals can use features in the Windows ADK to facilitate deployment of a new version of Windows. The Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) inventories applications used in your organization and identifies potential applications compatibility issues. With the User State Migration Tool (USMT), IT Professionals can migrate user data from existing Windows installations. Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT) enables IT professionals to Windows installations in their organization and manage the activation status of their PCs.
Assessments are for OEMs, IHVs, and IT professionals who measure the operational characteristics of a computer, including its performance, reliability, and functionality. Windows assessments are tools that help you make these measurements, diagnose problems, and determine how to make improvements. Windows assessments can help reduce costs by identifying potential issues as you create your hardware and software experiences. By using these tools, you can help ensure that the hardware and software that you develop are responsive and high-quality. 
Features available in the Windows ADK include:
• Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT)
The Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) helps IT Professionals understand potential application compatibility issues by identifying which applications are or are not compatible with the new versions of the Windows operating system. ACT helps to lower costs for application compatibility evaluation by providing an accurate inventory of the applications in your organization. ACT helps you to deploy Windows more quickly by helping to prioritize, test, and detect compatibility issues with your apps. By using ACT, you can become involved in the ACT Community and share your risk assessment with other ACT users. You can also test your web applications and web sites for compatibility with new releases of Internet Explorer. For more information, see Application Compatibility Toolkit.
• Deployment Tools
Deployment tools enable you to customize, manage, and deploy Windows images. Deployment tools can be used to automate Windows deployments, removing the need for user interaction during Windows setup. Tools included with this feature are Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management (DISM) command line tool, DISM PowerShell cmdlets, DISM API, Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM), and OSCDIMG. For more information, see Deployment Tools.
• User State Migration Tool (USMT)
USMT is a scriptable command line tool that IT Professionals can use to migrate user data from a previous Windows installation to a new Windows installation. By using USMT, you can create a customized migration framework that copies the user data you select and excludes any data that does not need to be migrated. Tools included with the feature are ScanState, Loadstate, and USMTUtils command line tools. For more information, see User State Migration Tool.
• Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT)
The Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT) enables IT professionals to automate and centrally manage the activation of Windows, Windows Server, Windows ThinPC, Windows POSReady 7, select add-on product keys, and Office for computers in their organization. VAMT can manage volume activation using retail keys (or single activation keys), multiple activation keys (MAKs), or Windows Key Management Service (KMS) keys. For more information, see Volume Activation Management Tool.
• Windows Performance Toolkit (WPT)
Windows Performance Toolkit includes tools to record system events and analyze performance data in a graphical user interface. Tools available in this toolkit include Windows Performance Recorder, Windows Performance Analyzer, and Xperf. For more information, see Windows Performance Toolkit.
• Windows Assessment Toolkit
Tools to discover and run assessments on a single computer. Assessments are tasks that simulate user activity and examine the state of the computer. Assessments produce metrics for various aspects of the system, and provide recommendations for making improvements. For more information, see Windows Assessment Toolkit.
• Windows Assessment Services
Tools to remotely manage settings, computers, images, and assessments in a lab environment where Windows Assessment Services is installed. This application can run on any computer with access to the server that is running Windows Assessment Services. For more information, see Windows Assessment Services.
• Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE)
Minimal operating system designed to prepare a computer for installation and servicing of Windows. For more information, see Windows PE Technical Reference.
You can get more details on the download link…

Microsoft Connect: Security Compliance Manager 3.0 now available for beta download!


Security Compliance Manager 3.0 (SCM 3.0) is now available for download! SCM 3.0 is a free tool from the Microsoft Solution Accelerators team that enables you to quickly configure and manage both desktops and servers using Group Policy and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager. In addition to key features from the previous version, SCM 3.0 offers new Windows Server 2012, Windows 8, and Internet Explorer 10 baselines!image
Secure your environment with new product baselines for Windows Server 2012, Windows 8, and Internet Explorer 10. The latest version of SCM offers all the same great features as before, plus an enhanced setting library for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 2008 R2 and bug fixes. The updated setting library gives you the ability to further customize baselines, and also improves GPO Import feature affinity. SCM 3.0 provides a single location for creating, managing, analyzing, and customizing baselines to secure your environment quicker and more efficiently.
To learn more about the Security Compliance Manger tool, visit the TechNet Library.
SCM 3.0 provides ready-to-deploy policies and DCM configuration packs that are tested and fully supported. Our product baselines are based on Microsoft security guide recommendations and industry best practices, allowing you to manage configuration drift, address compliance requirements, and reduce security threats.
Easily configure Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office applications, and Internet Explorer with industry leading knowledge and fully supported tools.
Next steps:
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Join the SCM 3.0 beta. Click here to join the beta and get the latest version of the tool.

Running Domain Controllers in Hyper-V


Hyper-V™ is a key feature in Windows Server® 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 that you can use to consolidate different server roles onto a single physical computer.windows-server-2008-hyper-v-logo-v_2
Hyper-V is a hypervisor-based server technology that is optimized to provide virtualization of operating systems. Hyper-V supports a large variety of guest operating systems that can run concurrently on a single physical server. This guide specifically describes running domain controllers that use Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 on Hyper-V as guest operating systems. Hyper-V takes advantage of and requires a 64-bit architecture on the server’s operating system to provide improved performance and security. The guest operating systems can have either 32-bit architectures or 64-bit architectures.
With Hyper-V, you can install a Windows Server domain controller as a virtual machine alongside other application servers on a single physical Windows Server 2008 server. This can drastically reduce the number of physical computers in a datacenter, which in turn can reduce management and energy costs.


Free ebook: Introducing Windows 8: An Overview for IT Professionals (Preview Edition)


The Windows 8 oIntroducingWin8_for_ITProsperating system is the newest member of the Microsoft Windows family. It differs from earlier Windows releases as much for what it does not change as for what it does change. That is, the features that IT pros loved about Windows 7 are still there in Windows 8—just better. The same keyboard shortcuts, management tools, security features, and deployment options are available in Windows 8. But in many cases, Windows 8 improves them in intuitive and significant ways. Some examples are the ribbon in File Explorer and faster disk encryption when using BitLocker Drive Encryption. This book describes these enhancements plus many of the new features in Windows 8.
Please enjoy this preview edition that contains Chapters 1-11. We will update this post with a link to the final ebook when it is ready.
Download the PDF version of the book here: Introducing Windows 8: An Overview for IT Professionals - PDF ebook
If you prefer a hard copy of the final book, you can order it here for $14.99 from our official distributor, O’Reilly Media.

By Microsoft Press

Friday, November 2, 2012

Windows Server 2012: Install & Configure Windows Server 2012 using VHD Boot


Hi IT Professionals,
Often I receive lot of queries on evaluating Windows Server on their test environment or on some spare machines. Most of the times users want to carry a laptop to try/test evaluate Windows Server on their laptop. Well during our recent IT Camps, we delivered the same experience using Boot from VHD using Windows Server 2012. Attendees installed Windows Server 2012 on their sample machine and subsequently configured the demo machine to evaluate the features.
Note: I WOULD RECOMMEND EVERYONE TO TRY THIS ON NON-PRODUCTION TEST MACHINE. MAKE SURE YOU BACK UP ALL OF YOUR CRITICAL DATA BEFORE YOU BEGIN.
Minimum System Requirements
Windows Server 2012 Evaluation – http://aka.ms/ws2012rtm
1 GHz CPU supporting Intel-VT or AMD-V
DEP – NX/XD
SLAT – Optional
4 GB RAM
50 GB HDD on C: or D:
Windows Server 2012 RTM Evaluation DVD

NOTE: IN THIS SETUP PROCESS YOUR COMPUTERS’S BOOT LOADER WILL BE UPDATED USING WINDOWS SERVER 2012 INSTALLATION MEDIA.
For detailed System Required kindly visit http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj134246.aspx 

Insert Windows Server 2012 DVD & boot your computer from DVD. Press any key to boot from DVD. 
Please wait while Windows is loading the installation files…

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Once completed you will see the following Windows Setup dialog box. Click Next
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Click on Install Now button.

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Please wait while Setup is starting.
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Select Windows Server 2012 Datacenter Evaluation (Server with a GUI) x64 & Click Next
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Accept the Licensing terms & click Next
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Click on Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)
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On your keyboard press SHIFT+F10 key combination to invoke Command Prompt CMD.

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After pressing SHIFT+F10 you will a command prompt. CMD
!!IMPORTANT!! – DO THIS STEP IS CAREFULLY. Do not modify/delete System Reserved Partition.

NOTE: At this step we will create a 50 GB Dynamically Expanding VHD on C: or D:. Also, make sure that the physical partition has actual free space available because Dynamically expanding VHD gets mounted & occupies full space during VHD Boot.


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Note:  In the next screen this D: is actually your original C: Windows Partition (Windows 8, Windows 7 or 2008 R2) When you are running Windows 8/7/2008 R2, you cannot view hidden System Reserved partition. But in this case the C: is assigned to that System Reserved partition & subsequent partitions will be allocated the drive letter in the same series.  


Type the following command to create a new VHD on the D:

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Close the CMD & Click on Refresh to see a new 50 GB drive with unallocated space. Click on the Unallocated Space (Drive 1 in this e.g.) and click Next

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Please wait Windows Setup will installing the files on the disk. (It will take few minutes depending upon system performance) – You can grab a tea/coffee meanwhile

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After completion system will be restarted automatically.
Please wait while Windows is getting devices ready…It will take few minutes…
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A system will be restarted…


After a restart. You will see a DUAL Boot option. Choose Windows Server 2012& Press ENTER
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Please wait while Windows Server 2012 loads for the first time…

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On the Settings page, please enter an Administrator account password and click Finish

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Please while Windows is finalizing your settings… It will take few minutes…
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Congratulations. Your Windows Server 2012 Datacenter is now ready for Evaluation.

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Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to sign in. Enter your Administrator account password. E.g. Passw0rd!

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You are now logged on to Windows Server 2012 Datacenter with Full GUI. And it will launch Server Manager.

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This completes your Windows Server 2012 Datacenter installation using VHD Boot.

THANK YOU.

Windows 8: Enable .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)


I have been using Windows 8 for last few months. When Windows 8 CP released I installed CP & subsequently RP too. When I wanted to install some 3rd party application in my Windows 8 VM, I realized that these applications require .NET Framework 2.0 or 3.0 in few cases. Apparently my virtual machine does not have internet connection. Obviously the first step for us is to check the Program and Features to enable any available additional features in an Operating System. This is what you see in your Control Panel –>Program and Features. Click on Turn Windows features on or off.
Here you can see .NET Framework as a feature and by default the feature is disabled. You can enable this particular right away using this GUI Tool but in order to do that you need to be connected to internet i.e. Online Mode. Other way is using DISM Command and this can be done in an Offline Mode using Windows 8 installation media. Let’s see these 2 methods.
Method 1: When you are Online, connected to Internet.
In order to install the following window click on the .NET Framework 3.5 (included .NET 2.0 and 3.0) select it & click OK
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Now, it will download the entire package from the internet & install the .NET Framework feature.
Method 2: When you are Offline and not connected to Internet
If you open CMD.EXE with Administrative Privileges i.e. at elevated level & run the this DISM command dism /online /get-features you will see that from the State that .NET Framework is not part of the Operating System.
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So the first thing you need to do is to copy the required package to local machine before you run the command to install .NET Framework. To do that use Windows 8 ISO/DVD/USB Media. You need to copy SXS folder to local machine located at D:\sources\sxs (In this case D: your drive letter on which you have loaded Windows 8 Media)
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You can also use the following command to copy this folder locally. xcopy d:\sxs\*.* c:\sxs /s
Once completed, in order to install this feature you can run the following command dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFx3 /All /SourceC:\sxs /LimitAccess  and hit Enter
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After completing the installation of .NET Framework 3.5 you can see that the feature is enabled in the Control Panel –> Program and Features
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Bingo. Now you can enable .NET Framework feature on Windows 8 without needing of an internet connection.
Enjoy