Category: Server 2012

Shutdown switches

Ever wondered what shutdown commandline switches you can use?

Parameters

  • -l : Logs off the current user, this is also the defualt. -m ComputerName takes precedence.
  • -s : Shuts down the local computer.
  • -r : Reboots after shutdown.
  • -a : Aborts shutdown. Ignores other parameters, except -l and ComputerName. You can only use -a during the time-out period.
  • -f : Forces running applications to close.
  • -m [\ComputerName] : Specifies the computer that you want to shut down.
  • -t xx : Sets the timer for system shutdown in xx seconds. The default is 20 seconds.
  • -c “message“ : Specifies a message to be displayed in the Message area of the System Shutdown window. You can use a maximum of 127 characters. You must enclose the message in quotation marks.
  • -d [u][p]:xx:yy : Lists the reason code for the shutdown. The following table lists the different values.
Value Description
u Indicates a user code.
p Indicates a planned shutdown code.
xx Specifies the major reason code (0-255).
yy Specifies the minor reason code (0-65536).

View this article for all the options and more information.

ethernet adapter is already bound to the microsoft virtual switch protocol

hyper-v_logoWhen I was reinstalling one of my home lab server with Server 2012 (overdue for months now…) I can across the following error when I tried to configure my virtual switch.

external ethernet adapter is already bound to the microsoft virtual switch protocol

After a quick google search I came across a MS support article which described this error to a T.

You need to download the NVSPBind tool seperately from the MSDN website here. After opening the command prompt (in elavated administrator) I ran this command:

nvspbind /u “Friendly NIC Name”

When this was finished I was able to configure the virtual switch to connect to my external NIC.

Shadow a session on Server 2012

On previous versions of Server 2012 (i.e. 2008 (r2)) RDS it was possible to shadow your connected users. However with the new release of Server 2012 this feature has been stripped away from the RDS role. The new way of remotely viewing a user session will only be through Remote Assistance. This feature was already shipped with 2008 (r2) but is now the sole way of remotely view assisting your users. You can easilty add the Remote Assistance feature through the Server Manager console or via PoSH of you want to script the installation.

Remote Server Administration tools for Windows 8 & Server 2012

Microsoft has released the new version of their Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 includes Server Manager, Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-ins, consoles, Windows PowerShell cmdlets and providers, and command-line tools for managing roles and features that run on Windows Server 2012.  In limited cases, the tools can be used to manage roles and features that are running on Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2008. Some of the tools work for managing roles and features on Windows Server 2003.

You can download the tools here.

HP guide to install Server 2012 on their hardware

HP has released a small PDF which helps you to install and configure Server 2012 on HP hardware.

Read or download the PDF here.

A grab of the document:

This paper identifies the HP ProLiant servers and ProLiant server platform options that we support with Microsoft Windows Server 2012 and provides information that can assist you during your OS installation1. The information applies to both Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Datacenter Edition and Microsoft Windows Server Standard Edition. Their differences in virtualization support make them appropriate for different environments:

• Windows Server 2012 Datacenter Edition provides unlimited virtual instances, making it ideal for highly virtualized private and hybrid cloud environments.

• Windows Server 2012 Standard Edition provides two virtual instances, making it ideal for low density or non-virtualized environments.

 

This paper addresses the following key topics:

• Recommended system configurations

• Supported HP ProLiant servers

• Supported ProLiant server platform options, including:

Software and drivers

Storage options

NICs

• Procedures for a new installation

• Known issues and workarounds

 

Windows Server 2012 available for download (TechNet plus subscribers)

Today Microsoft announced the general availability of Windows Server 2012.

Enabling the Modern Datacenter

Microsoft built Windows Server 2012 from the cloud up, applying its experience operating global datacenters that rely on hundreds of thousands of servers to deliver more than 200 cloud services. Windows Server 2012 expands the definition of a server operating system, with significant new advancements in virtualization, storage, networking and automation. Hundreds of new features can help customers achieve a transformational leap in the speed, scale and power of their datacenters and applications. In combination with Windows Azure and System Center, Windows Server 2012 empowers customers to manage and deliver applications and services across private, hosted and public clouds.

For those that are TechNet or MSDN subscribers, Windows Server 2012 is now available for download. If you don’t have a subscription you can download the Windows Server 2012 Trial Evaluation.

This Microsoft Server 2012 website is always a good starting point for overview information. Download the data sheet, downloads and case studies.

If you are looking for more technical info check out the http://technet.microsoft.com/windowsserver tech center.

Update for Windows 7 & Windows Server 2008 R2 KMS hosts to support Windows 8 & Windows Server 2012

This update extends the Key Management Service (KMS) for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 to allow enterprise licensing of Windows 8 and of Windows Server 2012.
KMS provides support for the following KMS client activations:

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
  • Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2)
  • Windows 8
  • Windows Server 2012
  • Windows 7 and Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
  • Windows Vista and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Key Management Service (KMS) uses a KMS host key to activate KMS on a KMS host, and to establish a local activation service in your environment. This update extends support for KMS to provide activation for Windows 8 and for Windows Server 2012.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.
If the hotfix is available for download, there is a “Hotfix download available” section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.
NoteIf additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, go to the following Microsoft website: Continue reading “Update for Windows 7 & Windows Server 2008 R2 KMS hosts to support Windows 8 & Windows Server 2012”

Interpreting Replication Health

In Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate, Hyper-V administrators can monitor the ‘health’ of the replicating VMs using the Replication Health attribute. This property allows administrators to answer common questions such as:

  • When did the primary and replica VMs last synchronize?
  • What is the average size of the replica file?
  • Were there any errors encountered during replication which requires your attention? etc.

The two-part FAQ post explains the concept of Replication Health and provides guidance on how to interpret the attribute values.

Part 1

Part 2