While it is not recommended (mostly due to security reasons), SQL can be run on a Domain Controller. But the following 2 points have to be considered:
The order is important: SQL can be installed on a DC. But a SQL server cannot be made a DC. So: DC first, then SQL
You cannot use the following 3 accounts for the SQL service:
Local Service, Network Service, MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS
Although I used these guidelines, it did not work for me. Near the end of the install, when the SQL service is started Read more [...]
As I have already written here, Microsoft released a lot of unwanted updates for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1 recently to promote the update to Windows 10.
Now they want to get more data out of your system. By releasing a couple of "Telemetry" updates, they hope to get the same data from you as they get with Windows 10. In addition, these updates slow down your machine and use disk space. Here is the list you need to uninstall
KB3022345
KB3068708 - Replaces KB3022345
KB3075249
KB3080149
To Read more [...]
On Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1, you might recently have got the update KB3035583. It installs folders and functions to promote the launch of Windows 10 and of course, it calls home to do that.
See more details in this article.
Luckily, you can un-install this update, or, if you have not installed it already, hide it in the "recommended updates" screen.
If you are on Windows 7 and don't plan to upgrade to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 you can also uninstall:
KB2952664
KB2990214
KB3068708 Read more [...]
All 5 FSMO roles of Active Directory can be moved via script, but lets see how it works via GUI (MMC):
RID Master, Infrastructure Master, and PDC Emulator
Login to the target DC via RDP
Open "AD Users and Computers"
Right-click the Domain and choose "Operations Masters..."
Choose the appropriate tab
Click "Change..."
Click "Yes" to confirm
Schema Master
Make sure you are member of the "Schema Admins" group. Being in the "Enterprise Admins" group is not enough!
Login Read more [...]
Have you ever tried to configure something on a windows system as Administrator and still got a permission denied?
While the Administrator is powerful, he still can't do everything. There is an account that is even more powerful, it is called SYSTEM. So how could you run something as SYSTEM? Here is how:
Start a command prompt as Administrator
From Sysinternals, download psexec.exe and put it on the C: drive
In the command prompt, navigate to the directory with psexec.exe
Run "psexec.exe Read more [...]
How do you restart the terminal services service? In MMC (services.msc), it is greyed out. It would be handy to be able to do it if you don’t want to restart the whole server.
The official word from Microsoft is: “The Terminal Services service is an integrated part of the core OS in Windows, that’s why it can’t be stopped or restarted as most other services (it is grayed out).”
The following procedure does the trick:
Open a command prompt
Type in: tasklist /svc /fi “imagename Read more [...]
Sometimes it is faster to access Control Panel items via command line than clicking and searching in the UI. To use a command, just press <Windows-Key>-R, which will open the Run window. Then just type the command and press <Enter>.
For the .cpl files, the "control" command can even be left out, so that is even less to type.
Control Panel Applet
Command
OS
Accessibility Options
control access.cpl
XP
Action Center
control /name Microsoft.ActionCenter
8, 7
control Read more [...]
Sometimes it is convenient to cleanup some disk space by deleting unneeded files like service pack files, the temporary folder an so on. On Windows 7 workstation, you have the Disk Cleanup Utility to do this:
By default, this tool is not enabled on Windows Server 2008 R2. To enable it, there are two possibilities:
(Not recommended) Install the Desktop Experience feature. I don’t recommend this as installing the Desktop Experience feature will not only install Disk Cleanup, but Read more [...]
When I updated my Windows 2008 R2 Servers to SP1 via Remote Desktop I lost my RDP session when the machines reboot (which is normal). But after they are up and running again, when I try to connect via Remote Desktop, they cancel my connection.
After some research I found that this happens if you install the Security Hotfix 2667402 before SP1. From the KB, under the “Known Issues” section:
After you install security update 2667402 on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 Read more [...]
Many people prefer Google over Bing. But Internet Explorer just comes with Bing by default. You used to be able to add Google easily by choosing “Find more search providers …” within the Add-on page in Internet Explorer. But due to a recent change from Microsoft, you will now be presented with a page that contains all sorts of providers, but not Google: To solve this issue, just add the following keys to your registry, and Google will be there, including search suggestions and everything: Read more [...]
