Sunday, February 19, 2012

Windows Server 2008 Server Core Basic Networking Settings


Like any other server, Server Core machines must be properly configured to be able to communicate on your network. Some of these settings include:
  • Configuring an IP address
  • Configuring an administrator's password
  • Configuring a server name
  • Enabling remote MMC snap-in management
  • Enabling remote RDP connections
  • Enabling remote Windows Firewall management
  • Enabling remote shell management
  • Activating the server
  • Joining a domain
  • Configuring Windows Updates
  • Configuring error reporting
  • Adding server roles and features
And other tasks.
Before you start, you need to configure the server's IP address.
To set the server with a static IP address
  1. At a command prompt, type the following:
netsh interface ipv4 show interfaces
  1. Look at the number shown in the Idx column of the output for your network adapter. If your computer has more than one network adapter, make a note of the number corresponding to the network adapter for which you wish to set a static IP address.
  2. At the command prompt, type:
netsh interface ipv4 set address name="" source=static address= mask= gateway=
Where:
    • ID is the number from step 2 above
    • StaticIP is the static IP address that you are setting
    • SubnetMask is the subnet mask for the IP address
    • DefaultGateway is the default gateway
  1. At the command prompt, type:
netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name="" address= index=1
Where:
    • ID is the number from step 2 above
    • DNSIP is the IP address of your DNS server
  1. Repeat step 4 for each DNS server that you want to set, incrementing the index= number each time.
  2. Verify by typing ipconfig /all and checking that all the addresses are correct.
To set the administrative password in Windows Server 2008
  1. At a command prompt, type the following:
net user administrator *
  1. When prompted to enter the password, type the new password for the administrator user account and press ENTER.
  2. When prompted, retype the password and press ENTER.
Next, you might want to change the computer's name, as the default name is a random-generated name (unless configured through an answer file)
To change the name of the server
  1. Determine the current name of the server with the hostname or ipconfig /all commands.
  2. At a command prompt, type:
netdom renamecomputer  /NewName:
  1. Restart the computer by typing the following at a command prompt:
shutdown /r /t 0
To manage a server running a Server Core installation by using the Windows Remote Shell
  1. To enable Windows Remote Shell on a server running a Server Core installation, type the following command at a command prompt:
WinRM quickconfig
  1. Click Y to accept the default settings. Note: The WinRM quickconfig setting enables a server running a Server Core installation to accept Windows Remote Shell connections.
  2. 3. On the remote computer, at a command prompt, use WinRS.exe to run commands on a server running a Server Core installation. For example, to perform a directory listing of the Windows folder, type:
winrs -r: cmd
Where ServerName is the name of the server running a Server Core installation.
  1. You can now type any command that you require, it will be executed on the remote computer.
To activate the server
  1. At a command prompt, type:
slmgr.vbs –ato
If activation is successful, no message will return in the command prompt.
To activate the server remotely
  1. At a command prompt, type:
cscript slmgr.vbs -ato
  1. Retrieve the GUID of the computer by typing:
cscript slmgr.vbs -did
  1. Type
cscript slmgr.vbs -dli
  1. Verify that License status is set to Licensed (activated).
To join a Windows 2008 server to a domain
  1. At a command prompt, type:
netdom join  /domain: /userd: /passwordd:*
Where:
    • ComputerName is the name of the server that is running the Server Core installation.
    • DomainName is the name of the domain to join.
    • UserName is a domain user account with permission to join the domain.
Note: Entering * as the password means you will be prompted to enter it on the command prompt window in the next step. You can enter it in the initial command, if you wish to. Note: Note that the word "passwordd" has 2 d's in it…
  1. When prompted to enter the password, type the password for the domain user account specified by UserName.
  2. Restart the computer by typing the following at a command prompt:
shutdown /r /t 0
To remove the Windows 2008 server from a domain
  1. At a command prompt, type:
netdom remove
  1. Reboot the computer.
To configure automatic updates
  1. To enable automatic updates, type:
cscript C:'Windows'System32'Scregedit.wsf /au 4
  1. To disable automatic updates, type:
cscript C:'Windows'System32'Scregedit.wsf /au 1
BTW, in order to view your current settings you can type:
cscript C:'Windows'System32'Scregedit.wsf /au /v
To configure error reporting
  1. To verify the current setting, type:
serverWerOptin /query
  1. To automatically send detailed reports, type:
serverWerOptin /detailed
  1. To automatically send summary reports, type:
serverWerOptin /summary
  1. To disable error reporting, type:
serverWerOptin /disable
Windows Server 2008 Core machines need to be properly configured for communication across your network. While most of the Server Core settings need to be configured via the local Command Prompt, some settings can also be configured remotely.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Desktop Support Interview questions with answers Part -1


Interview Questions
===================

A) Tell me something about yourself.
Tell about your education, place you belong to, some struggle in life which shows that you have positive attitude and will to fight the odds.

B) Technical Questions:

1) What is Active Directory?
A central component of the Windows platform, Active Directory directory service provides the means to manage the identities and relationships that make up network environments. For example we can create, manage and administor users, computers and printers in the network from active directory.


2) What is DNS? Why it is used? What is "forward lookup" and "reverse lookup" in DNS? What are A records and mx records?
DNS is domain naming service and is used for resolving names to IP address and IP addresses to names. The computer understands only numbers while we can easily remember names. So to make it easier for us what we do is we assign names to computers and websites. When we use these names (Like yahoo.com) the computer uses DNS to convert to IP address (number) and it executes our request.
Forward lookup: Converting names to IP address is called forward lookup.
Reverse lookup: Resolving IP address to names is called reverse lookup.
'A' record: Its called host record and it has the mapping of a name to IP address. This is the record in DNS with the help of which DNS can find out the IP address of a name.
'MX' Record: its called mail exchanger record. Its the record needed to locate the mail servers in the network. This record is also found in DNS.


3) What id DHCP? Why it is used? What are scopes and super scopes? DHCP: Dynamic host configuration protocol. Its used to allocate IP addresses to large number of PCs in a network environment. This makes the IP management very easy.
Scope: Scope contains IP address like subnet mask, gateway IP, DNS server IP and exclusion range which a client can use to communicate with the other PCs in the network.
Superscope: When we combine two or more scopes together its called super scope.


4) What are the types of LAN cables used? What is a cross cable?
Types of LAN cables that are in use are "Cat 5" and "Cat 6". "Cat 5" can support 100 Mbps of speed and "CAT 6" can support 1Gbps of speed.
Cross cable: Its used to connect same type of devices without using a switch/hub so that they can communicate.


5) What is the difference between a normal LAN cable and cross cable? What could be the maximum length of the LAN cable?
The way the paired wires are connected to the connector (RJ45) is different in cross cable and normal LAN cable.
The theoritical length is 100 meters but after 80 meters you may see drop in speed due to loss of signal.


6) What would you use to connect two computers without using switches? Cross cable. 7) What is IPCONFIG command? Why it is used?
IPCONFIG command is used to display the IP information assigned to a computer. Fromthe output we can find out the IP address, DNS IP address, gateway IP address assigned to that computer.


8) What is APIPA IP address? Or what IP address is assigned to the computer when the DHCP server is not available?
When DHCP server is not available the Windows client computer assignes an automatic IP address to itself so that it can communicate with the network cmputers. This ip address is called APIPA. ITs in the range of 169.254.X.X.
APIPA stands for Automatic private IP addressing. Its in the range of 169.254.X.X.


9) What is a DOMAIN? What is the difference between a domain and a workgroup? Domain is created when we install Active Directory. It's a security boundary which is used to manage computers inside the boundary. Domain can be used to centrally administor computers and we can govern them using common policies called group policies.
We can't do the same with workgroup.


10) Do you know how to configure outlook 2000 and outlook 2003 for a user?
Please visit the link below to find out how to configure outlook 2000 and outlook 2003.http://www.it.cmich.edu/quickguides/qg_outlook2003_server.asp


11) What is a PST file and what is the difference between a PST file and OST file? What file is used by outlook express?
PST file is used to store the mails locally when using outlook 2000 or 2003. OST file is used when we use outlook in cached exchanged mode. Outlook express useds odb file.


12) What is BSOD? What do you do when you get blue screen in a computer? How do you troubleshoot it?
BSOD stands for blue screen of Death. when there is a hardware or OS fault due to which the windows OS can run it give a blue screen with a code. Best way to resolve it is to boot the computer is "LAst known good configuration". If this doesn't work than boot the computer in safe mode. If it boots up than the problemis with one of the devices or drivers.


13) What is RIS? What is Imaging/ghosting?
RIS stands for remote installation services. You save the installed image on a windows server and then we use RIS to install the configured on in the new hardware. We can use it to deploy both server and client OS. Imaging or ghosting also does the same job of capturing an installed image and then install it on a new hardware when there is a need. We go for RIS or iamging/ghosting because installing OS everytime using a CD can be a very time consuming task. So to save that time we can go for RIS/Ghosting/imaging.


14) What is VPN and how to configure it?
VPN stands for Virtual private network. VPN is used to connect to the corporate network to access the resources like mail and files in the LAN. VPN can be configured using the stepsmentioned in the KB: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305550

15) Your computer slowly drops out of network. A reboot of the computer fixes the problem. What to do to resolve this issue?
Update the network card driver.


16) Your system is infected with Virus? How to recover the data?
Install another system. Insall the OS with the lates pathces, Antivirus with latest updates. Connect the infected HDD as secondary drive in the system. Once done scan and clean the secondary HDD. Once done copy the files to the new system.


17) How to join a system to the domain? What type of user can add a system to the domain?
Please visit the article below and read "Adding the Workstation to the Domain"
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/technologies/directory/activedirectory/stepbystep/domxppro.mspx

18) What is the difference between a switch and a hub?
Switch sends the traffic to the port to which its meant for. Hub sends the traffic to all the ports.


19) What is a router? Why we use it?
Router is a switch which uses routing protocols to process and send the traffic. It also receives the traffic and sends it across but it uses the routing protocols to do so.


20) What are manageable and non manageable switches?
Switches which can be administered are called manageable switches. For example we can create VLAN for on such switch. On no manageable switches we can't do so.

Windows Server 2008 Edition Feature Differences

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Windows Server 2008 Command Lines for Administrative Consoles


I’m always of fan of shortcuts and the Windows Server 2008 Administrator's Companionfrom Microsoft Press has a complete list of the command line shortcuts for starting Administrative Consoles for Server 2008.  There are plenty of other goodies in this book so make sure you take a look at getting this one. 
Command LineConsole Name
AdRmsAdmin.msc   Active Directory Rights Management Services
Adsiedit.msc   ADSI Edit
Azman.mscAuthorization Manager
Certmgr.mscCertmgr (Certificates)
Certtmpl.mscCertificates Template Console
CluAdmin.mscFailover Cluster Management
Comexp.mscComponent Services
Compmgmt.mscComputer Management
Devmgmt.mscDevice Manager
Dfsmgmt.mscDFS Management
Dhcpmgmt.mscDHCP Manager
Diskmgmt.mscDisk Management
Dnsmgmt.mscDNS Manager
Domain.mscActive Directory Domains And Trusts
Dsa.mscActive Directory Users And Computers
Dssite.mscActive Directory Sites And Services
Eventvwr.mscEvent Viewer
Fsmgmt.mscShared Folders
Fsrm.mscFile Server Resource Manager
Fxsadmin.mscMicrosoft Fax Service Manager
Gpedit.mscLocal Group Policy Editor
Lusrmgr.mscLocal Users And Groups
Napclcfg.mscNAP Client Configuration
Nfsmgmt.mscServices For Network File System
Nps.mscNetwork Policy Server
Ocsp.mscOnline Responder
Perfmon.mscReliability And Performance Monitor
Pkiview.mscEnterprise PKI
Printmanagement.mscPrint Management
Remoteprograms.mscTS RemoteApp Management
Rsop.mscResultant Set of Policy
Secpol.mscLocal Security Policy
ServerManager.mscServer Manager
StorageMgmt.mscShare And Storage Management
Services.mscServices
StorExpl.mscStorage Explorer
Tapimgmt.mscTelephony
Taskschd.mscTask Scheduler
Tmp.mscTrusted Platform Module (TPM) Management
Tsadmin.mscTerminal Services Management
Tsconfig.mscTerminal Services Configuration
Tsgateway.mscTS Gateway Manager
Tsmmc.mscRemote Desktops
Uddi.mscUDDI Services Console
Wbadmin.mscWindows Server Backup
Wdsmgmt.mscWindows Deployment Services
Winsmgmt.mscWINS Manager
WmiMgmt.mscWMI Control