I took me almost an hour to figure out how to use the -include parameter.

As from technet or the embedded help:

-include       Specifies the comma-delimited list of items to include in the
backup. You can include multiple volumes. Volume paths can be
specified using volume drive letters, volume mount points, or
GUID-based volume names. If you use a GUID-based volume
name, it should be terminated with a backslash (\). You can
use the wildcard character (*) in the file name when
specifying a path to a file. Should be used only when the
-backupTarget parameter is used.

This said if I listed the volumes separated by a comma it would not let me. So just to save time to someone trying to do something like: wbadmin start backup -backuptarget:\\somewhere\here -systemstate -vssfull -allcritical -quiet -include:a:,b:,c:,d:,e:[...] to put the list of volumes to include between double quotes. -include:"a:,b:,c:,d:,e:[...]"

I cannot believe that this is not mentioned anywhere.

With windows 2008R2, in order to deploy the client to the server - locally or remotely - one will need to make sure the account used to deploy the agent is in the inet password account list and part of the install server user list. If not it will need to be added as follow.

C:\Program Files\OmniBack\bin>omniinetpasswd -add youraccount@domain.net

C:\Program Files\OmniBack\bin>omniinetpasswd.exe -inst_srv_user youraccount@domain.net

Use -list to get a list of users already in the list. If you do not add your account, you will have to use the backup service account to deploy any clients.

I came across a command line switch for Robocopy: /FFT : Assume FAT File Times (2-second date/time granularity).  The NTFS date and time stamp is a 64-bit variable, which DART doesn’t deal with.  So what this does is force Robocopy to use FAT style time stamps which are 2-second granularity. It allows enough flexibility to account for the way the time is recorded when doing a file copy from NTFS to another file system. This is needed when going between and NTFS and Linux/Unix/FAT or emulated file system.

update 20110601: I now use fastcopy instead of robocopy. It is a great fast(er) and friendly tool! And it doesn't have any of the security or date issues I have seem with the msft tool.

In looking at the similarities and differences among the computers I realized that the two computers on which the application crashed had one thing in common - they were 64-bit machines whereas the machine on which the power toy worked was a 32-bit machine. I ran into a problem like this years ago. I had a .Net application that P/Invoked some 32-bit APIs. The computer would automatically load the .Net code in a 64-bit process, but 64-bit and 32-bit code cannot coexists in the same process which is why the program would crash. When I ran into this problem years ago I just changed the settings on my project so that the code would NGEN to 32-bit code (that means it was converted to x86 code at compile time). But I don't have the source code for the Windows Mobile Security Power Toy. So what could I do?

There's a command line utility that would help me here. It allows one to start a .Net executable and load it into a 32-bit process. the utility is named CORFLAGS.EXE. I went back to the 64-bit machines, opened the command prompt, and typed the following:

COREFLAGS.EXE SecurityManager.exe /32BIT+

Success!

First off, there a few commands and output that will give you a good starting point.

C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /dlv
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.8
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Software licensing service version: 6.1.7600.16385

Name: Windows Server(R), ServerStandard edition
Description: Windows Operating System - Windows Server(R), RETAIL channel
Activation ID: 039998e3-3ef5-4adf-b758-mnbvczxlkjjhh
Application ID: 55c92734-d682-4d71-983e-lkdaskdjaskl
Extended PID: 00477-4444-444-000000-00-1033-7600.0000-3482009
Installation ID: 006386735361234567898785803475982043689521915735258065
Processor Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88342
Machine Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88343
Use License URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88345
Product Key Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88344
Partial Product Key: 2YYCD
License Status: Initial grace period
Time remaining: 43200 minute(s) (30 day(s))
Remaining Windows rearm count: 2
Trusted time: 4/27/2010 11:09:12 AM

Or its equivalent with less information slmgr /dli.

In that case, it seems that KMS client is not even set here.

First off, you may want to tell the server where to look to get Keys using the following commands.

To know which server should be register you may want to check the DNS record that

C:\Windows\system32>nslookup -type=srv _vlmcs._tcp.xxxx.net
Server:  rrrpdcad02.xxxx.net
Address:  10.9999.15

_vlmcs._tcp.xxxx.net   SRV service location:
priority       = 0
weight         = 0
port           = 8081
svr hostname   = rrrmskms01.xxxx.net
rrrpmskms01.xxxx.net   internet address = 10.99.98.97

With this information you can now register for this server.

C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /skms rrrpmskms01:1688
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.8
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Key Management Service machine name set to rrrmskms01:1688 successfully.

You will then need to enter a valid key if not already done with you unattended install. Please check the below table with MS provided keys for activation using KMS.

C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs -ipk YC6KT-GKW9T-YTKYR-T4X34-R7VHC
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.8
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Installed product key YC6KT-GKW9T-YTKYR-T4X34-R7VHC successfully.

then trying the activation using the command below I would get another error.

C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs /ato
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.8
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Activating Windows Server(R), ServerStandard edition (039998e3-3ef5-ddasdasdass8-d25fa0128ff4) ...
On a computer running Microsoft Windows non-core edition, run 'slui.exe 0x2a 0x80072EE2' to display the error text.
Error: 0x80072EE2

Using the mentioned command I would find that 0x80072EE2 means that the operation timed out. Very well, then I may facing some communication errors.

Indeed, as you may have noticed I made a mistake above not using the right port. I used 1688 which the default port instead.

You can also check on your KMS for a status using the slmgr /dlv command:

Key Management Service is enabled on this machine
Current count: 50
Listening on Port: 8081
DNS publishing enabled
KMS priority: Normal

Be sure to use the port that is given by the volume license DNS entry and make sure it communicates. As you may have guessed there are 2 ways a new server where a KMS is install will register. Of course after changing to the right port and can try -ato (activation) again.

1. by using the DNS to automatically locate the KMS
2. or just register it manually using the commands above

When rightfully registered the /dli or /dlv will give you something like that:

C:\Windows\system32>cscript slmgr.vbs -dli
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.8
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Name: Windows Server(R), ServerStandard edition
Description: Windows Operating System - Windows Server(R), VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channel
Partial Product Key: R99HC
License Status: Licensed
Volume activation expiration: 259200 minute(s) (180 day(s))

Key Management Service client information
Client Machine ID (CMID): 70e4de42-rewa-4c93-gf45-a6d372bc0a19
Registered KMS machine name: rrrpmskms01.xxxx.net:8081
KMS machine extended PID: 55041-009999-313-09999-03-1033-6002.0000-3442009
Activation interval: 120 minutes
Renewal interval: 10080 minutes
KMS host caching is enabled

Activation Keys table (taken from here)

For this recipe, you will need:

• adrestore, a great tool from our friend Mark
• Admin rights on AD, to perform what you have to do

For your sake, AD keeps deleted record for 30 days by default. If it was an important account, there are great chances you notice it is missing before the 30 days. Past those 30 days, you will need to use the "standard authoritative" AD backup method.

Your application using the deleted account will complain and a query on AD reveals it is not there. Not a problem, just follow the 4 easy steps below:

1. Restore the missing account
adrestore.exe -r MissingAccount
Enumerating domain deleted objects:
cn: MissingAccount
DEL:eab4d5e6-493b-4a64-aae8-360e730a5938
distinguishedName: CN=MissingAccount\0ADEL:eab4d5e6-493b-4a64-aae8-360e730a5938,CN=Deleted Objects,DC=rgare,DC=net
lastKnownParent: OU=Service Accounts,OU=Users,OU=Montreal (MTL),DC=COMPANY,DC=net

Do you want to restore this object (y/n)? y

Restore succeeded.

Found 1 item matching search criteria.

2. Query to check its existence
dsquery user -name MissingAccount
"CN=MissingAccount,OU=Service Accounts,OU=Users,OU=Montreal (MTL),DC=COMPANY,DC=net"

3. Reset Password as restored account comes back empty
net user /domain MissingAccount Password

4. Activate Account
dsquery user -name MissingAccount| dsmod user -disabled no
dsmod succeeded:CN=MissingAccount,OU=Service Accounts,OU=Users,OU=Montreal (MTL),DC=COMPANY,DC=net

At this point and under 3 minutes, the deleted account is restored and ready to be used. It even kept its SID but you will have to repopulate some of its attributes such as Description and so on.

1. In Outlook, Select View>Folder list
2. Right-click on “Outlook Today” and select “New Folder”.
3. Call the folder whatever you chose to name it or Spam for lack of imagination. When prompted add an Outlook shortcut to the shortcut list. The shortcut will be placed on “My Shortcuts” but can be moved to the other Shortcut lists as necessary.
4. Right click the “Spam” folder, select “Properties”.
5. Select the “Home Page” tab in the Properties window.
6. In the address window type the following URL and select the checkbox labeled “Show home page by default for this folder”:
7. http://login.postini.com
8. Click “Apply” and “OK”.
9. Click on the Spam folder, login to your Message Center and if desired, select “Remember my Address and Password”
10. Close Outlook

The next time Outlook is opened and the Spam folder is selected, the Message Center should appear within Outlook.

I will probably be sharing a few basic tips for daily life using powershell on your computer.

Today is  a substitute to the old:

dir /s *filename*

So if you are looking for a file or directory in your file system try something simple like this:

dir -recurse -filter *filename* | sort name | ft directory, name

In fact, dir doesn't even exist anymore, dir is an alias of get-childitem.

I am not sure I should debate about this feature as MSFT does that very well on technet.

Just to sum up it is in fact a very powerfull search tool.

Windows XP would not start as some system hive was corrupt.

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SYSTEM or its log or alternate

CAUSE
This issue can occur if the System or Software hive for the Windows XP installation is missing or damaged.

Microsoft does describe the issue very well and it appears quite simple to fix. You want to check this KB for more info.

The fixing process is fairly easy and requires to use the recovery console to make a copy of the current corrupted system files (or not if they are totally missing) and replace them with a backup that windows does.

We are talking about files on c:\windows\system32\config to be replaced by copies.

Everything would have been easy and neat if everything was there as said. Yes, windows is to backup those up into the repair folder. But sometimes it happens.

I was interested in that SYSTEM file, but it was not there. The remaining option would have been to reinstall windows XP offer and have quick and dirty fix.

There had to be another way. Digging into my memory I though about other ways that Windows would have made another copy of those files.  Restore Point snapshot was the answer!

Actually restore point are easily accessibly to the recovery console.

Booting from the XP CD. I started Windows Setup and press R to access the recovery console.
Just using the following command, you can get into the restore point files.

cd c:\
cd  "system volume information\_resto~1"
dir

You'll see a list of restore point folders with names such as RP1, RP2 and so on. Pick the restore point you wish to use, using the folder date stamps to guide you. Enter the commands:

cd RPx (the restore point you chose)
cd snapshot

This takes you into the folder containing the restore point snapshot files. Then I could just copy what I needed to the target.

copy _Registry_machine_system C:\Windows\System32\Config\System

Sometimes, it is not because you don't see or if it is not where it is supposed to be that it is not there!

1. My computer's BIOS supports autostartup, so I have it set to come on at 7:20AM every day (I arrive at the office at 8AM).

2. I use TweakUI to autologin to the computer, use kb315231 otherwise. This gets it starting and lets all the startup programs take however long they need to get going.

3. REMAIN COMPLIANT. I have a shortcut in my startup menu with a target of: %windir%\system32\rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation, which locks the workstation. This way, if anyone tries to power up my computer when I'm not there, they can't do anything, remember you are an admin.

4. I have a batch program in my startup menu with this command shutdown -s -t 7200 -c "If I'm not here, this computer will shut itself down." -f, which will shut the PC down in 2 hours. That way, if I'm out sick, the PC isn't on all day. Of course, if I'm late, I have 'till 9:20 or so to make it to my desk and abort the destruct sequence with #5...

5. I have a subfolder of Startup called Abort Shutdown, with a batch file in it with the command shutdown -a, which will (duh) abort the shutdown when I click it. The folder is open when I arrive, and the batch file is sitting there, waiting to be clicked on.

So, in the 40 minutes before I arrive, everything gets rolling. While 40 minutes might seem excessive, they are other things you may want to have your computer do while waiting for you such as backup or other sync.

This also works well in the middle of the day when a restart is required. I can fire and forget -- go get a double-double or something, and I don't have to come back just to log in and wait some more. By the time I'm back, it's ready to rock and roll.