Password Change Reminder PowerShell Script Updated!

May 13, 2014 by 81 Comments

powershell2xa4Back in 2012 i wrote a script to help me remind users about their password expiry, to reduce the number of calls i got on the helpdesk. I decided to share it and published it on the TechNet Gallery,

It has been quite popular since then, with over 8,000 downloads!

Throughout that time i have received a number of questions about how to tweak the script to do various things or fix bugs and errors that people have found.

I have been tweaking it as i go, without much notification to anyone. I have just finished quite a big change, so i thought i would put up a post here, to let people know.

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WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN!

March 31, 2014 by 7 Comments

Are you ready to WIN?!?  ARE YOU READY TO WIN?!?!?

If you are at all interested in Office 365 then you should really also be interested in PowerShell. If i told you, you can manage Office 365, through PowerShell, would you be even more interested? Excited even?

Well if that sounds like you, and you think you have what it takes then you may well be in with a chance of taking a way a free eBook courtesy of Office 365 MVP and all around nice guy Robert Crane.

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Essentials 2012 Manage DNS AutoDiscovery

February 14, 2014 by 6 Comments

Logo1Listening to the ‘Home Server Show’ podcast recently,  the conversation inevitably steered towards Client DNS on Essentials. It reminded me that i had written a script last year, to manage the UR3 feature of Essentials 2012 that being ‘DNS AutoDiscovery’ but never actually shared it.

I uploaded it to the TechNet Gallery today.

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Windows Server Essentials – Configuration Troubleshooter

February 14, 2014 by 225 Comments

powershell2xa4I had a support case this week where it became apparent to me that there is no quick and easy way to test Essentials Servers for Configuration errors. Manually working through IIS or Certificates is prone to human error, as was proved to me, by me missing certain key things.

Uncharacteristically i decided to write a PowerShell script to save me from this sort of embarrassment in the future, and make me look really good next time i need to troubleshoot an Essentials Server.

You can download the tool from here, and am very interested to hear how it works for you.

If you have already downloaded it, i have updated the tool so you should download it again!

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Filed under Essentials, PowerShell, SBS E, Tips & Tricks, WSE Tagged with , , ,

Quick Fix: Office 2013 Activation Failure

December 11, 2013 by 7 Comments

microsoft_office_2013I have had several occurrences now of Office 2013 failing to activate. This is on brand new PCs with a trial of 2013 installed, or partially installed and after i have registered the key with a Live ID.

I read on a forum that one possible solution to the failure to activate was to go into an Office application, go to File, then Account and use the change license button to enter a new key. The problem was, it didn’t have that option listed. Read more of this post

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Windows Server 2012–Failed Backup Disk

November 12, 2013 by 6 Comments

WindowsVistaBackupIconThis is a quick post just based on something i have done this morning for a charity i do some volunteer support for. This year i installed a new server for them running Windows Server 2012, and two Hyper-V guests as a Domain Controller and Exchange server. Due to budget restraints they only had a single USB drive available for backups, and of course, recently that failed.

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Enabling WSUS on Windows Server 2012 Essentials

May 31, 2013 by 22 Comments

metroSkipping over the usual boring intro on the whys and wherefores of a subject i write about i thought id just crack on and tell you how to get this done.

First on your Essentials Server you will need to install this hotfix. After you install this hotfix the WSUS Role is available.

That is correct, WSUS is a ROLE not something you need to download as it was previously.

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Filed under Essentials, General, PowerShell, Tips & Tricks, WSE Tagged with , ,

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