Install Windows Server Essentials with a Custom Domain Suffix

June 27, 2015 by 2 Comments

After a brief argument with Susan Bradley, and i use the term brief and argument loosely, Grey Lancaster and i were left with a problem…

So can someone blog that/post that on TechNet so that folks aren’t hacking up what they are doing now?

Grey, of course, deferred to me. So here i am Saturday night and I’m writing this. I don’t mind of course because i have nothing better to do, but i digress.

Yes, you can install Essentials 2012 R2 (and probably other versions) with any domain suffix, not just the “.local” that the Essentials Configuration Wizard (ECW) will default to..

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Enable UDP for RDP Gateway Essentials 2012 R2

February 3, 2015 by 4 Comments

Logo1A question via twitter prompted me to remember that Essentials 2012 (and R2) supports the use of UDP transport, just like any other Remote Desktop Gateway.

One of the things i do on the systems i manage is install the tools for RDP Gateway as soon as i have finished with the OS install. Saves you having to go looking for it later, which you would do now as we are going to look at it.

It is easy to install the tools if you do not already have them, as i posted just the other day.

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Remote Desktop Gateway SSL Error, or Network Access Protection LIES!!!

January 23, 2015 by 3 Comments

Your computer can’t connect to the remote computer because your computer or device did not pass the Network Access Protection requirements set by your administrator.

Had an email from a friend today, who had an Essentials 2012 R2 Server with a problem when trying to use the Remote Desktop feature of RWA. They were presented with this warning message,

Your computer cannot connect to the remote computer because your computer or device did not pass the Network Access Protection requirements set by your network administrator. Contact your network administrator for assistance

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This task must be performed on the Domain Controller – Fixed

August 13, 2014 by 2 Comments

tickFor anyone who has deployed Windows Server Essentials 2012 R2, or more likely the 2012 R2 Essentials Experience Role, you may well have hit the issue where you were unable to run any of the integration wizards with online services such as Office 365 or Windows Azure.

When trying to run one of those Wizards from the Essentials Dashboard, you would have been given the helpful response “This task must be performed on the domain controller"

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Essentials 2012 Manage DNS AutoDiscovery

February 14, 2014 by 4 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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Essentials 2012 R2 – Client Restore

January 30, 2014 by 33 Comments

Logo1Congratulations on the purchase of your brand new Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials Server. I’m sure she will give you years of trouble free.. er.. serving.

No doubt one of the features that attracted you to Essentials R2 over its predecessor was the unique way it can be licensed in Hyper-V. No?

Regardless of that, you may well be familiar with the Client PC Backup Service that comes as part of this OS. You may also know that you create a USB key to boot the client PC from in order to launch Bare Metal Restore. Something i documented with real aplomb on YouTube. 

However, if you have decided to virtualise your Essentials server – how are you going to get that USB disk plugged in? Assuming you do already have a USB key what if your NIC is not supported?

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