Vacation time!

Today my vacation is starting for the next coming weeks. During my vacation there will be no new blogposts as you can guess :) So enjoy yourself (I will do also) and expect a lot of new information and knowledge later this year. There will be lot to write and share about upcoming and already available Microsoft products.

Thanks for visiting my blog and see you later!

It's vacation time now!



Location of OpsMgr 2012 installation logfiles

During installation of OpsMgr 2012 bad things can happen (sometimes). Then it's very useful to know where the installation logfiles are placed, to know what's going on. Yesterday I wrote a blogpost already about a Microsoft update which brakes the OpsMgr installation. That blogpost can be found HERE. Today I explain where the installation logfiles resides.

Just open Windows Explorer for that and browse to the
%LocalAppData%\SCOM\Logs directory. Then the following logfiles can be seen:

• FullPrereq.xml: Contains adjusted prerequisite check information
• OMConsole.log: Verbose logging of installation of the Operations console
• OMServer.log: Verbose logging of installation of the mgmt server role
• OpsMgrSetupWizard.log: Reports activity and progress of setup wizard
• SCOMPrereqCheck.log: XML output of the prerequisite checker
• Setup(x).log: Detailed logging of installation progress
• WebConsole.log: Verbose logging of installation of the Web console

Because of multiple installations yesterday, I also have multiple Setup(x).log files in my Logs directory.

On the SQL Server where I've installed the Reporting component the following logfiles can be seen:

• FullPrereq.xml: Contains adjusted prerequisite check information
• OMReporting.log: Logs progress of installation of the reporting feature
• OpsMgrSetupWizard.log: Reports activity and progress of setup wizard
• SCOMPrereqCheck.log: XML output of the prerequisite checker
• Setup(x).log: Detailed logging of installation progress

Because of these logfiles you know where to look for troubleshooting. In my opinion these logfiles are viewed best with Trace32.exe which can be found HERE. Just install the "System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Toolkit V2" and open Trace32.exe for making it the default viewer for logfiles. Hope to help other people this way!

Cannot start service OMSDK during OpsMgr 2012 setup

Today i ran into an error during a new (clean) OpsMgr 2012 installation. During the Prerequisite Check all went fine, but when installation started it went wrong. The errors started during the installation of new System Center services. There were errors like:

• Cannot start service OMSDK on computer
• The System Center Data Access service could not start
• A timeout was reached (30000 milliseconds) while waiting for the System Center Data Access Service service to connect.
• No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it <IP-address>:5724

I've seen a lot off solutions for this errors, but for me this were the right ones:

• A service does not start + reboot the server
• SDK and Configuration service timeouts + reboot the server

They mentions:

The service control manager waits for the time that is specified by the ServicesPipeTimeout entry before logging event 7000 or 7011. Services that depend on the Windows Trace Session Manager service may require more than 60 seconds to start. Therefore, increase the ServicesPipeTimeout value appropriately to give all the dependent services enough time to start.

We had the same problem both services failed to start after applying windows updates. It also caused a problem with de SQL reporting service(s) not automatically starting after a restart. The update that caused the problem for us was 'Update for Microsoft Windows (KB2677070)'. After removing that update both services started fine again and on servers with the SQL Reporting Service installed it would start automatically once again.

After this the Data Access service was started and OpsMgr 2012 installation was continuing! How it's possible that Microsoft releases a patch (which is still available) that brakes the OpsMgr 2012 setup? Hope they have a fix for this issue soon.

How to Create a Windows To Go USB Drive

With Windows 8 coming within a few months it's good to have a look a new functionality. One way to install Windows 8 is on a VHD (Virtual Hard Disk). New in Windows 8 is the option to mount VHD files and boot from it! A guide to install Windows 8 on a VHD can be found HERE. Great that so many people viewed this blogpost to install it that way. In this blogpost I explain the new Windows To Go functionality.

Windows To Go is an enterprise feature of Windows 8 that enables users to boot Windows from a USB-connected external drive. Windows To Go drives can use the same image enterprises use for their desktops and laptops and can be managed the same way. Windows To Go is not intended to replace desktops, laptops or supplant other mobility offerings. Rather, it provides support for efficient use of resources for alternative workplace scenarios.

 You need the following for installation:

• 16 GB or larger USB 2.0 / 3.0 Drive
• Windows 8 Release Preview ISO (download HERE) 
• ImageX.exe stand-alone straight from Microsoft (download HERE)

That way you don't have to download a full copy of Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows 7 (1.7 GB) found HERE.

How to Create a Windows To Go USB Drive:

• Quick Format the USB device with NTFS, and create a partition on it
• Extract or mount the Windows 8 ISO and copy the Install.wim file (Sources folder) to a folder where ImageX.exe is also placed
• Have a look at the drive letter which is used for the USB device and type the following command: ImageX.exe /apply Install.wim 1 F:\ (where F: is the drive letter of your USB device)
• The result (after some time) must be "Successfully applied image"
• Once this is done the boot record on the USB device must be changed with the following command: Bcdboot.exe F:\Windows /s F: /f ALL (where F: is the drive letter of your USB device)
• The result must be "Boot files successfully created" now

After the command has completed you are ready to use your new Windows To Go USB device. Now it's time to reboot your system and start from the USB device. There will be some final configuration during first start. During the session the USB device must be plugged in.

What a great year with many new Microsoft releases and functionality!

Installing Microsoft Office 2013 Customer Preview

Today I installed the new Microsoft Office 2013 Preview. Because the existing Office 2010 installation on my Windows 8 Release Preview device, I choose for a upgrade. The installation is done in a few minutes and a reboot is needed afterwards. Then the new functionality can be used. The following tiles are available after installation:

 

Just notice that Lync 2013 is installed by default now, no other installation is needed for that. Programs that are still exists after the upgrade are:

• SharePoint Workspace 2010
• Office Picture Manager
• Lync 2010

As far as I can see everything works fine after the upgrade. Nice to see that Microsoft Office 2013 will have support for Touch devices, SkyDrive, Yammer, Skype and Cloud services now!

Microsoft Office 2013 Customer Preview has arrived

Yesterday a new Office has arrived. It's called Microsoft Office 2013.

Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer unveiled the customer preview of the new Microsoft Office, available at office.com/preview.

The next release features an intuitive design that works beautifully with touch, stylus, mouse or keyboard across new Windows devices, including tablets. The new Office is social and unlocks modern scenarios in reading, note-taking, meetings and communications and will be delivered to subscribers through a cloud service that is always up to date.  

The new, modern Office will deliver unparalleled productivity and flexibility for both consumers and business customers. It is a cloud service and will fully light-up when paired with Windows 8

While the full lineup of offerings and pricing plans will be announced in the fall, Ballmer discussed three new Office 365 subscription services. When available, each new subscription offer will include the new 2013 editions of the Office applications. In addition, subscribers will receive future rights to version upgrades as well as per-use rights across up to five PCs or Macs and mobile devices. More about new functionality HERE

MSDN members can download Office at CLICK

Office Language Packs and other downloads at CLICK

Nice to see that Microsoft Office 2013 will have support for Touch devices, SkyDrive, Yammer, Skype and Cloud services now!

Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 available soon

Yesterday Microsoft revealed on the Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto that Windows 8 will be Release to Manufacturing (RTM) in the first week on August, with a release in late October to retail stores.

Today Microsoft revealed that Windows Server 2012 will be RTM at the same time (August 2012), with a release in September already.

That way both Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 will be RTM in August and available for download also. Just a few weeks later the products are final and ready on selling points.

Good news that Microsoft has so many new releases in one year!

Upgrade OpsMgr 2012 from evaluation to retail version

Last days I installed a clean System Center Operations Manager (OpsMgr) 2012 server. After installation the following configuration task was seen in the OpsMgr console: Upgrade to full version

This because during installation there is no possibility to fill in a product key. That must be done after installation. Strange thing, because with System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) 2012 it can be filled in during installation. When you don't fill in the product key, an evaluation version (180 days) is used by default.

To upgrade OpsMgr 2012 from evaluation  to Retail version use the following commands:

1) Start Operations Manager Shell (PowerShell)

2) Enter "Set-SCOMLicense –ProductID <product-key>"

3) Choose Yes or press enter for default

4) Reboot the OpsMgr server or restart the "System Center Data Access Service" (!)

After that start the OpsMgr 2012 console, choose Help > About, and you will see Version 7.0.8560.0 (Retail) now.

System Center 2012 Service Pack 1 CTP2 announcement

A few weeks ago during TechEd 2012 NA the System Center 2012 Service Pack 1 CTP2 was announced. The Service Pack contains updates to System Center 2012 for compatibility with Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate including support for Azure VM and capabilities for Hosted Service Providers.

It is available for download here: System Center 2012 Service Pack 1 CTP2

This Community Technology Preview (CTP2) enables System Center customers to jointly evaluate System Center 2012 and Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate. CTP2 includes updates and enhancements to the following System Center 2012 components:

• Virtual Machine Manager
  • Improved Support for Network Virtualization
  • Extend the VMM console with Add-ins
  • Support for Windows Standards-Based Storage Management Service, thin provisioning of logical units and discovery of SAS storage
  • Ability to convert VHD to VHDX, use VHDX as base Operating System image
• Configuration Manager
  • Support for Windows 8
  • Ability to deploy Windows 8 Apps
  • Real-time administrative actions for Endpoint Protection related tasks
• Data Protection Manager
  • Improved backup performance of Hyper-V over CSV 2.0
  • Protection for Hyper-V over remote SMB share
  • Protection for Windows Server 2012 de-duplicated volumes
  • Uninterrupted protection for VM live migration
• App Controller
  • Service Provider Foundation API to create and operate Virtual Machines
  • Support for Azure VM; migrate VHDs from VMM to Windows Azure, manage from on-premise System Center
• Operations Manager
  • Support for IIS 8
  • Monitoring of WCF, MVC and .NET NT services
  • Azure SDK support
• Orchestrator
  • Support for Integration Packs, including 3rd party
  • Manage VMM self-service User Roles
  • Manage multiple VMM ‘stamps’ (scale units), aggregate results from multiple stamps
  • Integration with App Controller to consume Hosted clouds
• Service Manager
  • Apply price sheets to VMM clouds
  • Create chargeback reports
  • Pivot by cost center, VMM clouds, Pricesheets
• Server App-V
  • Support for applications that create scheduled tasks during packaging
  • Create virtual application packages from applications installed remotely on native server

For ConfigMgr 2012 it includes also additional operating support to extend manageability to Mac OS X and Unix/Linux servers. Nice to see that ConfigMgr 2012 has cross platform support soon!

System Center 2012 Unified Installer is working now

System Center 2012 Unified Installer is a utility designed to perform new, clean installations of System Center 2012 for testing and evaluation purposes only. With the Unified Installer it's possible to install all System Center products at once, without the need to install a single product multiple times. That way products can be installed quicker and less screens are needed to install them. 

Last week I started the installation again because of the new RTM release. Just prepare your install and target computer with local policies, as mentioned in the comments and on Microsoft TechNet: 
Preparing an Installer Computer for System Center 2012
Preparing a Target Computer for System Center 2012

Also use the steps mentioned by ThomasH mentioned in my other blogpost: Using the System Center 2012 Unified Installer

Computer Config \ Administrative Templates \ System \ Credentials Delegation \ Allow Delegating Fresh Credentials
State = Enabled
Server = WSMAN/*

Computer Config \ Administrative Templates \ System \ Credentials Delegation \ Allow Delegating Fresh Credentials with NTLM only server Authentication
State = Enabled
Server = WSMAN/*

Computer Config \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Windows Remote Management (WinRM) \ WinRM Client \ Allow CredSSP authentication
State = Enabled

Computer Config \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Windows Remote Management (WinRM) \ WinRM Client \ Trusted Hosts
State = Enabled
TrustedHostList = *

Computer Config \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Windows Remote Management (WinRM) \ WinRM Service \ Allow Automatic Configuration of listeners
State = Enabled
IPv4 filter = *
IPv6 filter = *

Computer Config \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Windows Remote Management (WinRM) \ WinRM Service \ Allow CredSSP authentication
State = Enabled

In a command prompt, run:
gpupdate
Winrm quickconfig

Very handy in "Prerequisite Media Location" is the download link for every prerequisite!

When the error message "The WinRM settings are not configured correctly" is displayed, look at the log \Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft System Center 2012\Unified Installer\LOGS for more information!

During installation the following screens are displayed:
In this case I'm only installing Orchestrator (which is mandatory), Operations Manager and Configuration Manager 2012.

Orchestrator will be installed first because of runbook functionality

All needed prerequisites will be installed first at the same time

All selected System Center products are successfully installed now!

After that a nice Deployment Summary Report is displayed.

Conclusion: The System Center 2012 Unified Installer is an easy way to setup a demo environment quickly. It's working when you download all products and prerequisites and prepare all your servers! Too bad it's not possible to use a single SQL Server installation, it will be installed for all products selected. But it's for sure a handy solution!