Category: 1333

Last month, Microsoft released a KnowledgeBase article regarding BitLocker Network Unlock. Basically, Windows 8-based and Windows Server 2012-based client computers sometimes may not receive or use the Network Unlock Protector feature, depending on whether the client receives unrelated BOOTP replies from a DHCP server or WDS server.

Last week, Microsoft published a new KnowledgeBase article detailing two issues with the way (virtual) Smart Card login is displayed on the Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 logon screen. The article contains a hotfix to address the issues.

Last week, Microsoft released KnowledgeBase article 2890259. It describes an issue in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 with Group Policy Preferences for Local Users and Groups. In some circumstances, these Group Policy Preferences would not apply, resulting in events with EventId 4098 in the Windows Event Viewer (eventvwr.exe) on your domain-joined Windows 8-based device(s) … Continue reading "KnowledgeBase: Group Policy Preferences for Local Users and Groups fails with Event ID 4098 on Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012"

Last week, Microsoft issued KnowledgeBase Article 2849027, discussing that Internet Explorer security-related preferences are silently applied to targeted computers, without any indication this is happening.

A while ago, I wrote a blogpost on the requirements you’d need to meet to take advantage of Active Directory features in Windows Server 2003 through Windows Server 2008 R2. Since Windows Server 2012 was released almost a year ago, it’s time to look at the requirements for Active Directory features in Windows Server 2012.

Last week marked Windows NT’s 20 year anniversary. Last week also marked the 40th birthday of the Volkswagen Passat. You wouldn’t want to be stuck with any of these technologies in their first incarnations today, but I’m proud to be using the 10th incarnation of Windows NT (My Dell Precision 4700 with Windows 8) and … Continue reading "Proud to be using Windows NT and Volkswagen Passat technology"

In my job at OGD, I get to do fun stuff. One of the interesting things that came across recently was the invitation to provide an educational session at one of the Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences, the Haagse Hogeschool, this Monday. When we were negotiating the session, the preference was around Windows 8. This … Continue reading "Pictures of my Educational Session at the Hague University"

A lot of people have an opinion on the Offline Domain Join (ODJ) functionality in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012 Active Directory, Windows 7 and Windows 8. Of course, everyone is entitled to an opinion, but sometimes fact checking is useful for a discussion. To this point, I have captured the top … Continue reading "Top 5 myths on Offline Domain Join"

Microsoft introduced the VM-GenerationID in Windows Server 2012, to enable Virtual Machines (VMs) to notice when they’re snapshotted, restored and/or cloned. Active Directory is the first technology to put the VM-GenerationID to good use. The following Hypervisors support VM-GenerationID: Windows Server 2012 Standard Edition (Hyper-V) Windows Server 2012 Enterprise Edition (Hyper-V) Hyper-V Server 2012  (Hyper-V) … Continue reading "List of Hypervisors supporting VM-GenerationID"

Many Active Directory admins consider it unsafe to display the last users logon name on the Logon Screen, since it provides information on naming conventions, etc. to possible malicious people. Others change the default Logon Screen to accommodate for presentation PCs, flexworker desktops and other commonly shared IT equipment.