Create a bootable USB to install Windows 8 Server or Hyper-V Server 8

Not all servers nowadays have DVD player installed. Sometimes it is handy to boot from USB and install for example Windows Server 8. Here’s a example how to make the USB stick bootable for the following OS versions:

– Windows Server 8

– Hyper-V Server 8

– Server 2008 R2

– Hyper-V Server R2

Preparation:

– Need 4 GB USB memory stick or more

– Download the desired ISO and save it

Stick the USB stick on a  free USB port on your computer equipped with a Windows OS. For this example I used Windows7 as Operating System. Clear the USB stick and create a partition on it by using the following command’s:

Open the command prompt ((make sure you run the cmd prompt as administrator)

Commands:

diskpart 
list disk "list the disk in your system including the USB"
select disk "USB number"
clean
create partition primary
active
format fs=fat32 quick
assign
exit

Mount the ISO  and copy all the content of the desired ISO to USB stick. For mounting the ISO I used “Deamon Tools Lite”.

Now the bootable stick is ready for use.  Boot your server with the stick and your able to install Windows 8, Windows 8 Server, 2008 R2 or Hyper-V server 8.

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Microsoft TechDays Belgium

The last three days i attended Microsoft TechDays in Antwerpen (Belgium). The first day (pre-conference) was dedicated to Windows 2008 R2. The other 2 days I attended sessions such as Windows 7, Powershell V2, SYSVOL replication and Remote Desktop Services (former Terminal Services). Here is an short overview:

– Windows 2008 R2 will be released in 64-bit version only.

All new Windows server product can be managed through Powershell  Powershell 2 is default installed on Windows 2008 R2 and Windows 7. In Powershell 2 you can remote manage your computers.

Active Directory Recycle Bin, when you deleted an AD object, it is possible to easily restore this object through Powershell. Default this feature is disabled! More information can be found here

– Windows 2008 Core contains .NET and  Powershell 2.0 support

– In Windows 2008 the SYSVOL replication goes through DFS-R, in earlier versions FRS is used. One great benefit is that DFS-R is faster because it only replicates the changed bits, FRS copies the whole file that is changed. If your DC is upgraded to Windows 2008 you can migrate from FRS to DFS-R. More information can be found here.

Cluster Shared Volumes (CSV),   this is a feature for Failover clustering. It allows multiple VMs to be running on a single LUN (volume). CSV uses the NTFS file system. With CSV it is possible to do Live Migration (Hyper-V) of VMs without downtime. Live Migration is the VMotion feature from Microsoft.

 

csv 

 

BranchCache, caches WAN bandwidth for HTTP and SMB traffic at the branche office network. This improves the response times and reduces WAN  traffic.

With the distributed cache option the cache is placed on other computers on the branche network. With the Hosted cache option the cache is placed on a Windows 2008 R2 server on the branche office.  BranchCache can only be used in Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2.

More information can be found here.

Direct Access, get instant access to your corporate network without establish a VPN connection. Direct Access uses IPSEC and IPv6.  DirectAccess can only be used in Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2. More information can be found Here.

Terminal Services is renamed in Remote Desktop Services (RDS). It will be used for SBC and VDI.

– The Remote Deskop Virtualization (RD Virtualization) is a special role that integrates with Hyper-V and used for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) desktops.

– The connection broker is called Remote Desktop Connection Broker (RD Connection Broker).

– Windows Vista and Windows 7 can be used as desktop for VDI.

– The RDP protocol is improved with rich multimedia, 3D rendering, real multi-monitor support (no span) and two way audio redirection, VOIP applications such as Skype can be used.

More information can be found here.

Windows 7

– Homegroup, an easy way to share your Pictures, Videos, Documents, Music and printers

– Most software that worked on Vista will work on Windows7, except software with low level drivers such as Anti-virus and firewall software.

– New look for WordPad, Calculator and Paint

– Boot from VHD, this allows to set up multiple boot VHD.

– There is a now a slider for User Account Control (UAC), with the slider you can set the level from Never notify to Always notifty . This is also possible with Windows 2008 R2.  

image

– Bitlocker-to-go, encrypt data on USB thumb drives. With Bitlocker it is possible to encrypt your root system drive, first available in Vista. From Vista Sp1 is was also possible to encrypt other drives than the root drive. This is also possible with Windows 2008 R2.

– Internet Explorer 8 (IE8), contains InPrivate Browsing helps prevent Internet Explorer from storing data about your browsing session. This includes cookies, temporary Internet files, history, and other data. Toolbars and extensions are disabled by default. This is also possible with Windows 2008 R2.

– AppLocker, prevent unauthorized software from running.

image

This is also possible with Windows 2008 R2.

– Problem Step Recorder, tool to troubleshoot a problem, it records the steps and exports this to a MHT file. The MHT file contains screenshots off every step.

image

This is also possible with Windows 2008 R2.

– Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) version 2010 will support Microsoft 2008 R2 and Windows 7.

MDT is process and toolset to automate desktop and server deployment. MDT 2010 is now available in public beta.  The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool replaces the pkgmgr, PEImg, and IntlConfg tools that are being retired in Windows 7. DISM provides a single centralized tool for performing all of the functions of these three tools in a more efficient and standardized way, eliminating the source of many of the frustrations experienced by current users of these tools.

Offline Virtual Machine Servicing tool 2.0 released

The Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool 2.0 helps organizations maintain virtual machines that are stored offline in a Microsoft® System Center Virtual Machine Manager library. While stored, virtual machines do not receive operating system updates. The tool provides a way to keep offline virtual machines up-to-date so that bringing a virtual machine online does not introduce vulnerabilities into the organization’s IT infrastructure.

The Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool combines the Windows Workflow programming model with the Windows PowerShell™ interface to bring groups of virtual machines online just long enough for them to receive updates from either System Center Configuration Manager 2007 or Windows Server Update Services. As soon as the virtual machines are up-to-date, the tool returns them to the offline state in the Virtual Machine Manager library.

This Solution Accelerator includes the following components:

  • Brief Overview. Available online only on Microsoft TechNet. Summary for business and technical managers that briefly explains how this Solution Accelerator can fit into an organization’s IT infrastructure management strategy.
  • OfflineVMServicing_x64 and OfflineVMServicing_x86. Setup files for the tool, for 64 bit and 32 bit versions on Microsoft® System Center Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) 2007 or 2008.
  • Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool Getting Started Guide. Provides information about how the tool works, explains prerequisites for the tool, and describes how to install and configure the tool.
  • Offline_VM_Servicing_Tool_2.0_Release_Notes.rtf. Notes provide information about this release, describe known issues in the tool, and include feedback instructions.
  • Offline_Virtual_Machine_Servicing_Tool_Help. Help file for the tool. Provides instructions for using the tool.

Download the tool @

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=8408ECF5-7AFE-47EC-A697-EB433027DF73&displaylang=en