Aaron Czechowski, MCS
Moving on
A long overdue post... In April I changed roles within the company, leaving Microsoft Consulting...
Date: 06/08/2012
Using Windows PowerShell to convert collection membership rules
I developed some automation for a customer to help them manage the lifecycle of collections used for...
Date: 02/07/2012
USGCB Policy Bug: Turn off desktop gadgets
The US Government Configuration Baseline (USGCB) group policy object (GPO) for Windows 7 Computer...
Date: 01/23/2012
Verifying Configuration Manager Backup Task with Windows PowerShell
A seemingly simple requirement for a Desired Configuration Management configuration item is to...
Date: 01/23/2012
Using SMBIOS GUID to import computer information for VMware guest
To import computer information into Configuration Manager for OS deployment you have to enter the...
Date: 01/04/2012
How to create a bootable ISO
I know this information exists elsewhere in the world and I really dislike redundant posts. ...
Date: 01/04/2012
Disk Cleanup in a MDT Task Sequence
While using MDT to remaster an existing Windows 7 image I added tasks to apply Windows 7 Service...
Date: 01/04/2012
Deploying Windows 7 Language Packs via ConfigMgr
During a Windows 7 64-bit deployment project the customer gave me a requirement to allow users to...
Date: 12/18/2011
Windows XP Remote Assistance and DontDisplayLastUserName
While implementing Remote Assistance during a Windows 7 deployment I found that a RA connection to...
Date: 12/18/2011
ConfigMgr query for blocked or approved clients
This is nothing new; I’m typically not one to repost information that can be found elsewhere...
Date: 12/08/2011
Generating a random password with PowerShell
Instead of bashing on the keyboard, I’m a proponent of using a tool to generate a random password,...
Date: 12/08/2011
Identifying a system deployed via OSD
I’m starting a DCM project for a customer and one of the requirements is to determine whether a...
Date: 12/08/2011
Throw more logs on the fire
I was recently having a conversation with a coworker about ways to troubleshoot an automated...
Date: 10/17/2011
DCM Error for Invalid or Inconsistent Data
I created a relatively simple Configuration Manager 2007 Desired Configuration Management (DCM)...
Date: 10/17/2011
DCM and Two's Complement
My mathematics and computer science lesson for the day came when creating a Desired Configuration...
Date: 08/24/2011
Windows PowerShell Script Library for MDT
At the Microsoft Management Summit 2011 in March I presented session BF21, Accelerated Scripting...
Date: 06/29/2011
Maximizing Security in Configuration Manager
This post details my experience and lessons learned with hardening a System Center Configuration...
Date: 06/28/2011
MMS 2011 Labs powered by Hyper-V, System Center & HP...
I usually don't cross-post, but this is just too cool....
Date: 03/29/2011
Error starting RemoteFX VM with unsupported GPU
A bit off-topic for most of the posts on this blog...I didn't see this posted anywhere else in this...
Date: 03/13/2011
MMS 2011 Session
A little self-promotion.... BF21 Accelerated Scripting with the MDT Framework Speaker(s): Aaron...
Date: 03/13/2011
WSF whatif parameter
Writing custom scripts for MDT and/or MDT-integrated ConfigMgr task sequences should leverage the...
Date: 01/11/2011
Texts with my wife
This is probably the only place where I can post these and get some level of appreciation. While I...
Date: 09/02/2010
Running netsh in ConfigMgr task sequence on x64 client
In deploying Windows 7 x64 via a ConfigMgr 2007 SP2 task sequence I have a custom script to change...
Date: 07/09/2010
Failure on invalid user context with DCM permission evaluation
I’m a huge fan of the Desired Configuration Management (DCM) feature of ConfigMgr. However, I...
Date: 05/25/2010
DCM Multiline Operators
I recently had the opportunity to use the One of operator on a CI validation of a registry integer...
Date: 05/02/2010
TestDBUpgrade on a Named Instance
In a scenario where a hardened SQL named instance (e.g., SQLI1) is used to perform the database...
Date: 04/19/2010
Explicit rights for Preinst
I recently had to manually remove a secondary site (S01) from a ConfigMgr 2007 SP1 hierarchy. It...
Date: 04/19/2010
Check-WsusContentHash.ps1
I wrote the attached script to recursively parse a WsusContent directory and compare the file name...
Date: 11/11/2009
FQDN in OpsMgr DNS 2008 Zone Resolution Monitor
I've made the leap into the wonderful world of System Center Operations Manager, and wanted to post...
Date: 06/30/2009
Debug programs right needed to uninstall ConfigMgr Console
I recently discovered an interesting issue when trying to uninstall the ConfigMgr Console from a...
Date: 04/10/2009
MMS 2009 Session
I'm happy to announce that my session was accepted for the Microsoft Management Summit 2009. SY22...
Date: 02/13/2009
Notepad line wrap columns
I love Notepad. I use it daily. But what really bugs me is when I go to print a text file and the...
Date: 02/12/2009
PowerShell to change ConfigMgr Client Cache size
Don Hite has a VBS Script To Change A Remote SMS Clients Cache Size, but I wanted to do it with...
Date: 02/12/2009
ConfigMgr Software Updates on an Isolated Network
The Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3 Deployment Guide documents a process by which update...
Date: 11/11/2008
Customizing USMT Estimation with ConfigMgr Task Sequence
One of the advantages of integrating MDT 2008 with ConfigMgr 2007 is a more dynamic state capture...
Date: 11/11/2008
Mac: The Easiest Target
Several good articles at InfoWorld about CanSecWest security conference's PWN 2 OWN hacking contest...
Date: 08/07/2008
Windows 'Mojave'
Check out the Mojave Experiment.
Date: 08/07/2008
MMS 2008
For the past week I've been out in Las Vegas for the Microsoft Management Summit (MMS) 2008. Last...
Date: 05/01/2008
ConfigMgr 2007 and SCW
The Security Configuration Wizard is new to Windows Server 2003 SP1 and provides very detailed...
Date: 05/01/2008
Bitsadmin script
Attached is a script that I wrote to automate downloading a large file (e.g., ISO, WIM) by using...
Date: 03/08/2008
How to generate a custom LGPO based on FDCC
One of my customers requires additional security settings beyond the OMB-mandated Federal Desktop...
Date: 03/02/2008
Script to set Windows Vista audit policy
There's probably a sexier way to do it, but the attached script (rename to .cmd) can be used to set...
Date: 03/02/2008
About the gpt.ini version
I recently did some research on the version variable in gpt.ini, what it means, and how to modify...
Date: 02/28/2008
Windows 2008 "eats commercial Linux"
Product review: Windows Server 2008 is the host with the most, and the perfect guest
Date: 02/25/2008
Scripts for WSUS Import/Export
The WSUS Deployment Guide has good general guidance on how to export/import content and metadata to...
Date: 01/05/2008
Command Line Timestamp
I often write little batch scripts, sometimes just as a way to save a lengthy command line....
Date: 01/04/2008
Stay-At-Home Servers
We have a funny marketing campaign for the new Windows Home Server. I especially like the book for...
Date: 12/18/2007
A new look
With quarterly training waiting to be done, I decided to procrastinate some more and tweak the ol'...
Date: 12/07/2007
IE7 search providers and ConfigMgr RP
I was doing some research/testing on IE7 search providers today and thought up a neat trick for...
Date: 11/27/2007