DEP re-enrollment without wipe

 This could help if you need to add already configured apple cumputer (DEP purchased) to Meraki or JAMF MDM management.

sudo rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
sudo rm -rf /var/db/ConfigurationProfiles/
sudo rm /Library/Keychains/apsd.keychain

after running these commands restart your computer and the default apple setup assistant will start. (no lost of personal data)

boot to PXE server on DELL Latitude 5480

 It is important to disable safe boot and enable legacy boot.

F2 key is to enter bios

F12 key is for one time boot menu

Find email address on exchange 2010 server

 

1. Get-Recipient -Identity user@domain.com
you can use this to find user associated with a specific email address 
2. Get-Recipient -ANR user
or by using -ANR (Ambiguous Name Resolution) to find using part of a user name

Purge disconnected mailbox on exchange 2010

One option is to wait for the mailbox to be purged automatically (default 30 days)

or to use Cmdlet:

Remove-StoreMailbox -Database <mailboxDatabaseName> -Identity <DisplayName> -Mailbox

Format HDD for exchange 2016 using ReFS

windows disk management:

1. Initialize,GPT
2. Format ReFS, 64K, Quick format
3. assign drive letter: R

PowerShell: (to disable integrity streams)

1. Format-Volume -DriveLetter r -FileSystem ReFS -AllocationUnitSize 65536 -SetIntegrityStreams $false

 

Links:
http://www.careexchange.in/creating-refs-volumes-for-exchange-20132016/

https://www.veeam.com/blog/advanced-refs-integration-coming-veeam-availability-suite.html

https://www.vladan.fr/veeam-and-refs-best-practices-and-benefits/

vSphere shrink hard drive on windows OS

1. shrink HDD using windows disk management.
2. connect to host using SSH
3. turn off windows computer
4. cd /vmfs/volumes/<datastore name>/<VM foldername>
5. use cat “VM name.vmdk” (not the flat one) to make a note of the RW number#
6. calculate new size 128GB= 128 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024 /512 = 268435456
7. vi “VM name.vmdk” replace RW with the new number
8. vi edit shift I is to edit text; ESC to end editing; exit and save changes shift :x; shift:q! is to exit without changes
9. use vSphere to migrate or move VM to a temporary host (this will resize the HDD to the new size)
10. be patient depending on the HDD size it can take some time
11. verify size in temporary location using vSphere
12. move back to original location

 

Links:

https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/12938/HOW-TO-Shrink-a-VMware-Virtual-Machine-Disk-VMDK-in-15-minutes.html

windows 2012 R2 domain AD health check

 list of simple commands to check the health of AD

1. DCs replication status (CMD):
   repadmin /showrepl
2. domain replication status (CMD):
   dcdiag /v
3. MS AD replication status tool:
   https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30005

Exchange 2010 add user permissions on other user calendar

 add-MailboxFolderPermission -Identity smith@contoso.com:\calendar -User novak@contoso.com -AccessRights Reviewer

Here is MS link with additional information: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124097(v=exchg.160).aspx

Purple screen crash on ESXi 5.5 with Windows Server 2012 R2

 the problem seems to be in the NIC driver.

https://communities.vmware.com/message/2313523

There are two reported fixes:

1. Disable Receive-side scaling (MS article)

   1. On the virtual machine, open Device Manager (In Settings click Control Panel, and then click Device Manager).

   2. Expand Network adapters, right-click the network adapter you want to work with, and then click Properties.

   3. On the Advanced tab in the network adapter properties, locate the setting for Receive-side scaling and make sure it is disabled.

      or use powershell:

      Set-NetAdapterRSS -Name "AdapterName" -Enabled $False

       

2. Second option is to use vmxnet3 driver instead of the E1000E
   1. Inside the windows host OS make a note of all the NIC information (IP/ MASK/Gate/DNS etc.)
   2. Remove the old NIC using the vSphere console by editing the windows 2012 server host properties (if needed copy the old MAC address and after deleting the old NIC enter it to the properties of the new NIC)
   3. Using the VMWARE vSphere client edit the virtual machine and add new NIC card (make sure to select VMXNET3 as a adapter type).
   4. 
   5. Edit the new NIC properties inside the windows 2012 server host OS with the previously noted information to make the new NIC be identical to the old one.
   6. Enable the new nic and restart the windows 2012 server

 

I found some people to report that turning OFF the Receive-side scaling didn’t help.

The second option seems to be a better choice since the new VMWARE VMXNET3 driver has a better design with many improvements.

 

Switch to AHCI mode in windows 10 with BitLocker enabled

 

1. click on start and type manage BitLocker and launch it. (requires administrative user)
2. click on Turn off BitLocker (wait on the decryption to finish – it is indicated in the system tray)
3. reboot your computer to make sure BitLocker is disabled.
4. Right-click the Windows Start Menu and click on Command Prompt (Admin).
5. Enter: bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal
6. Reboot the computer in to the BIOS  (F2,Del,ESC,F12 or other key depending on the computer manufacturer).
7. Look for SATA operation mode and change it to AHCI and save + reboot computer. (F10 key etc.)
8. windows should start up in safemode.
9. Right-click the Windows Start Menu and click on Command Prompt (Admin).
10. Enter: bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot
11. reboot computer and windows should start up normally again.
12. click on start and type manage BitLocker and launch it. (requires administrative user)
13. click on Turn ON BitLocker you will be required to reboot computer.
14. after reboot wait on the encryption to finish – it is indicated in the system tray

Reuse/ recycle your old computer as a chromebook

 Simple instructions can be found here:

https://www.linux.com/learn/turn-your-old-laptop-chromebook