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Windows 2008 Server How To's

Author: Steve Childs Reference Number: AA-01882 Created: 2012-04-06 18:14 Last Updated: 2019-11-14 16:17

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Opening the VERY COMPREHENSIVE Windows HELP system

Open the Windows Server Manager:

Click Start > then right-click on Computer > click Manage, or
Click Start > Type Server Manager > Press Enter

Click Help > Help Topics

Others

Windows Server How To Basics

How to Update

How to Add a New User

For a 'Member Server' (meaning Active Directory is NOT installed) you will:

Click Start > (right click) Computer > Manage
Click "+" next to Configuration
Click "+" next to Local Users and Groups
Right click on Users folder and select New User

For a 'Domain Controller' you will:

Click Start > Administrative Tools > Active Directory Users and Computers

Or type Start > then type in dsa.msc (in the Search box)

Locate the Users folder in the tree (on the left)
Right click on the Users folder and select New > User

How to change a users password

Choosing a SECURE password

Many password, even though seemingly long, can be cracked VERY EASILY. Visit this site to check the password you intend to set up as password for TERMINAL SERVER passwords.
www.howsecureismypassword.net

How to change the password policy requirements

Open Local Security Policy by clicking the Start button , typing secpol.msc into the search box, and then clicking secpol.‌ If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
In the left pane, double-click Account Policies, and then click Password Policy.
Double-click the item in the Policy list that you want to change, change the setting, and then click OK.

How to turn off Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration ( IE ESC )

Open the Server Manager (Right-click Computer, then select Manage)
Select the root of the Service Manager navigation pane, and under the Server Summary click Configure IE ESC, (which is part of the Security Information section).
A dialog box will appear, letting Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration be enabled/disable separately for normal users and administrators.

How to fix Windows 2008 Memory Leaks

When you open the Task Manager, in the Physical Memory section, if the memory listed to the right of Free falls below 1000 or even below 100 it is probably due to a memory 'leak' that slowly uses up memory (and does not release the memory for re-use until the server is rebooted). The follow articles will point you to a few Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that may fix the problem:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/eu/winservergen/thread/817118d1-9a30-4f1c-a2eb-8a261dd433f2

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/pl/winserverGP/thread/57710454-4f27-4e46-a878-0d8fd163c7a3

How to free up space on server

Searching for files by type or name

In search bar type *.mdb to find all files that end with .mdb
In search bar type *copy*.mdb to find all .mdb files that contain the word Copy in the title of the file.

Deleting C:\Windows\Temp\cab files.

cmd.exe /c del C:\Windows\Temp\*cab* /Q

Deleting C:\Windows\Logs\CBS files.

cmd.exe /c del C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\*CbsPersist* /Q

Command Line Executables

cmd
ipconfig
GPUpdate /force (force the group policy - for user security - to update/refresh
msconfig (to enable/disable startup programs and services)

How to turn OFF, turn ON, or REMOVE Microsoft auto updates

To Turn OFF Windows Update

Click Start > All Programs > Windows Update (or, in the Search box type: Windows Update and then select Windows Update from the list of results)
Click Change Settings (on the left)
In the Important Updates section choose: Never check for update (not recommended).
Also, under the Recommended updates option select (on) the Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates.
Also, under the Microsoft Update option select (on) the Give me update for Microsoft products and check for new option Microsoft software when I update Windows
NOTE: If you are running Microsoft Office 2010 we recommend that you TURN OFF Windows update to prevent a Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 / Office 2010 Access but that breaks certain MS Access (OneSource) features (after updates are download) until the server is rebooted. Please note that while we recommend turning OFF the updates (including the automated downloads of the updates) we DO recommend that you make a note to manually check for and install Windows server updates at least every 30 days (by clicking Start > All Programs > Windows Update).

To Turn ON Windows Update

Click Start > All Programs > Windows Update (or, in the Search box type: Windows Update and then select Windows Update from the list of results)
Click Change Settings (on the left)
In the Important Updates section choose any of the options above the Never check for updates (not recommended) option.
Also, under the Recommended updates option select (on) the Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates.
Also, under the Microsoft Update option select (on) the Give me update for Microsoft products and check for new option Microsoft software when I update Windows

How to MANUALLY Uninstall Windows Updates

Start > Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > Installed Updates
Select the update you want to uninstall.
Right-click on the update and select Uninstall.

How to create a Batch file to run to REMOVE specific Windows Updates (if the updates break MS Access)

NOTE: Each individual update is identified with a Knowledge Base article that explains it. It looks like KBxxxxxx, where the x's are numbers)
Start > Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > Installed Updates
Make a manual list of each update you want to uninstall, writing down the KB#
Create a new blank Notepad document.
Type a line like the ones below for EACH unique update you want to uninstall. (In this example 5 updates will be uninstalled)
wusa /uninstall /kb:4022208 /quiet /norestart
wusa /uninstall /kb:4484127 /quiet /norestart
wusa /uninstall /kb:4461579 /quiet /norestart
wusa /uninstall /kb:3128031 /quiet /norestart
wusa /uninstall /kb:2589298 /quiet /norestart
Close the file and then save it with whatever name you'd like and then RENAME the extension from .txt to .bat.
Now right click on the file and click 'Run as Administrator' .
When the process is complete reboot your server.
Note: If that does not fix your problem please follow the instructions above to remove updates manually.

How to UN-INSTALL Window

Troubleshooting Speed Issues

Performing a Clean Startup (to determine if any apps are causing slow down)

Step 1: Start the System Configuration Utility

Click StartStart button, type msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
User Account Control permission If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.

Step 2: Enable half of the Services items

Click the Services tab, and then click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box.
Click to select half of the check boxes in the Services list.
Click OK.
When you are prompted, click Restart.

Step 3: Determine whether the problem is resolved

If the problem still occurs after you restart the computer, follow these steps:

Repeat Step 1 and Step 2 except that, in Step 2, click to clear half of the check boxes in the Services list that you originally selected.

If the problem still occurs after another restart, click to clear half of the remaining check boxes again until one service is running when the problem occurs. If the problem does not occur after a restart, reverse the selection of check boxes. Repeat this process until you can isolate the one service that is running when this problem occurs.
If the problem does not occur after you restart the computer, follow these steps:

Repeat Step 1 and Step 2 except that, in step 2, click to select half of the cleared check boxes.
If the problem still does not occur after another restart, click to select half of the cleared check boxes again. Repeat this process until you have selected all the check boxes and the problem still does not occur.
If the problem occurs after a restart, click to clear half of the check boxes that you last selected. Repeat this process until you can isolate the one service that is running when this problem occurs.
If you can isolate one service that is selected when the problem occurs, that service is the one that causes the problem. If you cannot isolate any service in this manner, a startup item might be causing the problem.
If you determine that a service is causing the problem, go to Step 6. If you determine that no service is causing the problem, go to Step 4.

Step 4: Enable half of the Startup items

Start the System Configuration Utility. To do this, see Step 1.
Click the Startup tab, and then click to select half of the check boxes in the Startup list.
Click OK.
When you are prompted, click Restart.

Step 5: Determine whether the problem is resolved

After you complete Step 4, click to clear the Hide All Microsoft Services check box. Then, repeat the steps in Step 3, except that you are now working in the Startup list instead of in the Services list.

Step 6: Resolve the problem

After you determine the startup item or the service that causes the problem, contact the program manufacturer to determine whether the problem can be resolved. Or, run the System Configuration Utility, and then click to clear the check box for the problem item.