Can't launch executable files from shares (domain environment)

When trying to launch some .exe files from network drive (mapped share from file server) I've got the following error:

Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

This error occurs even though I have full security permissions on the file and full share permissions and non executable files are opening as expected. This behavior is due to IE security settings, to fix it you will need:

1) Open IE and go Tools -> Internet Options

2) Click Security tab select Local intranet and click on Sites

3) Add "file://server name" (without quotes) to the Local intranet zone, click close OK and OK.

"server name" is the name of your server where the shared files reside.

Double login to Terminal Servers with RD Connection Broker

If your users are frustrated by the double login prompt while attempting to connect to terminal server (2008 R2 in my case) in RD Connection Broker farm you may try few things.

1) Make sure users are entering their credentials on the RDP client and not when they are already connected to the server.

2) Enable Credssp on windows XP SP3

Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then press ENTER.
In the navigation pane, locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa
In the details pane, right-click Security Packages, and then click Modify.
In the Value data box, type tspkg. Leave any data that is specific to other SSPs, and then click OK.
In the navigation pane, locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders
In the details pane, right-click SecurityProviders, and then click Modify.
In the Value data box, type credssp.dll. Leave any data that is specific to other SSPs, and then click OK.

3) Create RDP shortcut and edit it with notepad, add the following lines:

prompt for credentials on client:i:1

enablecredsspsupport:i:1

Links: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/winserverTS/thread/53cdb3ee-7c73-4cda-aff9-afffec4b94f3

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/951608

Remote Desktop does not work to TMG (ISA) server

If all rules are in place for RDP, but you still can't connect to your TMG (ISA) server, following steps might help you:

This is for Windows Server 2008 R2

Connect to TMG locally and go Administrative Tools -> Remote Desktop Services -> Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration

In connections table right click RDP-Tcp and select Properties then select Network Adapters tab and choose Network Adapter: for which you want to enable RDP.

Links: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/Forefrontedgegeneral/thread/ef37e149-27ce-4da9-8739-cc58fdba46dc

Windows Server 2008 R2 console freezes when viewing form vSphere client

If you experience you console freezing from time to time when viewing from VMware vSphere client try to change video adapter drivers to VMware SVGA 3D (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM).

Step by step:

1. Shut down your VM and edit it's video card settings to use at least 8MB (32MB recommended) of total video RAM.

2. Boot up VM login to the machine and open Device Manager. Expand Display Adapters and right click your video adapter (should be "VMware SVGA II") select "Update Driver Software".

3. Choose "Browse my computer for driver software" and navigate to C:\Program files\Common files\VMware\drivers\wdda_video. Complete the wizard and restart VM when promted.

If you can not find wdda_video folder in your VMware\drivers folder that probably means you are using VMware tools version below 4.1 if that is the case you can download 4.1 tools from here: http://packages.vmware.com/tools/esx/4.1latest/windows/x64/index.html

install it on some test machine and then share "wdda_video" folder to access it from 2008 R2 machine. I don't know what effect it will have running video driver from 4.1 tools package on ESX server below version 4.1 so try it on your own risk.

Links: http://sysadmin-talk.org/2010/06/windows-server-2008-r2-console-freezes-when-viewed-from-vcenter-client/comment-page-1/#comment-2516

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/307584

Change location of WSUS update files

If you ever need to change the location where WSUS stores updates you can do the following:

Win+R

type: cmd and hit Enter

at the command prompt navigate to the directory containing wsusutil.exe

(default: C:\Program files\Microsoft Windows Server Update Services\Tools)

and run command:

wsusutil.exe movecontent "D:\WSUS Update Packages" D:\logfile.log

this assumes you want to move update files to "D:\Wsus Update Packages" (you must create folder prior moving contents) and D:\logfile.log is where logs for this operation go.

If you do not want to copy all content to the new location add -skipcopy flag to the end of command wsusutil.exe movecontent "D:\WSUS Update Packages" D:\logfile.log -skipcopy

Links: http://blogs.technet.com/b/sus/archive/2008/05/19/wsus-how-to-change-the-location-where-wsus-stores-updates-locally.aspx