So you want to know about Virtualization?
Posted by kyle on November 21st, 2011 filed in Hyper-V, Networking, Virtualization, Windows 2008 R2Comment now »
Of course you do – it is the new hotness after all – in the Microsoft world Virtualization is User State Virtualization, Server Virtualization, Desktop Virtualization and Application Virtualization.
There has been an eBook that Microsoft have had out for a while about “Understanding Microsoft Virtualization Solutions” – I am pleased to report that this excellent (and free) eBook has been updated to include Windows 2008 R2 SP1.
Download it from here: Understanding Microsoft Virtualization Solutions, 2nd Edition.
Cheers
Kyle
Window 8 Installed and running!
Posted by Wayne on September 14th, 2011 filed in Windows 8Comment now »
Well, so it’s only the Dev version, but it still looks cool (so far!) Screenshots are on our Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/WindowsPCguy
target down, patch out!
Wayne
Don’t fall for it–Microsoft Support Scam calls
Posted by kyle on August 13th, 2011 filed in MiscComment now »
So – I am writing this as I have just received on my home number the 5th call in a many weeks from a company that claims to be first Microsoft and then if pressed “The support department for old Windows operating systems” – and in my case claimed to be based in North Sydney (which to the layman would then make you think maybe they are legit as Microsoft Australia is based in North Ryde.
The scam basically works like this –
- The person on the phone advises that they have detected a problem with your machine – this problem was detected by you visiting websites – this in my case is where the scam always fall apart as I innocently ask them which of my 2 desktops, 4 laptops and 3 servers it was that the error occurred on – they cannot tell me.. mmmm.. ok
- They get you to open the Event Viewer in the most convoluted fashion possible and then look for an error – it doesn’t matter what the error is – they just need you to find an error – this could also be a warning rather than an error – and with any Windows system working for a while you will always have something in the event logs – normally not an ongoing problem – but it is their “hook”.
- Once they have found an error – they will claim that this is what they detected – and the reason for the issue is that your copy of Windows is out of warranty – and therefore things will now be going wrong and Microsoft will not “cover it” under warranty now. To the best of my knowledge there is no warranty on any software but according to this company there is. I have had a few calls of this type and one time I pressed on this point and was assured that it was just like my car has a warranty and if I want the car fixed after it was out of warranty I would have to pay for it. I suggested that that analogy did not reflect what he was saying in that when the warranty expires on the car the wheels do not simply fall off nor the steering start going wrong – the guy who I spoke with did not seem to get my point.
- You will then be passed to a “Microsoft Certified” technician who will be able to support you further. In the past I have gone through with the call long enough to get to this person and being a curious trainer I asked for the guy’s actual certification – he told me that it was “Microsoft Certified Technician” – now – according to http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/cert-overview.aspx that certification doesn’t exist – so I asked him for his Microsoft transcript ID (a publicly shareable copy of certification) but he told me that I didn’t need to know that – I countered that I wanted to be able to trust the person who was working on my computer –he swore at me and hung up
- At this point the “technician” will get you to install a remote client and you will be asked for a credit card. You will have then paid for a free service and have given a random stranger access to your computer.
So – what is the WindowsPCguy advice for handling this??
- If you are in Australia – register for the Do Not Call register – then when you get a call like this – get the details and report them .
- If you need assistance with a PC – seek out a trusted local contact – Microsoft will NEVER call you to report there is a problem with your computer – let me say that again – NEVER will you get a call from Microsoft like this.
- Do not install software from a random phone call from what is effectively a telemarketer.
- For a home user (the normal target of this scam) enable Windows Update, install an Anti-Virus application and ensure that it is updated regularly.
If you are reading this and you have already installed the software and paid your money – uninstall the software and try and get your money back. Man – I cannot tell you how much this kind of thing annoys me!
Cheers
Kyle
What runs microsoft.com ?
Posted by Wayne on June 8th, 2011 filed in Networking, Windows 2008 R2Comment now »
“During the past eight years, Microsoft.com has achieved one of the highest rankings on the Internet in terms of site availability as measured by Keynote Systems Inc., an independent third party. According to the Keynote reports, Microsoft.com has been available more than 99.8 percent of the time for the past five consecutive years, and more than 99.9 percent of the time for the past two years. The site generates more than 1.2 billion hits per day from more than 57 million unique Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. This traffic generates 200 million daily page views, averages 30,000 Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests per second, and results in an average of 750,000 concurrent client connections.”
Read more on how Microsoft themselves manage their environment, awesome!
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2012
Posted by kyle on June 2nd, 2011 filed in Office Deployment, solution accelerators, Windows 7 Deployment, Windows DeploymentComment now »
The open beta of MDT 2012 Beta 1 got released to connect overnight – you can get it here: https://connect.microsoft.com/site14/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?DownloadID=8689
So what does it do? Well – basically it starts to build on the improvements and changes in SCCM 2012 Operating System Deployment, has improved lite touch experience and functionality and also (and importantly IMHO) allows an upgrade from current MDT to the new version.
More reports after having more of a play with it!
Cheers
Kyle
We’re now on Facebook as well!
Posted by Wayne on June 1st, 2011 filed in MiscComment now »
The Kyle-man has taken another big step and setup a Facebook page for WindowsPC Guy. Join us and follow as we delve deeper into Windows and all things Microsoft.
http://www.facebook.com/WindowsPCguy
Migration from XPsp3 to 7 made easy
Posted by kyle on September 9th, 2010 filed in Windows 7, Windows 7 DeploymentComment now »
Hot of the presses is the beta release of a product that Mike mentioned during our deployment presentations at TechEd AU – an add on to the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit that runs on a Windows XP SP3 machine, captures it to a virtual hard disk and then installs Windows 7 with Virtual PC and your old Windows XP machine is now a Virtual Machine in the new Windows 7 machine –0 with all the apps, domain settings etc all still retained in it.
How cool is that?
I know, right.. seriously cool 
But – what could you use this for? well say you have an application that you just cannot make work in Windows 7 – you have followed all of Chris Jackson’s methods, you have used the ACT, you have consulted the Application Compatibility Cookbook and you still cannot get it to work – that my friends is when you roll this baby out.
Jeremy Chapman (aka deployment genius) has sat down with AdamBomb (aka AdamBomb) on Edge to demonstrate how this works – http://edge.technet.com/Media/P2V-Migration-for-Software-Assurance-Beta-with-Jeremy-Chapman/
Now – you do need to have software assurance to get access to this – in the short term (while it is in beta) you can get it from connect – http://connect.microsoft.com (and while it is in beta you do not need to have SA)
Some of you may have already played with the Sysinternals DISK2VHD tool – this leverages off that same tool but then does much more!
Cheers
Kyle
Planning to migrate to Office 2010
Posted by kyle on September 7th, 2010 filed in Office Deployment, Windows 7 Deployment1 Comment »
Then you are going to love this tool.. The Office Migration Planning Manager (OMPM) – basically a set of tools that can help you when you are in the planning and testing and migration stages of an Office 2010 roll out. good for testing to see if your old docs will work in the new format (and for finding documents in the first place and then doing a mass conversion!)
It helps you with the migration to both the 32 bit and 64 Bit versions of Office and helps you to check for things like VBA Macros that might not convert over as well. Better to know before than after!
You can get it from here.
Cheers
Kyle
Now on Twitter
Posted by kyle on September 7th, 2010 filed in MiscComment now »
This has kind of been a soft launch – but if you have been in one of my presentations in the last few weeks you would already know this – WindowsPCGuy is now in the twitterverse – @WindowsPCGuy to follow me.
Cheers
Kyle
A new logo here now – new look coming!
Posted by kyle on September 7th, 2010 filed in MiscComment now »
So finally I have been able to pull the site from VistaPCGuy to the new name of WindowsPCGuy. The content is the same – still covering across the Windows Client and Windows Server content and you can still get to the site either via WindowsPCGuy.net or VistaPCGuy.net.
Thanks to Kelli of www.kellikamel.com for redoing the logo. Kelli is based in Seattle but can help you with any of your logo, design and print production needs any where in the world – I highly recommend her services!
There is a new look in the pipes so stay tuned to see that (not in the short term but it will be here!)
Cheers
Kyle
