What I focused on was my three favorite sessions from TechEd:

• Server 2008 R2 SP1 and Windows 7 SP1
• Turbo Charging Active Directory
• Windows 7 at Mach 5

If you missed TechEd then check out the quick slides and make sure to visit msteched.com for videos of the TechEd presentations that were recorded.

Related posts:

• Server 2008 Active Directory User Groups — the Easy Way!
• As Promised: Photos from TechEd 2009!
• Back from TechEd! Pictures to Follow

MCSE: Out With The Old

Having an MCSE next to your name can open doors that would otherwise be closed. My MCSE Certification has helped me get job interviews and writing gigs, plus it has helped with my street cred in the IT world.

Another nice thing about the MCSE is that it will never expire, not even when the exams are discontinued (let’s hope, that in the future, the MCSE will be a sign of experience and longevity and not a sign of age).

But the MCSE is getting old, the technology is starting to go out of fashion and companies are looking for candidates with updated skills and new sets of letters after their names.

MCTS & MCITP: In With The New

Just in case you haven’t been following along, Microsoft has introduced two new certifications:

• Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)
• Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)

The MCTS demonstrates knowledge on a particular technology so it is possible to get several MCTS designations, one for each technology you test on. The MCITP certification requires 3-5 MCTS exams, depending on which track you choose.

The MCTS expires when the technology it is based on is out of mainstream support. The MCITP will need to be renewed every three years. Because these new certifications expire, having one will be a sign of keeping current and being up to date with changing technologies.

Learn more about the Server 2008 MCITP Certifications.

Certification Options for MCSEs

If you’re currently working with Microsoft technologies and would like to continue on that route, than the MCTS and MCITP is the logical upgrade path for you to take.

If you’re not working with Windows or simply looking for a change, there are other certification options for MCSEs.

CompTIA Network+ Certification

The Network+ certification consists of only one exam and covers core networking concepts such as wires and network topologies, the OSI Model, TCP/IP protocols and the like. You’ll learn the fundamentals that every IT professional should know like how to set a default gateway, DNS and basic IP addressing, routing and wireless networking, using networking command line tools, performance optimization and hands-on networking tools such as the multimeter and cable testers.

Why would someone with an MCSE want to get the Network+ certification?

Well for starters, the Net+ is a vendor neutral certification so you’re not going to be limited to just Microsoft information. And if you haven’t been keeping up with the latest changes in networking technologies, studying for the Network+ will be a nice way to refresh your skills and knowledge and fill in any gaps.

Learn more about the CompTIA Network+ Certification.

CompTIA Security+ Certification

Security is on everyone’s mind, now more than ever, which is why it’s also one of the most in-demand areas in the IT field. CompTIA’s Security+ certification is required by most companies in the health care and financial industries and the federal government.

Security professionals also enjoy a higher pay scale than the average System Administrator, and there are simply more opportunities for individuals with security credentials.

Security+ Certification requires a single exam and will allow you to build skills in implementing organizational security, system security, email security, web security and more, all with a vendor neutral focus.

Learn more about the CompTIA Security+ Certification.

Cisco CCNA Certification

Cisco’s CCNA is a very popular certification that allows you to obtain a wide range of job titles including: associate network technician, network specialist, associate network engineer and others.

There are two paths to obtaining the CCNA cert; you can take a single composite exam: CCNA 640-802, or two exams: ICND1 640-822 and ICND2 640-816.

Although it is considered an entry level certification, the CCNA covers a number of advanced networking topics. On your exam you will have to describe how a network works and actually configure a switch in a test lab. You will also need to know how to configure, verify and troubleshoot routers on Cisco devices.

The CCNA is a popular option for MCSEs because it opens up new opportunities and for many, it is a nice change of pace.

Learn more about the Cisco CCNA Certification.

VMware VCP Certification

IT professionals with virtualization and cloud computing skills are in high demand as companies and organizations are trying to bring more efficiency and cost savings to the IT department. Eventually, it will be an expected skill of every sysadmin because of the widespread adaptation of virtualization technology.

The VCP (VMware Certified Professional) certification is still pretty rare, especially compared to Microsoft or Cisco certifications. So if you’re looking for a good way to stand out from the crowd and work with some cutting edge technologies, then virtualization is the path to go.

Learn more about the VMware VCP Certification.

Coming Full Circle: Upgrading Your MCSE

That leads us back to Microsoft Certifications. Maybe an updated Microsoft Certification is the most logical step for MCSEs after all.

By taking just one Microsoft exam you can get your MCTS (and add some new letters to your name). The MCTS on Windows 7 Administration is a good choice as many organizations are moving to the new OS.

The MCITP upgrade path for MCSE’s also looks very promising. Those who hold an MCSE or MCSA on Server 2003 can take the expedited route to the MCITP Certification and earn multiple MCTS certifications by passing a single upgrade exam.

The upgrade exams include:

• Exam: 70-648 Upgrading Your MCSA on Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008, Technology Specialist
• Exam: 70-649 Upgrading Your MCSE on Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008, Technology Specialist

By passing exam 70-648 (for MCSAs) you complete the requirements for two Server 2008 Certifications:

• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration
• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuration

By passing exam 70-649 (for MCSEs) you complete the requirements for three Server 2008 Certs:

• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Configuration
• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuration
• MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Application Platform Configuration

Both the 70-648 and 70-649 exams also count towards you MCITP Certifications, whether you want to go the MCITP Server Administrator or MCITP Enterprise Administrator route.

To complete your MCITP Server Administrator credential after completing the upgrade exam you will only have one exam left:

• Exam 70-646: Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator

To complete your MCITP Enterprise Administrator credential after completing the MCSA/MCSE upgrade exam you will need to pass two exams:

• Exam 70-647: Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Administrator

and one of these:

• Exam 70-620: Configuring Microsoft Windows Vista Client
• Exam 70-624: Deploying and Maintaining Windows Vista Client and 2007 Microsoft Office System Desktops
• Exam 70-680: Windows 7, Configuring

Take a look at the MCITP exam requirements to learn about the difference between the two MCITP certification routes and what you’ll need to do to achieve them.

Time to Update Your MCSE

As my colleague has pointed out in a previous article, there will be considerable value in being both MCSE 2003 and MCITP 2008 certified as many organizations are moving to Server 2008 and need IT pros who are proficient in both technologies. The combination of MCSE and MCITP might be the new hot ticket in the certification arena.

Related posts:

• MCSE vs MCITP: Is the MCSE Still Worth It?
• Lesson 10: Server 2008 MCITP Certifications
• Why Getting Your MCSE Now Is Still A Good Idea

PowerShell 1.0 gave systems administrators around the world a new administration tool when it was introduced with Windows Server 2003.

For years, Microsoft has worked to develop a graphical user interface, or GUI, that would make system administration and user administration easier and more user friendly.

In many ways, the company succeeded admirably.

Most admins know at least one or two people who have managed to create a user in a very small Windows Server environment through User Manager and think that they should become a Windows Administrator because they already understand “how to do it.”

However, for administrators in environments where users exceed the number of people it takes to field a couple softball teams, things  are more complicated. In fact, one of the difficulties of properly administering a networked operating system and its servers is keeping all the “little things” consistent across the enterprise. Forgetting a check-box here, and a radio button there, can add up to a security nightmare waiting to happen, or perhaps, a very angry Vice President unable to remotely connect at a critical time.

The solution to some of these problems has been scripting. By writing scripts, Windows system engineers could ensure that repetitive tasks happened correctly and with far less effort than doing them manually. Everything from creating new user accounts, to installing software and upgrades, to basic login scripts has been coded somewhere along the way by a savvy systems admin looking to avoid headaches and spend a little less time on repetitive tasks.

Eventually, new Windows Server features and enhancements began to outstrip the capabilities of the DOS-based scripting that server administrators had been cobbling together. Fortunately, new tools and utilities were also developed that helped reduce some of the reliance on login scripts. For example, User and Group profiles have long since made mapping drive letters via login script obsolete. However, administrators still needed a more powerful scripting environment.

PowerShell 2.0 Upgrades Features and Capabilities

PowerShell has been slightly underrated within the administrator community. One reason is that in order for PowerShell to really perform throughout the enterprise, it needs to be usable on the servers and all the desktops.

Fortunately, Windows 7 comes ready to execute PowerShell scripts. Windows 7 SP1 is set to ship in the near future, which sounds the bell for many long-time IT professionals who live by the rule to always wait for SP1 before upgrading, and Server 2008 R2 comes with PowerShell 2.0 installed by default. As Windows 7 is installed in the enterprise, PowerShell 2.0 will grow even more useful.

Another reason PowerShell has not gotten its fair share of affection from systems administrators is that there were a few nagging things about how PowerShell worked conspiring to make it seem less powerful than it actually was. However, Microsoft has addressed many of these issues and thrown in a few new features as well.

Let’s take a look at some of these new features now.

Remoting

Nothing has been a bigger thorn in the side of PowerShell than Remoting. Remoting is the ability to run commands via PowerShell on remote computers. Technically, some remoting was possible in PowerShell one, but it was limited to the Get-WMIObject cmdlet within Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). Even worse, WMI required RPC connections which meant having to go to the networking guys to get ports opened and firewall exceptions allowed. Not fun.

PowerShell 2.0 allows administrators to run commands on remote computers using the WS-Man (WS-Management) protocols which establish secure connections to remote computers using ports 80 and 443 by default. In many environments these ports will already be open, and in those that they are not, they’ll be a much easier sell to the networking team.

There is one little catch to remoting in PowerShell 2.0. In order to use remoting, it must be enabled on both machines. However, this only needs to be done once. Once enabled, remoting can be used on multiple machines at the same time allowing the administrator to execute the same commands on several computers at once. The applications for this ability are limited only by the admin’s ability (and the availability of the right cmdlet).

New cmdlets

Speaking of cmdlets, PowerShell 2.0 comes with over 100 built-in cmdlets. While this covers a lot of ground, there is no doubt that Microsoft Server administrators will quickly find functions and tasks that require other commands. Fortunately, Microsoft has implemented a way to handle this eventuality as well.

Modules are also new to PowerShell 2.0 and allow script developers to organize code into self-contained reusable units. This functionality has already been used to create a PowerShell 2.0 Active Directory Module which brings more possibilities to managing Active Directory via PowerShell.

Run Background Jobs in PowerShell

Another big addition to the PowerShell feature set is the ability to run background jobs. This means that those PowerShell scripts that take a long time to run can continue to perform in the background while the command prompt returns control immediately to the console.

An admin performing numerous tasks late at night can get them all running right away instead of having to wait until 2:00 AM to run that last command. This is especially useful while remoting multiple machines, especially when those machines are separated by various network connection speeds.

System Events Integration

PowerShell 2.0 now offers the ability to monitor and act on system events which can allow for more proactive scripting.

PowerShell ISE GUI

The most curious edition to PowerShell 2.0 is the PowerShell GUI, which, on the surface, appears to defeat the whole point of PowerShell. However, the GUI is really more of a basic script editor complete with color coded syntax, partial execution, stepping, and graphic debugging. The GUI also includes context sensitive help which can save admins from scanning through the verbose output of some help commands.

With Windows 7 coming to many businesses in the near future and the upcoming release of Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, PowerShell 2.0 will be already waiting to go for enterprise-wide control and administration. The time is now for Microsoft systems engineers and administrators to learn how to take advantage of PowerShell 2.0.

PowerShell 2.0 Demonstration

Take a look at the video below to see a short demo of PowerShell 2.0.

Related posts:

• Active Directory PowerShell Scripts Management Tool For Admins
• Don’t be Afraid of PowerShell
• Take Command of Server 2008 with Windows PowerShell – Part 1

However, Windows Server 2008 R2 provides many new features and upgrades, including several that go hand in hand with new features found in Windows 7.

That means there are more new reasons to upgrade both the desktop operating system and the server operating system at many companies.

If that doesn’t sound like major undertaking, I don’t know what is.

What is an R2 Release Anyway?

Many businesses have been plugging along comfortably with older combinations of Windows XP and either Server 2003 or Windows Server 2000, and installing only those service packs and features designed to keep those systems running securely and stably.

Therefore, the question that has to be asked is what is an R2 release and exactly what does the R2 version of Sever 2008 have to offer?

Over the past several years, Microsoft has received a lot of feedback from users in the business community who wanted a more predictable release cycle for critical business platforms such as Microsoft’s server operating systems. For businesses that had driven the planning uncertainty out of other areas of operations, the seemingly random release schedule of Server upgrades and service pack releases prevented IT from adequately planning everything from hardware acquisition, to lease schedules, to software budgeting.

In addition, companies wanted to keep the critical security and performance updates to the operating systems separate from updates that added new features. Companies where extensive testing and planning make virtually any downtime unacceptable, didn’t like that in order to keep their systems secure and optimized they had to introduce new, untested, features and services into their environment, or deal with kludgey, file deleting, registry editing, hacks to remove those features from otherwise necessary Service Pack updates.

On the other hand, in the technology industry, five years is a lifetime and Microsoft worried that products would quickly become out of date, with its offerings lacking the latest features and innovations if new feature sets were released only twice a decade. If there was one thing Microsoft did not need, it was to bolster the view of the company as a slow moving dinosaur out of touch with the fast moving pace of business.

The compromise the company struck was that the company would focus on releasing new versions of core business software products approximately every five years. Like with Windows Server 2003 and then Windows Server 2008. Service packs would continue to be released whenever necessary in order to update critical security, stability, and performance issues.

However, Service Packs would not contain new features within them. Instead, Microsoft would update feature sets with an R2 release every 2 to 3 years.

This way, businesses that wanted to keep up to date with the latest security, stability, and performance enhancements, but did not want to introduce new features (and their potential stability and security problems) into the production environment could install Service Packs. And, those companies looking to incorporate the latest technologies and feature set could take advantage of the R2 releases.

Thus, Server 2008 R2 offers much more than just a Service Pack, but not quite as much a new full-scale release.

So, what exactly is in the latest release of Windows Server 2008 R2?

Server 2008 R2 Upgrade Costs

Many of the features and functionalities in Server 2008 were introduced in the original, or “R1″ release of Server 2008. However, for environments currently running Windows Server 2003, these features should also figure heavily in any decision whether to upgrade to Server 2008 R2 or not.

Obviously, migrating from Server 2003 to Server 2008 R2 is not a free update, unless the company is enrolled in certain licensing subscriptions.

For IT groups already running the original Server 2008 system, the question gets a little murkier. For businesses with Software Assurance, the question is merely one of value versus the time and effort to upgrade the server operating system.

For those without Software Assurance, or other business licensing that includes free upgrades, Windows Server 2008 R2 is not a free upgrade. In other words, for those running Server 2008 already, the evaluation involves not only the time and effort, but additional cost as well.

New Features in Server 2008 R2

As before, there are several Editions of Windows Server 2008 R2 available depending upon the needs of an organization. Some features are optional on certain editions or only available on specific editions. Thus, a straight list of all new features is a relatively complicated undertaking.

However, there are certain features that are the “deal-makers” in Server 2008 R2.

  •   Hyper-V and Virtualization

The centerpiece of Server 2008 was the addition of virtualization as a built-in function of the operating system. As is often the case, the company’s first effort was successful and usable if not as scalable or feature filled as competing offerings. However, for companies looking to start down the path toward virtualization or to roll out the new technology on a limited basis, Microsoft’s Hyper-V offered a great entry point without any additional cost.

One area that has received substantial attention for the R2 release of Windows Server is virtualization and Hyper-V.

Features like Live Migration, Hot Add/Remove Virtual Machine Storage, integration with desktop virtualization (VDI), and also presentation or application virtualization (formerly provided in some fashion by Terminal Services) have all been added.

In addition, services like clustering and failover have been improved and expanded. Also, included is the long awaited ability to boot from storage networks.

  •   64-bit Architecture and More

Of course, the R2 release contains upgraded support for more powerful hardware. Server 2008 R2 becomes the first version to be released only in 64-bit architecture, marking the official end of 32-bit computing for Server products.

R2 supports up to 256 logical processor cores and up to 64 logical cores for each host. New power management features allow processor cores to be parked when load is low and then automatically re-enabled when demand increases. In a large data center, the amount of savings just from lowered cooling requirements alone could make an upgrade to R2 worth it.

Other new features receiving a lot of attention are improvements in Remote Administration, as well as secure connections for remote employees without the need for third-party VPN software, updates to Active Directory management, including a recycle bin for AD objects, streamlined performance, improved storage management, and an update to PowerShell.

Add to all of this the fact that many of the high-end features of Windows 7 will only work with Server 2008 R2, or will work much better with it, and it starts to add up to a must upgrade scenario.

The only real question in these trying economic times is when and where the will and funds will meet the need for a much improved server operating system environment.

Related posts:

• Overview of Server 2008 R2 — The Half Version Upgrade
• Windows 7 Features That Require Server 2008 R2
• Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 New Features: Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX

Most reviewers claim to see not only improvements in speed and functionality, but better usability as well.

Some reviewers are going so far as to proclaim that Windows 7 is as user friendly as the latest Mac OS Snow Leopard.

Even more important for business users and Information Technology Professionals is the list of impressive new features that come with Windows 7. Many of these new Windows 7 technologies allow for IT Departments to better manage, support, and configure Windows 7 machines throughout the enterprise.

It is not surprising then that these Windows 7 features are at the top of the list of reasons IT groups are ready to initiate the massive undertaking of upgrading desktop computers throughout the company.

Server 2008 R2 Required for Windows 7 Functions

But, did you know that some of the best new Windows 7 features only work with Windows Server 2008? In fact, some features actually require the latest Windows Server release, Server 2008 R2.

And, a handful of functions not only require Windows Server 2008 R2, but they require that all domain controllers be Windows Server 2008!

This isn’t a trivial point when evaluating upgrading to Windows 7 in a large environment. Let’s take a look at some of the features of Windows 7 that require Server 2008 R2.

  •   DirectAccess

DirectAccess is one of the much-anticipated features in Windows 7. For the home user, DriectAccess provides little benefit, but in the business environment, it will be invaluable.

Whether they were employees traveling on business trying to connect from hotel rooms or other locations, or whether they were employees working from home, or IT administrators trying to remotely diagnose or fix a systems issue at 3:00 A.M. — the value of remote connectivity could not be denied.

Unfortunately, until the release of Windows 7, businesses had only a few unappetizing choices for providing remote access to workers.

They could open up a giant security hole by allowing full connectivity over unencrypted connections (like the hotel wireless network) and just hope that no one intercepted sensitive data, or worse piggybacked on the connection into the servers themselves. Obviously, this option was not popular.

They could create a DMZ area of sorts allowing connectivity only to specific resources that were sealed off from the “real” corporate network. However, this inevitably meant that whatever access the employee needed was behind the firewall and not available, and it did nothing to solve the problem of unencrypted data transfers.

Finally, companies could install a Virtual Private Network or VPN which would encrypt communications between the remote user and the company network as well as provide a means to authenticate remote users before they connected to the network.

Unfortunately, this required a whole other layer of client software, server setup, firewall configuration, and cost to make it work. Too often, the overall expense and effort of installation, support, and use of the VPN was such a burden that companies strictly limited who was permitted to use the service. Even for those with VPN installed, it was a clunky solution.

With Windows 7, Microsoft implemented DirectAccess. While DirectAccess offers many of the features found in VPN, it is not the same thing.

DirectAccess offers secure connections, like VPN, using IPSec in order to encrypt data passing between the client and network as it travels through the Internet. However, unlike VPN, DirectAccess provides an extra layer of “bi-directional” communications in which the remote computer can be connected and managed, without the user logging in. This is accomplished by authenticating the machine before the user ever attempts to connect.

This provides two huge benefits. First, because the machine must authenticate to the network first, a stolen username and password are worthless without an authorized computer. Thus, not only must a password be compromised, but a machine must be taken as well, which offers a much more obvious flag of a possible security breach.

Secondly, with the machine connected and authenticated over an Internet connection, the system can be remotely administered including installing patches, running scripts, or setting policies or profiles. With DirectAccess, users no longer have to worry that when the connect in a mad rush to download a critical presentation that their connection will be slowed to a crawl while a login script runs and updates are installed. Instead, these things can happen while the employee is asleep or watching T.V. in their hotel room.

DirectAccess is a native part of Windows 7 and integrates seamlessly with Windows Server 2008 R2 eliminating the need for managing an extra layer of security or tying Active Directory entries to VPN users.

Instead, all of the same profiles, policies, and object security features run with full affect ensuring that no one gets access to something they aren’t supposed to, while everyone gets access to everything they do need, all without any frantic 6:30 P.M. phone calls on Friday afternoon.

  •   BranchCache

While network connectivity has become widespread and WAN connections have dropped in price and increased in speed in larger cities, there are still tons of places where connectivity is expensive and slow. For companies with nationwide operations there are unpleasant choices to be made. Spend huge amounts of money on faster connections, or force employees in branch offices to suffer through slow authentication and slower data access.

With BranchCache you can have files stored on-site, either on a server, Windows 2008 Server, of course, or if there is no onsite server, files can be cached on the hard drives of other workstations. This way, if one person pulls down a file at 8:30 am and another person needs the same file at 9:15 am, the second user doesn’t need to download it across the WAN.

  •   BitLocker-to-Go

Windows 7 extends the drive encryption to USB keys and other removable drives. While BitLocker works without Server 2008, if you want to FORCE it to be used on USB key drives, you’ll need the Group Policy updates in Server 2008 R2. (Technically, you can’t force the drive to be encrypted, but you can disallow access to a non-encrypted drive.) Most importantly, the recovery password can be stored in Active Directory.

  •   RemoteApp

If you want to use Presentation Virtualization (making the application appear as if it installed locally) you’ll need Server 2008 (R1 or R2) and Windows 7. While you can technically get away with using Vista, advanced visuals like Aero won’t behave and will eliminate that “local install” feel.

  •   Sever 2008 Without Windows 7 and Vice Versa

In the real world, no upgrade to either the desktop OS nor the server OS will happen overnight. The question then becomes whether or not to upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2 first or upgrade to Windows 7 first, or go the hybrid route and upgrade some of the server OS while also upgrading some of the desktop OS.

While at first glance, this sounds like the less desirable option, the reality is that this paradigm may actually serve many companies very well. The hybrid upgrade approach allows IT to upgrade by site or location, generally starting with the office with the highest concentration of the right IT personnel. By the time the IT guys are all running Windows 7 and at least a handful of the servers in the datacenter are running Windows Server 2008 R2, much of the infrastructure will not only be in place, but been tested as IT goes about its daily duties.

Working the bugs from a major upgrade out is a lot easier and less politically volatile when the ones dealing with the issues are both the people most capable of figuring out what the problem is, and the ones least likely to complain about the way things are being handled.

In the end, much of the handwringing going on about whether to put the chicken or the egg first may be moot. The only question is, which is the chicken, Windows Server 2008 or Windows 7?

Related posts:

• Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 New Features: Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX
• Active Directory Rights Management Services: Features & Operational Considerations
• Windows Server 2008 R2 Green Features

I Love Train Signal!

My wonderful Train Signal just got a brand new laptop for me with … Windows 7! 

Remember how I gave my boss a little hint in my upgrading from XP to Windows 7 article?  I guess he reads my posts after all, because first thing yesterday morning I get a package with a brand spanking new laptop!  I was so happy I was in tears! (Quite hormonal, yes — but there’s not much you can do when you are about to have a baby AND you get a new laptop you’ve been wanting for months).

Bragging About My New Windows 7 Laptop

Most of the day yesterday I spent setting up my Windows 7, copying files and programs, configuring my preferences, etc., and I must say, Windows 7 makes all of this really easy.  I am not a Windows 7 pro and I haven’t done much training on it either but I was able to figure out almost everything on my own — it’s so easy to use. 

I love the new look and feel and the speed is amazing — I really think I can get used to it quickly.  Now, just so you know, I haven’t used Windows Vista that much.  I know Windows 7 is supposed to be just like Vista and all, but I made the jump to 7 from Windows XP. 

I still love XP and will miss it dearly, but it’s time for me to move on and “go with the flow”.  So, if any of you are still on Windows XP and are afraid of installing Windows 7 — don’t be.  It’s easy and you will have no problem getting used to it.

Redirecting Your Documents Folder in Windows 7

Ok, enough bragging about my new laptop and the awesome Windows 7.

What I want to show you today is how to redirect your Documents folder to a different location on you Windows 7 PC.

I like to keep my Documents folder on my D drive and as of now the default is C:\Users\Public. So, how do I change the default? Here are the steps.

1. To start, click on the start orb, point to Documents and right click. You will get a pop-up menu.  Point and select Properties.

2. In the Documents Properties window, select the Library location you want to remove (in my case it is the C:\Users\Public folder) and click Remove.

3. You can remove them all or you may leave the ones you would like to keep.  I am going to leave the “My Documents” location that is in my profile, in case I want to save files in that location someday.  To add a new location, click on the Include a Folder button.

4. Select the folder you want to include for your Documents and then click Include folder.

5. That folder now shows in your library locations.  To set it as your default save location, select it and then click on Set save location.

6. Make sure to click Apply and OK before you close that window.

7. That’s it!  You can see now that I have two locations for my library.  One is on my C drive and the other — the default one, is on my D drive.

8. I think we should test it.  I created a word document and I am going to click on Save As.  Let’s see where it is going to take me.

9. I’m not going to select anything, just type in the name and click Save.

10. Now I’m going to open up my Documents library and see where the document was saved.

Woo Hoo!  It worked!  The document is on my D drive!

Just like the folder redirection, everything seems to be super easy and common sense in Windows 7.  Is there anything you want to know how to do? 

Let us know and we’ll try to help out!

Related posts:

• My Journey from Windows XP to Windows 7
• How to Create a New Virtual Machine with Hyper-V
• Server 2008: How to Setup a Remote Desktop on Windows Vista

When we first got the search bar from the start menu in Vista my computing life changed. It has allowed me to be blissfully lazy. I really have no idea where any of my programs and files are. Heck, I don’t even know their full names. And don’t get me started on OS tools and features.

If I want to do a backup, I don’t navigate to the Backup and Restore Center – I just type the letters “ba” and BOOM. There it is. Life is great!

In Server 2008 R2 they have added a GUI search tool to help you find Active Directory objects. You can find users, computers, OUs, groups, and more in a snap! You can even search in other domains you have established trusts with.  Network admins everywhere:  rejoice!

You can further refine your search (query) by adding criteria. You can even save queries. And you don’t have to search the entire domain. You could navigate to a particularly large OU then filter that OU’s objects with a query. The possibilities are endless.

In all seriousness, this is a great tool for the help desk professional or any other person the all-powerful admin has delegated responsibilities to. For example, that person does not have to know the ins and outs of the network structure to quickly find a user and reset their password.

The fact that the new Active Directory Administrative Center (and its Global Search) can be installed on a Windows 7 client makes this scenario all the more possible.

The Global Search tool is only one new feature in the new Active Directory Administrative Center, and there are plenty more new features in Server 2008 R2.

So if you want to learn all about it and more — keep an eye out for our new Server 2008 R2 Training that is coming soon. Love it!

Related posts:

• Upgrading to Server 2008 R2 in 8 Easy Steps
• Windows Server 2008: Auditing Active Directory
• How to Backup and Restore Active Directory on Server 2008

Windows 7 Minimum Hardware Requirements

• 1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1 GB of RAM (32-bit)/2 GB of RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB of available disk space (32-bit)/20 GB (64-bit)
• DirectX 9 graphics device with Windows Display Driver Model 1.0  or higher driver

These are the big 4 requirements but Microsoft has a list of additional feature based requirements also.  

Looking at this screenshot of my Toshiba Tecra M3 laptop’s hardware specifications you can see that I am in pretty good shape for general hardware requirements. There is also a tool called the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor (only a Beta version is currently available) that will tell me if all my devises will work with Windows 7 as well.

The Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

I downloaded and installed the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. This tool also requires .NET framework 2.0 or higher. I didn’t have it so I was automatically prompted to download and install it before continuing with the upgrade advisor install. 

The upgrade advisor told me to make sure I install all my devices before running the tool so that they can be checked for compatibility. That reminds me. What about my USB adaptor for my Play Station controller? I better still be able to use that.

Success! I am Windows 7 ready! Sort of. While there was no mention of my game controller this message was given for my wireless card:

I wonder why it wants me to download the driver upgrade first before installing Windows 7. If I download it now I would have to have an external device to save it to (I do have one but that’s not the point).  I decided to just ignore this advice and see it if bites me later.

There are several programs that the upgrade advisor is asking me to uninstall before upgrading to Windows 7. I will not be upgrading to 7 from XP as that is impossible. So I don’t need to bother uninstalling anything – everything will be wiped anyway. Did I mention that this tool is a beta?

File Backup

All I need to backup is My Documents, my browser favorites, and my Thunderbird profile. With those all safely copied and pasted onto a USB drive, I am ready to go.

Install Windows 7

I waited all morning on Thursday for the RTM downloads to show up on TechNet. Sometime around noon (CDT) I hit refresh and there they were – the  versions of Windows 7 in all their shining glory. I chose the 32 bit version of 7 Ultimate and started the download.

I also got a key from TechNet and made sure it was saved in a .txt file on my USB drive. What? Did you expect me physically to write it down? How barbaric.

After 3 hours and still no completed download I saw a tweet form Keith Combs with a tip to use the Akamai Technologies Download Manager Browser add-on at TechNet’s Top Downloads.  This was much faster!

My second attempt at downloading the ISO file finished in only 42 minutes. However, and this is a huge however – I simultaneously discovered that my DVD/CD-ROM drive on the Toshiba does not work. When was the last time I even tried to use it? I can’t be certain. This puts a damper on things.

Well, if I am going to embark on trying to make a bootable USB drive I might as well make it for my netbook instead and just get the Toshiba’s DVD/CD-ROM fixed/replaced. Now the focus switches to my Acer Aspire One A150X. This means a quick trip back to TechNet to get Windows 7 Home Premium instead of Ultimate (a new key too).

Create a Bootable USB to Install Windows 7 From

After some Googling I found a guide at IntoWindows.com for making a bootable USB drive.  This guide shows the steps for making the drive bootable using Vista so I used a different (yes a third) computer to actually create the bootable drive.

I was using a 400GB external HDD instead of a little USB key. Therefore the line in the instructions that says “Format process may take few seconds” was a wee bit of an understatement. After an hour and a half the format was only at 18%.

Instead, I just used the normal Windows GIU method to do a quick format after assigning the drive a letter. This time, after an actual few seconds passed I just went back to the command prompt and continued on to step number 6. This worked for me just fine, but I would suggest sticking to the written directions if possible.

At this point I was getting impatient. I didn’t bother with the Upgrade Advisor, I just checked to make sure the netbook had the minimum hardware requirements (it does), backed up my needed files, and went for it.

My first trip into the BIOS to change the boot order did not list USB as an option – not all computers can do this. However, after trying it again … with the USB drive actually plugged in to the computer, the option was available.

Custom Windows 7 Installation

I then followed the install wizard as it did its business:
A custom install is a clean install.

I left the XP restore partition on the netbook (hey you never know), and chose not to further partition the drive. The third drive you see here is actually the bootable USB hard drive.

Besides asking for a computer name, username, time zone, and other expected configurations — the custom install asked me for my network information.  You could always skip this step if you want, but why not set it up now.

Tada! Windows 7 on my netbook! That was easy.

All that is left is to get it configured just how I want. Sliding scale UAC controls here I come! Windows 7 sure has some wacky standard desktop backgrounds available.

So how many computers does it take for Lisa to install Windows 7?

The answer is 4. I know you probably only counted 3. In a momentary act of stupidity, I actually tried another ridiculously old machine I have that is running Windows ME. Needless to say it wouldn’t even open the Windows 7 install disk.  So the final tally is:

• 2 broken/obsolete computers that were nothing but distractions from my true quest (you can’t polish a turd)
• 1 current Vista machine on which to create the bootable USB drive
• 1 slick little Acer netbook that eventually did run 7

Oh and don’t forget the 400GB external hard drive and my trusty Nikon D200 for all the awesome photos of the install.

Well, I hope your upgrade/custom install journey goes significantly better than mine did. I guess it was worth it in the end.

Share Your Journey: How did your Windows 7 install turn out?

Related posts:

• Windows 7 — Downgradable But Not Upgradable
• How to Redirect Your Documents Folder in Windows 7
• W00T! Window 7 and Server 2008 R2 RTM

I started gathering information for this article right after the Windows 7 and somewhat quieter Server 2008 R2  release to manufacturing (RTM) announcements on Wednesday. As the hours go by more and more people are starting to weigh in on what they think about the products.

Predictions and opinions are mixed and some facts are still unknown. But, I have gathered the most important facts for you and then I’ll chime in with my own two cents. Why not? Everyone else is doing it.

Time Table

There is a very intricate time table for whom can get their hands on what when. I made you some neat and tidy little charts to help you find out when you can first get Window 7. Please note that these dates are for the English version of the projects only. For info on other languages see the Windows Blog and the Windows Server Division Weblog.

Well at least it is cheaper then Vista… There are also talks of a family pack that lets you install Windows 7 on up to 3 computers, but the details are not confirmed at this time.

Windows 7 Versions and Prices

Here are the six, count-em six, versions of Windows 7:

So to buy or not to buy?

With Windows Server R2 the answer (money aside) comes down to whether or not you could use some of the many new features that R2 has to offer. Do you need the reduced power consumption, a ton of new PowerShell cmdlets, all the improvements in security and failover, and of course vitalization up the wazoo? You can even reinstate Active Directory objects from the “recycle bin” after you delete them – how cool is that!

Whether or not to hop right on the Windows 7 bandwagon is the hot questions that everyone is debating right now. Is 7 just a Vista Pig in lipstick? I say Vista already had lipstick but what it really needed to do is go on a diet. And I guess it did – most people agree that 7 is leaner and quicker than Vista.

Yes, it will be impossible to upgrade from XP to 7. Yes, 7 might not be able to run well on the underpowered old XP machines. I hate to say it, but if you have machines that are that old maybe it is time to replace them anyway.

And, please don’t keep whining about the lack of backward compatibility. People like my husband think it is a great injustice. He was correct – back in 2007 when Vista first sprang that problem on us. But if you haven’t done anything about it by now you only have yourself to blame. We need to move forward people. Only grandma can get away with refusing to embrace change.

What about usability? I think usability is all about what you are used to. I primarily use Vista now so when I get on an XP machine I don’t automatically remember where and how to do things. That doesn’t mean that XP is suddenly more cumbersome then I remember; it just means I am suddenly more cumbersome with XP. 7 will feel awkward at first, but you will get used to that funky task bar I promise.

As far as I am personally concerned, the only question that really needs answering is will Windows 7 work on my netbook? Microsoft’s Windows 7 Starter solution is just not a viable option. Limiting the user to three applications at once is just plain silly. Even if it will work, how will I get 7 onto the machine with no DVD drive?

The Windows 7 Challenge

So I issue a challenge to Gosia my fellow Train Signal Product Manager, known XP lover, and borderline Vista hater: Try out Windows 7 and see if you like it (after you get used to it).

Will the new UAC still bug you? Will you love the fact that 7 will know what network you are connected to (work or home) and change you default printer accordingly? Will the search box make you extremely lazy like Vista’s does for me?

Let me and the world know in an answer post in a month or so. Can’t Wait!

Related posts:

• Why Skipping Vista & Going Straight from XP to 7 is the Best Option – For Some of Us
• Downgradable Windows 7 — Downgrade Not Just to Vista, But XP Too

• 70-680, TS: Windows 7, Configuring
• 70-685, MCITP: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Support Technician
• 70-686, MCITP: Windows 7, Desktop Administrator

Since then there have been some interesting developments.

First of all, the MCITP titles have a different word arrangement than the actual exam name. Is that less or more confusing? Actually, I think it is less. For example, what you see above lists the exam number 70-685 and the letters MCITP in the same line. This might lead you to believe that you would become an MCITP after taking just the 70-685 exam. That would be too easy!

Instead they have made the actual MCITP title:

     MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician 7

while the exam is being called:

     70-685, Pro: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Support Technician

Here is some more information about the two MCITP paths that will be available for Windows 7:

MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician 7

Like other Microsoft Certified IT Pro level titles this one has several exam requirements that need to be fulfilled before you get the beloved MCITP letters after your name.

• 70-680, TS: Windows 7, Configuring
• 70-685, Pro: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Support Technician
• And an HDI (Help Desk Institute) customer service exam:
  – HDI Support Center Analyst (HDI-SCA)
  or
  – HDI Desktop Support Technician (HDI-DST)

Who is HDI? They are the leading international association for technical support professionals. They offer training and certification in IT service and support.

The theory is a good one: a certification that shows you both understand the technical aspects and are actually human. But when push comes to shove, will an HR manager really know the difference between Enterprise Desktop Support Technician and Enterprise Desktop Administrator? Who knows.

MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator 7

There is still nothing official said about this path yet. I would guess it would include the 70-680, 70-686, and maybe one other exam. I do know it will not include the “soft skills” requirement from HDI. Ken Rosen from Born to Learn says:

“So for those of you who want a well-rounded technology+soft skills credential, there’s MCITP: EDST7, and for those of you just want the Win7 piece, there’s MCITP: EDA7″

So what about MCTS: Windows 7, Configuration?

Since my last Windows 7 certification post the 70-680: TS: Windows 7, Configuring exam has, thankfully, not changed names. It was removed from being in beta status last month. An objective list is available but Microsoft has no study materials available yet (and neither do many legitimate 3rd parties).

Microsoft has promised that the 70-680 exam can be used toward the MCITP: Enterprise Administrator title, but I have been hearing that people are having issues with this. They have completed 70-680 and all the other requirements for Enterprise Admin, but are still not receiving the Enterprise Admin title on their transcripts.

I hope MS gets their act together and gets this resolved or people are going to be more reluctant to be early certification adopters in the future. What would Microsoft do without their beta exam takers?

So there you go. That is the latest confirmed and unconfirmed information about Windows 7 certifications. Don’t shoot the messenger!

Related posts:

• Windows 7 Exams are on the Way – Is a Vista Certification Still Worth it?
• MCTS Demystified: What you need to know about the Server 2008 Active Directory (Exam 70-640) Certification
• MCTS Demystified: What you need to know about the Server 2008 Network Infrastructure (exam 70-642) Certification