Category Microsoft Windows Server 2012

How to maintain the patch status of your Windows and Linux machines

“You can use Update Management in Azure Automation to manage operating system updates for your Windows and Linux machines in Azure, in on-premises environments, and in other cloud environments.” Microsoft

To enable on a specific virtual machine in Azure

Note – You only pay for logs stored (Log Analytics)

Enabling the option can take up to 15mins

Useful reference links

• Tutorial : Monitor changes and update a windows virtual machine in Azure
• Update Management Overview

Bulk Add Azure VMs and Non Azure Machines

POWERSHELL
import-CSV "" | 
foreach 
{ 
$result = Test-Connection -ComputerName 
$_.Name -Count 1 -Quiet $_.name, $result -join ',' | out-file "c:\scripts\PingSweep\computer_results.txt" -Append 
}       


COMMAND /BATCH SCRIPT
Create list of computers to ping Comupters.txt 

Create batch file pingsweep.bat  

for /f %%s in (computer.txt) do (ping -n 1 %%s) open  cmd pingsweep.bat >> PINGSWEEPQUOTES.TXT 


Please test all scripts in a lab environment. We have no liability for any issues caused.


If you would prefer a more advanced script in PowerShell, check out this  example of a ping script in PowerShell written by Jamie Crookes "Ping utility function/module for PowerShell" can be found here http://www.powerscript.net/handy-ping-utility-function/

Create a batch file to check a text file is in the location specified, else run a task.

#This batch file checks to see if a text file is in a location, if it does not, then launch notepad.exe

Create IfNot.bat
Add the following :

If NOT exist “C:\Temp\IsThisFileHere.txt”\ (

notepad.exe
)
exit

A requirement to identify the total file size of all files not used in the last 3 months.

This was the solution

#Run as administrator
#You need to have permission of the files or folders 

$date = (Get-Date).AddMonths(-3)

dir C:\temp -Recurse | ?{$_.lastwritetime -lt $date -and !$_.PsIsContainer} | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum

# oneliner

dir C:\temp -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | `

    ?{$_.lastwritetime -lt (Get-Date).AddMonths(-6)} | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

# resulting data will be in bytes. To convert them to gigabytes, you may do this:

$files = dir C:\temp -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | `

    ?{$_.lastwritetime -lt (Get-Date).AddMonths(-6)} | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

($files.sum / 1gb).ToString(“F02”)

# F02 determines how much digits will appears after comma. In my case – 2 digits.

dir C:\temp -Recurse | ?{$_.psiscontainer} | %{

    Write-Host current folder is $_.fullname;

    dir $_.fullname | measure-object -property Length -sum -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

} >c:\temp\file sizes

Credit to the  Original post script this is based on

#DSQuery

dsquery user -name “*” -limit 0 | dsget user -samid -hmdir -hmdrv -profile >c:\temp\usersV2.txt

#PowerShell # More flexibility # Includes the state of the computer account (Enable or Disabled)

Get-ADUser -Filter * -Property Name,CanonicalName,CN,DisplayName,DistinguishedName,HomeDirectory, HomeDrive,SamAccountName,UserPrincipalName | export-csv -path (Join-Path $pwd HomeDrive.csv) -encoding ascii -NoTypeInformation

# Get a list of users which have logged on to the domain in the last 7 days

$Date = (Get-Date).AddDays(-7)

Get-ADUser -Filter {LastLogonDate -gt $Date} | Select distinguishedName

# script to find all AD users who have the “cannot change password” box checked in a specific OU

# Windows Server 2016

# Powershell

Get-ADUser -Filter * -Properties CannotChangePassword -SearchBase “OU=specificOU,DC=TEST,DC=com” | where { $_.CannotChangePassword -eq “true” } | Format-Table Name, DistinguishedName

So, you deploy a GPO to Window 10 clients, but your in a hurry to get the clients to check in…

As a SysAdmin for many years I would log on to a client, open command prompt and type :

wuauclt /detectnow  (Windows 7 / Windows Server 2008/2012 clients)

In Windows 10 you will notice that it doesn’t do anything and doesn’t show you anything. (As shown above)

(confirmed on https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/yongrhee/2017/11/09/wuauclt-detectnow-in-windows-10-and-windows-server-2016/)

An example of “Whats New” in Windows 10, and Windows Server 2016 To check or scan “Windows Update” from the command prompt :
CMD (Run As Administrator)
c:\windows\system32\

UsoClient.exe startscan

And there is more switches….

1. StartScan – Used To Start Scan
2. StartDownload – Used to Start Download of Patches
3. StartInstall – Used to Install Downloaded Patches
4. RefreshSettings  – Refresh Settings if any changes were made
5. StartInteractiveScan  – May ask for user input and/or open dialogues to show progress or report errors
6. RestartDevice – Restart device to finish installation of updates
7. ScanInstallWait – Combined Scan Download Install
8. ResumeUpdate – Resume Update Installation On Boot

How to Get the permission on folders:
PowerShell:
Get-ChildItem | Get-ACL
Path | Owner | Access

or more in depth use:

GUI based : Run AccessEnum against the drive or folder – (SysInternals tool) and save to text file (Run as administrator or a specific user)

Who is logged on via the resource shares:
Launch cmd and run PSLoggedon (SysInternals tool)
Displays :
1) Users logged on locally
2) Users logged on via resource shares

List TCP and UDP Endpoints connected
Run TCPView application (SysInternals tool) and save to text file

Ever need to identify the before and after changes in Active Directory
Use : ADExplorer (SystInternals tool)

Download Sysinternals 
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/sysinternals/downloads/sysinternals-suite

Suggested top 10 sysinternals tools
https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-sysinternals-tools-you-shouldnt-be-without/
See an advert of interest, CLICK IT!  This site is funded by AD clicks.

To set the time ( Tested against Windows 2016)

Launch CMD as administrator
exampled c:\time 09:00:00 AM   – This will set the time to 9am

Note a time source if domain joined will up date the time clock again
Check the source
c:\w32tm /query /status Will show the time “Source”

To set an internet based NTP

c:\w32tm /config /syncfromflags:manual /manualpeerlist:”0.pool.ntp.org 1.pool.ntp.org 2.pool.ntp.org
3.pool.ntp.org”

This will take effect after stopping and starting the W32Time service

Powershell….
stop-service w32time
start-service w32time

for settings to take effect

check status
c:\w32tm /query /status Will show the new time “Source”

To check sync is working
c:\w32tm /resync (Check the time sync)

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