December, 2009

I just finished installing Office 2010 on all my home computers, and immediately ran into a “wife acceptance factor” issue: the “Outlook Upcoming Appointments” Sidebar gadget didn’t work:

“Fix it.”  Sigh.  Fortunately, it wasn’t hard to do.  Locate the “C:\Users\<user ID>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets\OutlookAppointmentsGadget[1].gadget\en-US\js” folder and in it you’ll see a file called Outlook.vbs.  Open it in your favorite text editor and find the two lines that mention Outlook “12” and change them to reference Outlook “14” instead.  Change this:

if value = "Outlook.Application.12" then

to:

if value = "Outlook.Application.14" then

and this:

if mid(outlookApplication.Version, 1, 2) <> "12" then

to this:

if mid(outlookApplication.Version, 1, 2) <> "14" then

Save the changes, close the gadget, and open it again.  You should then see something that works:

If only all application compatibility issues were that simple…

We have created a new forum on TechNet specifically for MDT-related questions – no question is too simple or too advanced.  You can access the forum via http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/mdt/threads.  It’s been around for a couple of months, but we haven’t publicized it too heavily so we could slowly ramp up.

As always, I seem to be keeping too busy to spent a lot of time responding to questions on the forum, but fortunately there are several other experts (including Tim Mintner, Keith Garner, and Johan Arwidmark) who have been helping out with that.

The Office 2010 Beta has been available for a short while now and should be released sometime next year.  I’m already quite attached to it, and not only because of the “People Pane” in Outlook 2010 and its coming ties to various social networks.

To help with the coming migration, some new Office compatibility tools have been released.  See http://blogs.technet.com/gray_knowlton/archive/2009/12/04/office-2010-application-compatibility-tools-beta-now-available.aspx for more details.

Also, if you aren’t yet running the Key Management Service (KMS) or using Multiple Activation Keys (MAK) with Windows Vista or Windows 7, you’ll probably want to study up on Volume Activation, as Office 2010 will use it too.  There’s also a new beta version of the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT) 2.0 available for download here.

12/10/2009 Addendum:  There is another new download that might be useful at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=600c2142-abc3-4fea-9271-0c326c45dc8f&displaylang=en.  It’s a poster that describes the deployment and installation options for Office 2010.

I’ve been toying around with using a web service that could be used to implement RIS-style computer naming.  Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to work on it much in the last year or so, so I’ll post the code as-is and tell you up front that it’s not really complete – you might need to make some changes to it to meet your specific needs.  So here’s the code (written using Visual Studio 2008 and .NET 3.5), which shows how easy it is to do LDAP queries and object creation using .NET:

using System;

using System.Collections;

using System.Collections.Generic;

using System.ComponentModel;

using System.Diagnostics;

using System.DirectoryServices;

using System.Data;

using System.Linq;

using System.Web;

using System.Web.Services;

using System.Web.Services.Protocols;

using System.Xml.Linq;


namespace DemoWebService

{

    [WebService(Namespace = "http://tempuri.org/")]

    [WebServiceBinding(ConformsTo = WsiProfiles.BasicProfile1_1)]

    [ToolboxItem(false)]

    public class NameService : System.Web.Services.WebService

    {

        [WebMethod]

        public String GenerateName(String dnsDomain, String prefix, String uuid, String machineObjectOU)

        {

            // Build the search

            DirectoryEntry entry =

                new DirectoryEntry("LDAP://" + dnsDomain);

            DirectorySearcher search = new DirectorySearcher(entry,

               "(name=" + prefix + "*)");


            // Execute the search and build a list of the matching names and their UUIDs

            Dictionary<String, Guid> existingNames = new Dictionary<String, Guid>();

            foreach (SearchResult result in search.FindAll())

            {

                String name = result.Properties["name"][0].ToString().ToUpper();

                Guid netbootGuid = new Guid();

                if (result.Properties["netbootGuid"].Count > 0)

                    netbootGuid = new Guid((byte[])result.Properties["netbootGuid"][0]);

                Trace.WriteLine("Found computer " + name + " with GUID " + netbootGuid.ToString());

                existingNames.Add(name, netbootGuid);

            }


            // See if we can find an existing match.  If so, return it.

            Guid existingUuid = new Guid(uuid);

            if (existingNames.ContainsValue(existingUuid))

            {

                foreach (String name in existingNames.Keys)

                    if (existingNames[name] == existingUuid)

                    {

                        // TODO: Maybe we want to move the computer object to the specified OU

                        return name;

                    }

            }


            // Find the first available name in sequence

            String nextName = null;

            for (Int32 i = 1; i <= 999; i++)

            {

                String testName = prefix + i.ToString("000");

                if (!existingNames.ContainsKey(testName))

                {

                    nextName = testName;

                    break;

                }

            }

            if (nextName == null)

                return null;  // All names were taken


            // Add the computer to AD

            try

            {

                DirectoryEntry dirEntry = new DirectoryEntry("LDAP://" + machineObjectOU);

                DirectoryEntry newUser = dirEntry.Children.Add("CN=" + nextName, "computer");

                newUser.Properties["samAccountName"].Value = nextName + "$";

                newUser.Properties["netbootGUID"].Value = existingUuid.ToByteArray();

                newUser.Properties["description"].Value = "Added by MDT";

                newUser.CommitChanges();

                newUser.Close();

            }

            catch (Exception e)

            {

                Trace.WriteLine("Unable to add computer: " + e.ToString());

            }


            // Return the name

            return nextName;

        }


    }

}

To use this, you would add an entry to CustomSettings.ini to call the web service.  That would look something like this:

[Settings]
Priority=Default, GetName
Properties=DnsDomain, Prefix

[Default]
Prefix=MDTTEST
DnsDomain=mydomain.com
MachineObjectOU=OU=Workstations,DC=mydomain,DC=com

[GetName]
WebService=http://myserver/NameService.asmx/GenerateName
Parameters=DnsDomain, Prefix, UUID, MachineObjectOU
OSDComputerName=string

The web service would be passed the DNS domain name (mydomain.com), computer prefix (MDTTEST), the current machine’s SMBIOS UUID, and the OU to which new computers should be added.  It will return a name starting with the specified prefix and ending with the next available three-digit number.  So the first machine would be MDTTEST001, the second MDTTEST002, etc.  These computer names are added to Active Directory with the “netbootGUID” attribute set, so that if the machine is ever rebuilt it will use the same computer name again.  (The code purposely doesn’t try to find any computer object with that SMBIOS UUID.  Instead, it only looks for computers with the right prefix that have a matching UUID.  This might not be the behavior you want, but it was the behavior I wanted.)

The output from ZTIGather.wsf when processing this INI file would look something like this:

Added new custom property DNSDOMAIN
Added new custom property PREFIX
Using from [Settings]: Rule Priority = DEFAULT, GETNAME
------ Processing the [DEFAULT] section ------
Property MACHINEOBJECTOU is now = OU=Workstations,DC=mydomain,DC=com
Using from [DEFAULT]: MACHINEOBJECTOU = OU=Workstations,DC=mydomain,DC=com
Property DNSDOMAIN is now = mydomain.com
Using from [DEFAULT]: DNSDOMAIN = mydomain.com
Property PREFIX is now = MDTTEST
Using from [DEFAULT]: PREFIX = MDTTEST
------ Processing the [GETNAME] section ------
Determining the INI file to use.
Using COMMAND LINE ARG: Ini file = CS.ini
Finished determining the INI file to use.
Using COMMAND LINE ARG: Ini file = CS.ini
CHECKING the [GETNAME] section
About to execute web service call using method POST to http://server/NameService.asmx/GenerateName: DnsDomain=mydomain.com&Prefix=MDTTEST&UUID=814100CD-CE48-CB11-A536-B7561D1E4450&MachineObjectOU=OU=Workstations,DC=mydomain,DC=com
Response from web service: 200 OK
Successfully executed the web service.
Property OSDCOMPUTERNAME is now = MDTTEST001
Obtained OSDCOMPUTERNAME value from web service:  string = MDTTEST001

This isn’t quite as flexible as the RIS naming, where you could use other variables in the computer name, but there’s no reason you couldn’t add more logic to cover those cases too.  There’s also no guarantee that the web service will add the computer account to the same DC that the computer ends up using, which could cause some naming conflicts if the new computer object doesn’t replicate before the computer tries to join the domain.  Use at your own risk :-)

Levi Stevens posted a blog entry today describing a workaround for an issue with ConfigMgr SP2 and USMT 4.0 that causes USMT to not capture all of the user state information.  See http://blogs.technet.com/configmgrteam/archive/2009/12/01/known-issue-migrating-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7-with-usmt-when-used-with-configmgr-2007-sp2-os-deployment-may-not-migrate-all-settings.aspx for all the details.

We are still working on a KB article for MDT 2010 that provides a similar fix.  That KB article (which will be 977565 once it is finally available) will describe the changes necessary to ZTIUserState.wsf.  (They are pretty minor, just adding two lines to set the working directory to the folder containing the USMT binaries before running scanstate.exe or loadstate.exe.)

Over a year ago, I posted a blog entry at http://blogs.technet.com/mniehaus/archive/2008/09/25/dynamic-application-detection-with-lite-touch.aspx with details on how to automatically detect installed applications during a Lite Touch deployment, enabling those to be pre-selected when the application list is presented.  Due to changes in the XML file schemas, this script needs some updates for MDT 2010 to be truly “correct”.  The updated script follows, showing how to create a user exit that leverages the ZTIConfigFile script to enumerate all the available (enabled, visible) applications.

Option Explicit

Function UserExit(sType, sWhen, sDetail, bSkip)

    Dim oScriptFile
    Dim oXMLApps, dAllApps
    Dim sGUID
    Dim oNode, oKey
    Dim sValueName, sKey, sValue
    Dim oApplications

    ' Only do this before processing the rule contents

    If sWhen <> "BEFORE" then
        UserExit = Success
        Exit Function
    End if

    ' Make sure ZTIConfigFile is loaded

    On Error Resume Next
    Set oScriptFile = oFSO.OpenTextFile(oUtility.ScriptDir & "\ZTIConfigFile.vbs", 1, false)
    ExecuteGlobal oScriptFile.ReadAll
    On Error Goto 0

    ' Load the applications XML File

    Set oXMLApps = new ConfigFile
    oXMLApps.sFileType = "Applications"
    Set dAllApps = oXMLApps.FindItems

    ' Enumerate the applications

    For each sGUID in dAllApps

        Set oNode = dAllApps(sGUID)

        ' Retrieve the uninstall key node if present

            Set oKey = oNode.selectSingleNode("UninstallKey")

        ' If one was specified, look for the key in the registry

        If not (oKey is nothing) then

            ' Get the key name

            sKey = oKey.Text

            ' Check if the registry key exists by looking for well-known values

            For each sValueName in Array("DisplayName", "UninstallString", "QuietUninstallString")

                sValue = empty
                On Error Resume Next
                sValue = oShell.RegRead("HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\" & sKey & "\" & sValueName)
                On Error Goto 0

                If IsEmpty(sValue) then
                    On Error Resume Next
                    sValue = oShell.RegRead("HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\" & sKey & "\" & sValueName)
                    On Error Goto 0
                End if

                ' If a value was found, add the application's GUID to the list so it gets pre-selected by the wizard

                If not IsEmpty(sValue) then

                    oLogging.CreateEntry "Uninstall registry key found for application " & oNode.selectSingleNode("Name").Text & ", application is present and will be reinstalled.", LogTypeInfo

                    ' Add the GUID if it doesn't already exist in the list

                    Set oApplications = oEnvironment.ListItem("Applications")
                    If not oApplications.Exists(oNode.Attributes.getNamedItem("guid").value) then
                        oApplications.Add oNode.Attributes.getNamedItem("guid").value, ""
                        oEnvironment.ListItem("Applications") = oApplications
                    End if

                    Exit For

                End if

            Next
        Else

            oLogging.CreateEntry "UninstallKey not specified for application " & oNode.selectSingleNode("Name").Text, LogTypeInfo

        End if

    Next

    UserExit = Success

End Function

The code has been updated some, but the concepts haven’t, so if you need more details on what this does check out the original article.

On Wednesday, December 2, the Windows Networking User’s Group is having their monthly meeting at the Microsoft office in Bellevue.  Chris Avis is the featured speaker this month, and the topic of his presentation is:

Windows 7 New Features: Windows XP Mode & Boot to VHD

Windows 7 introduces host of new features and technologies to simplify your work and make you more productive. Two technologies you may not have heard about are Windows XP Mode and the new “Boot to VHD” feature. 

Windows XP Mode allows administrators to migrate legacy applications from that Windows XP world into Windows 7 regardless of that applications compatibility with Windows 7. Windows XP Mode provides a virtualized instance of Windows XP that allows you to continue to run older applications while still enjoying the benefits of Windows 7. The best part of this deal is that it is FREE!

The Boot to VHD feature of Windows 7 allows you to boot a virtualized operating system “natively”. This provides for better resource utilization, access to some hardware components that normally can’t be used in a virtual machine, as well as eliminating boot code issues surrounding dual or multi-boot scenarios. Chris will discuss how to configure and run Boot to VHD features as well as some new options in Windows 7 that make creating and supporting this feature a breeze.

Pizza and soft drinks will be served at 6pm, with the presentation scheduled for 6:30pm.  If you are in the area and would like to attend, please RSVP.  For more details, visit the WNUG site at http://www.winnetusergroup.com/default.aspx.  (I hope to attend myself.)