Deploy Windows on Macs using MDT 2010.

[Edited for Mac OSX Lion, thanks to Ted.]

Deploying Windows on Macs is a bit complicated since they don't support standard PC features like PXE. Considering you have one-and-only one Mac OS partition (usually Macintosh HD), running the Boot Camp installer creates a fourth partition on Disk0 (Disk0\Partition3 or Disk 0\Partition4 if you're running Lion).

MDT lets you generate boot CDs for unsupported hardware. Make sure you include Broadcom, Marvell and Nvidia Ethernet drivers into your driver repository.

1. Go into your deployment share (Deployment$\Scripts) and create a file named DiskPartMac.txt then insert the following contents into it:
   SELECT disk 0
   SELECT partition 3 or SELECT partition 4 if you're running Lion
   FORMAT FS=NTFS LABEL="Bootcamp" QUICK
   EXIT
2. Create a standard Task Sequence in the Deployment Workbench, chose the OS you want to install.
3. Under Preinstall\New Computer Only, delete "Format and Partition Disk".
4. Still under New Computer Only, create a command line action by clicking "Add" at the top then "General", then "Run Command Line". Rename it to "Custom Mac Format" and input the following command:
   diskpart /s "%scriptroot%\DiskPartMac.txt"
5. Move it between "Validate" and "Copy scripts".
   
6. Click on "Install Operating System" under "Install" and configure the target partition as Disk 0 Partition 3 or 4 if you're running Lion:
   

You're done.

Namaste.

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Prevent Outlook from prompting for a password on a network context change.

Sometimes when Outlook changes network contexts (i.e. from wired to wireless), it triggers an annoying authentication popup. There's a way around:

1. Open Outlook.
2. Go to "Tools" > "Account Settings".
3. Double click on your account.
4. At the bottom right, click on "More Settings...".
5. Click on the "Connection" tab.
6. Under "Outlook Anywhere", click on "Exchange Proxy Settings".
   
   
   
7. Uncheck the "On slow networks, connect using HTTP first, then connect using TCP/IP".
   

Namaste.

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My favorite tools...

I've been wanting to put a list of my favorite tools online for a long time...

System cleanup, tune-up and optimization:

• Ccleaner - Piriform - Free - Cleans caches, temp files, application specific settings, cleans up the registry and much more.
• Defraggler - Piriform - Free - An awesome disk defragmentation software.
• Cleanup! 4.5.2 - Steven Gould - Free - Very very strong cleanup tool for Windows XP only.

Filesystem repair:

• Data Recovery Wizard Pro - EaseUs - $69.95 - Best data recovery software I've ever used. Way more efficient than Ontrack EasyRecovery Pro. And cheaper. Saved my a** more than a couple of times.
• ViVard - Copyrsoft - Free - HDD diagnostic and sector repair. Vendor independent.

Mac side:

• Appcleaner - FreeMacSoft - Free - Application uninstaller for Mac OS. Like AppZapper but free.
• OnyX - Titanium Software - Free - Like Ccleaner, for mac. Awesome.

Misc:

• Mouse Jiggler.vbs, a small VBscript I use to prevent a computer from locking itself when I'm working on it without knowing the user's password:
  

Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Do While 1
WshShell.SendKeys"{SCROLLLOCK}"
WshShell.SendKeys"{SCROLLLOCK}"
WScript.Sleep(300000)
Loop

More to come...

Namaste.

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Migrate Outlook settings sans pain.

Just a useful tip from the top of my head. If you want to migrate Outlook settings without having to reconfigure accounts, delivery options and PST locations, here is the registry key you need to export:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles

* If you're migrating from XP to a next-gen OS (Vista or 7), you'll get some error messages because C:\Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings\Application Data is now C:\Users\User\AppData\Local make sure you put the PST files in the right place and simply browse to their location when asked.

Namaste.

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How Adobe CS3 software can badly hose your network stack on Windows 7.

Since I try to put everything here that gives me headache, makes me pull my hair or worse, makes me want to run to the closest hardware store to buy the biggest hammer I can find, here is my latest discovery...

Case study:

A Windows XP user requests a new computer running Windows 7.

Actions taken:

1. Backup the old computer to a network share.
2. Take a new computer out of the box.
3. Put a standard image on it.
4. Have the user logging in.
5. Restore files.
6. Let the user go.

Issue:

A few days after the system deployment, the user starts complaining about connectivity issues (i.e. getting an IP but no connectivity) and general slowness of the computer.

Troubleshooting steps:

• Hardware swap -> no improvement.
• OS complete reinstallation -> good for a few hours then bad again.
• Switch configuration, patch panel, network cable and outlet check -> no improvement.

The user ended up giving up and asking for his old computer. Since I got the new one back, I had some more time to investigate. Here's what I found after running ipconfig /all:

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0

Very interesting, that explains why he has an IP but no connectivity. A quick Google search confirmed the issue:It's related to Adobe CS3 software that installs Bonjour which basically breaks WinSock on Windows and the solution is to remove Bonjour using the following steps:

1. Go to http://cexx.org/lspfix.htm and download lspfix.zip.
2. Unzip to a desktop folder.
3. Open task manager and terminate mDNSResponder.exe.
4. Open a command prompt and navigate to c:\program files\bonjour
5. Run "mdnsresponder -remove". This will uninstall the exe and remove the service from the reg.
6. Rename mdnsnsp.dll to anything else.
7. Reboot.
8. Run lspfix and use it to fix the broken winsock.dll.
9. Delete c:\program files\bonjour folder.
10. Open a DOS window and run "netsh winsock reset".
11. Reboot.

Courtesy of FritoBandito from the Adobe Forums.

Namaste.

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