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Tips & Tricks : BitLocker requires recovery key when USB device connected at startup

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Sometimes when you start machine with BitLocker enabled and same time some storage device was connected to USB port, BitLocker might request Recovery Key. This happens because USB ports is listed on boot device search list. To avoid this type of event best idea is to remove USB from boot search list. However, changing list of boot devices might also trigger BitLocker.

How to deal with this type of situation? Follow steps below:

  1. Suspend BitLocker  – command: manage-bde -protectors -disable c:
  2. Reboot machine
  3. Go to BIOS and remove all USB devices from available boot devices list
  4. Boot up to Windows
  5. Resume BitLocker – command: manage-bde -protectors -enable c:
NOTE: All above commands have to be issues from Command Prompt with elevated privileges.

After that no more issues with BitLocker during startup when USB storage devices are connected.

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How-To : Enable BitLocker PIN on computer in workgroup

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If you have machine which is not connected to domain, but has TPM chip you might want to encrypt disks with BitLocker and enable PIN protection at boot-up.

In order to do that you have to make sure TPM is activated and enabled for provisioning in BIOS. Next step will be to allow PIN use, as by default that option is not active especially on machines not connected to Active Directory domain.

So, to enable ability to set PIN follow the steps:

(more…)

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Tips & Tricks : Issue with SmartCode VNC Manager License

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Sometimes i thappens that SmartConde VNC Manager fails to activate. In that case follow steps below to fix issue with licensing:

  1. Open cmd.exe and change directory to:
    • Enterprise Edition: C:\Program Files\SmartCode Solutions\VNC Manager (Enterprise Edition)\
    • Standard Edition: C:\Program Files\SmartCode Solutions\VNC Manager (Standard Edition)\
  2. Run the following command: vncmanager.exe /licdev
  3. You will be prompted to enter a serial number. You must complete this step. After that the application will close.
  4. Start SmartCode VNC Manager normally via the start menu shortcut.

Source: SmartCode Knowledgebase

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Config snippets : Activating Windows Server 2012 Core

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As there is no GUI in Windows Server 2012 Core, we have to use command line and script in order to acivate system.

slmgr.vbs is a VBscript which allows to set product key and activate operating system. Below most common use of slmgr.vbs.

Set product key

slmgr.vbs /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Activate Windows

slmgr.vbs /ato

Display information about licenses

slmgr.vbs /dli
slmgr.vbs /dlv
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Code snippets : Enable remote administration on Windows Server 2012 Core

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By default remote management on Windows Server 2012 Core can be blocked by firewall.

In order to enable this functionality, issue following command from Command Prompt window:


Netsh.exe firewall set service remoteadmin enable ALL

Once it’s done you should be able to manage server remotely.

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Code snippets : Handy wmic commands

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Some handy wmic commands which might be helpful when automating OS deployment:

wmic bios get serialnumber
wmic computersystem get manufacturer
wmic computersystem get model