Windows 8.1 Preview fails to install

Installing through the Windows Store, when the process reached the final stages I experienced a BSOD. Subsequently, the install process rolled back.

The install error given was 0xC1900101 - 0x4000D

Looking at the BSOD information a driver called AKSDF.SYS was the cause. It seems to be some sort of licensing software, though I'm not sure where it came from or what it protects; the install date was around the same time as the installation of Fiery Printserver controller software and X-Rite i1 colour calibration software.

Uninstalling the software did not make a difference to retrying the 8.1 upgrade.

I had to manually delete all files in C:\Windows\ that matched the following pattern:

AKS*.SYS

If I only deleted AKSDF.SYS, AKSFRIDGE.SYS caused a BSOD on the next attempt. So they all had to go.

Windows 8.1 Preview successfully installed after that

SonicWall SSL VPN NetExtender, Mac OSX and the Microsoft RDP client

When connecting via NetExtender to a SonicWall SSL VPN appliance, RDP connections to a Windows Terminal Server may not work.

It seems the Microsoft RDP client is launched instead of the SonicWall Java-based RDP client. This fails to connect successfully. However, if you specify the IP address of the terminal server manually it will work, but most end users will not know this IP!


To work around this, create a dedicated bookmark on the SonicWall with the service set to
"Terminal Services (RDP - Java)"

It's also a good idea to install the latest NetExtender client software from Dell SonicWall by visiting

https://sslvpn.demo.sonicwall.com/

and logging into their demo system. This will update the client software on your computer to the latest version. Useful in case your SonicWall firmware is a few revisions behind!

Install .NET 3.5 on Server 2012 or Windows 8, 10, 2012

Make sure you have the Windows 8, 10 or Server 2012 installation disc in your drive

In the example below, the installation disc is in the D:\ drive

Open an administrative PowerShell command window and enter the following:

Server 2012
Install-WindowsFeature –name NET-Framework-Core –source D:\sources\sxs

Windows 8, 10
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature –online –featurename NetFx3 -source D:\sources\sxs

Wait until installation is complete, then run Windows Update to get the latest patches and fixes

Upgrade Windows 2012 Evaluation with a full version key

Open an administrative command prompt

Use
DISM /online /Get-TargetEditions
to list the versions you can upgrade to. They are listed under "Target Edition"

To upgrade from Evaluation to Standard use
DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX /AcceptEula

You should be prompted to reboot.

This will not work for Evaluation Domain Controllers. See here

Remotely Configure Hibernation and Page File Using PsExec

Download and install (copy to c:\windows) PSExec from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897553.aspx

Open a command prompt on your local computer, then enter
psexec \\<remote_computer_name> -u <username> -p <password> cmd
This should will give you cmd access to the remote computer

From there enter
powercfg /hibernate off
to disable Hibernation

then
wmic computersystem where name="%computername%" set AutomaticManagedPagefile=False
to disable the system managed page file

and
wmic pagefileset where name="C:\\pagefile.sys" set InitialSize=4096,MaximumSize=4096
To set the pagefile to a fixed size of 4096 MB 

Kill a VM via SSH on ESXi5

esxcli vm process list

note the World ID number then

esxcli vm process kill --type hard --world-id xxxxx

where xxxxx is the World ID number

Open Administrative Command Prompt with right click

Taken from

Works on Windows 8 too

Code for backup purposes, just paste into a new text document and change the extension to .reg
Double click to import

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Created by: Shawn Brink
; http://www.sevenforums.com
; Tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/47415-open-command-window-here-administrator.html



[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]
@="Open command window here as Administrator"
"HasLUAShield"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /s /k pushd \"%V\""

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\runas]
@="Open command window here as Administrator"
"HasLUAShield"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /s /k pushd \"%V\""

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\runas]
@="Open command window here as Administrator"
"HasLUAShield"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /s /k pushd \"%V\""