Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Windows Server 2012 and Installation Media

On Windows Server 2012, the installation of the server does not include all of the usual components necessary to support activating some of the server features and roles, such as the Application Server role with the .NET 3.5 framework.  The server will give you a warning about missing components and ask for a location of the installation media.  If you have the ISO or disk for the installation, you will find these components under [drive]:\sources\sxs.

I have to say I am not a fan of this model.  Early versions of both client and server kept the components separate, requiring you to have the original media every time you wanted to add a Windows feature.  Recent versions have solved this by including them, but certainly increased the size on disk.  I’d prefer the components to be copied, to avoid the necessity of installation media, and this can be done by manually copying the above directory to a location on the disk.  Why did Microsoft change this from being automatic?

Monday, July 22, 2013

Windows InTune and User Management

The addresses for Windows InTune and the user management online applications are not similar or on the same domain root, but are important to know if you wish to create users that InTune will then assign to devices.  Unfortunately, these are not obvious or easy to find.  So, in order for me to remember where they are when I am looking for them again in a few months, here they are.

If you wish to log into Windows InTune administration, you need to go to http://manage.microsoft.com.

If you wish to log into Intune User Administration, you need to go to http://account.manage.microsoft.com.

If you wish to manage your profile, you need to go to http://portal.microsoftonline.com/.

If you wish to view the company portal, you need to go to http://portal.manage.microsoft.com.

Not confusing at all…