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The Auditing Option 1: 1. Enable Auditing on the domain level by using Group Policy:       Computer Configuration/Windows Settings/Security Settings/Local Policies/Audit Policy       There are two types of auditing that address logging on, they are  Audit Logon Events  and  Audit Account Logon Events .       Audit "logon events" records logons on the PC(s) targeted by the policy and the results appear in the Security Log on that PC(s).       Audit "Account Logon" Events tracks logons to the domain, and the results appear in the Security Log on domain controllers only 2. Create a logon script on the required domain/OU/user account with the following content:      echo %date%,%time%,%computername%,%username%,%sessionname%,%logonserver% >>         \\SERVER\SHARENAME$\LOGON.LOG 3. Create a logoff script on the required domain/OU/user account with the following content:      echo %date%,%time%,%computername%,%username%,%sessionname%,%logonserve

1. Verify the new server's TCP/IP configuration has been pointed to the current DNS server. 2. Make the new server become a member server of the current Windows Server 2003 domain first. 3. Upgrade the Windows Server 2003 forest schema to Windows Server 2008 schema with the "adprep /forestprep" command on old server. Please run the "adprep.exe /forestprep" command from the Windows Server 2008 installation disk on the schema master. To do this, insert the Windows Server 2008 installation disk, and then type the following command: Drive:\sources\ADPREP\adprep.exe /forestprep 4. Upgrade the Windows 2003 domain schema with the "adprep /domainprep" command on old server. Please run the "adprep.exe /domainprep" command from the Windows Server 2008 installation disk on the infrastructure master. To do this, insert the Windows Server 2008 installation disk, and then type the following command: Drive:\sources\ADPREP \adprep.exe /domainprep 5.

In order to exemplify the procedure, we will assume to wrap three .EXE installers "test1.exe", "test2.exe" and "test3.exe" into a .MSI. Here are the steps: 1. In Product Details Tab (Product Details Page) under "Add or Remove Programs (Control Panel)" group, uncheck the "Register product with Windows Installer" option. We don't want the wrapper to appear in "Control Panel" -> "Add or Remove Programs" as an installed program. 2. Go to Files and Folders Page and add the .EXE installers in the "Application Folder". 3. Create a .BAT file with the following content and add it in the Files and Folders Page: "|InstallPath|test1.exe" "|InstallPath|test2.exe" "|InstallPath|test3.exe" 5.  In the same folder, using the toolbar or context menu, create a text file update for the .BAT file. This file update should include a single replace operation: Find : |InstallPath|

1. Methods of deployment Group Policy supports two methods of deploying a MSI package: Assign software - A program can be assigned per-user or per-machine. If its assigned per-user, it will be installed when the user logs on. However, if its assigned per-machine then the program will be installed for all users when the machine starts. Publish software - A program can be published for one or more users. This program will be added to the Add or Remove Programs list and the user will be able to install it from there. 2. Create a distribution point The first step in deploying a MSI through GPO is to create a distribution point on the publishing server. This can be done by following these steps: A.log on to the server as an Administrator user B. create a shared network folder (this folder will contain the MSI package) C. set permissions on this folder in order to allow access to the distribution package D. copy the MSI in the shared folder E. In the shared folder you can al

You can use Mailbox Manager to create a recipient policy to automatically delete all messages from users Deleted Items folder, at an interval you specify. To create a policy to delete forwarded messages Open Exchange System Manager in the Exchange organization in which the journaling mailbox resides. Expand the Recipients folder. Right-click the Recipient Policies folder, point to New, and then click Recipient Policy. In the New Policy dialog box, select Mailbox Manager Settings, and then click OK. In the Properties dialog box, on the General tab, do the following: a. In the Name box, enter a policy name. b. Under Filter rules, click Modify. In the Find Exchange Recipients box, create a search query that will return all your users or certain users/mail boxes you want affected. When you finish building the query, click OK. In the message that appears, click OK. Click the Mailbox Manager Settings (Policy) tab, and then do the following: a. In the When processing a mailbox dro

How long deleted items are retained depends on the type of account and how it is configured. For  IMAP  accounts, you can edit the account settings to automatically delete after a certain interval or you can use the Schedules tool to schedule automatic deletes For  Exchange  accounts you can use the Schedules tool to schedule automatic deletes For  POP  accounts, you can edit the account settings or use the Schedules tool to schedule automatic deletes IMAP - to schedule automatic permanent deletion of items in your Deleted Items folder in an IMAP account you may do one of the following: Edit account settings Go to Tools > Accounts Select the Mail tab, highlight your IMAP account, and click Edit Under the Edit Account menu, click the Advanced tab Under Delete options choose how you would like your messages to be deleted Use Schedules Go to Tools > Run Schedule > Edit Schedules Name the schedule For "When," choose something other than manual and configure,

To backup your IIS 7.0 configuration on a Windows 2008 Server, you just need to make a copy of the \windows\system32\inetsrv\config  directory (and subdirectories) and save it in a safe location. You can also use the appcmd.exe utility to create the backup via the command line. The syntax to create a backup is: %windir%\system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe add backup “Backup Name” to restore the backup, the syntax is: %windir%\system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe restore backup “Backup Name” to remove a backup, the syntax is: %windir%\system32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe delete backup “Backup Name”

By default the Windows 2008 Server Core screensaver will activate after 600 seconds (10 minutes) of inactivity. To change the amount of time the screensaver waits to activate, edit the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveTimeOut I changed mine from 600 seconds (10 minutes) to 1200 seconds (20 minutes).