Uninstall an application from PowerShell–Example Windows Live Essential

I was trying to see an option to uninstall and application from the PowerShell after couple of try I got through.

1. Run PowerShell as administrator

2. Get the status of installation, in this example we are trying to check status of Windows Live Essentials installation so enter as,

“Get-WmiObject -Class win32_product | where { $_.Name -like "*Windows Live Essentials*"}”

3. Store the current installation status to a variable, this example ‘$Software’ is the variable
“$software = Get-WmiObject -Class win32_product | where { $_.Name -like "*Windows Live Essentials*"}”

4. Run “$software.Uninstall()” to un install

5. Execute the step 2 to see the status again

Error while running a PowerShell script with 'curl'

This week I was working on a script to back-up a Audiocodes gateway, while running the script I got below error and it took a day of mine to troubleshooting the issue.

Invoke-WebRequest : Cannot bind parameter 'WebSession'. Cannot convert the "%{http_code}" value of type "System.String" to type "Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.WebRequestSession".At C:\scripts\Untitled4.ps1:20 char:50+ $statuscode = curl -o null.txt $loginurl -w '%{http_code}'+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+ CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: (:) [Invoke-WebRequest], ParameterBindingException+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgumentNoMessage,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.InvokeWebRequestCommand

Solution which worked for me

After digging lot into the issue came to know that the issue was due to an Alias of ‘curl’

To solve the issue run "Remove-Item alias:curl" from the same PowerShell window or write curl.exe instead of writing just 'curl'

Hope this will help you

Enable Hyper-v feature from PowerShell

As you may probably know Hyper-v comes with Windows 10 as Windows feature and if you would like to enable the same from PowerShell then its possible. You can also enable the feature from graphical way but here I am going to mention how its possible by using PowerShell.

1. Run PowerShell as administrator

2. Type “Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online |where featureName -Like "*hyper*" |ft” and hit enter. It will show the current status

3. Type “enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V-All -All –Verbose” and hit enter. Enter “Y” when prompted

4. Enter “Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online |where featureName -Like "*hyper*" |ft” gain to see the status, it should show all enabled

Enjoy the Hyper-v feature

Rest Admin account password of CUCM 7.1

Recently I came across a situation where i had to reset Admin password of CUCM as the CUCM team forgot the password, below are the steps
1. Console into CUCM server
2. Use username 'pwrecovery', password 'pwreset'.

3. Remove a disc into the CD/DVD driven and press any key

4. Insert a CD into the drive and press any key

5. Enter ‘a’ for resetting Admin account password

6. Enter a password for account "admin" and enter the password second time for confirmation.

Update SQL Express 2012 with service pack on Lync 2013 server

I have recently come across a situation where I had to upgrade Lync server to Skype for business 2015 and as part of preparing I had to update SQL 2012 express with service pack. Below are the steps for the same.

1. Before starting the update you have to make sure the service is down on the server.
Go to ‘Lync server Management Shell’ and run ‘Stop-Cswindowsservice’

2. Change the location to the install souce location and run caommand ‘.\SQLEXPR_x64_ENU.exe /ACTION=Patch /allinstances /IAcceptSQLServerLicenseTerms’

3. You can see extract is going on...

4. Check ‘I accept the licence terms.’ And click on next to continue.

5. Make sure that all instaces are selected and click on next

6. Click on next to continue

7. Make sure you can see all “success” and click on close

8. Start Lync services and make sure that everything works

How to enable missing hibernate option in windows 7

 

Issue

Recently I have experienced that ‘Hibernate’ option missing issue on my laptop. I didnt know its an easy task to bring it back  

Solution

1. Click Start, and then type cmd in the Start Search box.
2. In the search results list, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as Administrator.
3. When you are prompted by User Account Control, click Continue.
4. At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe /hibernate on, and then press Enter.
   
5. Type exit, and then press Enter to close the Command Prompt window.
6. Now you should see the option

Cannot connect to Blogger by using Windows Live Writer

I have recently experienced an issue when trying to post a Blog from Windows Live Writer to my blog on Blogger. It didn’t allow me to authenticate, I was keep getting below message,

Solution:-

Done research and found that Google changed their security policy and it blocks access to the blogger from all external tool like live writer or any other tool which can be used to write blog posts. Google is considering all these tools as “less secure”

Please follow below steps to solve this issue,

1. Open https://www.google.com/settings/security from your browser and authenticate with your account.

2. Go to the section Account permissions and click on Settings against "Access for less secure apps"
 

3. Select “Turn on”.

  

4. Now try from the live writer it should work

Exchange 2010 Information Store is not getting started and generating event 7024

Description;-

After installation the service is not getting started and when trying to start the service it gives event 7024 in ‘System’. The content of the event is “The Microsoft Exchange Information Store service terminated with service-specific error %%-2147221213.”

Solution

Got to command prompt from the Database server where you get this issue and run ‘gpupdate /force’.

Error while disabling a user from Lync

 

Issue;-

While removing/disabling a user from Lync we got an error ‘Active Directory operation failed on “dc”. You cannot retry this operation:”insufficient access rights to perform the operation. Please refer below screenshot.

Solution:-

Solution was so simple even though I took lot of time to find the solution. “Protect object from accidental deletion” was set for the account from AD that is the reason it was not allowing to delete.

From Active Directory users and computer find the user and go to ‘Object’ from properties you can find this settings.

Move Lync 2010 CMS to 2013

Moving CMS to 2013 is very straight one and below are the steps to follow. In the article I also follow how to create replication only for the migrated DBs once the migration is done.

Preparing Lync Server 2013 Front End Servers before moving the Central Management Server

Use the procedures in this section to prepare the Lync Server 2013 Front End Servers before you move the Lync Server 2010 Central Management Server.

To prepare an Enterprise Edition Front End pool

1. On the Lync Server 2013 Enterprise Edition Front End pool where you want to relocate the Central Management Server: Log on to the computer where the Lync Server Management Shell is installed as a member of the RTCUniversalServerAdmins group. You must also have SQL Server database sysadmin user rights and permissions on the database where you want to install the Central Management store.

2. Open the Lync Server Management Shell.

3. To create the new Central Management store in the Lync Server 2013 SQL Server database, in the Lync Server Management Shell, type:

Install-CsDatabase -CentralManagementDatabase -SQLServerFQDN <FQDN of your SQL Server> -SQLInstanceName <name of instance>

Please note that if you are using the default instance then you dont have to mention that. In this example i am using default instance.

You may see the installation is going-on. Wait for the run to finish

4. Confirm that the status of the Lync Server Front-End service is started.

 

Move the Lync Server 2010 Central Management Server to Lync Server 2013

 

1.On the Lync Server 2013 server that will be the Central Management Server: Log on to the computer where the Lync Server Management Shell is installed as a member of the RTCUniversalServerAdmins group. You must also have the SQL Server database administrator user rights and permissions.

2.Open Lync Server Management Shell.

3.In the Lync Server Management Shell, type:

Enable-CsTopology

 
And press enter

Warning:

If Enable-CsTopology is not successful, resolve the problem preventing the command from completing before continuing. If Enable-CsTopology is not successful, the move will fail and it may leave your topology in a state where there is no Central Management store.

4.On the Lync Server 2013 Front End Server or Front End pool, in the Lync Server Management Shell, type:

Move-CsManagementServer

5.Lync Server Management Shell displays the servers, file stores, database stores, and the service connection points of the Current State and the Proposed State. Read the information carefully and confirm that this is the intended source and destination. Type Y to continue.

6.Review any warnings or errors generated by the Move-CsManagementServer command and resolve them.

7.On the Lync Server 2013 server, open the Lync Server Deployment Wizard.

8.In Lync Server Deployment Wizard, click Install or Update Lync Server System, click Step 2: Setup or Remove Lync Server Components, click Next, review the summary, and then click Finish.

9.On the Lync Server FE servers, open the Lync Server Deployment Wizard.

10.In Lync Server Deployment Wizard, click Install or Update Lync Server System, click Step 2: Setup or Remove Lync Server Components, click Next, review the summary, and then click Finish.

11.To confirm that replication with the new Central Management store is occurring, in the Lync Server Management Shell, run ‘Get-CsManagementStoreReplicationStatus’ command and review the result.

Please note that, if you have a implemented mirroring for Lync 2013 databases then the migrated DBs will not be in getting a mirroring. To add the migrated DBs to mirroring you have to run the below command from Lync Management Shell. Please note that in this example ‘\\uclycdb003.ucserver.in\LyncSQLMirror$’ is my SQL share which is created for mirroring and ‘uclycdb001.ucserver.in’ is my primary database server where principle DBs are.

Install-CsMirrorDatabase -ConfiguredDatabases -FileShare "\\uclycdb003.ucserver.in\LyncSQLMirror$" -SqlServerFqdn "uclycdb001.ucserver.in" -ExcludeDatabaseList "cpsdyn","rgsdyn","rgsconfig","qoemetrics","lcscdr","rtcshared","rtcxds","rtcab"

Hope this will help, please let me know if you have any confusion so that i can try to help!

How to create a Dynamic Distribution Group with all Lync Users in it.

I am just finishing the migration of Lync 2010 to Lync 2013 for one of my client. While designing Lync 2013 infrastructure I had a question from my client on how to create a Exchange Dynamic DL with all Lync users in it. I was not able to answer this question at that time as customer is having a pure Exchange 2010 environment so I kept the question as parked and finally I could find a answer for  that. Please note that there is no straight way to do it from Exchange tools.

Here is the steps which I followed. Hope this will help someone who is looking for similar answer.

1. Logon to Exchange server and go to run and type ‘Adsiedit.msc’ and press enter Key
   
2. Right click on ADSIEdit console root and select ‘Connect to..’
   
3. Keep as default and click on next
   
4. Browse through and locate an OU where you want create the DL. Right click on the OU and select New>Object…
   
5. Select ‘msExchDynamicDistributionList’ and click on next.
   
6. Give a name. In this example its #LyncAllUsers and click on Next
   
7. Select ‘More Attributes’
   
8. Select ‘displayName’ and enter the name ‘#LyncAllUsers’ and click on set. Please change the name according to your requirement.
   
9. Select ‘Mail’ and enter the mail address ‘ ‘#LyncAllUsers@domain.com’ and click on set. Please change according to your requirement.
   
10. Select ‘MailNickname’ and enter ‘#LyncAllUsers’ and click on set. Please change according to your requirement.
    
11. Select ‘msExchangeDynamicDLFilter’ and enter ‘((objectClass=user) (| (msRTCSIP-UserEnabled=*) ) )’ and click on set. please note that this the most important step :)
    
12. Slect ‘ProxyAddresses’ and enter ‘#lyncAllUsers@domain.com’ and click on Add. Please change according to your requirement.
    
13. Finish.
    
14. Open Exchange Management Console and select Distribution group. Create a filter to show only ‘Dynamic Distribution Group’ and make sure that the newly create to DL is visible now.
    
15. Right click on the DL and go to properties.
    
16. You may get below warning, click on OK
    
17. Go to ‘Filter’ tab and use ‘Browse..’ option and select to root of the domain so that the filter will be applied for entire items in the domain and click on ‘Apply’. Click on ‘Preview’ to see the all members.
    
    Note;If you get an error stating that there is no primary smtp address then go to e-mail tab and set a primary address.
18. Open outlook in online mode or open OWA and make sure that the desired DL is visible in GAL.