How to Reset or Remove Windows Activation/Remove license key using command

I am writing about how to Reset or Remove Windows Activation/Remove license key using command. It will work for window operating system all versions. This is very important for any of admin to make sure before formatting any of system remove license which exist in the systems or activated the same.

If we are formatting system or removing before license, it may cause you to activate the system back with same License key. Like if we are using OEM OR Multiple activation key and doing above without following the same. We will be getting error like “you have reached multiple activation limit” or “Unable to activate the windows with entered key.”

See below URL for activation issue error code and details:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/938450/how-to-troubleshoot-volume-activation-error-codes-in-windows-7,-in-windows-server-2008,-and-in-windows-vista

So below are the steps to remove activation key from the system:

• Login to the system with admin account and open cmd with Run as admin rights.

• slmgr /upk : It stands for uninstall product key. The /upk parameter uninstalls the product key of the current Windows edition. Once this command will execute we need to restart, the system will be in an Unlicensed state unless a new product key is installed.
• Enter slmgr /upk and Hit enter then wait for this to complete. This will uninstall the current product key from Windows and will move windows to unlicensed mode.

• The /cpky option removes the product key from the registry to prevent this key from being stolen or taken by malevolent code.
• Now enter slmgr /cpky and hit enter then wait for this to complete. Once this command will execute, this will remove the product key from the registry if it's still there. Below is the screen shot for the same result would be on the screen:

• Move to the next enter slmgr /rearm and wait for this to complete. This is to reset the Windows activation timers so the new users will be prompted to activate Windows when they put in the key.

• Once all done above, we can see our windows actvation properties status will be showing as not availble

Thanks ☺

How to Import and Export Virtual Machines in Windows Hyper-V Server

Today I am writing about “How to Import and Export Virtual Machines in Windows Hyper-V Server” step by step with screen shots.

As we are knowing now a days there is trend for Virtual servers, using virtual server we can save Money, Administrator tasks, Instead of using Host server, we can use our server on virtual hosted server, the servility & reliability of Hyper v server is better than hosted server.

As we have mentioned in my blog how to create and deployed the server on Hyper V servers, here I am going to describe about exporting and importing virtual machines.

Using import and export feature, we can create a new virtual machine with the same configuration of an existing machine in Hyper-V.

The exported virtual machine files or VHD are saved in the server, and we can be reused as many time as we want to create new VM.

So let’s start from begging and will be describing all details with screen shots:

• Login to the server or system where hyper v machines is deployed.
• Now search for Hyper V manager on the machine and click on the same to open

• Once Hyper-V manager is opening, now click on the server to Connect Hyper-V server from Hyper-V Manger -> Right click on your virtual machine and select the export option.
• If we have hosted the same in local server, it will be showing on the same; see below

• Now select any one of the server which you want to export, and right click on the same. Here select Export option from the option came from Right click. See below:

• It will open start with specify where you want to save the files, select your path by clicking on browse option and select path where you want to save the file.

Please note that you can export a virtual machine even when it is in “On” or turn off state. But prefer server should be down to export properly, also delete unwanted snapshot from the same to avoid the issue in importing the same.

• Once all done, click on export and wait for time till exporting is done we can see the progress status from status bar.

• Once exporting completing export operation we can see the virtual machine files in destination folder. This folder will contain Snapshots (In case if you have snapshot), Virtual Disks and Virtual machine files.

To import the VM, you need to copy all these three folders to the other server.

Import Virtual Machine in Hyper-V

Now we will discuss and see the steps to import the Virtual machines in Hyper-V Manager step by step with screen shots.

We are using Importing a virtual machine registers the virtual machine with the Hyper-V host. we can import back into the host, or new host and reuse the same server settings. If we are importing to the same exported server.

The Import Virtual Machine wizard also helps us fix mismatches that can exist when moving from one machine to another. This is commonly differences in physical hardware, such as memory, virtual switches, and virtual processors.

Below are the step by to import the same:

• Copy the VM Files: We need to Copy the exported Virtual machine files and folders to your local server before we start import a virtual machine. See the above option how we have exported machine and saved the file.
• Just for example we are trying to export windows server
• Before importing virtual machine, we have Copied Windows server exported machine files from the machine to the server.
• Import Virtual Machine Menu Option, now click in Hyper-V Manger and select the added server and right click on the same, we will getting option called Import Virtual machines

• Once selected above option, we will get new Import virtual machine wizard.
• First option, we will get before you begin, just select Next.

• On the next page, we will get Locate folder here we need to select Virtual Machine by selecting browse option and select copied exported server.

• Select the VM to Import: After selecting the path, it will show the machine name in import virtual Machine page. Select machine and click next.

• Choose Import Type: on clicking next we will get option called choose import type.

Here we need select the Import mode as per your requirement. Please note that transferred files can be used again to clone machines only using “Copy The virtual machine (create a new unique ID)” option.

This has the following three options:

Register the virtual machine in-place

Restore the virtual machine

Copy the virtual machine (In our example, we are going to select this option)

• Select above option and click on next, on the next page Select the Virtual Machine storage location path to store virtual machine files. Here accept the default values here. If we want to change the location, select the “Store the virtual machine in a different location” checkbox. Currently we are going with default feature.

• Once clicked on next option we will get choose storage folders, here select the folder path to store Virtual machine Hard disk. This will be your storage location.

• Now click on next to Finish the Import, here review the machine configuration selection, and click on Finish to complete the import process.

Thanks ☺

How to Shrink and create space or new drive for a Windows Server 2016 partition on your drive

Today we writing about how to shrink space from C drive or any other drive and make space for other drive. This is same as earlier version of any windows machine.

So we start doing the same step by step with screen shots on windows server.

We have a server with 100 GB space and we want to make other drive with some of storage space.

• Start a server and login with administrator account and click on Server manager. Then Select Computer Management from Tools on the top of Server Manager

• Select Disk Management from Storage option on the Computer Management.

• Select Shrink Volume and wait for Querying and enter the Amount of space which you want to shrink and click on Shrink.

• Once done that selected space will be unallocated now we need to create new drive if we want to create or want extend. Right click on unallocated amount of space and select simple Volume and assign the space and click on create after following the options like assigning space drive and format and click on finish.

• Once all done, it will ask to format the drive. Format drive and now it will show like this.

• On the my computer it will look below:

Thanks :)

Common Apps on SharePoint 2016 and SharePoint Online

An app is a component in SharePoint that performs some duty holding information regarding Apps. An app might be created to store accounting documents or track customer contacts, we are familiar with Apps on SharePoint on premise and online as well.

Today we are defining some common Apps on SharePoint 2016 and SharePoint Online.

Below is the screen shots for apps on SharePoint 2016:

The following are common apps that we should be aware:

• Document Library: Used to create apps that hold documents.
• Form Library: Creates an app that holds business forms. This library requires a compatible editor such as InfoPath.
• Wiki Page Library: Used to create apps that store wiki pages.
• Picture Library: Using this template you create apps to store pictures.
• Links: Creates an app that contains HTML links.
• Announcements: Results in an app that can be used for announcements.
• Contacts: Creates an app to store contacts.
• Calendar: A template used to create calendar apps.
• Discussion Board: Creates an app where users can discuss topics in a threaded forum.
• Promoted Links: An app template that creates a place to store links to specific actions using a visual tile based layout. When you create a new Team Site it includes an app based on the Promoted Links template. When you move the mouse over a tile, information pops up to describe what will happen when the link is clicked.
• Tasks: A template used to create apps to store tasks.
• Issue Tracking: Used to create an app to track issues.
• Custom List: A template that creates a blank app based on a list.
• Custom List in Datasheet View: This template is similar to the Custom List template but provides a datasheet view by default.
• External List: Used to create an app that connects to external data.
• Survey: Creates an app that is used to conduct surveys.
• Asset Library: A template used to create an app that stores site assets such as images, audio, and video files.
• Data Connection Library: Creates an app that stores data connections.
• Report Library: Used to create an app to store reports.
• Access App: A template used to create an app that is the Office Access web based app.
• Import Spreadsheet: A template used to import a spreadsheet. The result is an app that contains the data in the spreadsheet. The equivalent could be done manually by creating the app using the Custom List template, adding all of the columns in the spreadsheet, and then keying in all of the data.

Thanks :) 

Common site templates in SharePoint 2013, 2016 and SharePoint Online

Common site templates in SharePoint 2013, 2016 and SharePoint Online

A site template is what you use when you create a new SharePoint site. Site template use to provide us to start the site setup and page for SharePoint.

The site templates we should be use to with below:

Collaboration

• Team Site: A template designed for teams to collaborate, share documents, and stay in sync.

• Blog: A site for a person or team to post ideas, observations, and expertise that site visitors can comment on.
• Developer site: A site for developers to build, test and publish apps for Office
• Project Site: A site for managing and collaborating on a project. This site template brings all status, communication, and artifacts relevant to the project into one place.
• Community Site: A template designed place where community members discuss topics of common interest. Members can browse and discover relevant content by exploring categories, sorting discussions by popularity or by viewing only posts that have a best reply. Members gain reputation points by participating in the community, such as starting discussions and replying to them, liking posts and specifying best replies. And to create a site that allows community members to congregate and discuss common interests.

Enterprise

• Document Center: A template designed site to centrally manage documents in your enterprise and for managing common documents in a central location
• Records Center: This template creates a site designed for records management. Records managers can configure the routing table to direct incoming files to specific locations. The site also lets you manage whether records can be deleted or modified after they are added to the repository.
• Business Intelligence Center: A site for presenting Business Intelligence content in SharePoint.
• Enterprise Search Center: A site focused on delivering an enterprise-wide search experience. Includes a welcome page with a search box that connects users to four search results page experiences: one for general searches, one for people searches, one for conversation searches, and one for video searches. You can add and customise new results pages to focus on other types of search queries.
• Basic Search Center: A site focused on delivering a basic search experience. Includes a welcome page with a search box that connects users to a search results page, and an advanced search page. This Search Center will not appear in navigation
• My Site Host: A site used for hosting personal sites (My Sites) and the public People Profile page. This template needs to be provisioned only once per User Profile Service Application, please consult the documentation for details.
• Visio Process Repository: A site for viewing, sharing, and storing Visio process diagrams. It includes a versioned document library and templates for Basic Flowcharts, Cross-functional Flowcharts, and BPMN diagrams.

Publishing Category

• Publishing Portal: A starter site hierarchy for an Internet-facing site or a large intranet portal. This site can be customized easily with distinctive branding. It includes a home page, a sample press releases subsite, a Search Center, and a login page. Typically, this site has many more readers than contributors, and it is used to publish Web pages with approval workflows.
• Enterprise Wiki: A site for publishing knowledge that you capture and want to share across the enterprise. It provides an easy content editing experience in a single location for co-authoring content, discussions, and project management.

Maximum password age grayed out, cannot change password on windows server 2012 or 2016 domain controller.

Today I am writing about “how to modify Maximum password age on windows server domain controller”, we have faced this issue in our organization our DC password use to get expire on every 42 days that was the causing to restrict access the users, SharePoint sites, Project server site. In one word we can say everything was getting mess up. So we did Google and find the solution but as per the solution the option was grayed out where we can modify server password days or we can put never expire password.

Any way we found the solution and fixed the issue, now we are working without any issue occurring on the server.

Below are the steps by step solution with screen shots:

• Logon to the server with administrator user name and password.
• Click windows+ and enter gpmc.msc

• Once we will hit enter, Group policy Management wizard will get open, see below:

• Navigate the option to server, Group Policy Management> Forest: server Name> Domains>server Domain> and select Default Domain Policy. Here we will right click on the same and click on edit.

• Once we will click on edit option, it will open Group policy Management editor, here we will select required option to do modify. See below for more:

• Here we will select navigate to below option to do modify for Maximum password Age.

Computer Configuration>Policies>Windows settings> Security Policies>password Policy

• Here we will select Maximum password age we will select and double click on that, now can find the option is enabled over here. Finally we reached to option where we can set out our issue.
• Select the Maximum password age properties and under the tab security policy setting and modify as per our requirement.

NOTE: Here if we will select 0 Option, password will not expire.

Thanks, Hope this will help some one ☺