How to create a bootable Windows 10 USB drive

1. Use the "diskpart" command to open the partitioning software.
2. Use the "list disk" command to view the list of all the storage devices attached to your device.
3. Identify the disk number of the USB drive that you are using.
To make it easy, just look at the size column to identify it by its capacity.
4. Use the "select disk X" command to select the USB drive. Replace X with the disk number you found earlier.
5. Use the "clean" command to erase the USB drive.
6. Next, use the "create partition primary" command to create a primary partition on it.
7. Use the "select partition 1" command to select it.
8. Use the "active" command to make the primary partition active.
9. Use the "format fs=fat32 quick" command to format the partition as a FAT32 drive.
10. Use the "assign" command to assign a letter to USB drive's primary partition.
11. Mount the ISO and copy all of the files straight to the USB drive.

Windows Enterprise Client Boot and Logon Optimization

The full series can be found at Mark's Blog.

UserEnvLogging in Windows Vista and higher

From Windows Vista, the GPO engine no longer records information in the UserEnv.log. Instead we use GPSVC logging.

Sadly, the resulting log file does not contain as much information as the UserEnv.log because all non GP related actions are not part of this log.

For those who want to have the same info as in UserEnvLogging, there is an option called Profile Logging.

To start logging (from a Command Prompt) type:

logman -start profile -p {eb7428f5-ab1f-4322-a4cc-1f1a9b2c5e98} 255 3 -ets

To stop logging (from a Command Prompt) type:

logman -stop profile -ets
You can view the ETL with a tool like SvcTraceViewer which is part of the Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK).

How to (re)enable deduplication in Windows 10 CTP

Check it out at Tailspintoys - 365lab.net. Never heard of deduplication? >>> MSDN.

How to disable ZPODD in Windows 8

If there are no media present in the optical disk drive e.g. ODD, the OS turns off the power to the optical drive. This is called ZPODD.
To revert to always-on status, turn off this functionality in the Registry:
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\cdrom\Parameters\.
Go to ZeroPowerODDEnabled.
If it's type is DWORD (32 bit), and value is 0, ZPODD is disabled; if it’s any other value, ZPODD is enabled.

Automatic memory dump option in Windows 8

This setting allows the system to reduce its pagefile size below the size of the RAM.
Before, the default dump type was "kernel" which sets a pagefile size to be "equal" to the size of RAM.
Now, if the dump type is set to "automatic", the initial size of the system-managed pagefile can be smaller than the size of RAM. Should a crash occur and the pagefile is large enough to contain a kernel dump, then a kernel dump will be written. Otherwise you'll get a minidump.

Nirsoft BlueScreenView

 Handy if you just want to run a quick check:

Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.
Security Essentials is simple to install, easy to use and always kept up to date. It’s easy to tell if your PC is secure - when you’re green, you’re good. It’s that simple.
Download is here.

Microsoft Press offers Windows 7 eBook

Download it here for free.

Windows 7 – Upgrade RC to RTM

Burn the ISO and then copy the image to a location you wish to run the upgrade from (a bootable flash drive, a directory on any partition on the machine running the pre-release build).

1. Browse to the sources directory.
2. Open the file cversion.ini in a text editor like Notepad.
3. Modify the MinClient build number to a value lower than the down-level build. For example, change 7100 to 7000 (pictured below).
4. Save the file in place with the same name.

Run setup like you would normally from this modified copy of the image and the version check will be bypassed.

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 are finished

Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 went RTM yesterday. Read the announcements on the official blogs: 
http://blogs.technet.com/windowsserver/archive/2009/07/22/windows-server-2008-r2-rtm.aspx
http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/07/22/win-dows-7-has-been-released-to-manufacturing.aspx
The products will be available soon, depending on which channels:

• MSDN/Technet: W7 Aug 6, R2 Aug 14
• Partner Network: W7 Aug 16, R2 Aug 19
• Action Pack: Aug 23 (W7 & R2)
• Volume Licensing (SA): W7 Aug 7, R2 Aug 19

Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcut List

Get it here.

Windows 7 AppLocker

Windows 7 introduces a feature called AppLocker. Type gpedit.msc into your search bar and press enter. Then go to:

• Computer Configuration
• Windows Settings
• Security Settings
• Application Control Policies
• AppLocker

You can define policies based on Executables, Windows Installers, and scripts and select witch groups the rule will apply to.
Also you can  choose to create rules based on a publisher (the program needs to be signed), program path, or file hash (usually a good choice if the program isn’t signed).
Go ahead and play with it. And let me know if you like it. I do.

Restore the Start Menu Search button in Vista SP1

Windows Vista SP1 Microsoft removed the option for the Search button on the right side of the start panel. To bring it back you'll have to replace the Help and Support button.
Just download the attached registry files and import.
Replace Help and Support with Search button: Enable – Disable.
Source: Steve Sinchak.

RSAT Tools for Vista SP1 are RTM

Microsoft Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) enables IT administrators to remotely manage roles and features in Windows Server 2008 from a computer running Windows Vista SP1. It includes support for remote management of computers running either a Server Core or full installation option of Windows Server 2008. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

Downloads: Windows Vista SP1 x86 - Windows Vista SP1 x64. If you would like to read more, just go here.

Hyper-V Management Tools for Vista SP1 are RTM

Thx Ben for sharing this. The Hyper-V management tools (MMC snap-in and associated UI) are now available for download:
x86: Update for Windows Vista (KB949758);

x64: Update for Windows Vista x64 Edition (KB949758).
These tools allow you to manage and interact with an installation of Hyper-V from your Vista computer in exactly the same manner that you do on a full installation of Windows Server 2008. Note that you need to have SP1 installed on Vista in order for this to work. Need to know more, here's the link to Ben's blog.

Vista Recovery Disc

The creation of a Windows Vista recovery disc used to be available in the beta, but some 'wiseguy' decided to remove it in RTM.
Nevertheless, here you go for the ISO.

Microsoft IPSec Diagnostic Tool

Info and download are here.

USMT GUI Interface

Dan Cunningham has written a GUI wrapper for the User State Migration Tool (USMT).The tool is to be released soon but you can already check some screenshots here.

Enable support for 4GB of RAM in Vista (32-bit)

On a computer that has 4 GB of RAM, the System Properties dialog box and the System Information dialog box report less memory than you would expect. This problem occurs because the address space is limited to 4 GB in a 32-bit hardware environment. Memory may be relocated to make room for addresses that the basic input/output system (BIOS) reserves for hardware. However, because of this limitation, Windows Vista cannot access memory that is relocated above the 4 GB boundary.

Solution: Open an elevated Command Prompt, type BCDEdit /set pae ForceEnable and press Enter.