2007 December | Mind Of Root

When I first started listening to podcasts, In The Trenches was the one I would not miss. I would have a hard time waiting for their next show to be published.

I think ITT set the benchmark for many other podcasts. As well as inspiring podcasts like A Couple of Admins.
Kevin and George thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences with so many. You will be missed.

Rich

1 Comment

Recipes? This ain’t stone soup were makin’!

Podcast, Scripting December 14th, 2007

Recorded: November 29, 2007
Your Hosts: Steve Murawski, Rich Niemeier, and Keith Albright
Show Length: 59:11

A while back on our blog, I posted a review for the Windows PowerShell Cookbook from O’Reilly Press. Lee Holmes, the author, responded to my review and, when I asked if he would do an interview for the show, he agreed. We talk a bit about PowerShell, about his book, and the PowerShell community. It is interesting to hear first hand from one of the developers on the PowerShell team who has not been featured on any other podcast (that I’m aware of).

Links mentioned in this show:

Precision Computing - Lee Holmes’ blog

Windows PowerShell Cookbook - O’Reilly Press

Get PowerShell

Get Powershell - V2 CTP

Listen Now:

Download Here

Steve

1 Comment

Episode 28 - MVP’s In The House

Podcast December 13th, 2007

Recorded: December 12, 2007
Your Hosts: Steve Murawski, Rich Niemeier, and Keith Albright
Show Length: 1:19:50

We went a little longer on this show than we have in recent weeks…but it was well worth it. This week we are joined by two Microsoft MVP’s (Most Valuable Professionals); Brandon Shell, MVP in Windows Server-Admin Framework focusing on PowerShell and Dean Wells, MVP in Windows Server System - Directory Services. Not only were these guys extremely knowledgeable, but they were a lot of fun to chat with. If all goes well, look for more appearances in the future.

Links mentioned in this show:

See the full show notes here.

Other podcasts mentioned in this show:

These are all new Techpodcast Network affiliates. Please check them out and welcome them to the network.

Website Picks:

Rich - Bleepingcomputer.com

Steve - Freenode.net

Listen Now:

Download Here

Keith

2 Comments

Forcing Windows Updates with PowerShell

Patches, Scripting December 10th, 2007

Lately, I have had to set up a number of computers from scratch (I know, I know, I should have updated my base image, but I didn’t…). As I was setting up the computers, I wanted to make sure their patch level was current.

Going to Windows Update (Microsoft Update) showed around 91 updates to download. I said to myself, “Self, I already downloaded all these updates to my Windows Server Update Services server. Isn’t there an easy way to make this computer update from there?”

In my environment, the location of the computer determines what Organizational Unit it is in my Active Directory, which in turn, says when it is scheduled to download updates.

A short Google search later, and I found a batch file which will cause a client computer to check with a local WSUS server (or MS Update if there is not an assigned local server) at Patchaholic - the WSUS Blog!

Since I’m a PowerShell fan, I though I should translate this simple batch file to PowerShell (and give it a more PowerShelly name).

#* FileName: Invoke-WindowsUpdate.ps1
#*================================================================
#* Script Name: [Invoke-WindowsUpdate]
#* Created: [12/10/07]
#* Author: Steven Murawski
#* Company:
#* Email: steve@acoupleofadmins.com
#* Web: http://www.acoupleofadmins.com
#* Reqrmnts:
#* Keywords:
#*===============================================================
#* Purpose: This script will force a computer to check for updates from
#* Microsoft Update or a local WSUS Server. This script is the
#* PowerShell version of the batch file found at Patchaholic - The WSUS Blog
#* http://msmvps.com/blogs/athif/pages/66375.aspx
#*===============================================================

Write-Host “This PowerShell script will Force the Update Detection from the AU client:”
Write-Host “1. Stops the Automatic Updates Service (wuauserv)”
Write-Host “2. Deletes the LastWaitTimeout registry key (if it exists)”
Write-Host “3. Deletes the DetectionStartTime registry key (if it exists)”
Write-Host “4. Deletes the NextDetectionTime registry key (if it exists)”
Write-Host “5. Restart the Automatic Updates Service (wuauserv)”
Write-Host “6. Force the detection”
Read-Host “Press enter to continue”

# Stop the local Windows Update Service
Stop-Service wuauserv

# Set the location of registry key
$AutoUpdate = “HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update”

# PowerShell allows you to navigate the registry like a drive
# The various registry hives are like drives, the keys are like files
# and their values are shown as properties.

# The switch statement below checks to see if any of the values below are set and deletes them
# if they are present.
switch (Get-ItemProperty $AutoUpdate)
{
{$_.LastWaitTimeout} {Remove-ItemProperty -Path $AutoUpdate -name LastWaitTimeout}
{$_.DetectionStartTime} {Remove-ItemProperty -Path $AutoUpdate -name DetectionStartTime}
{$_.NextDetectionTime} {Remove-ItemProperty -Path $AutoUpdate -name NextDetectionTime}
}

# Restart the local Windows Update Service
Start-Service wuauserv

# Call the command line client to check for new updates
wuauclt /detectnow

Write-Host “This AU client will now check for the Updates on the Local WSUS Server.”
Read-Host “Press enter to continue”

Translating this script was good, as it allowed me to work hands-on with the registry through PowerShell, which I had not yet had an opportunity to do.

Invoke-WindowsUpdate.ps1

ForceUpdate.bat

Steve

5 Comments

Episode 27 - Internet Apocalypse

Podcast December 6th, 2007

Recorded: December 5, 2007
Your Hosts: Rich Niemeier and Keith Albright
Show Length: 1:02:05

Links mentioned in this show:

Read the full show notes here.

Other podcasts mentioned in this show:

The Force Field

Apple Universe Podcast

Website Picks:

Rich - Geek Classification

Keith - US Computer Emergency Readiness Team

Listen Now:

Download Here

Keith

1 Comment

Keep it a Merry Christmas.

Uncategorized December 3rd, 2007

I just wanted to post a copy of this email that I received. Why, you might ask? Because this one almost got me. I pay my bills but do use EBay. When I saw this I thought “what the heck I better get this cleared up”. My first instinct was to click the link on the email. I did not but rather went strait to EBay. There was nothing listed on my account and or in my messages. I have gone through disputes with things before and know I would have seen something here. So just for fun I followed the link.

I got this;

http://211.167.240.206/ws2/eBayISAPI.php?

Well I tried to dissect it a bit. The IP 211.267.240.206 did not resolve to a domain. So, I used an online locator service. It appears it is owned by an ISP in China.

So, the moral of the story. Keep it a Happy Holidays. Question emails that you are not expecting, and verify them a different way before accepting them as valid.