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John Howard IT Pro Evangelist Microsoft UK Windows Server 2003 Automating System Administration

What we will cover: Remote Helpdesk Information Gathering Remote Helpdesk Administration Active Directory Administration Printer Management WMIC Administration

Prerequisite Knowledge Familiarity with Windows operating systems Experience supporting end users Experience supporting Active Directory Experience supporting File and Print Servers Level 200

Agenda Remote Helpdesk Information Remote Helpdesk Administration Active Directory Administration Printer Management WMIC Administration

Remote Helpdesk Information Retrieve General System Information Systeminfo.exe –Retrieves basic system information –OS version and role, hardware properties, etc. –Example: systeminfo /S \\wkstn1 "c:\sysinfo.txt Queries wkstn1 and outputs to c:\sysinfo.txt SC –Communicates with Service Control Manager –Retrieves services running on a system –Example: sc \\server2 query Queries services running on Server2

Remote Helpdesk Information Retrieve Information from Logs DriverQuery –Displays list of installed device drivers –Retrieves status of device drivers –Example: driverquery /s server2 Displays list of drivers on server2 EventQuery –Lists event properties from Event Logs –Can be output to a file –Example: eventquery /L application Lists events from the Application Event log

Remote Helpdesk Information Retrieve Information about Hardware Getmac –Displays the MAC address for a system –Example: getmac /s server2 Gets the MAC address for Server2 Freedisk –Displays amount of free disk space on a hard drive –Can be used to determine if the required amount of space is available –Example: freedisk 4GB Will display a success if there is 4 GB free

Remote Helpdesk Information Group Policy Information GPResult –Displays Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) for user and computer –Can display simple or verbose information –Can be used to determine if the correct set of Group Policies have been applied –Example: gpresult /user KimA Displays the Group Policies for User KimA

Remote Helpdesk Information Viewing System Information

Remote Helpdesk Information Usage Scenarios Systeminfo –Helpdesk can gather system information –Verify versions etc. Driverquery –Helpdesk can capture driver information to make sure the correct drivers are installed Freedisk –Can be used prior to deploying software to confirm enough hard drive space is available

Remote helpdesk information gathering demonstration demonstration

Agenda Remote Helpdesk Information Remote Helpdesk Administration Active Directory Administration Printer Management WMIC Administration

Remote Helpdesk Administration Retrieve Information About Open Files Openfiles –Displays list of files open on a system –Can be used to see if a file is in use Example: openfiles /query –s server2 –Displays list of open files on Server2 Scenarios: –Determine what files are open –Determine files that are locked

Remote Helpdesk Administration Retrieve Information About Processes Tasklist –Displays a list of currently running processes on a local or remote system –Replaces Windows 2000 Resource Kit Utility Tlist.exe –Can be run against a local or remote system Example: tasklist /s server2 –Displays the processes running on server2 Scenarios: –Determine what processes are running –Determine process IDs

Remote Helpdesk Administration Stop the Process From Running Taskkill –Used when you need to terminate an errant process –Terminate process based on PID or Image Name –Replaces Windows 2000 Resource Kit utility kill.exe –Run against local or remote system Example: taskkill /IM notepad.exe –Terminates Notepad.exe running on the local system Scenarios: –Kill a process thats consuming server resources –Kill a process that has data files locked

Remote Helpdesk Administration Using Tasklist and Taskkill TaskList Process1 Process2 Process3 Taskkill PID3 Helpdesk File Server

Remote helpdesk administration demonstration demonstration

Agenda Remote Helpdesk Information Remote Helpdesk Administration Active Directory Administration Printer Management WMIC Administration

Active Directory Administration Active Directory Path Names Components of Active Directory Path –dc= Domain Component –ou= Organization Unit –cn= Common Name used for users or containers Example: –cn=kima,cn=sales,dc=worldwideimporters,dc=com –User account is kima, in the Users container, in the WorldWideImporters.com domain Example: –cn=aaronc,ou=sales,dc=worldwideimporters, dc=com –User account is aaronc, in the Sales OU, in the WorldWideImIporters.com domain

Active Directory Administration Adding Objects to Active Directory DSAdd –Adds users, groups, computers, OUs, etc. –Can be used to automate bulk changes to the directory Example: –dsadd user "CN=KimA,OU=Sales,DC=worldwideimporters,DC=com –Adds a user KimA to the Sales OU in the WorldWideImporters.com domain

Active Directory Administration Removing Objects from Active Directory DSRM –Removes objects from the directory –Can automate repetitive tasks such as stale account deletion Example: –dsrm -noprompt -c "cn=NeilC,OU=Sales,DC=worldwideimporters,DC=com –Removes NeilC from the Sales OU in the WorldWideImporters.com domain

Active Directory Administration Retrieving Data from Active Directory DSGet –Retrieves information about a single object in the directory –User properties such as group memberships etc. DSQuery –Retrieves information about multiple objects in a specified path (container or OU) Usage scenarios –Generate information and statistics about Active Directory Objects –Group memberships, phone numbers, etc.

Active Directory Administration Retrieving Data from Active Directory DSGet example: –dsget user "CN=KimA,OU=Sales,DC=worldwideimporters, DC=Com" -memberof –expand –Retrieves information about User KimA including what groups and OUs she belongs to DSQuery example: –dsquery user "OU=Sales,DC=worldwideimporters,DC=com –Displays the users in the Sales OU

Active Directory Administration Moving Active Directory Objects DSMove –Moves or renames an object Example: –dsmove "CN=KimA, OU=Sales, DC=worldwideimporters, DC=com" -newparent "OU=Marketing and Finance, DC=worldwideimporters, DC=com" –Moves user KimA to the Sales OU from the Marketing and Finance OU Usage scenarios –Relocate user accounts after a reorganization

Active Directory Administration Modifying Active Directory objects DSMod –Modifies an existing object in Active Directory –Can be used to modify name or group membership Example: –dsmod user "CN=SeanA, OU=Sales, DC=worldwideimporters, DC=com - pwd Abcd123 - mustchpwd yes –This will change the users password, and require them to change it next time they logon. Usage scenarios –Change passwords in bulk –Update group memberships in bulk

Active Directory Administration Using Scripts for Repetitive Tasks

Automating Active Directory tasks demonstration demonstration

Agenda Remote Helpdesk Information Remote Helpdesk Administration Active Directory Administration Printer Management WMIC Administration

Printer Management Printer Configuration Prncnfg –Displays printer configuration on a local or remote system –Sets printer properties (name, priority, port etc.) Example: –prncnfg –g –s Server1 –p HPLaser –Displays the configuration of HPLaser on Server1 Usage scenarios –Set and verify printer configuration properties.

Printer Management Adding Printers and Ports Prnport –Used to create a TCP/IP Printer port –Example: prnport –a –s Server1 –r –Creates a new TCP/IP port with the address on Server1 Prnmngr –Manages local and remote printers –Delete a printer, get driver information, etc. –Example: prnmngr –d HPLaser –s Server1 Deletes HPLaser from Server1

Printer Management Printer Driver Management Prndrvr –Used to manage printer drivers –Add/verify/delete installed printer drivers Examples: –prndrvr –l –s Server1 Lists the printer drivers installed on Server1 –Prndrvr –a –m PrinterDriver –v X –e Windows NT X86 – s Server1 Adds a PrinterDriver (version X) to Server1 and specifies that it is a Windows NT driver

Printer Management Print Job Management Prnjobs –Manage print jobs Pause, resume, cancel, list etc. –Example: prnjobs –l –s Server1 Displays list of Print jobs on Server1 Prnqctl –This command manages print queues –Example: prnqctl –m HPLaser –s Server1 Resumes the HPLaser printer on Server1

Printer Management PRNQCTL Used to Resume a Printer PrintJob1 PrintJob2 Paused prnqctl –m printer Ready Helpdesk

Controlling and Managing remote printers demonstration demonstration

Agenda Remote Helpdesk Information Remote Helpdesk Administration Active Directory Administration Printer Management WMIC Administration

WMIC Administration Windows Management Instrumentation Simple Command-line interface to Windows Management Instrumentation Provides a simple command-line interface –Supports an interactive mode Interoperates with existing shells and utilities Can be extended by scripts

WMIC Administration View Process Identifiers View process identifiers for running processes Can be used to help identify processes to be terminated Example: WMIC PROCESS WHERE Name=svchost.exe GET name, processid –Obtains PIDs for all processes name svchost.exe

WMIC Administration Starting an Application Can be used to start and stop processes –The Helpdesk staff could use this to remotely –Start an application such a backup task Example: WMIC PROCESS CALL Create calc.exe –This will start the Windows Calculator applet This are just a few things you can do with WMIC

WMIC Administration Usage Scenarios Easily script administrative tasks Configure computer settings Launch, terminate, and control system processes Query local and remote machines –View operating system and hard drive information Query events and output results into formatted HTML tables

WMIC scenarios for system management demonstration demonstration

Session Summary 60+ New command line tools –Manage and retrieve system configuration Tools are remoteable –Work on local and remote systems –Provide credentials at run-time Automate common or complex tasks –Call tools from scripts Reduce scripting time –Use these tools to do complex tasks

For More Information… Main TechNet Web site at This sessions resource page

For More Information… Windows Server 2003 – Windows Server 2003 Technology Centers – 03/technologies/default.mspx

MS Press Inside information for IT Professionals To find the latest titles, visit

3rd Party Publications Supplementary publications for IT Pros These books can be found and purchased at all major book stores and online retailers

Microsoft Learning Training Resources for IT Professionals Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure –Course Number: –Availability now –Detailed Syllabus: To locate a training provider, please access

Assess your Readiness Microsoft Skills Assessment What is Microsoft Skills Assessment? Self-study learning tool to evaluate readiness for product and technology solutions, instead of job-roles (certification) Windows Server 2003, Exchange Server 2003, Windows Storage Server 2003, Visual Studio.NET, Office 2003 Free, online, unproctored, and available to anyone Answers the question: Am I ready? Determines skills gaps and provides learning plans with Microsoft Official Curriculum courses Post your High Score to see how you stack up visit

Become a Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) What is the MCSA certification? –For IT professionals who manage and maintain networks and systems based on Microsoft Windows Server How do I become an MCSA on Microsoft Windows Server 2003? –Pass 3 core exams –Pass 1 elective exam or 2 CompTIA certifications Where do I get more information?

Become A Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) What is the MCSE certification? –Premier certification for IT pros who analyze the requirements, design, plan, and implement the infrastructure for business solutions based on the Microsoft Windows Server System How do I become an MCSE on Microsoft Windows 2003? –Pass 6 core exams –Pass 1 elective exams from a comprehensive list Where do I get more information?

Demonstrate Your Security or Messaging Specialization What are MCSA/MCSE specializations? –Allows IT professionals to highlight specific expertise within their job role Which specializations are available? –MCSA: Security MCSA: Messaging –MCSE: Security MCSE: Messaging Where do I get more information? or

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John Howard IT Pro Evangelist Microsoft UK Windows Server 2003 Automating System Administration Questions & Answers