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Windows Admin Center to manage Local and Remote server

Microsoft had announced Windows Admin Center (formerly Project Honolulu) back on April 12, 2018, and it’s been increasing use of Windows Admin Center to manage local and remote servers.  It’s used by many IT admins since it’s very lightweight and it can be installed on Windows 10 client machine (need admin rights to manage servers).  Microsoft has been adding many features on every new updates, it also have Extensions supports, so more products can be intergraded, at the moment more Preview.  If you are using Microsoft Azure, this would be great tool going forward to use instead of using 3rd party systems.  Once you have installed Windows Admin Center on your Windows 10 Client machine or on Windows server 2016 there are no agents need on target system. It uses Microsoft Edge (Windows 10, version 1709 or later) or Google Chrome browser.  It can manage Windows server 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, and manage hyper-converged clusters, only requirements are windows management framework 5.1

It’s similar to Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT), Microsoft Management Console (MMC) and other tools.  This does not replace but it give more options in central modern management and it’s free.

To get started first download the Windows Admin Center: http://aka.ms/WACDownload


1. Double click the setup to start the install, accept the terms and click Next

2. Click Next

3. Click Install (if you want or need to change port you can and also if you want to create desktop shortcut select box)

4. If everything goes well you should see following screen, and ready to be used.

Go to URL:6516 or whatever ports you had set on step 3 and start adding servers.

You will see Tools based on your server or PC hardware/software capabilities, here is compare tools between Windows server 2016 vs. Windows 10 Pro

That’s it, enjoy it

If you have issues as I did, here are some options to fix

If you get an error: Microsoft.PowerShell.LocalAccounts

Run this on powershell with admin rights:
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable(“PSModulePath”,”%SystemRoot%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules;” + ([Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable(“PSModulePath”,”User”)),”User”)

Also, you may need to re-run the install again to uncheck the “Allow Windows Admin Center to modify this machine’s trusted hosts settings” Modifying TrustedHosts is required in a workgroup environment, or when using local administrator credentials in a domain. You need to configure TrustedHosts manually.

Common FaQ’s: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/manage/windows-admin-center/use/troubleshooting

For more information: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/windows-admin-center


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How to Clone old drive to Samsung solid state drive

When you replace your old spinning drive with any solid state drive will double your computer speed.  There are many solid state drive vendors and versions of the drives, some are more reliable than others.  I had written one post for SanDisk SSD drive and this one I am writing about the Samsung SSD software, much easier to use.  I have been using Samsung drive for a long time and it’s the one I feel more reliable, that does not mean other vendors is not, you can use any vendors you like and I am sure they all have some kind of cloning software included or have to find something else.  Cloning software saves you time and keeps all your data/software installed as if nothing changed to your computer system, but you will see the speed increase for sure.  You will be thinking after why I have not done this upgrade before.  Let’s get started.

What you will need:
Tool to open your Laptop/Desktop to replace a hard drive
USB to SATA cable (unless you have the second slot to put new drive)
SSD drive same size or whatever your data total size is plus future free size to store more data

Download the cloning software: Data Migration Software at https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/tools/

Once downloaded, double click to start the installation, then choose the Language then click Next

Click Next

Read the Agreement, Accept and click the Next

Then Click Install

Then click Finish

Then open the Samsung Data Migration software, you may have a shortcut on your desktop or you will find it in the program list.  If for some reason you have an older version you may get update option, if you get that screen then do the Update by click on Update 

It should go through same installation process as above, once updated it may open Samsung Data Migration software, if not open it manually to start the clone process.

At this point you can plugin your new drive, if you have not done yet.  You should see your current drive and new Samsung SSD Drive on bottom, make sure it’s the right drive, you may have to click on refresh to see.  If you don’t see the drive then you may have to install the driver.

Once is confirmed that’s the right drive and everything else is closed, Click Start and you will get Warning screen asking Would you like to start cloning? Click Yes


The time it takes to cloning may vary base on data type, size of data and speed of your current drive, for me, it took about 1 hour.  Make sure you don’t stop the process and if it’s laptop make sure to have your power cord is plugged in.

Click Close

Then you will get an option to Exit or Shut Down, Click ShutDown and remove an old drive and put the new drive in.

That’s it, once the computer comes back you will see much faster.  No more waiting and now you can be happier 🙂


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Windows operating system information

Windows operating system came long way, I am listing some links from Microsoft about Windows versions and release information, since there are so many versions it’s very hard to find information about different version.  Microsoft have listed the fact sheet for Windows at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13853, this also includes the Windows Servers version 2008-2019.

Windows version 10, 8, 7 Home, Enterprise, Education, Pro, and Pro for Workstation editions.  Also includes Windows version history, Date of availability, Mainstream support end date, and extended support end date.  If you want to know more about the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy FAQ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17140/lifecycle-faq-general-policy-questions

If you just want to know more about the Windows 10 release information: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10/release-information

Windows Server release information https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/windows-server-release-info


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How to Create Windows 10 USB media

Requirements:
  • USB flash drive with at least 8GB of space or more
  • Windows PC with Internet access (you could download just ISO and burn it on USB)
  • You will need Windows Key unless your computer has it built in, most new computers do or have a sticker on the bottom of the computer.
You can download it from Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 It will put the temporary download by default to C drive, so make sure you have some free space
Once you have downloaded the Tool, then double click it to run it Read the License terms and click Accept
Select the Create installation media, Then Click Next
Select Create installation media
Choose your Language, Architecture type: 64-bit, 32-bit or both and Edition
Then you will be given the option to choose media type: Select USB flash drive and click next
If you already have the USB plugged in, it will display make sure it’s the correct one then click Next Please make sure to your USB drive is blank and correct one, it will wipe out anything you have on that USB drive
Then it will start downloading the Windows 10, depending on your internet speed this may take a few minutes to hours. Once finish the download, you may need to click Next or it will just go to the next step automatically
You will see Creating Windows 10 media once finished downloading
If everything went well you should see Your USB flash drive is Ready
That’s it

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How to restore Remote Server Administration Tools on Windows 10

When you get the Microsoft windows to update your Remote Server Administrations Tools (RSAT) gets removed, this happened to me 3 times already after windows 10 updates.  Many system admins use this to manage their server, so they don’t have to RDP to each server, even though now many tasks can be done via Powershell commands.  Some of the GUI is not available for server, you need to know Powershell to manage, add or remove features or services.  It does not happen for smaller updates, only major updates.  Also, you may see other settings get reset like Suggested notification, default app, printer and you may want to double check your settings to make sure it’s not reset.

I had server admin tools and after the windows 10 updates, it got removed, as you can see in this screenshot:

Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows 10

You can download it from Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=45520

Then just run the installer wizard

If everything went well you should see whatever you had pinned to your start menu shows up

I notice when I had Windows updates for 1709 and 1803 updates, hope this helps someone out there.  Learning Powershell command is a way to go for doing server manage for many repetitive tasks.  Knowing Powershell commands also helps for user device troubleshooting too.