Managing Microsoft Windows: Difference between revisions

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How to manage Microsoft Windows without losing your sanity:
How to manage Microsoft Windows without losing your sanity:
* ! ! ! FOR THE LOVE OF SANITY, DO NOT INSTALL ON PHYSICAL HARDWARE, only a virtual machine ! ! !
* FOR THE LOVE OF SANITY, DO NOT INSTALL ON PHYSICAL HARDWARE, only a virtual machine ! ! !
** Use VirtIO for the disk type
** Consider using VirtIOFS for sharing data with the host
* FOR THE LOVE OF SANITY, don't put anything other than the OS on the OS boot drive ! ! !
** Change the "Program Files" directory to a separate drive/filesystem
** Change the "ProgramData" directory to a separate drive/filesystem
** Move the pagefile to a separate drive/filesystem
** Move the "users" directory to a separate drive/filesystem
* Whenever possible, install the Server Core / non-Desktop Experience version for a more minimal install
* Install [http://www.tightvnc.com/ TightVNC] and enable service mode (console access) and regular mode (on port 5901) for desktop session access
* Install [http://www.tightvnc.com/ TightVNC] and enable service mode (console access) and regular mode (on port 5901) for desktop session access
* Install [https://www.cygwin.com/ Cygwin] with:
* Install [https://www.cygwin.com/ Cygwin] with:
** ssh server
** ssh server<br>See: https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24628_01/install.121/e22624/preinstall_req_cygwin_ssh.htm#EMBSC150<br><tt>netsh firewall add portopening TCP 22 "SSH TCP Port 22"</tt>
** rsync
** rsync
** vim
** tmux/screen
* Install OpenControl Center agent
* Install OpenControl Center agent
* Install [https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff542282%28v=vs.85%29.aspx Emergency Management Services (EMS) redirection]
* Install [https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff542282%28v=vs.85%29.aspx Emergency Management Services (EMS) redirection]<br><tt>bcdedit /ems  '{current}' ON</tt>
* Install [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/216417 Recovery Console]
* Install [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/216417 Recovery Console]
* Install [http://www.classicshell.net/ Classic Shell]
* Install [http://www.classicshell.net/ Classic Shell]
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* Use [http://download.wsusoffline.net/ WSUS Offline Update]<br>Update Microsoft Windows and Office without an Internet connection
* Use [http://download.wsusoffline.net/ WSUS Offline Update]<br>Update Microsoft Windows and Office without an Internet connection


* [https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb545027.aspx sysinternals tools]
* [https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb545027.aspx sysinternals tools]<br>Install in c:\bin and add to system path.
* Windows Servers Tools (Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit [SDK])
* Windows Servers Tools (Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit [SDK])
** [http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=23719 Vista]
** [http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=23719 Vista]


=Utils=
=System=
* [http://winmerge.org/?lang=en WinMerge] - Does visual file/folder diffs
* [http://www.flexerasoftware.com/enterprise/products/software-vulnerability-management/personal-software-inspector/ Secunia PSI] - Keeps apps updated, shows you outdated versions and updates available
* [http://wincdemu.sysprogs.org/ WinCDEmu] - Mount ISO files as virtual CD-ROM drives
* [http://implbits.com/ HashTab] - Provides file hashes in the file properties dialog
* [http://implbits.com/ HashTab] - Provides file hashes in the file properties dialog
=Usability=
* [http://www.4t-niagara.com/tray.html 4t Tray Minimizer] - Provides the much-needed winshade functionality to the Windows "windows manger"
* [http://www.4t-niagara.com/tray.html 4t Tray Minimizer] - Provides the much-needed winshade functionality to the Windows "windows manger"
* [http://virtuawin.sourceforge.net/ VirtuaWin] - Provides virtual desktop capability
=Applications=
* [http://winmerge.org/?lang=en WinMerge] - Does visual file/folder diffs
* [http://www.vim.org/download.php gVim] - Graphical vim for Windows
* [http://www.vim.org/download.php gVim] - Graphical vim for Windows


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* Microsoft Security Essentials
* Microsoft Security Essentials
* 360 total security (varius systems checks / fixes)
* 360 total security (varius systems checks / fixes)
* Secunia PSI (keeps apps updated)
 


=Exchange=
=Exchange=
MFCMAPI
MFCMAPI
=VNC when not installed=
If you have the cygwin SSH server installed but not TightVNC yet, you can do the following in order to connect to the desktop:
# Copy psexec.exe and tvnserver.exe to the server<pre>scp tvnserver.exe psexec.exe user@server:/cygdrive/c/</pre>
# SSH to server<pre>me@desktop ssh user@server</pre>
# Accept psexec EULA<pre>user@server# /cygdrive/c/psexec.exe -accepteula</pre>
# Start TightVNC Server on desktop session 1<pre>user@server# /cygdrive/c/psexec.exe -s -h -i 1 "c:\Program Files\TightVNC\tvnserver.exe"</pre>
# In another shell, connect out to remote<pre>user@server# /cygdrive/c/tvnserver.exe -controlapp -connect jeremybryansmith.com</pre>
# Shut it down<pre>user@server# /cygdrive/c/tvnserver.exe -controlapp -shutdown</pre>
# You may have to force shutdown<pre>user@server# taskkill /IM tvnserver.exe</pre>

Latest revision as of 16:48, 5 January 2024

How to manage Microsoft Windows without losing your sanity:

  • FOR THE LOVE OF SANITY, DO NOT INSTALL ON PHYSICAL HARDWARE, only a virtual machine ! ! !
    • Use VirtIO for the disk type
    • Consider using VirtIOFS for sharing data with the host
  • FOR THE LOVE OF SANITY, don't put anything other than the OS on the OS boot drive ! ! !
    • Change the "Program Files" directory to a separate drive/filesystem
    • Change the "ProgramData" directory to a separate drive/filesystem
    • Move the pagefile to a separate drive/filesystem
    • Move the "users" directory to a separate drive/filesystem
  • Whenever possible, install the Server Core / non-Desktop Experience version for a more minimal install
  • Install TightVNC and enable service mode (console access) and regular mode (on port 5901) for desktop session access
  • Install Cygwin with:
  • Install OpenControl Center agent
  • Install Emergency Management Services (EMS) redirection
    bcdedit /ems '{current}' ON
  • Install Recovery Console
  • Install Classic Shell
  • Install Firefox
  • Install Everything Search Engine
  • Put windows version on desktop
    Registry edit:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\PaintDesktopVersion
    Set DWORD value 1
  • Install JDiskReport for disk usage analysis
  • Use WSUS Offline Update
    Update Microsoft Windows and Office without an Internet connection
  • sysinternals tools
    Install in c:\bin and add to system path.
  • Windows Servers Tools (Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit [SDK])

System

  • Secunia PSI - Keeps apps updated, shows you outdated versions and updates available
  • WinCDEmu - Mount ISO files as virtual CD-ROM drives
  • HashTab - Provides file hashes in the file properties dialog

Usability

  • 4t Tray Minimizer - Provides the much-needed winshade functionality to the Windows "windows manger"
  • VirtuaWin - Provides virtual desktop capability

Applications

  • WinMerge - Does visual file/folder diffs
  • gVim - Graphical vim for Windows

Malware Detection / Removal

  • rootkit revlealer
  • Junkware Removal Tool
  • ComboFix
  • ClamAV
  • ADWCleaner
  • RKill
  • TDSSKiller
  • Etc from bleepingcomputer.com
  • Microsoft Security Essentials
  • 360 total security (varius systems checks / fixes)


Exchange

MFCMAPI

VNC when not installed

If you have the cygwin SSH server installed but not TightVNC yet, you can do the following in order to connect to the desktop:

  1. Copy psexec.exe and tvnserver.exe to the server
    scp tvnserver.exe psexec.exe user@server:/cygdrive/c/
  2. SSH to server
    me@desktop ssh user@server
  3. Accept psexec EULA
    user@server# /cygdrive/c/psexec.exe -accepteula
  4. Start TightVNC Server on desktop session 1
    user@server# /cygdrive/c/psexec.exe -s -h -i 1 "c:\Program Files\TightVNC\tvnserver.exe"
  5. In another shell, connect out to remote
    user@server# /cygdrive/c/tvnserver.exe -controlapp -connect jeremybryansmith.com
  6. Shut it down
    user@server# /cygdrive/c/tvnserver.exe -controlapp -shutdown
  7. You may have to force shutdown
    user@server# taskkill /IM tvnserver.exe
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