New Web Content Actually Worth Reading (August 2009)

Tips and Tools
Published Aug 20, 2009

Why does Windows 7 feel faster than Vista, although really it is not? Improvements to the graphics driver model (WDDM got upgraded to version 1.1) certainly add to this feeling and reduce the memory footprint of the desktop windows manager (DWM) process. Microsoft describes the changes in its Graphics Guide for Windows 7.

A nice refresher course on some Active Directory security features on TechNet: protected groups and AdminSDHolder. Do not read it if you know exactly why permissions of user objects that are member of, for example, the Print Operators cannot be changed.

Microsoft explains in KB973835 why you should not use File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) file screening on folders that store roaming user profiles. The effect is similar to the one caused by hard quotas. Quotas do not mix well with profiles!

If you need to create many GUIDs, go to createguid.com and press CTRL+C. Another one? Just reload (F5) and repeat.

Jim Moyle has written a nice guide to deploying, tuning and troubleshooting ICA clients.

After more than 20 years (estimate), Microsoft finally develops programs with text-mode GUIs again ;-) SConfig comes with Server Core and simplifies basic setup tasks like joining a domain, renaming the computer, configuring Windows Update or enabling remote desktop connections.

The AskDS blog team compiled a list of the 50 Microsoft knowledge base articles that solve the most issues loosely related to Active Directory and thus are most likely to help you out some day.

Microsoft’s Jose Barreto starts playing around with PowerShell and compiles a list of useful commands as he goes.

For not too complex file server migrations the Microsoft File Server Migration Toolkit (FSMT) is probably worth a try.

File server capacity planning has always been mostly guesswork (or call it experience). Microsoft tries to help with the File Server Capacity Tool (FSCT).

Microsoft finally documented the format used in the registry policy files “registry.pol”.

Some more Chuck Norris jokes, these are mostly for programmers. Example: “Chuck Norris can access private methods.”

And finally some shameless self-promotion: see me demo Citrix User Profile Manager (aka Profile management) at DABCC TV.

AdminSDHolder Capacity Cool Stuff DWM File Screening File Server File Server Resource Manager GUID ICA Client Migration PowerShell Quota Registry.pol SConfig Server Core User Profile Manager User Profiles WDDM

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