The DHCP address pool on a Windows Server machine was being exhausted, so we wanted to increase the number of available addresses.

Original scope: 192.168.10.0 / 255.255.255.0

• provides the pool 192.168.10.1 – 192.168.10.255 (255 addresses)

Desired scope: 192.168.10.0 / 255.255.254.0

• provides the pool 192.168.10.1 – 192.168.11.255 (510 addresses)

The usual way requires you to delete the scope and re-enter it manually which can be tedious and time-consuming if you have a lot of exclusions and reservations.  Windows provides a way to do this programmatically:

1. Open a command window.
2. c:> netsh dhcp server \\”Server name” scope “scope subnet” dump>c:\dhcp.txt
   (In our case, it was netsh dhcp server \\Server scope 192.168.10.0 dump>c:\dhcp.txt)
3. Edit the created text file and change the net mask and save the file
   (we changed 255.255.255.0 to 255.255.254.0)
4. Delete the scope in the DHCP program on the server
5. Finally, in the command window,
   netsh exec c:\dhcp.txt

When we did this, a couple of scope options had to be re-entered: 046 and 051

Downtime on DHCP (i.e., no scope entry) was about 15 seconds.

Remember that, after doing this, any device that has a statically-assigned IP address instead of using DHCP should have its netmask changed or devices using an address outside the original scope won’t be able to see it.  DHCP clients will get the new netmask automatically at the next renewal.

This is a recent change that is activated silently after an Outlook update.  To undo, add this registry key:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\Options

DWORD: DisableAutoCompleteUpdate
Value: 1

We found this process resolves this:

1. Cancel the install/upgrade
2. Stop and Print Spooler service and disable it temporarily
3. Reboot, and perform the Office 2010 install/upgrade again. It should succeed
4. Change the Print Spooler service back to Automatic and start the service

A previously-working VPN connectoid stopped working after a client “did some things to fix the Internet.”  It apparently clobbered with WAN miniports.

We were able to resolve this easily thanks to the website here.  It involves running this tool (64-bit machines) and rebooting the computer. After rebooting, the computer will re-install all the WAN miniports (visible in Device Manager.)

If the above link to the tool is dead, you can also find it here: wan-miniport-repair-v2-x64

We occasionally come across an Exchange 2003 setup from which we need to export members of a DL or what not.  CSVDE will do this. To get everything from AD:

CSVDE   -f   c:\adusers.csv

More detailed information with examples and switches can be found here:
https://www.computerperformance.co.uk/Logon/Logon_CSVDE_Export.htm

Some legacy applications are broken when run on Windows 10.  Here are some common problems and their solutions:

Cannot see mapped drives within applications:
Add this registry key:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
“EnableLinkedConnections”=dword:00000001

Cannot write to root of C drive:
Change this registry key:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
“EnableLUA”=dword:00000000

The Remote Desktop hosting feature of Windows 10 Pro differs from that of earlier versions of Windows in that, by default, it allows remote users to shut down the machine via the Start menu.  These power-related menu options can be limited to Disconnect and Sign Out via Group Policy:

1. Run gpedit.msc
2. User Configuration > Administrative Templates/ Start Menu and Taskbar
3. Enable the option “Remove and prevent access to the Shut Down, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate commands”

If a remote user must restart or shut down the computer, they can still do so by sending Ctrl-Alt-End and using the power icon in the lower-right corner (just as in previous versions of Windows.)

To help ensure that the Save As dialog pops up on top of the application where you can see it:

HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop

Change ForegroundLockTimeout from decimal 200000 to 0

If you have been given a “validation code” for your Quickbooks, you can easily get to the registration window where it asks you for this code without having to go through the registration shenanigans. Open QuickBooks, select Help and then About QuickBooks. When the product splash screen shows, press Ctrl-R-P (hold the Ctrl key down then press R and P in succession). This opens the window that lets you enter your validation code.

Use powershell to set the spam/junk filter operation for all users:

1. $UserCredential = Get-Credential
2. $Session = New-PSSession -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri https://outlook.office365.com/powershell-liveid/ -Credential $UserCredential -Authentication Basic -AllowRedirection
3. Import-PSSession $Session
4. Get-Mailbox
5. Get-Mailbox | Set-MailboxJunkEmailConfiguration –Enabled $False

This disables the filter for all. Change $False to $True in #5 to enable the filter for all.