Category: Post by Eddie Jackson

I have the Bose Sound Link headphones. I use them so much, I wore down the pads, so they needed to be replaced. Finding the replacements was easy. I ordered Bose 724277-0010 Sound Link On-Ear Bluetooth Headphones Ear Cushion Kit, Black right from Amazon. Once they arrived, I began the replacement process, which I thought would be easy. The replacements are nice, except…they seem a bit small.

To get them to fit onto the headphones, took some time. I eventually figured out you had to pull really hard, and slowly work your way around the edges, allowing the very edge to kind of snap into the ridge of the headphones.

Take a look.

The replacements

How tight of a fit they are

If you have a Surface Pro, then you know that they stylus is not indestructible like many other styluses (example, HP TC1100). Microsoft has chosen to build a stylus that will eventually break down.

The first issue will be the battery. Yes, it has a battery in it (why, Microsoft?). The battery is AAAA (that’s 4 A’s). A simple twist of the top of the stylus will open the battery compartment.

The second issue will be the stylus tips. I have the same argument here; Microsoft has chosen to create something that wears down pretty easily. The tips are soft rubber. To replace them, buy a tip repair/replacement kit (they are cheap). To replace it, just pull out the stylus from the bottom of the stylus, and insert replacement.

Here are a couple of pics.

The pen broken down with AAAA battery

The tips replacement kit with the battery

Every once in awhile, I find an app that should remain on top of all windows, but does not. In Windows 10, I noticed the Sticky Notes does not stay on top…when you obviously need it to. I’m not sure what Microsoft was thinking, the whole point of sticky notes, is that they are in your face to remind you. If your sticky note is behind 10 windows, I’m not sure how you’re going to remember. But…I digress. To bring the Sticky Note app forward (or any other app for that matter), I used AutoHotKey.

The AHK code is below. It works simply by looking at the app name/title, and then forcing it on top of other windows. I ended up adding the Sticky Note app to the code as well, compiling it, and replacing my shortcuts with this EXE. So, when I click the Sticky Note, it accesses the AHK EXE, loads the Sticky App, and then forces it to remain on top.

Code

Sleep, 1000 ; 1 second
WinSet, AlwaysOnTop, On, Sticky Notes

 

Notes

Download AutoHotKey

On the Surface Pro, you will notice there are two types of touch the tablet responds to: (1) Hand and (2) Pen.

While Microsoft has done pretty good with the pen detection and usage, the hand touch feature gets in the way of certain applications. For example, while using Autodesk Sketchpad Pro, I noticed multiple menus popping up and out at me. This has to do with the palm detection not being as accurate as it should be. The palm detection is supposed to prevent the screen from detecting your palm when the stylus is close to the screen. The issue is, the pen has to be VERY close, or else your palm is selecting things on the screen (not good). So, to prevent this unwanted behavior, you can disable the touch feature specifically meant for hands.

As an example, I just wanted to give you the general idea of how this works.

Here, I want to disable my cam. So find the Hardware ID in Device Manager

Next, I open a command prompt, and use devcon.exe…with the disable/enable option

Now that you see how it works, the Touch screen isn’t too much different. There is one caveat: The Surface has TWO device drivers for touch…so you’ll need to be sure you select the right one. The correct driver is the FIRST HID device, not the second one.

 

References

devcon.exe source file (for W10)

Windows Device Console (Devcon.exe)
How to Obtain the Current Version of Device Console Utility (DevCon.exe)

One of the great new features in Windows 10 is the Task View. Using Windows-key + Tab, all the windows will appear on screen in their smaller forms. This gives you the ability to select which window you would like to focus on quickly. This code shows you how to simulate the hotkeys…thus allowing you to add the Task View option to your own scripts and apps.

This was done in VS 2015, C#, and as a console app

// I changed console output from Console to Application - to hide the window

//Run this command from the Package Manager Console:
//Install-Package InputSimulator
using WindowsInput.Native;

namespace taskview
{
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
WindowsInput.InputSimulator kb = new WindowsInput.InputSimulator();
kb.Keyboard.ModifiedKeyStroke(VirtualKeyCode.LWIN, VirtualKeyCode.TAB);
}
}
}

1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers.

In the “Find Computers” screen where you are entering the name of the computer you are looking for in the “Computer name:” field you need to:

2. From the “View” menu select “Choose Columns…”

3. On the “Choose Columns” screen click “Published at” in the left hand column (“Columns available:“) and click “Add >>” to add it to the “Columns shown:” column on the right.

4. Click “OK”.

You will see that the “Published At” column has been added that shows you where in Active Directory the computer resides.

Manually Install the Hyper-V role

Right click on the Windows button and select ‘Programs and Features’.

Select Turn Windows Features on or off.

Select Hyper-V and click OK.

When the installation has completed you are prompted to restart your computer.

 

Install Hyper-V with PowerShell

Open a PowerShell console as Administrator.

Run the following command:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All

When the installation has completed you need to reboot the computer.

 

Install Hyper-V with DISM

The Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool or DISM is used to service Windows images and prepare Windows Pre installation environments. DISM can also be used to enable Windows features while the operating system is running.

To enable the Hyper-V role using DISM

Open up a PowerShell or CMD session as Administrator.

Type the following command:

DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /All /FeatureName:Microsoft-Hyper-V

This is what I use to install Skype standalone EXEs in our enterprise. This includes creating event logs, tracking, and splitting up the wrapper from the installer. I gather up all my resource files (progress bars, images, EXEs, and other files) and compile them into one nice EXE file. The wrapper acts as my initiation file and handles global sequencing.

The Wrapper.exe

On Error Resume Next

Dim CommandLine, CurrentFolder, objRegistry, strComputer, regValue, regValueName, regPath, objShell, objfso, Path64, Path86, LDFolder, strDate, BuildVersion

AppName = "Skype"
BuildVersion = "7.30.64.105"
CreateEventLog = "EVENTCREATE /T INFORMATION /L Application /ID 777 /d " & Chr(34) & "Engineer: " & AppName & " " & BuildVersion & " package installation"

Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002

strComputer = "."
Set objRegistry = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")
set ObjShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set objfso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
SetStringValue = REG_SZ
'Determine if 32 or 64 bit LDClient is installed
Path64 = "C:\Progra~2"
Path86 = "C:\Progra~1"
LDFolder = "\LANDesk\LDClient\sdmcache\apps\Microsoft\Skype\7.30.64.105"

If (objfso.FolderExists(Path64 & LDFolder)) Then
     CurrentFolder = Path64 & LDFolder
Else
     CurrentFolder = Path86 & LDFolder
End If

'Set command line operation - the installer.exe contains vbscript with command line options to install Skype
'example:
'CommandLine = "%comspec% /c " & CurrentDirectory & "\SkypeSetupFull.exe /VERYSILENT /SP- /NOCANCEL /NORESTART /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NOLAUNCH"
'I separate the install process from the wrapper because it makes sequence file management much easier to handle
'if you have multiple installer.exe's
CommandLine = "%comspec% /c " & chr(34) & CurrentFolder & "\Installer.exe" & chr(34)

'Launch operation with event logging
ObjShell.Run CreateEventLog & " STARTED" & Chr(34),0,True
ObjShell.Run CommandLine,0,True
ObjShell.Run CreateEventLog & " COMPLETED" & Chr(34),0,True
WScript.Sleep 2000

'Stamp registry for tracking
strDate = chr(34) & NOW & chr(34)
regValueName = "Timestamp"
regPath = "SOFTWARE\COMPANY\" & AppName & "\" & BuildVersion
'create main key
objRegistry.CreateKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, regPath
'set value
objRegistry.SetStringValue HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,regPath, regValueName, strDate

'Clear session
CommandLine = ""
CurrentFolder = ""
objRegistry = ""
strComputer = ""
regValue = ""
regValueName = ""
regPath = ""
objShell = ""
objfso = ""
Path64 = ""
Path86 = ""
LDFolder = ""
strDate = ""
AppName = ""
BuildVersion = ""

WScript.Quit(0)

 

The Installer.exe

on error resume next

Dim CommandLine, CurrentFolder, objfso, Path64, Path86, LDFolder, objShell

set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set objfso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

'Determine if 32 or 64 bit LDClient is installed
Path64 = "C:\Progra~2"
Path86 = "C:\Progra~1"
LDFolder = "\LANDesk\LDClient\sdmcache\apps\Microsoft\Skype\7.30.64.105"

If (objfso.FolderExists(Path64 & LDFolder)) Then
CurrentFolder = Path64 & LDFolder
Else
CurrentFolder = Path86 & LDFolder
End If

'kills the progress bar
objShell.Run "taskkill.exe /f /im mshta.exe",0,False
WScript.Sleep 2000

'launches the progress bar
objShell.Run "%comspec% /c " & CurrentFolder & "\progress.hta",0,False

'set command line operation
CommandLine = "%comspec% /c " & chr(34) & CurrentFolder & "\SkypeSetupFull.exe" & Chr(34) & " /VERYSILENT /SP- /NOCANCEL /NORESTART /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NOLAUNCH"

'launch operation
objShell.Run CommandLine,0,True
WScript.Sleep 2000

'kills the progress bar
objShell.Run "taskkill.exe /f /im mshta.exe",0,false
'clear session
CommandLine = ""
CurrentFolder = ""
Path64 = ""
Path86 = ""
LDFolder = ""
objfso = ""
objShell = ""

WScript.Quit(0)

Miniscans in LDMS 9.6 and later are now run and sent via ldiscn32.exe.

This allows it to follow the same codepath as delta scans returning the expected results as well as allowing the “Use Connection Address” Inventory functionality.

The following the commandline to run a miniscan using the inventory scanner.
“C:\Program Files (x86)\LANDesk\LDClient\LDISCN32.EXE” /mini

Miniscan still retains the ability to include custom data within the scan. Please use the following format:
“C:\Program Files (x86)\LANDesk\LDClient\LDISCN32.EXE” /mini /send”=Custom Data – Logged On = Yes”

 

Notes

So, what I’m thinking here…is that you could use this method to send Bitlocker info, User info, or other inventory data back to your LD DB.

Example,

“C:\Program Files (x86)\LANDesk\LDClient\LDISCN32.EXE” /mini /send”=Custom Data – Bitlocker – Password = 11111111-22222222-33333333-44444444-55555555-66666666″

Inventory Scanner Switches

 

function TextToSpeech {
param([Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]$Text, [switch]$Fast, [switch]$Slow)
$VoiceObject = New-Object -ComObject SAPI.SpVoice
if ($Slow) { $VoiceObject.Rate = -8 }
if ($Fast) { $VoiceObject.Rate = +3 }
$VoiceObject.Speak($text) | Out-Null}
TextToSpeech -Text "Hello! My name is Eddie Jackson."
TextToSpeech -Text "Hello! My name is Eddie Jackson." -Slow
TextToSpeech -Text "Hello! My name is Eddie Jackson." -Fast

This is the PowerShell code to activate Windows.

$computer = gc env:computername
$key = "aaaaa-bbbbb-ccccc-ddddd-eeeee"
$service = get-wmiObject -query "select * from SoftwareLicensingService" -computername $computer
$service.InstallProductKey($key)
$service.RefreshLicenseStatus()

 

Notes

https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/OS-Activation-by-MAK-using-e8a8ad2c

Command line method
slmgr.vbs /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
slmgr.vbs /ato

List available editions for upgrade
DISM /online /Get-TargetEditions

To upgrade from evaluation to standard
DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerStandard /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX /AcceptEula

I created this to write dynamic information to the Computer Description field in Active Directory. I have included the remote and local methods.

Once this runs, the computer object description field is updated with something like this:

SOME WORDS HERE * 11/14/2016 6:24 PM * HP EliteBook 840 G2

Screenshot

Code

Import-Module ActiveDirectory

# REMOTE COMPUTER
# $ComputerName = 'RemoteComputerName'

# OR
# LOCAL COMPUTER
$ComputerName = (Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem -Property Name).Name

$a = Get-Date
$b = $a.ToShortDateString()
$c = $a.ToShortTimeString()
$d = Get-WmiObject -computername $ComputerName Win32_Computersystem | Select -Expand model

if ($d -eq $null) {$d = '0000'}
#$e = $d -replace '\D+(\d+)\D+','$1'
$Description = "SOME WORDS HERE * $b $c * $d"

Set-ADComputer $ComputerName -description $Description

 

 

Notes

Something interesting you can do, is tie the Return Bitlocker Info script and this PowerShell script together. That increases functionality by allowing you to query info, for machines that are missing the Bitlocker passwords in AD, you can perform the import automatically, and the final piece, you can update the computer object description field with dynamic information.

I only had to add two small parts to bind the two scripts.

#1 – Add the following towards the bottom, but in the loop of the Return Bitlocker Info
PowerShell.Exe -File C:\_AD_Scripts\SetDescription.ps1 %PC%

 

#2 – At the top of the PowerShell script, allow a parameter to be accepted. Note in #1, you’ll be passing %PC%, which is the computer name. The following accepts the %PC% and then assigns it to $ComputerName

param ([string]$w)
$ComputerName = $W