Author: Bob Lin

situation: The client is running AAD connect on their Windows 2012 R2 server. They would like to migrate it to a new Windows 2019 server.  

Step 1: Install a new Windows 2019 Server.

Step 2: Review the configuration of the existing Azure AD Connect instance

you can use the AADConnectConfigDocumenter tool from MIcrosoft to create a HTML document of your existing configuration.

Step 3: Download and install the new Azure AD Connect instance in the new Windows server 2019.

At the Express Settings dialog, choose Customize so that you can fully customize the AADConnect install.

As you step through the custom setup you’ll be able to choose the same configuration options as your existing AADConnect instance. At the final stage, check the box to enable staging mode as well as start the synchronization process when configuration completes.

Step 4: Import and export Azure AD Connect configuration settings

Please refer to this link

How to import and export Azure AD Connect configuration settings | Microsoft Docs

Step 5: Swtich-over synchronization to the new server

Currently your environment has the following servers installed with AAD Connect:

Windows 2012 R2 server(Old): Synchronization enabled, staging mode disabled

Windows 2019 Server (New): Synchronization enabled, staging mode enabled

For example

Click Configure on Microsoft Azure Active Directory Connect Wizard.

Select Customize synchronization options

Follow the Wizard to disable or enable staging mode.

While the two servers are in this state, the new server Windows 2019 server (New) will stay up to date with the latest changes in the on-premises Active Directory and Azure AD. However, it will not export any changes to the directories until staging mode is disabled. Before taking the new server out of staging mode, we first need to place the old server into staging mode so that we don’t have two servers trying to export changes to the directories.

During the switch-over, which is a pretty quick process, there’ll be no synchronization of changes between directories. This might mean a delay in the synchronization of a recent change that one of your administrators made (e.g. a group’s membership) or synchronization of a changed password. Keep in mind though that most changes have a synchronization delay anyway, since the sync schedule runs every 30 minutes. Password changes sync nearly instantaneous though, so that’s got a slightly higher risk of being impacted. To reduce the likelihood of the switch-over impacting someone or something important, you might prefer to schedule the change to occur during a period of low usage in your environment, such as an evening or weekend.

On the old server, launch Azure AD Connect and choose Configure, then from the Tasks list choose Configure staging mode. Click Next, and follow the wizard to authenticate and configure staging mode to be enabled. At the final step you can decide whether to keep synchronization enabled or not, depending on whether you think you might need to switch back to this server again (e.g. if the switch-over is only for DR, testing or site maintenance purposes).

On the new server, launch Azure AD Connect and choose Configure, and again from the Tasks list choose Configure staging mode. Follow the same wizard as before to disable staging mode on the new server, and make sure to start the synchronization process.

Step 6: Decommission the old server

When you’re satisfied that the new AADConnect instance is successfully synchronizing your directories, you can decommission the old instance of AADConnect if you no longer have a need for it. The uninstall process can be initiated from the Control Panel in Programs and Features.

When you start the uninstall of Microsoft Azure AD Connect you’ll be prompted to also remove the additional components that were installed on the server for AADConnect, such as SQL instance and the Microsoft Online Services Sign-In Assistant. You can remove them if you no longer have a need for them (e.g. the sign-on assistant is still needed by some PowerShell modules, so if you’re going to keep using the server for admin tasks or scripts, either leave that component alone or reinstall it afterwards).

After the uninstall has finished you can go ahead with any server decommission tasks you need to complete for your environment.

Step 7: Make sure AAD Connect is working

1. Run Synchronization Service Manager to make sure Dir Sync is working.

2. Login Microsoft 365 admin center to make sure azure AD Connect working without any issues.

3. Login Azure Active Directory admin center to make sure AAD Connect working

With Azure Conditional Access Policy, you enforce organizational policies to allow or block conditional access such as users, devices and location. This article shows how to manage device conditional access.

1.After login Microsoft 365,

Click on Azure Active Directory.

2. In Azure Active Directory admin center, click on Azure Active Directory.

3. Click Enterprise applications.

4. Click on Conditional Access.

5. Click on your company Access Policy. 

6. Click on Conditions

(2 conditions selected in Our example).

7. Click on 5 included Under Device platforms

8. Modify the settings, check Any devise. In our case, we need Linux.

9. Dave the settings and test.

Please view this step by step video:

Our client just built a new printer server. They would like to remove old printers from each workstation and add the printers from the new printer server. There are different ways to do so, for example group policy and run command lines. This article shows you how to remove or add printers using commands (rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry) or created batch file to remove or add multiple printers.

Step 1: Find the printer server name and printer name

Option 1: if you know the printer server name, use net view command.

1. Open Command Prompt by typing cmd in the search bar.

2. Use net view to check the printer name

Option 2: If you don’t know the server name, use wmic printer list brief command

Option 3: You can also use PowerShell command; Get-Printer | Format-Table

Step 2: Remove a printer or printers using rundll32

To delete a printer uses this command rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry /dn /n \\server1\printername, for example

rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /dn /n \\hsamgmtsvr02\Color-SHARP-6070N

Step 3: Add a printer or printers using rundll32

To add a printer uses this command rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry /in /n \\server1\printername, for example

rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry /in /n \\hsaprinter04\Color-SHARP-6070N

Step 4: If you want to remove or add multiple printers, create a batch file, for example printer.bat as showed below

rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /dn /n \\hsamgmtsvr02\Color-SHARP-6070N

rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /dn /n \\HSAMGMTSVR02\SHARP-MX-5071N

rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /dn /n \\HSAMGMTSVR02\SHARP-M1055-MailRoom

rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry /in /n \\hsaprinter04\Color-SHARP-6070N

rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry /in /n \\hsaprinter04\SHARP-MX-5071N

rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry /in /n \\hsaprinter04\SHARP-M1055-MailRoom

Step 5: Run wmic printer list brief command to confirm adding

Please view this step by step video:

If you have too many old emails in your yahoo mailbox, it may run slow and even give you a problem. This video shows how to archive old yahoo emails based on the date range.

Note: it is recommended to clean the emails first before archiving them. That will save you more time and more organizing for the future search.

Step 1: Create a archive folder

1. Login Yahoo Account. Go to Mail.

2. On the left pane, click New Folder.

3. Create a archive folder, for example 2021.

Step 2: Search for the date you want to archive

1. Click narrow down key in the Search.

2. Make sure Search in is selected All mail. Select the date range. You also have options to select from, To, Subject Keywords, Attachment, Photo, Calendar invite.

3. After clicking Search, you will have all date range emails.

Step 3: Select and move emails

1. You may move the right bar down to view more dated emails.

2. Check the All box 

3. Click Move to move the selected emails to the folder you created before, 2021 in our example.  

4. Click OK in Move message page.

Step 4: Archive emails

1.Right click on the folder you created, and select Archive all emails.

2. Click on Archive emails

3. After archiving, you will see the empty window popup.

4. If you click on Archive folder, you should see all selected emails moved into the Archive folder. 

Note 1: If you want to archive one and group emails, you can select them and click Archive.

Note 2: You can do step 1 to 3 on Microsoft Outlook, and step 4 on Yahoo website.

Please view this step by step video:

To stop Symantec Endpoint Protection uses this command: smc-stop

To start it, use this command: smc -start

1. Login Yahoo Account.
2. In the Inbox, click Settings.

3. Click on the … More options.

4. select Clean your inbox.

Select Archive emails.

With the Microsoft Print Migration Wizard, you can export the core components of the Print and Document Services role, such as print queues, printer settings, and printer ports from legacy Windows server, and then reimport them to the new Windows server. This article is an example migrating printer server on Windows 20112 R2 to 2019.

Step 1: Install the Print and Document Services role on the destination server, windows 2019 in our example.

1. Go to Server Manager>Dashboard>add Roles and Features.
2. Under Server roles, check Print and Document Services. Click Add features and then Next>Next>Next.

3. In the Role services, make sure Print Server is checked and then Next.

4. In Confirm installation selections, click Install.

5. It starts the installation.

6. After the installation, you should have Print Services.

Step 2: Export print settings using the Print Migration Wizard

1. Open the Print Management console

2. Right click on Printer Management and select the Migrate Printers.

3. Check Export printer queues and printer drivers to a file option. Then Next.

4. Select the current printer server from which to be exported the printer settings by browsing the server typing the hostname.

5. Click Next on Review the list items to be exported.

6. Select a location for saving export printer data.

7. Click Finish to complete Exporting.

Step 3: Importing exported printer data to the destination print server

1. Right click on Printer Management and select the Migrate Printers. Then check Import printer queues and printer drivers from a file.

2. Select the printer file exported earlier to begin the import to the destination print server.

3. Review the list of items to be imported and click Next.

4. Select a destination print server for importing the exported printer settings file.

5. in Select import options, you have Keep existing printers or Overwrite existing printer in import mode. We keep all default settings and Next.

6. Click Finish when it is done. Note: you may check Event Viewer for any issues.

7. Under Print Management, you should see all imported printers.

Please view this step by step video:

Situation: The client has PA 850 unit. Self-signed Certificate will be expired soon and they need to help to renew it.

Resolution: High light the Certificate you want to renew. Clicked on ‘Renew’ and renewed them for xxxxx days, 1000 days.

After you add a program to RemoteApp Programs (please refer to this post: How to add a program to RemoteApp Programs in Remote Desktop Services), you may want to create and send a RDP file for clients to access it. here is how.

1. Access the RemoteApp website, for example https://remote8.chicagotech.net/RDWeb/Pages/en-US/Default.aspx

2. Login using your domain credentials, for example chicagotech\blin.

3. Click the program you want to save the RDP file, which will save to the download folder.

4. Send the link to the user. Note: you can modify the RDP file.

5. The user can run the RemoteApp by double clicking on the RDP file and login his/her domain credentials.

1. Open Server Manager, go to Remote Desktop Services>Collections>QuickSessionCollection.

2. Click TASKS in REMOTEAPP PROGRAMS, and select Publish RemoteApp Programs.

3. Select the program you want to publish in RemoteApp. If the program is not in the list, click Add. Then Next.

4. To confirm to publish the program, click on Publish.

5. Click Close to complete the settings.

Please also refer to this post: How to save a RemoteApp RDP file for clients to access it