Tag: Windows Server

Systems Admin

Active Directory Health Check with PowerShell

One PowerShell script that wraps dcdiag, Test-Connection, Resolve-DnsName, w32tm, Get-Service, and CIM into a single colored HTML report — one row per Domain Controller, 35 columns of pass/warn/fail per cell. Includes the full Get-ADHealth.ps1 source, what each dcdiag test actually catches (Connectivity, SysVolCheck, KccEvent, FSMOCheck, NCSecDesc, etc.), how to schedule a daily SMTP-emailed run, the MotW / Unblock-File / ExecutionPolicy gotchas, and the green-DNS-red-everything-else fingerprint that means a DC is offline.

21 min read
Read →
Systems Admin

Check Active Directory Forest and Domain Functional Level

How to read the current Active Directory forest functional level (FFL) and domain functional level (DFL), what each level unlocks, the pre-flight checklist before raising, and how to actually raise it with Set-ADForestMode / Set-ADDomainMode. Includes the schema-version-to-OS table, a decision flow for whether to raise, and the common pitfalls (forgotten DCs, Server 2019/2022 reporting Windows2016Forest, irreversibility).

10 min read
Read →
Systems Admin

How to Install Windows Updates with PowerShell

Drive Windows Update from a single PowerShell window using the PSWindowsUpdate module. Covers installing the module from the PowerShell Gallery, querying and installing updates on local and remote machines, looping over a hard-coded computer list, and patching every member of an Active Directory OU dynamically with Get-ADComputer -SearchBase.

7 min read
Read →
Systems Admin

Get Active Directory Information with a PowerShell Script

Get-ADInfo.ps1 is a single PowerShell script that prints ten Active Directory facts in one output: computer/workstation/server/user/group counts, forest and domain functional levels, schema version translated to a Windows Server release name, and all five FSMO role owners. The right script to run before a migration, an audit, or a tier-zero handover.

8 min read
Read →
Systems Admin

How to Check FSMO Roles in Active Directory

Three reliable ways to check FSMO role holders in Active Directory: the netdom query FSMO command, the Get-ADForest/Get-ADDomain PowerShell cmdlets (and the Get-ADInfo.ps1 script), and the GUI walkthrough across Active Directory Schema, Active Directory Domains and Trusts, and Active Directory Users and Computers.

8 min read
Read →
Systems Admin

Enable the Active Directory Recycle Bin

Step-by-step guide to enabling the Active Directory Recycle Bin forest-wide using Active Directory Administrative Center. Covers prerequisites, the irreversible nature of the change, GUI and PowerShell verification, restoring deleted objects with Restore-ADObject, and follow-up hardening like Protect from accidental deletion.

9 min read
Read →
Systems Admin

Install Active Directory Domain Services on Windows Server

Step-by-step guide to installing the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) role on Windows Server and promoting the machine to the first Domain Controller in a new forest. Covers the Add Roles and Features wizard, the Configuration Wizard, DSRM password, DNS delegation warning, paths, the auto-generated PowerShell script, and post-promotion verification.

10 min read
Read →
Systems Admin

Configure Nested Virtualization on Hyper-V

Learn how to configure nested virtualization on Hyper-V so you can run Hyper-V inside a virtual machine. This step-by-step guide covers connecting to the guest VM, attempting Hyper-V role installation (and understanding the error), shutting down the VM, running Set-VMProcessor -ExposeVirtualizationExtensions on the physical host, restarting the VM, installing the Hyper-V role successfully, and verifying the nested Hyper-V Manager is operational. Includes best practices for memory allocation, performance overhead, and processor compatibility.

7 min read
Read →
Systems Admin

Configure File Screens with FSRM on Windows Server

Learn how to configure File Screens using File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) on Windows Server. This step-by-step guide covers installing the FSRM role, understanding File Screens, File Screen Templates, and File Groups, creating a reusable template with Active or Passive screening, applying the screen to a specific folder, testing the block behavior, and modifying or deleting file screens. Includes best practices for rolling out screening policies without disrupting users.

8 min read
Read →