Taking back control of Windows Update: Install Updates when you want to!

For years we were more than unsatisfied with the options we had to choose from to patch our Microsoft Windows Servers. Without additional utility you are restricted to the few options Group Policy offers. So as I am always searching for a simple but efficient solution to such a painful problem, I combined two fantastic tools, to a powerful Windows Update Scheduler: PDQ Deploy and ABC Update.

tl;dr: If you choose option “3 – Auto download and notify for install” for your WSUS Group Policy, you can take any advanced Task Scheduler like PDQ Deploy in combination with ABC-Update to install Windows Updates scheduled the way YOU want it to be!

Prologue, where is my problem?

First let’s take a look at the options Microsoft offers us and why I refuse to rely on those. If I’m not completely mistaken the only Policy to choose when to patch Windows Updates has been “Configure Automatic Updates” since ever: Continue reading “Taking back control of Windows Update: Install Updates when you want to!”

Fix: Google Chrome Enterprise 58.0.3029.96 breaks on XenApp 6.5 / Windows Server 2008 R2 – UPDATE

Fast published to help everyone else, so sorry for any typos or grammatical errors! ty

On Tuesday the 2nd May 2107 Google published a new update for Google Chrome Enterprise 58.0.3029.96. After this update, nearly all of our XenApp 6.5 customers informed us, that Google Chrome stopped working for them. The browser itself opens, but it never displays any content:

Continue reading “Fix: Google Chrome Enterprise 58.0.3029.96 breaks on XenApp 6.5 / Windows Server 2008 R2 – UPDATE”

#WannaCry Microsoft Security Bulletin MS17-010: Import KB4012598 for XP and Server 2003 into WSUS

Fast published article; How to import KB4012598 for MS17-010 into your WSUS asap!

I think by now every IT administrator knows about #WannaCry. If not, here are a few links:

The important thing ist, that the fix for Windows OS younger than Vista and Server 2008 and Vista is available since march. But the fix for XP and Server 2003 has only been published on Saturday I think. But it won’t appear on your WSUS until you import it manually, and you should do that right now!

Sorry for the German screenshots, but I think it will get you there!

Continue reading “#WannaCry Microsoft Security Bulletin MS17-010: Import KB4012598 for XP and Server 2003 into WSUS”

Tablacus Explorer is an awesome replacement for explorer.exe as a #XenApp published Application!

In XenApp projects you always face the challenge to decide whether to deploy a published Desktop or different published applications for the users. Many times you will have to use a combination of both. Especially in the published application use-case, you have to find a way to allow your users manage their files with a file explorer. This might not be a problem for Fat-Client users with their Windows 10 Notebooks inside the corporate LAN. Those can simply run their local file explorer and access smb shares.

Continue reading “Tablacus Explorer is an awesome replacement for explorer.exe as a #XenApp published Application!”

How we use Classic Shell as a Start Menu replacement in XenApp

Ever since Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 the Windows Start menu is dead to me. I tried a few times to use it, but horrible placement and the slow search function make it unusable. Many people say that this is no longer valid for Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016, and I agree that it has become a lot better, but i still don’t like it.
Besides my personal feelings, there are so many ridiculous problems with the Windows 10 Start Menu, that I must confess that I never even tried to deploy it enterprise ready. Examples:

Continue reading “How we use Classic Shell as a Start Menu replacement in XenApp”