On a Windows computer, is it possible to configure either Google Chrome or Adobe Acrobat DC so that Welcome to Adobe Acrobat message is not displayed in a new tab when Chrome is launched for the first time? One of my goals as a desktop engineer is to remove for the users as many distractions […]
Updating Microsoft.WebpImageExtension using winget
In light of CVE-2023-4863, I started looking into updating the Microsoft.WebpImageExtension app on Windows 10/Windows 11 via a command line. In the process, I discovered a few things about winget and PowerShell commands for Appx and thought I’d share them here. The vulnerability I’m concerned with is documented at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2023-4863, https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-4863 and https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-4863. Specifically, I’m […]
I want this Xbox One Special Edition Lunar White Wireless Controller
I super-duper want this Xbox One Special Edition Lunar White Wireless Controller. I haven’t felt this strongly about wanting a space-related object since my space shuttle lunch box in elementary school.
Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter Offline Servicing with SCCM
System Center Configuration Manager can be used for offline injection of updates into the install.wim file within a Windows Server ISO. The newly updated install.wim file can be used with SCCM as part of a operating system image, or it can be baked into an ISO to produce a “slipstreamed” ISO containing most of the […]
Silent Installation of Intel Drivers with MUP.XML
While packaging a few Intel drivers (video driver, USB 3.0, chipset, management engine components, etc.) for our HP laptops, I noticed that each of the driver downloads contained a file named “mup.xml”. This file contains, among other things, information about valid command line switches for the setup.exe installer. A snippet of the mup.xml file for […]
Configuration Manager component status logs return 0 messages due to backlog in statmgr.box retry directory
While working on a new System Center Configuration Manager 1511 server that I was building, I noticed that each of the Component Status logs were returning 0 messages for the previous 1 day. If I set the threshold back to 1 week, I could see events, but they had completely stopped a few days earlier. […]
Windows 10 System Event Log Error 40
I have found error ID 40, with the description “The event logging service encountered an error when attempting to apply one or more policy settings.” is written to the System event log when the Group Policy setting “Specify the maximum log file size (KB)” under “Windows Components/Event Log Service/System” is configured (either enabled and set […]
Configuring a default application for protected file types in Windows 10
I have been working on some unattended installation scripts for applications to be deployed through an SCCM OSD task sequence that builds our Windows 10 workstations. Happily, many of the lessons learned with Windows 7 are directly applicable to Windows 10. However, Windows 10 has made a significant change to the way applications are able […]
[Fixed] Windows 10 upgrade and TEMP profiles
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I upgraded one of my computers from Windows 7 to Windows 10 using Windows Update. It had been nagging me to upgrade for awhile and I finally gave in and did it. The upgrade appeared to go smoothly, but when I logged on to Windows 10 for the first time, I […]
Microsoft Edge and Enterprise Mode Site List
Today I learned that Microsoft Edge on Windows 10 does work with an Enterprise Mode Site List after all. I had been trying in vain for weeks (off and on) to get it to redirect into Internet Explorer those sites that I had configured to do so through the Enterprise Mode Site List XML file. […]