The “No Internet Access” notification on the network connection icon usually appears when you’re not connected to the Internet or you probably behind a proxy server. However, when you setting up your servers in an isolated environment without Internet access and you want to disable this notification then:

1. Open the GPMC.msc.
2. Create or open a GPO which will be applied to your server(s).
3. Navigate to Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections.
4. Enable the “Do not show the “local access only” network icon” setting.
5. Close the GPO and GPMC.msc.
6. Run C:\>gpupdate on the server(s) to apply the new policy.

The “No Internet Access” notification should be disabled now.

Cheers!

- Marek.Z

Recently I came across the following issue on a HP DL380 G5 server with freshly installed Windows Server 2008 R2 (click on the picture for a larger image). 

I have no idea what caused this. Probably an unfinished Windows installation or something. Anyway, it was annoying me so I decided to remove the invalid boot configuration identifier from the boot configuration data store. 

1. When logged in with an Administrator account, start the command prompt.
2. Next, display de identifiers and  locate the invalid one: C:\>bcdedit /enum /v
3. Remove the invalid entry by typing: C:\>bcdedit /delete {identifier from step 2} /cleanup
4. You should get the “The operation completed successfully” message.
5. Verify that the invalid entry is removed by typing: C:\>bcdedit /enum /v
6. Exit the command prompt and reboot the server. 

The server should boot without displaying the Windows Boot Manager menu. 

Cheers! 

- Marek.Z

Changing the text on the Computer icon on your Remote Desktop Services Session Host is handy when a user calls you and you want to know which Session Host the user is logged on. The procedure to do this has changed since Windows Server 2003. Follow these steps to change the text on a Windows Server 2008 (R2) machine: 

1. Logon to your server with the Administrator account.
2. Start RegEdit and navigate to the following key: HKCR\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
3. If necessary, take the ownership of this key, grant yourself full control rights and then edit the LocalizedString value.
4. In the edit window type: %UserName% on %ComputerName%. Click OK and close RegEdit.
5. Press F5 somewhere on the desktop and the text on the Computer icon should now display the logged on user name. 

Tested on Windows Server 2008 R2 Build 7600. 

- Marek.Z

The language packs provide an alternative user interface for the users. I mostly use the language packs when I’m deploying Windows Remote Desktop Services. Here is a short “how to” to install a language pack on Windows Server 2008 (R2). 

1. First, download the language pack from Microsoft. You can find it at the Download Center. I’ve downloaded the entire Multilingual User Interface (MUI) ISO and burned it to a DVD disk.
2. If you are installing the MUI on a RDS Session Host, don’t for get to put the server in the install mode by typing C:\>change user /install at the command prompt.
3. With the command prompt still open, start C:\>lpksetup.exe. The Install or uninstall display languages wizard will appear.
4. Click on Install display languages. Next, click on the Browse button and select the lp.cab file.
5. Click on Next when the lp.cab file is loaded.
6. Accept the license terms and click Next. The selected language pack is being installed.
7. Click on Finish and then select the new language to display. Check the “Apply display language to welcome screen and system accounts” check box and click on Change display language button.
8. Restart Windows for the system language change to take effect and you’re done.

 Note:
You do not have to change the mode of the RDS Session Host back to execute. After reboot the default mode will be the execute mode.

 Tested on Windows Server 2008 R2 Build 7600

 Cheers!

 - Marek.Z