Outlook 2016 - Slow autodiscover profile setup

Whew, this was painful one.  Recently, we noticed outlook 2016 was taking way too long to create a new user profile.  I found this article from The Education University of Hong Kong with a fix.  Click here for the link to the article.  Basically, you need to modify the registry to bypass the root domain discovery auto-discover process.  (WOW: it's like we've traveled back in time to NT4...)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook\AutoDiscover]
"ExcludeHttpsRootDomain"=dword:00000001

Update 8/9/18:  https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3098011/outlook-2016-and-outlook-2013-hang-when-a-user-tries-to-create-a-profi

Uninstall Quicktime

Thanks to Josh Parrish!  In case anyone was needing a fast way to uninstall Quicktime from a lot of computers, I found a powershell script that you can deploy with AD to do so that has worked for us that I thought I'd share. The text of the script is posted below. This script searches the two uninstall registry keys for anything with the name "quicktime" and edits those particular uninstall strings and invokes them with the change to perform the uninstall. I tested it on several different machines in our district, both with Windows 7 and 10 and it works great. Because it is working with registry values, I've also included two commented out lines that you may wish to include at the beginning of the script that will back up these registry keys and save each to the c drive just in case.

I had some trouble getting the deployment to work at first, but finally managed to get it going. Here are the steps I took written out just in case you may run into the same problem:

• Open up Powershell ISE on your computer, copy and paste the text below into the Editor pane (you may want to include the registry export line as well), and save it as a .ps1 powershell script file.
• In Group Policy Manager, create a new object, edit the object, go to Computer Config > Policies > Windows Settings > Scripts > Startup.
• Under the startup script window, go to the Powershell Scripts tab.

     Here's where I tried two different implementations. One seemingly has worked for others but didn't work here. If you need, try them both in your testing.

     Method 1: seems to work for others

• Under the Powershell Scripts tab, click 'Show Files' and paste the .ps1 file you created into the Startup directory.
• Back under the Powershell Scripts windows, click 'Add', choose 'Browse', and select this .ps1 file that you just copied.
• In the 'Parameters' field, include "-ExecutionPolicy Bypass" to allow this script to run without having to change the execution policy in powershell.
• Test this GPO in a testing suborganization.

     Method 2: worked for us

• Save the .ps1 file you created to netlogon, where computers would have permission to run it.
• Under the Powershell Scripts tab of the GPO editor, click 'Add', type "Powershell.exe" into the 'Script Name' field.
• Under Script Parameters, include "-ExecutionPolicy Bypass \\\NETLOGON\
• Click OK and it's done.

   
     Use both of these if you'd like. As long as one of them runs the script on the machine, it will work. Whichever deployment method works in your testing, the script itself will quietly uninstall Quicktime from computers in the active directory sub-organization in which you assign the policy object. This method will probably not work on XP computers as this script requires Powershell 3.0 or higher (I believe XP can only install Powershell 2.0).

There are probably several ways to perform remote software uninstallation like this, but this method worked well for us here. Please share if you have any other methods.

Powershell Script:

#reg export HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall C:\exportedkey01.reg

#reg export HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall C:\exportedkey02.reg

$qtVer = Get-ChildItem -Path HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall, HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall  |

    Get-ItemProperty |

        Where-Object {$_.DisplayName -match "quicktime" } |

            Select-Object -Property DisplayName, UninstallString

ForEach ($ver in $qtVer) {

    If ($ver.UninstallString) {

        $uninst = $ver.UninstallString

        $uninst = $uninst -replace "/I", "/x "

        Start-Process cmd -ArgumentList "/c $uninst /quiet /norestart" -NoNewWindow

    }

}

Meraki PoE from HP 5400zl

Had a strange one a while back.  Just now getting around to posting it.  I'm currently supporting two larger 5400zl switches and Meraki WAPs.  After I upgraded the WAPs, I noticed they said something about low power mode.  As a red blooded american male who grew up watching "Home Improvement" with my grandpa, I immediately announced my disgust with a primal grunt.  So just like Tim (the toolman) Taylor, I started looking for more power.  (insert three gunts)  Here are the procedures I used to fix the problem.

interface J6

   name "WAP-NAME-HERE”

   power-over-ethernet critical

   poe-allocate-by value

   poe-value 33

   poe-lldp-detect enabled

   exit

Now you will need to cycle the power on that port.  You can either walk over to the port and unplug it from the switch and plug it back in like a caveman or you can enter the following command to power cycle PoE.

no interface J6 power-over-ethernet

FirewallsAndProctorCache

Use start+run like a pro

As technical professionals we need to get around the computers configurables quickly.  Sure you can click your way around or start find to get around but that is not as much fun as start+run+appwiz.cpl to access the Add/Remove Programs window.  Wikipedia has collected a nice list for us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Panel_(Windows) 

My favorites

Appwiz.cpl	Add/Remove Programs properties
Desk.cpl	Display properties
Hdwwiz.cpl	Add Hardware properties
Inetcpl.cpl	Internet properties
Ncpa.cpl	Network Connections properties
Nusrmgr.cpl	User Accounts properties
Powercfg.cpl	Power Options properties
Sysdm.cpl	System properties

Did your password expire?

Panicked user:  Help, my computer doesn't work!

Tech:  It doesn't do anything?

Panicked user:  Well, I can't print.

Panicked user:  My email isn't working either.

Tech:  Have you reset your password recently?

Panicked user:  Yes

Tech:  Did your computer ask you to reset your password?

Panicked user:  Umm...  I don't think so.

Tech:  Hold on, let me check for you.

net user /domain username

Tech:  The network says you need to update your password.

Bing safe and ad free searching for your school

Follow the steps below if you value a safe and ad free experience for your staff and precious little students.

Step 0:  Go to https://www.bing.com/classroom/registration to fill out the online form.  You will need to know what your public ip address is.  Hopefully it is a static address.  When the process is complete, all search requests from your school should be safe and ad free.

Google SafeSearch enforced

Follow the steps below if you would like to enforce Google SafeSearch for your organization.  These are the steps for Windows Server 2008 R2

Step 0:  Go to your DNS server and right click on forward lookup zones.  Now click New

Step 1:  Click Next

 Step 2: Make sure Primary zone is selected and check Store the zone in Active Directory, click next

 Step 3:  Select To all DNS servers, click next

Step 4:  Type in www.google.com, click next

 

Step 5:  Select Do not allow dynamic updates, click next

Step 6  Click Finish (almost there)

 Step 7:  Select your new zone on the left side of the window and then right click on it to create a new Other New Records.

 

     

Step 8: Find Domain Alias (DNAME) under the select resource record type section and click the Create Record... button.  Type forcesafesearch.google.com in the Fully qualified domain name (FQDN): section and click ok.

If you followed all these steps, you should see that Google's safe search is now enforced.

no puppies, kittens, unicorns, or muggles were harmed in the making of this DNS record.

Distributing cloud printers to Chromebooks in Google apps

Before you add printers we will need to have a group created with all the users you want to use the printer.  In this case we have already created a group called printers@yourdomain.com  under the groups section in the google apps management console.

Now log into your printers web interface and go to HP Web Services.  Click Enable.

After you click enable an information sheet will be printed.  There will be an email address assigned by HP to use for cloud printing.

It should look something like this.  eml72whatwhat97@hpeprint.com

Now you will need to go to google chrome and login with an admin account for google apps.

https://www.google.com/cloudprint#printers

Click on Add a Cloud-Ready Printer

Now click on HP and then click on HP Registration Page

Now enter your email address created by HP e-Print Services

Now it should tell you the printer was added successfully

You can now go back to https://www.google.com/cloudprint#printers to share your printer.  Select your printer and then click share.

Next:  Enter printers@yourdomain.com in the invite people box and click share.

Voilà! Now your Chromebooks have the printer!