Windows Update fix for corruption errors like 0x80070002

Microsoft KB 947821 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947821)

If you’ve gotten one of those cryptic 0x800xxxxxx Windows Update errors, Microsoft finally has a fix for Vista and higher, no XP solution.

Fix Windows Update corruption errors such as 0x80070002 and 0x80070057

Windows Update corruption errors prevent Windows updates and service packs from installing. For example, an update might not install if a system file is damaged. If the error you see is in the following list, try the solution in this article.

0x80070002 | 0x8007000D | 0x800F081F | 0x80073712 | 0x800736CC | 0x800705B9 | 0x80070246 | 0x8007370D | 0x8007370B | 0x8007370A | 0x80070057 | 0x800B0100 | 0x80092003 | 0x800B0101 | 0x8007371B | 0x80070490

 

Windows 8.x and Server 2012 Rx

To resolve this problem, use the inbox Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool. Then, install the Windows update or service pack again.

1. Open an elevated command prompt. To do this, swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search. Or, if you are using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, and then click Search. Type Command Prompt in the Search box, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.
2. Type the following commands. Press Enter after each command.
   Note It may take several minutes for each command operation to be completed.
   • DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth
   • DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
3. Close the command prompt, and then run Windows Update again.

DISM creates a log file (%windir%/Logs/CBS/CBS.log) that captures any issues that the tool found or fixed. %windir% is the folder in which Windows is installed. For example, the %windir% folder is C:\Windows.

 

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2008

See the KB link for the download you need. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947821

Why does Windows 8 Hyper-V require SLAT?

Since Windows 8 is designed as a desktop/workstation or client OS, the requirement for SLAT makes a lot of sense for most users.

The lack of SLAT (Intel EPT and AMD RVI) was a big issue when using Hyper-V and a Windows 2008 (r1 and r2) system equipped with a high-end video card as a workstation (as opposed to a server).  When 2008r2 became able to use SLAT, the video performance issues were just resolved.

VPC Guy Ben A has an excellent selection of blog posts on SLAT and Hyper-V.

Issue: Video performance may decrease when a Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 based computer has the Hyper-V role enabled and an accelerated display adapter installed

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/961661?wa=wsignin1.0

Expanded explanation of why it happens:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2009/11/16/understanding-high-end-video-performance-issues-with-hyper-v.aspx

SLAT resolution:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2011/01/17/using-hyper-v-for-a-high-end-desktop-computer.aspx?Redirected=true

 

VirtualBox 4.2.6 (released 2012-12-19)

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

This is a maintenance release. The following items were fixed and/or added:

• VMM: don’t inject stale VT-x events to prevent crashes after VM reset (bug #11256)
• VMM: workaround for buggy BIOSes which enable MONITOR only for certain CPUs (bugs #9460, #10686)
• GUI: fixed trimming of anti-aliased text in details-view element headers (4.2.0 regression)
• GUI: fixed create-settings-file-alias functionality on Mac hosts (4.2.0 regression)
• GUI: fixed take-guest-screenshot functionality on Windows hosts (bug #11095)
• GUI: several minor fixes, including palette fixes (bug #11191)
• GUI: fixed Windows 2012 OS type (bug #11206)
• GUI: allow to terminate the VM even if VBoxSVC crashed
• API: fixed cancelling of snapshots, previously this could lead to inconsistent VM configs (bug #6877)
• API: fixed identifying disk images by UUID (bug #11209)
• 3D Support: several fixes
• VRDP: fixed occasional crash with external authentication (bug #11156)
• VGA: fix for double scan text modes
• USB: fixed invalid pending request count at the time of service of DEVICE POWER requests (Windows hosts only; bugs #10021, #11056)
• USB keyboard: Korean keyboard workaround (bug #11150)
• Storage: fixed hang with QCOW images and asynchronous I/O enabled
• Storage: fixed hang with newer VHD images (bug #11279)
• Storage: actually write the non-rotational flag to the VM settings (4.2.0 regression)
• Virtio-net: fixed the problem with network statistics counters in Session Information dialog (GUI)
• Metrics: introduced network rate and disk usage metrics
• Metrics: fixed a crash under certain conditions on Solaris hosts
• BIOS: fix for El Torito
• Shared Folders: if the host folder of a shared folder mapping does not exist, keep it active but mark it as invalid to prevent inconsitent saved states (bug #11147)
• VBoxManage: fixed converting disks from raw images
• VBoxManage: show snapshot description in the VM or snapshot information
• VBoxManage: make implicit opening of media consistent in all places dealing with media
• VBoxManage: the iSCSI initiator name was not stored in the settings file when doing storageattach (bug #11212)
• VBoxManage: metrics collect now properly handles ‘CPU/MHz’ and ‘Net/*/LinkSpeed’ metrics
• VBoxManage: changing the image UUID or parent UUID as part of storageattach works now in all safe cases
• VBoxManage: introduced storageattach –medium additions as a shortcut to mount the additions image (bug #11165)
• OVF: fixed importing OVF files cerated by recent VMware products (bug #10905)
• Linux hosts / Bridged Networking: fixed the problem with leaking connections in conntrack (bug #11178)
• Linux Additions: added support for ConsoleKit sessions in the vminfo service of VBoxService
• Linux Additions: don’t crash during remount under certain conditions (bug #11291)
• Linux/Solaris Additions: fixed guest memory metrics collection
• Solaris hosts: added a dependency to ensure that the user directories are reachable when starting VBox services
• Windows host installer: integrated user-contributed translations, thanks to all contributors!
• Windows Additions: fixed auto-logon installation for Windows 8
• Windows Additions: don’t fail if the shared folders host service is not available
• Windows Additions: fixed Guest Additions startup on Windows 2000 guests (bug #11253)
• Windows Additions: auto-resize fixes for Windows 8 guests

Removing the status bar and standard buttons tool bar from the Remote Desktops MMC

Two things that have always bugged me with the Remote Desktops Administrative Snap-in was that there were no options on the menu to customize the view, specifically, the status bar and standard buttons toolbar. 

I’ve googled around trying to find a fix, then it dim 20W bulb went off in my head.  Look at a standard MMC console and make one how I want it and copy the config to the TSMMC file.

It was pretty simple.  The key line from the tsmmc.msc is:

<ViewOptions ViewMode="Report" ScopePaneVisible="true" NoStatusBar="true" NoStdButtons="true" DescriptionBarVisible="false" DefaultColumn0Width="200" DefaultColumn1Width="0"/>
    </View>

By adding NoStatusBar=”true” and NoStdButtons=”true” I was able to get more remote desktop “desktop”.

On my secondary monitor, my TS screen is now 1768×1000 vs. 1768×953.  Not a big deal on a 1920×1080 monitor, but 47 pixels on smaller screens makes a big difference.

Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 SP1 wins gold medal!

Searchdatacenter’s 2011 product of the year award for System Management is SCVMM 2008 R2 SP1!

http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/guide/SearchDataCenter-Products-of-the-Year-Systems-Management-winners-2011

Hyper-V ICs for unsupported distros

http://blog.allanglesit.com/

Matthew Mattoon has a lot of good enough on getting the Hyper-V ICs to work on the unsupported *inx distros including RH, CentOS, Oracle Ent Linux, Debian & Ubuntu

The New Efficiency

I have to say that I’m pretty excited about Windows 2008 R2, Hyper-V R2, and Exchange 2010 after hearing and seeing them today at “The New Efficiency” conference put on by Microsoft.

I’m also excited to start delving into V-Pro by Intel for my company’s notebook computers!  Remote support from the hardware level!