Windows to Go update

You cannot update Windows 8 Windows to Go disk to Windows 8.1 directly, it need to rebuild the disk.... any options?

IE 11 compatibility mode

IE 11 comes with Windows 8.1 removed the compatibility mode button on the user interface, it may impact lots of in-house application that is not IE7 or about ready.  There is work around on this and do not stop using Windows 8.1 in the environment,

For normal user, from IE tool menu, goes to Compatibility view list, add the domain of the URL that require compatibility mode.

For developer, press F12 to turn on debug mode, that allows to switch from IE11 to different IE standard edition.

Google Chrome eating the Windows resources

If you use Google Chrome and found your system is very slow, it may related to the Chrome.  Google Chrome will leave a list of process running in the background even you are not using it, and they are memory and network intensive. It has a little icon on the system tray (next to the system clock), you will need to close the Google Chrome from the tray to free up its memory and process.

One click to shutdown/restart/logout from Windows 8

It is quite annoying to shutdown or reboot the Windows 8, specially when configured the power button to do nothing, here is how to create a tile on Windows 8 Start UI for Shut down, restart or logout,

1. On the desktop, right click to create a new shortcut
2. Type the following on the "type the location of the item" field
• Shutdown: shutdown /s /t 0
• Restart: shutdown /r /t 0
• Logout: shutdown /l /t 0
3. Provide the name for the shortcut and click OK
4. Select the shortcut, right click to Properties, and Change Icon
5. Select the icon for the shortcut, click OK
6. Right click and select Pin to Start Menu

Something happened and this app couldn't be installed. Please try again. Error code:0x80200013

Problem:

Error when try to install a Windows Store app with error code 0x80200013.

When try to install multiple apps, this normally happened to one Windows Store app only, and not specific to any Windows Store app. 

Fix:

• select multiple apps to install from Your Apps list
• click on installing apps
• select one of the Windows app and pause it
• all other windows store apps should now start installing, or select the one with error and click Try again
• resume the one paused

failure to install apps from store Error code 0x8024402c

Problem:

When try to install apps from Windows Store, it may have this error if you are using proxy to connect to internet.

Fix:

Run the following command with administrators rights to define the proxy settings to the winhttp service,

> netsh winhttp set proxy <proxy server>:<port>

or import from IE

> netsh winhttp import proxy source=ie

applocker error when creating policy for packaged app (SrpUxSnapIn.dll)

Problem:
When creating a new packaged app rule, there is option to select the method how to define the policy on the publisher page, but you may found the following error when click on the select button for Use an installed packaged app as a reference as following,

Fix:
You will need to add your login account into the Local Administrators group from the Windows 8 system, re-login and launch gpmc again.

AppLocker do not stop you buy application in Windows Store

When deploying AppLocker policy for Packaged apps in Windows 8, the policy could block an application installation and run, but it could not stop user "buy" an application.  When you deploy this policy, make sure the user aware of this, and do not buy any apps that has been blocked.

Allow users to install any signed apps with Applocker

The create new rules wizard for packaged apps in Windows 8 do has an option to allow any application installation.  To create a rule allow a user or group to install any signed packaged apps, you need to create a default rule, and from the default rule properties, change the user information, and change the version information from 0.0.0.0 to *.

Change the location for Windows Store Palyment

When try to add a payment method in Windows 8 store account, by default, it shows US for billing address, and you cannot change it.  To correct it to your home location, follow this,

on Start UI, type Control Panel, start the Control Panel
select Region
browse to Location tab
change the Home location to your country
restart the Windows Store
from the Charms menu, select Settings \ Your account

Now, you can add a new payment method with billing address to your home country

AppLocker event logging

Windows 8 will not log AppLocker activities in Windows logs (Application / Security / Setup / System), it is located in event viewer under - Applications and Services Logs \ Microsoft \ Windows \ AppLocker.

To make it works, the Application Identity service need to start. This service, by default, defined with startup type as Manual (Trigger Start), and it will not start in my scenario. by turning on this service, change the startup type to automatic and restart the machine, AppLocker activities will start logging into AppLocker logs.

The annoying Smartscreen features in Windows 8

The Smartscreen filter should used to idenitfy the unsafed desktop application before it run and warn you.  However, it always prompt during startup when it do not have internet connection, and it consume internet bandwidth and data when everytime it boot up, if you trusted the application installed on the system, here is the way to turn it off!

• from Control Panel, go to System and Security / Action Center
• select Change Windows SmartScreen settings
• provide the local admin access when the UAC prompt
• change the settings to the one you want, i prefer "Don't do anything"
• click OK

Windows 8 shortcut key... something need to know

if you do not use Windows key before, you need to learn it for Windows 8,

Windows Key + C: Charms bar
Windows Key + I: settings in Charm bar
Windows Key + X: Windows tools menu
Windows Key + F: file search from charm ar
Windows Key + Q: all local apps search from charm bar
Windows Key + W: settings search from Charm bar
Windows Key + Tab: Modern desktop taskbar

mores from:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/hyperyash/archive/2012/08/28/Windows-8-shortcuts.aspx

WIndows 8 bitlocker

when turn on bitlocker on windows 8, make sure you have a physical attached keyboard, because there is no virtual keyboard on bitlcoker screen.... >0<

Rebuild Microsoft Surface Pro

Trying to rebuild Surface Pro to custom build, it support UEFI bootable USB only, otherwise it will not boot to USB and allows you to rebuild it...  so need to get a UEFI support USB disk. And the other issue is the network card and Wifi, need to get the USB to network adapter to join it to domain.... Wifi driver for Surface Pro comes in Feb-2013 updates only...

Update: face similar issue on Lenovo Helix

AppLocker for Windows Store

Other than a MDM (mobile device management) solution, Windows 8 has AppLocker to manage packaged apps, the Metro application download from Windows Store.  It can be configured from the local or domain group policy, but first of all there is something need to know,

• Packaged app Rules can be find and use in Windows 8 Enterprise edition only
• by default, if AppLocker Executable Rules enabled, Windows 8 will block all Packaged app
• after rules creation, the policy will not apply, it need to be set as enforced to get it run
• the default rules for executables Rules allows any executable under Program Files or Windows directory
• the default rules for Packaged app Rules allows any signed packaged app to run, normally any packaged apps from Windows Store, or company signed sideloading apps

This means by default, with Executable Rules applied only, it is a white listing control.  If applied the Packaged app rules default rules, it will be a black listing control.


Here is how to configure the policy,

• edit the local Group policy or create a new GPO from domain
• browse to Computer Configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / Application Control Policies / AppLocker

 

• from the Executable Rules, right click and select Create Default Rules
• from the Packaged app Rules, right click and select Create Default Rules
• browse to Computer Configuration / Windows Settings / Security Settings / Application Control Policies / AppLocker again
• select Configure rule enforcement, check the box Configured under Executable rules and Packaged app Rules, leave it with Enforce rules, click OK

• save the configuration by exit the policy editor
• reboot the client

Now, you should able to download and run any apps from Windows Store.  You can configure the rules base on the requirement, for examples, limit the access to Windows Store by removing the default rule.  Please note if removed the default rules, the following application need to be added to allow list for everyone or authenticated users, Windows Store and Control Panel.  Without that, the user cannot launch Windows Store or the Windows Control Panel from Start UI.

Other limitation on AppLocker for packaged apps,

• cannot use local administrators or domain admin group to assign rules, this is related to the UAC in Windows.  You can't run Windows Store with local administrators privilege...
• cannot block by category
• cannot use distribution group to define rules

Missing WIndows Store ... Get it back!

After customized the Windows 8 image, Windows Store tile gone.... here is the way to get it back!

• from Start UI, search for Command Prompt, run it as administrator
• type: sfc /scannow
• reboot, and you should have the Windows Store tile back

sfc is the System File Check tool that normally used to scan adn repair Windows system files, and it seems like it repaired the Windows store related files...

Windows 8 login animation - Disable it

How to: Disable the first login animation

Prerequisite

• Windows 8 Profressonal
• Local administrator privilege

Steps

• Launch the local Group Policy editor
• Locate the policy setting Computer Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Systems \ Logon \ Show first sign-in animation, change the settings to disabled

Windows 8 on USB - Windows To Go

How to: Create Windows To Go

Prerequisite

• You must have Windows 8 Enterprise edition
• The WIM file from the Windows 8 source or the custom one, copy to the Windows 8 Enterprise system
• a USB stick support Windows To Go connected to the Windows 8 Enterprise system

Steps

• Login to the Windows 8 Enterprise Edition with administrator privilege
• From the Start screen, type Control Panel, select Control Panel application from the search result
• From the Control Panel Windows, search Windows To Go
• Windows To Go Creator will start and locate the supported USB stick, select the USB stick and click Next
• The wizard will try to locate the available WIM file, if not listed, click Add search location, and guide to the folder stored with the target WIM, select the correct WIM file and click Next
• Select the options to turn on or off the bit locker, provide the password when require, click Next
• The Wizard will create the Windows To Go disk with the WIM provided, it will take a while to complete depends on the WIM files size.
• Select the boot option and then click finish.