Remind users to enroll into Windows Hello for Business using Toast Notifications and ConfigMgr

February 15, 2020October 8, 2019 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

I recently did a tweet about doing a toast notification to lure end-users into enrolling their device with Windows Hello for Business voluntarily.

Find the tweet here: https://twitter.com/mwbengtsson/status/1179343506898329601
And another WHfB inspirational tweet here: https://twitter.com/mwbengtsson/status/1182346707302076416

Prior to doing the tweet, I found my self wrestling with Powershell and a way to locate devices not enrolled into WHfB yet. Seeing I only wanted to nag people not enrolled yet, this was a requirement for the entire process.

So this post is a little something on both the actual toast notification, but also on how I ended up locating devices not enrolled into WHfB yet using a Compliance Baseline in ConfigMgr.

Windows 10 Toast Notification Script Update: Check for Active Directory Password Expiration

July 23, 2020September 24, 2019 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

My Windows 10 Toast Notification Script has received another update, now being on version 1.4. What’s new and delicious are mentioned in details below.

Note: I know that expiring passwords are not ideal, but reality is that many still have them configured like so while trying to find their way out with Windows Hello for Business, Password-Less etc.

The toast notification might even serve as a good entry point into enrolling into WhFB when one are ready to do so. I’ll make an example of such in the future 🙂

Find the original page for the Windows 10 Toast Notification Script here: https://www.imab.dk/windows-10-toast-notification-script/

Modify Windows HOSTS file using SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager) and Powershell

December 30, 2021September 12, 2019 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

I was just doing some work today where I needed to modify the content of the HOSTS file in Windows on a good bunch of devices. (This is the file being located in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc)

I figured this is something anybody might find useful, so I wanted to share the Powershell script I ended up creating for the purpose.

For your convenience, I’m also illustrating how this can be used in combination with ConfigMgr as this was a requirement for automation purposes 🙂

Windows 10 Toast Notification Script updated to version 1.3

July 23, 2020August 21, 2019 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

As the topic suggests; my Windows 10 Toast Notification Script has been updated to version 1.3 and here’s what’s new and delicious. 😀

Note: The screenshot below is intentionally in jibberish (danish). This is to illustrate that all text elements now are customizable through the config file.

Find the Windows 10 Toast Notification Script here: https://www.imab.dk/windows-10-toast-notification-script/

Send messages across your Windows 10 computers with SCCM and Toast Notifications

July 18, 2019 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

First off, this is mostly an inspirational post and the script used here is the latest release of my Windows 10 Toast Notification Script.

Secondly, from time to time, I still see people in various forums asking how they can send popup messages to the computers in their environment using SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager).

So I figured it would make a decent and quick blog post, describing how one can do just that using my Windows 10 Toast Notification script.

Enable and disable ConfigMgr client debug logging in a jiffy using Powershell and Run Script

June 25, 2019June 25, 2019 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

Debug/verbose logging! A topic which every ConfigMgr admin will have to get familiar with sooner or later. Lazy as one can be, I usually Google the requirements every time I need it, so I figured it was time to make something more permanent and more clever.

There are a billion blog posts on the topic already, but as far as my Google skills serves me, no one is using the run script feature and no one is providing complete scripts for the purpose. So this is me doing that. A complete solution for your copy/paste pleasure 🙂

Windows 10 Toast Notification Script Update: Personal greeting and protocol based reboot

July 23, 2020June 4, 2019 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

Short and sweet. My Windows 10 Toast Notification Script have received a minor update. Now being at version 1.2. The changes mentioned in details below.

Find the original page for the Windows 10 Toast Notification Script here: https://www.imab.dk/windows-10-toast-notification-script/

Deploy RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools) for Windows 10 v1903 using SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager) and Powershell

April 26, 2019April 20, 2019 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

Similar to when Windows 10 v1809 was released back in October 2018 and RSAT debuted as “Features on Demand”, the way of installing RSAT continues with the v1903 release.

Back then I did a Powershell script which is able to install and uninstall the RSAT features. I have now rewritten the script to also include Windows 10 v1903.

Find my 1809 post here: https://www.imab.dk/deploy-rsat-remote-server-administration-tools-for-windows-10-v1809-using-sccm-system-center-configuration-manager/

Almost Modern Driver Management with ConfigMgr and Powershell

September 21, 2020April 18, 2019 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

First off, bear with me here during the intro. I know introductions usually are boring, but I do have a few words to share with you first.

The following is by no means any substitution for any other Modern Driver Management solution out there. This is purely me exploring, learning and sharing that experience with anyone who’s interested. When I find something useful, I usually try to do my own thing for various reasons, but mainly to learn and also for being less dependent on others work and future maintenance plans.

Now, this post is primarily about a Powershell script and how that Powershell script is designed to run on a given device and export the device drivers into your ConfigMgr source file library or locally. In the process, the script is able to create a regular package in ConfigMgr containing those drivers. The post is also about how to use the regular packages for applying drivers, but the script is what took the most of my time 🙂

The idea here is, that you fire up a given device with a given version of Windows (preferably Windows 10) and install ALL the drivers (preferably the latest drivers) and verify that everything works in that combination of Windows, drivers and hardware model.

Note: Most vendors provide a tool which checks online for latest drivers and gives you option to install those. This is pretty handy when building new drivers for a given computer model.

Now knowing that everything works, this is the drivers you want to apply to future deployments of this computer model, so you run the script and everything is automatically exported and a package in ConfigMgr is created.

In lack of a better name, this is what I call ‘Almost Modern Driver Management‘. 😀

PS. If you’re looking for a truly nifty and ‘modern’ approach, I suggest you head over to SCConfigMgr.com and take a peek at their solutions for both BIOS and drivers.

Migrate your OneDrive for Business to Per Machine installation (With or without source files using SCCM and Powershell)

April 9, 2019April 8, 2019 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

Installing the OneDrive for Business client on a per machine basis is an often requested feature and for good reasons. OneDrive in it’s current state in the production ring, is installing into the users profile in %localappdata%, and for equally good reasons that is often not desired by enterprises.

Now, Microsoft has finally given us an option, allowing us to install OneDrive for the device into %programfiles(x86)%. The option is currently in preview and all the juicy details are found here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/onedrive/per-machine-installation

PS. Credit where due: I was inspired by Per Larsen’s post on doing the same with Microsoft Intune and like many times before, this brought me to doing something on my own for the sharing and learning experience. Enjoy. 🙂