SMSUG.ca

Query for a portion of a NetBIOS Name

Garth — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:00:46 GMT

select * from dbo.v_GS_COMPUTER_SYSTEM
where name0 like '___m%'

Free Windows 7 and MMS

Garth — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:04:13 GMT

Do you want a free copy of Windows 7? if so check out this post!

http://www.myitforum.com/forums/m_215495/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#215495

ConfigMgr / SCCM Documentation Script v1.24

Garth — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:58:29 GMT

The ConfigMgr / SCCM documentation script has been updated to v1.24 for more details please see http://tinyurl.com/yfpgocw

Office Count

Garth — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:45:07 GMT

select
    DisplayName0,
    Version0,
    Count(*)
From
    dbo.v_Add_Remove_Programs ARP
Where
    DisplayName0 like '%office%'
Group by
    DisplayName0,
    Version0
Order by
    DisplayName0,
    Version0

JOTD – March 1 2010

Garth — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:56:04 GMT

Tip of The Day – Desktop Icons

Garth — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:13:50 GMT

Back at TechDays Ottawa I was using my laptop to give a presentation on Hyper-v live migration. Anyways Rick walked into the room as I was just about to “clean” my desktop of folders and icons as I always do before a presentation.

Rick said “Let me show you this cool feature of Windows designed just for presenters!” Then he proceeded to right click my desktop, point to View then unselect Show desktop icons.

After doing this all of my icons “disappeared” from my desktop.

So if you have a presentation to do and you don’t want to move around all of your desktop, try this trick.

JOTD – Olympics

Garth — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:29:48 GMT

Ellen told me about this article, it not really a joke but it is funny.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/comment/columnists/greg_weston/2010/02/12/12858676.html

Made in Canada / USA????

Garth — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:46:08 GMT

John Marcum send me this picture from his cellphone… Don’t ask me how you can have something manufactured in both Canada and the USA!

70-669 MCTS: Windows Server 2008 R2, Desktop Virtualization

Garth — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:19:53 GMT

MS is looking for people to beta test a new App-v / Med-v Exam. Seats are limited but if you are into App-v or Med-v

Check out their blog post. http://borntolearn.mslearn.net/2010/02/recruiting-beta-candidates-for-exam-71-669

Hey Jeff, What Docs are there that I can used to Study for this?

Customized Report "computers with specific software registered in Add Remove Programs"

Garth — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:35:01 GMT

SELECT Distinct
    sys.Netbios_Name0,
    fcm.SiteCode,
    sys.User_Domain0,
    sys.User_Name0,
    sys.Operating_System_Name_and0,
    arp.DisplayName0,
    u.department0
FROM
    dbo.v_R_System AS sys
    INNER JOIN dbo.v_Add_Remove_Programs AS arp ON sys.ResourceID = arp.ResourceID
    INNER JOIN dbo.v_FullCollectionMembership AS fcm ON sys.ResourceID = fcm.ResourceID
    Left Outer JOIN dbo.v_R_User U ON sys.User_Name0 = U.User_Name0
WHERE
    arp.DisplayName0 like @displayname
    AND fcm.CollectionID = @CollID

Zune Market Place!

Garth — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 18:19:00 GMT

What give is it? I just don’t get it. I understand their need to block some content based on your location and the rights that they have within the locations. BUT why block FREE contact that is OPEN to everyone!!!! WHY MUST I change regional setting? I swear they are all smoking in the Zune product group!

MS wants to make ZUNE number one but I can sign-in to the istore and browse all the content that I want (free or not). It is time for Zune team to wake up and smell the coffee (Tim Hortons too)!

So you going to say Garth what couldn’t you do? Well the answer was simple. I found a podcast that I wanted to listen too on my trip tomorrow in the market place. I click the link to download the podcast. I was forced to sign in, using my Live ID. OK a pain but I’m fine with that. Ultimately I told I can’t access the content because my regional setting not match and are not in the US. I say “What does it matter, this is a FREE podcast!”

It gets better!

In the market place page, I see that there is a link to the website for the podcast! I click the link, I can access the website. Right there on the home page is a link to all of the podcasts that I want! WOW, I can download all of the “Protected” podcasts! It is no wonder why istore/ipod/ipad/etc. is kicking MS …! Until they get their act together, they will never beat Apple!

On a side note: I have the podcast installed on my Zune but maybe I should borrow Ellen’s ipod instead, since it is easier to get content on it!

Routers?

Garth — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:45:00 GMT

This might NOT list all routers in your environment, and it will has lots of false positives too.

Of the 7 device marked as a router, only 3 are right, the remaining 4 are false positives.

In my test lab it found 3 out of 7, Routers /Switches.

Plus it lists

· 1 WS, that is not acting like routers. (I doubled checked)

· 1 Server was listed twice and it is not acting like a router. No unless you consider a WSUS server a router.

· 1 Network UPS???? And that is clearly not a router. And it did not detect the other network UPS.

Anyways have fun with it.

select SMS_R_System.* from SMS_R_System where SMS_R_System.SystemRoles = "Router"

2010 myITforum Donation

Garth — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:39:34 GMT

With the start of a new year, it is that time again to support the System Management Community, with that in mind I have made my yearly donation of $250 USD to MyITForum (MIF).

Why do I do it? Well as a past User Group leader for www.OWSUG.ca, I know how much it cost to host a small user group community. OWSUG is small in comparison to MIF! Our network traffic is nothing compared to what the MIF site gets. I’m will to bet that the network traffic to the MIF site in less than 12 hours, is the equivalent of what the www.OWSUG.ca gets in one year! I will also tell you that it cost more that $350 as year (USD) to host the www.OWSUG.ca site. Yes that is about $1 a day for a small user group site! I hate to see what MIF spends each month!

So, have you made a donation to your community yet? http://www.myitforum.com/donations/myITpaypal.asp

Collection Query - AD group membership & filter for Add\Remove Programs

Garth — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:08:37 GMT

select
    R.*
from
    SMS_R_System R
where
    R.SystemGroupName != "GARTEK\\Domain Admins"
    and R.ResourceId not in (    select
                        R.ResourceId
                    from
                        SMS_R_System R
                        inner join SMS_G_System_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS ARP on ARP.ResourceId = R.ResourceId
                    where
                        ARP.DisplayName = "CCM Framework Tools")

Null and Not like

Garth — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:51:04 GMT

SELECT
    DisplayName0,
    Count(*) AS 'Count',
    Publisher0,
    @CollID as CollectionID

FROM
    v_Add_Remove_Programs arp
    JOIN v_FullCollectionMembership fcm on arp.ResourceID=fcm.ResourceID
WHERE
    fcm.CollectionID = @CollID
    AND (
        ARP.DisplayName0 not like '%hotfix%'
        AND ARP.DisplayName0 not like '%update%'
        AND ARP.DisplayName0 not like '%Screen Saver%'
        AND ARP.DisplayName0 not like '%silverlight%'
        AND ARP.DisplayName0 not like '%Windows Live%')
    AND (ARP.Publisher0 not like '%Intel%'
        AND ARP.Publisher0 not like '%Hewlet%'
        AND ARP.Publisher0 not like '%Apple%'
        AND ARP.Publisher0 not like '%ati%'
        AND ARP.Publisher0 not like '%eastman%'
        AND ARP.Publisher0 not like '%google%')
    OR ARP.Publisher0 is NULL
GROUP BY
    DisplayName0,
    Publisher0
ORDER BY
    Publisher0

Testing for exist codes with SMSI

Garth — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:26:06 GMT

Here is sample code on how to test for an exist code using SMS Installed.

item: Execute Program

Pathname=%win%\notepad.exe

Default Directory=%win%\

Flags=00000010

end

item: If/While Statement

Variable=PROCEXITCODE

Value=0

end

item: Display Message

Title English=Exit Code

Text English=Notepad exited with a code of 0

Flags=00100100

end

item: Else Statement

end

item: Display Message

Title English=Exit Code

Text English=Notepad exited with a code of 1

Flags=00110000

end

item: End Block

end

Really!

Garth — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:15:07 GMT

I have to laugh at this item that is for sale on www.UsedOttawa.com !

Every so often I go looking to see what is for sale, anyways I keep running to the this AD where some guys is trying to sell “Brand new Microsoft Office System Beta 2 Kit 2003”! That right BETA 2! Now the first thing to note is that it is illegal to sell MS Beta software! The second and more importantly is, this software has built in expiry date, and I guarantee that date has long since come and gone!

Now it not like he is trying to sell it for $5, not he trying to get $100 for this! So what is he selling you? A couple of DVDs with software that you can’t use! Hun?? Why? Who does he thing will buy this? My guess is a sucker, who want office on the Cheap! For $149 you can get “Microsoft Office Home & Student 2007”

So remember when buying anything from anyone the old say “Caveat emptor” or in English “Let the buyer beware!”, This is particularly true for stuff that you purchase from Internet website like UsedOttawa, Kijiji and Craigslist.

BTW, He renew the AD every month but when I see it, I report it to UsedOttawa team, however I’m not sure that they have ever done anything about the Ads or this guy! Here is the Ad if you want to laugh at it! http://www.usedottawa.com/classified-ad/8577745 Even funnier is it shows up when I search for “server”, What does Office 2003 have to do with servers?

management nightmare

Garth — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:31:22 GMT

SELECT

Distinct

.Netbios_Name0,

ARP

.DisplayName0,

.Caption0

FROM

dbo

.v_R_System R

INNER JOIN dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS ARP ON R.ResourceID = ARP.ResourceID

INNER JOIN dbo.v_GS_OPERATING_SYSTEM OS ON OS.ResourceID = ARP.ResourceID

WHERE

ARP

.DisplayName0 in ( 'Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003',

'Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007',

'Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007',

'Microsoft Office Project Professional 2003',

'Adobe Indesign CS3',

'Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional - English, Franais, Deutsch',

'Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional',

'Adobe Photoshop Elements',

'FAS 100 Asset Accounting',

'Keyboard Express',

'Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004',

'QuickBooks Pro 2007',

'Traffix for Windows 8.0')

AND R.Operating_System_Name_and0 in ('Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 6.1','Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 5.1')

OS version using v_R_System

Garth — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:03:28 GMT

select

.Name0,

.Operating_system_Name_And0

from

dbo

.v_R_System R

Where

.ResourceId not in (Select ResourceId from dbo.v_R_System R where r.Client_Version0 <> '')

and R.Operating_system_Name_And0 <> ''

order

.Name0,

.Operating_system_Name_And0

Limiting to a Collection.

Garth — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:02:47 GMT

SELECT

Distinct

R
.Netbios_Name0,

ARP
.DisplayName0

FROM

dbo
.v_R_System R

INNER JOIN dbo.v_GS_ADD_REMOVE_PROGRAMS ARP ON R.ResourceID = ARP.ResourceID

Inner Join dbo.v_FullCollectionMembership FCM ON R.ResourceID = FCM.ResourceID and CollectionID = 'SMS00001'

WHERE

ARP
.DisplayName0 in ( 'Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003',

'Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007',

'Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007',

'Microsoft Office Project Professional 2003',

'Adobe Indesign CS3',

'Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional - English, Franais, Deutsch',

'Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional',

'Adobe Photoshop Elements',

'FAS 100 Asset Accounting',

'Keyboard Express',

'Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004',

'QuickBooks Pro 2007',

'Traffix for Windows 8.0')

American Diet?

Garth — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:18:33 GMT

Err, I’m not sure I like this diet or do I?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/technology/10data.html?_r=2&ref=business

Why v_GS_OPERATING_SYSTEM.Caption0 is better than v_R_System.Operating_System_Name_and0

Garth — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:04:57 GMT

Take the following query, if you only used v_R_System.Operating_System_Name_and0 then you would have no idea as to which PCs are installed with “Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate" or “Microsoft Windows 7 Professional”.

Select

R.Name0,

R.Operating_System_Name_and0,

OS.Caption0

From

dbo.v_R_System r

left outer join dbo.v_GS_OPERATING_SYSTEM OS on R.ResourceID = OS.ResourceId

Where

R.Active0 = 1

and client0 = 1

and R.Operating_System_Name_and0 = 'Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 6.1'

Order by

Name0

Ultimately the biggest issue with reporting is understanding a few items about ConfigMgr:

1. Where is the data coming from, (hardware inventory vs. discovery data)

2. How often is the data updated (How often is hardware and discovery data run?)

3. What do I want the data for and who is it for? (How many manager know what Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 6.1 is?)

4. What does it mean when there is no data (Can I trust the data I’m seeing?)

5. Are my queries consistent? (Is the differences in data due to inconsistency in my queries? Or by chance have PCs update their data in-between running each report?)

6. Are the inconsistent material to my reporting? (Assume that I have 1000 PCs and I’m seeing 500 PC with different results (50%), do I care, YES. Now assume that I have 100 000 PCs and I’m seeing 500 PC with different results (0.5%), do I care, NO.)

There are no right or wrong answer here but as an ConfigMgr / SMS admin who should prepare yourself to answer these questions when they come up.

Servers Report Query

Garth — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:14:41 GMT

SELECT
    R.Netbios_Name0,
    os.Caption0,
    ARP.DisplayName0 As 'Softwarename',
    ARP.Publisher0 as 'Publisher',
    ARP.Version0 as 'version',
    ARP.ProdID0 as 'productID',
    ARP.InstallDate0 'InstallDate',
    R.AD_Site_Name0 as 'ADSite',
    R.User_Name0 as 'Last Logged on User',
    R.Operating_System_Name_and0 as 'OS'
FROM
    dbo.v_R_System R
    inner JOIN dbo.v_Add_Remove_Programs ARP ON R.ResourceID = ARP.ResourceID
    inner join dbo.v_GS_OPERATING_SYSTEM OS on R.ResourceID = OS.ResourceID
Where
    R.Operating_System_Name_and0 like '%NT%Server%'
Order by
    R.Netbios_Name0,
    ARP.DisplayName0

System Center Configuration Manager 2007 with Service Pack 2 (x86) - DVD (English) is now available on TechNet.

Garth — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:55:56 GMT

The fully integrated ConfigMgr 2007 with SP2 is now available on TechNet. Now you can install with SQL 2008 from the start, no upgrading from SQL 2005.

Planning, Deploying and Managing Microsoft Systems Center Configuration Manager 2007 (6451a) in Ottawa

Garth — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:22:27 GMT

If you are looking to take this course, I have been told that CTE Solutions will be running 6451a course the week of Dec 14th - 18th 2009.

http://www.ctesolutions.com/course/Systems-Center-Training/Systems-Center-Configuration-Manager-2007-Training.htm?l=ottawa%2Dtraining%2Dfacility&checkout

Don’t forget to ask for your User Group discount! ;-) (They love it, when I remind people about that. )

BTW if you are looking for a good place for lunch near CTE Solutions, check out the Foolish Chicken