Installing Remote Server Administration (Active Directory) Tools in Windows 8

Windows 8: Start Screen

Following this process will install the "Active Directory Users and Computers" utility on your start menu (amongst other things).

The download link to the Microsoft page for the software you require is;

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=28972 (the download is about 100MB)

Once you've opened the page you need to determine whether you're running 32-bit or 64-bit windows - I've written a separate post on this here.

Once you've downloaded the software install it;

Windows 8: Windows Update Dialog

You'll then be presented with the standard EULA;

Windows 8: EULA Details

Click "I Accept" and the software will install;

Windows 8: Installation Progress

It's a 100MB installation so will take a bit of time, when it's done you'll see;

Windows 8: RSAT Installation Complete

Now one thing that is a definite improvement over the previous version is that now that you've installed the software it's immediately available - under Vista and Windows 7 you used to have to "turn it on" after you've installed it.

To find the installed applications return to the Start Page and scroll to the right;

Windows 8: RSAT Installation Blocks

You'll see two new blocks, "Administrative Tools" and "Server Manager". The new Active Directory tools are under the "Administrative Tools" icon. Click on it, you'll be taken to the desktop;

Windows 8: Active Directory Users and Computers

And you're done.

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Windows 8: How Can I Tell If I'm Running 32-Bit or 64-Bit?

The easiest way is to click "Desktop" (at the bottom left on the image above);

Windows 8: Start Page

Then when desktop appears bring up Windows Explorer;

Windows 8: Desktop

Right-click "Computer" (on the left) and select Properties;

Windows 8: Getting Machine Properties

This then brings up a dialog with information about your installation;

Windows 8: System Properties Dialog

I've highlighted the bit which tells you whether you're running 32 or 64-bit version of Windows.

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Installing Active Directory Tools Under Windows 8

UPDATE: Full instructions for the installation can be found HERE (below was written for the Release Candidate).

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With Windows 8 now released (via MSDN anyway) I thought it was time to update my blog post on installing Active Directory Tools (primarily "Users and Computers") on the new operating system.

I have to admit I gave this a bit of a go when Windows 8 Release Preview was released but beyond my personal interest didn't see any point in sharing it.

Sadly while Windows 8 Enterprise is now available (see here) Microsoft has yet to update it's version of the Remote Server Tools for the final release of the OS - the existing version of the tools (Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Release Preview) available via the URL below;

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=28972

Does not install on Windows 8 Enterprise (I've tested the 64-bit version only). It just crashes a few seconds in - which makes sense if it is tailored to only work on the Release Preview.

Hopefully over the next few days searching for "Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8" will yield something other than the following results;

As soon as it does I'll update this post.

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Installing Windows 8 (32-bit) Under VMware Fusion

The first thing that you'll probably notice if you've (like me) been tinkering around with pre-release Microsoft Operating Systems for a while is the appearance of a new "logo" on this version of the software which seems interesting if nothing else.

First off I've configured the VM with 2Gb memory, 4 processors, and a 10gb Hard Drive (it's not like I'm going to be doing any serious amount of work on it). I'm using VMware Fusion 4.1.2 (683185) which I'm pretty certain is the latest version.

The base machine is a Mac BookPro running version Lion 10.7.3 with a 2.2GHz Intel i7 with 8GB of RAM. More than adequate for the task!

The first step was to download the ISO image from Microsoft's MSDN website. I'm going to use the 32-bit version (as the 64-bit version doesn't seem to work in Fusion - see here). I'm not using the public images, I'm using the ones from the MSDN website. Are they the same? No idea. The name of the file is;

en_windows_8_consumer_preview_with_apps_x86_dvd_811827.iso

If that helps, I'm going to connect the DVD drive in VMware Fusion to the image (rather than burning a CD, I imagine this is what everyone does ... but just in case).

When you first boot up you are presented with the following screen;

Windows 8 Release Candidate - Windows Setup Screen

Click "Next";

Windows 8 release Candidate - Windows Setup/ Install Now

Click "Install Now";

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - Product Key

Enter your product licensing key (available on MSDN) and click "Next";

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - License Terms

Click the checkbox to accept the terms (you're read it right?) and then click "Next";

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - Installation Type

Assuming that you are (like me) installing the software into a blank Virtual Machine click "Custom" (the bottom option);

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - Where do you want to install Windows?

Click "Next";

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - Installing Windows

There is nothing to do on this screen, just wait for the install the install to complete (shouldn't take that long). The system will then reboot and you'll see various messages at the bottom of the screen like "Preparing", "Getting devices ready", and then finally "restarting your PC".

After the machine has restarted and then you'll be presented with the following screen;

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - Personlize

First of all it's nice to see American English hard-coded into the application. I just can't get enough of that. But then it is only a "consumer preview"! My first reaction when being asked by Windows to "pick a colour I like" is to be filled with absolute dread about what effect this will have on the colouring of the interface. My mind is filled with garish windows styles which, because I said I "liked" the colour here, would be with me forever ... But still I just picked the colour on the left (Teal?), entered my PC name, and clicked "Next";

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - Settings

Because this is only a test and, fundamentally, I have no problems with Microsoft hoovering up as much information as they need during the public preview so long as the final product doesn't do any such hoovering without my consent I'm going to "Use express settings" (and then regret it later at my leisure);

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - Sign in to your PC

I'm going to try a gmail address that I know isn't already linked to a Microsoft account (which I guess will be the typical setup). Enter the email address you wish to use and click "Next";

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - Set up a Microsoft Account

This dialog will only appear if you're setting up a new account. If you have already got a Microsoft Account associated with your email account then you'll see something like;

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - Enter your Microsoft Account Password

After this dialog a couple of dialogs flash by while the account is created and the system is "Preparing Windows".

Then you're presented with your new "Start" screen;

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - Start Screen

 And you're done.

NOTE: I now installed VMware Tools (the Windows 7 version) and it all worked perfectly including with Unity desktop. The whole process of doing the install took around 30 minutes which would have been a lot quicker if I'd not had to grab all these screen shots!

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Windows 8 x64 Consumer Preview vs VMware Fusion? (DVD Driver Error)

UPDATE: This problem is specific to the 64-bit version of the installation, if you want to play-around with Windows 8 you can use the 32-bit version and you're fine. See here.

Just a quick post to show off how it seems to be impossible to install Microsoft's Windows 8 Consumer Preview into a virtual machine (I'm using VMware Fusion on my Mac).

First off I've configured the VM with 2Gb memory, 4 processors, and a 10gb Hard Drive (it's not like I'm going to be doing any serious amount of work on it). I'm using VMware Fusion 4.1.2 (683185) which I'm pretty certain is the latest version.

The base machine is a Mac BookPro running version Lion 10.7.3 with a 2.2GHz Intel i7 with 8GB of RAM. More than adequate for the task!

The first step was to download the ISO image from Microsoft's MSDN website. I'm going to use the 64-bit version. I'm not using the public images, I'm using the ones from the MSDN website. Are they the same? No idea. The name of the file is;

en_windows_8_consumer_preview_with_apps_x64_dvd_811821.iso

If that helps, I'm going to connect the DVD drive in VMware Fusion to the image (rather than burning a CD, I imagine this is what everyone does ... but just in case).

On booting after a few seconds delay I'm presented with the first screen;

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - First Dialog

The top menu, Language to Install, only includes US English (starting as they might wish to go on I guess ... ;-), but the second drop down allows me to specify UK English format for Times and Currencies. Clicking "Next" then takes me to this screen;

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - Install Now

Just one button "Install now". I really think the only purpose of this screen is to show you how simple the process is now. Given that the "Install Now" button is only a little larger than the "Next" button the previous screen why not just combine them? There seems to be enough space for the "Repair your computer" link button as well ... why two screens? Anyway, clicking "Install now";

Windows 8 Consumer Preview - Drive Install

And this is where everything starts to get a little bit Windows 95. The message being displayed is titled "Load Driver" and reads;

"A DVD driver your PC needs is missing. If you have a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive with the driver on it, pelase insert it now.


NOTE: If the installation media for Windows is in the DVD drive, you can safely remove it for this step".

Now help buttons, no explanation of why if I can get this far and suddenly I'm having a driver problem with the DVD drive which has the Windows Media on it. No "checking online for drivers" either, which is a bit of a surprise, but at least I should be happy that it's not asking for the floppy disk.

Unfortunately, as a long-time VMware Workstation user I find the lack of some controls in VMware Fusion a little frustrating, for example would using a SCSI DVD work better than the IDE one? With Fusion there doesn't' seem to be a way to find out ...

NOTE: Ironically Windows 8 Server seems to work and install perfectly without any issues, which is just odder and odder as you'd assume the install process was the same between the two systems.

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