$Credential = New-Object -TypeName System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -ArgumentList @('ALTIRIS\srv_altiris', (ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force 'P@ssw0rd' ))
Add-Computer -DomainName altiris.local -OUPath 'OU=CORPORATE_COMPUTERS,OU=BELGIUM,DC=altiris,DC=local' -PassThru -Verbose -Credential $credential 

1. Create a user vmuser

useradd vmuser
passwd vmuser

2. Create the VMHeadless script. I have teamed all my VMS and will launch/suspend the team /vms/my_team.vmtm

vi /etc/init.d/vmheadless

 
#!/bin/bash
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides:          vmheadless.sh
# Required-Start:    $remote_fs $syslog
# Required-Stop:     $remote_fs $syslog
# Default-Start:     2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop:      0 1 6
# chkconfig: 2345 99 20
# Short-Description: Start VM
# Description:       Start/stop the virtual machines
### END INIT INFO

MACHINE_NAME="/vms/my_team.vmtm"
VM_USER="vmuser"
RETVAL=0
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/vmware:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin

id=`id -u`
if  [ "$id" != "0" ] ; then
   echo "This script must be run as root" 1>&2
   exit 1
fi

# Load the VERBOSE setting and other rcS variables
 [ -f /etc/default/rcS ]  && . /etc/default/rcS

# Load the VERBOSE setting and other rcS variables
#. /lib/init/vars.sh

# Define LSB log_* functions.
# Depend on lsb-base (>= 3.0-6) to ensure that this file is present.
. /lib/lsb/init-functions

# Get function from functions library
. /etc/init.d/functions

# Load network defaults. Use this if there is any extra network stuff to do first.

case "$1" in
start)
   su $VM_USER -c "/usr/bin/vmrun start $MACHINE_NAME nogui"
        RETVAL=0
  echo "Started VM Headless RETVAL=($RETVAL)"
        ;;
stop)
  /usr/bin/vmrun suspend "$MACHINE_NAME"
        RETVAL=$?
 echo "Suspended VM Headless RETVAL=($RETVAL)"
        ;;
status)
  ps=`ps -ef | grep vmware-vmx | grep -v grep | wc -l`
  if  [ "$ps" -gt 0 ]  ; then
    echo "$ps VMS started"
    RETVAL=1
  else
    echo "VMS not running"
    RETVAL=0
  fi
        ;;
restart)
  /usr/bin/vmrun suspend "$MACHINE_NAME" nogui
        RETVAL=$?
 echo "Suspended VM Headless RETVAL=($RETVAL)"
  su backup -c "/usr/bin/vmrun -T ws start $MACHINE_NAME nogui"
        RETVAL=$?
  echo "Started VM Headless RETVAL=($RETVAL)"
        ;;
*)
        echo "Usage: $0 { start | stop }"
        RETVAL=1
        ;;
esac
exit $RETVAL
 

3. Enable VMHeadless during boot

chkconfig --add vmheadless
chkonfig --level 2345 vmheadless on


4. Launch the VMHeadless daemon, and thus launching the VM Team

service vmheadless start

 
$nics = gci "HKLM:\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\Class\\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"
$nics | foreach-object -process {
	$devInstanceId = $_.getvalue("DeviceInstanceID")
	if($devInstanceId -match "VMWARE"){
		Write-Host $_.Name
		$regpath = ( $_.name ) -replace("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE","HKLM:")
		new-itemproperty -path $regpath -name "*NdisDeviceType" -value 1 -PropertyType "DWORD"
	}
}

 $wminics = get-wmiobject win32_networkadapter | where-object {$_.name -like "*vmware*" } 
 $wminics | foreach-object -process {  
       
     write-host -nonew "Disabling $($_.name) ... " 
     $result = $_.Disable()  
     if ($result.ReturnValue -eq -0) { write-host " success." } else { write-host " failed." }  
       
     write-host -nonew "Enabling $($_.name) ... " 
     $result = $_.Enable()  
     if ($result.ReturnValue -eq -0) { write-host " success." } else { write-host " failed." }  
 }
 

 
Private Sub RemoveReminders(sProject As String)
Dim fldMailbox As MAPIFolder
Dim fldCalendar As MAPIFolder

Dim objItem As AppointmentItem
Dim iCntr As Integer
iCntr = 0

Set fldMailbox = Session.Folders(sMailboxName)
Set fldCalendar = fldMailbox.Folders("Calendar")
Set mcolCalItems = fldCalendar.Items

For Each objItem In mcolCalItems
If objItem.start > Now() Then
If objItem.ReminderSet = True Then
    If InStr(objItem.Body, sProject) > 0 Then
    iCntr = iCntr + 1
With objItem
.ReminderSet = False
.Save
End With

objItem.Save
End If
End If
End If
Next

MsgBox "Modified " & iCntr & " calendar entries"
End Sub

Public Sub RemoveHolidayReminders()
RemoveReminders ("Holiday")
End Sub
 

1. Install ESXi to harddisk 1
2. Install Windows Server 2003 to harddisk 2.  Delete the existing partition on harddisk 2 if ESXi has created one.
   On the first reboot during the installation you should get an error “NTLDR is missing”
3. Boot with a live linux cd-rom, eg KNOPPIX
4. (Re-)install syslinux  bootloader to boot partition (Hypervisor0)

    sudo syslinux /dev/hda1
   file is read only. overwrite anyway (y/n)? y
   sudo mkdir /mnt/Hypervisor0
   sudo mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/Hypervisor0
   vi /mnt/Hypervisor0/syslinux.cfg
    

   original:

    
   default safeboot.c32
    

   modified:

    
   default menu.c32
   menu title Dual boot
   timeout 100
   
   label esx
   menu label ESXi 3.5
   COM32 safeboot.c32
   
   LABEL win
   MENU LABEL MS Windows Server 2003
   COM32 chain.c32
   APPEND boot ntldr=/NTLDR
    

5. Copy syslinux modules menu.c32 and chain.c32 to boot partition (Hypervisor0)
   Use locate to find the folder on the live cd that contains the modules, eg locate menu.c32

    
   cp /usr/lib/syslinux/menu.c32 /mnt/Hypervisor0
   cp /usr/lib/syslinux/chain.c32 /mnt/Hypervisor0
    

6. Reboot

But as an alternative solution I have created this PowerShell app.
It is a GUI-based tool allowing you to select a saved script or enter a custom query and run it.
The output is by default displayed in a datatable but the output can also be exported to an Excel-document.

The available SQL servers are defined in servers.xml
And to avoid the hassle of selecting a server and database after selecting a script you can predefine a combination of a shortname, server and database in shortnames.xml
Eg. if you have a SQL-file hlp_openincidents.sql and hlp is defined in shortnames.xml with server set to SQLSERVER and database to HELPDESK the tool will autoselect the server: SQLSERVER and the database: HELPDESK

SQL tool source code

 
function DeploySoftware
{
	param( [String] $pcname,  [String] $package,  [String] $nexttime,  [String] $folder)
	#Write-Host "Deploy $pcname '$package' /t $nexttime /f '$folder'"
	#\\ALTIRIS\express\axsched.exe "$pcname" "$package" / t "$nexttime" / f "$folder"
		
	$StartInfo = New-Object System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo
	$StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = $true
	$StartInfo.UseShellExecute = $false
	$StartInfo.FileName = "\\ALTIRIS\express\axsched.exe"
	$StartInfo.WorkingDirectory = "C:\Temp"
	$StartInfo.Arguments = "`"$pcname`" `"$package`" /t `"$nexttime`" /f `"$folder`""
	$p =  [System.Diagnostics.Process] ::Start($StartInfo)
	$p.WaitForExit()
	if ($p.ExitCode -eq 0) { $TRUE } else { $FALSE }
}
#This function adds a number of minutes to the given date time and outputs the addition in the right format for AxSched.
function Get-ScheduleTime
{
	param( [System.DateTime]  $starttime,  [int] $minutes)
	#$minutes = 12
	$tspan = New-Object System.TimeSpan(0, 0, $minutes, 0)
	$addtime =  [System.DateTime] ::op_Addition($starttime, $tspan)
	#"2008-10-20 15:00"
	$y = $addtime.Year
	$mo = $addtime.Month
	$d = $addtime.Day
	$h = $addtime.Hour
	$mi = $addtime.Minute
	$schedtime = "$y"
	$schedtime += "-"
	$schedtime += TwoDecimal("$mo")
	$schedtime += "-"
	$schedtime += TwoDecimal("$d")
	$schedtime += " "
	$schedtime += TwoDecimal("$h")
	$schedtime += ":"
	$schedtime += TwoDecimal("$mi")
	$schedtime
}
#Simple function to convert a single decimal to a two decimal, eg 7 becomes 07
function TwoDecimal
{
	param( [String] $Number)
	while ($number.Length -lt 2) { $number = "0$number" } 
	$number
}
$now =  [System.DateTime] ::Now
$pcname = "COMP007"
$jobname = "Install Outlook 2007"
$jobfolder = "Software"
#The installation of the package needs to be started after 5 minutes.
$nexttime = Get-ScheduleTime $now 5
DeploySoftware $pcname $jobname $nexttime $jobfolder 
 

First the functions that execute the installer.

 
function Execute-Installer()
{
	param( [String] $parameters, [String] $msiworkingdir)
	$msiworkingdir = Resolve-Path $msiworkingdir
	$StartInfo = New-Object System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo
	$StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = $true
	$StartInfo.UseShellExecute = $false
	$StartInfo.FileName = "c:\windows\system32\msiexec.exe"
	$StartInfo.WorkingDirectory = "$msiworkingdir"
	$StartInfo.Arguments = "$parameters"
	$p =  [System.Diagnostics.Process] ::Start($StartInfo)
	$p.WaitForExit()
	if ($p.ExitCode -eq 0) { $TRUE } else { $FALSE }
}

function Execute-Program()
{
	param( [String] $parameters, [String] $program)
	Write-Host "Execute-Program $program $parameters"
	#Write-Host "MSI WorkingDir: $msiworkingdir"
	#$msiworkingdir = Resolve-Path $msiworkingdir
	$program = Resolve-Path $program
	Write-Host "Program: $program"
	$StartInfo = New-Object System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo
	$StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = $true
	$StartInfo.UseShellExecute = $false
	$StartInfo.FileName = $program
	$StartInfo.Arguments = "$parameters"
	$p =  [System.Diagnostics.Process] ::Start($StartInfo)
	$p.WaitForExit()
	if ($p.ExitCode -eq 0) { $TRUE } else { $FALSE }
}
 

The code that checks if .NET FrameWork 3.5 is installed.
A messagebox will be displayed if it is not installed.
If users answers yes to the messagebox the requirement will be installed.

 
#region Check if .NET 3.5 is installed (Requirement for QuestAD and AltirisASDK
function Check-DotNet35{
Write-Host "Check-DotNet35"
$net35 = get-itemproperty "hklm:\\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v3.5"
if($net35 -eq $null){
Write-Host ".NET 3.5 is not installed."
$install =  [Windows.Forms.MessageBox] ::Show(".NET 3.5 Framework is not installed. This is required. Would you like to install it?", "My Application",  [Windows.Forms.MessageBoxButtons] ::YesNo,  [Windows.Forms.MessageBoxIcon] ::Question)
if ($install -eq  [Windows.Forms.DialogResult] ::Yes){
Execute-Program "/PASSIVE /NORESTART" "D:\Software\DotNet\3.5\dotnetfx35SP1.exe"
}
}else{
Write-Host "DotNet 3.5 FrameWork is installed"
}
}
Check-DotNet35
#endregion
 

The code to check if Quest AD is installed.
A messagebox will be displayed if it is not installed.
If users answers yes to the messagebox the requirement will be installed.
Also if the users has an outdated version he will receive a messagebox asking to perform an upgrade.

 
#region Load Quest AD plugin
function Load-QuestAD-Plugin
{
Write-Host "Load-QuestAD-Plugin"
$retVal = (Get-PSSnapin Quest.ActiveRoles.ADManagement 2>$null)
$qadversion = "1.2.2.1254"
#Write-Host $retVal
if ($retVal -eq $null)
{
Write-Host "Quest.ActiveRoles.ADManagement"
Add-PSSnapin Quest.ActiveRoles.ADManagement
$retVal = "$?"
if ($retVal -eq $false)
{
$install =  [Windows.Forms.MessageBox] ::Show("Quest.ActiveRoles.ADManagement is not installed. Would you like to install it?", "My Application",  [Windows.Forms.MessageBoxButtons] ::YesNo,  [Windows.Forms.MessageBoxIcon] ::Question)
if ($install -eq  [Windows.Forms.DialogResult] ::Yes)
{
Write-Host "Installing Quest.ActiveRoles.ADManagement"
Write-Host "msiexec.exe /i `"$WorkingDir\Requirements\arps.$qadversion.msi`" /qn /norestart /l*c:\windows\temp\arsps.log"
$retVal = Execute-Installer "/i `"$WorkingDir\Requirements\arps.$qadversion.msi`" /qn /norestart /l* c:\windows\temp\arsps.log" "c:\temp"
if($retVal -eq $true){
Write-Host "Install finished"
}
}
else
{
Write-Host "No install of Quest.ActiveRoles.ADManagement"
}
}
else
{
Write-Host "QAD installed"
$pssnapinversion = (Get-PSSnapin Quest.ActiveRoles.ADManagement).version
$textversion = $pssnapinversion.Major.tostring() + "." + $pssnapinversion.Minor.tostring() + "." + $pssnapinversion.Build.tostring() + "." + $pssnapinversion.Revision.tostring()
Write-Host "Required version: $qadversion - Current version: $textversion "
if ($textversion -ne $qadversion)
{
$install =  [Windows.Forms.MessageBox] ::Show("Quest.ActiveRoles.ADManagement is not up to date. Would you like to update it?", "My Application",  [Windows.Forms.MessageBoxButtons] ::YesNo,  [Windows.Forms.MessageBoxIcon] ::Question)
#if ($install.tolower() -eq "y")
if ($install -eq  [Windows.Forms.DialogResult] ::Yes)
{
Remove-PSSnapin Quest.ActiveRoles.ADManagement
Write-Host "Installing Quest.ActiveRoles.ADManagement"
Write-Host "msiexec.exe /i `"$WorkingDir\Requirements\arps.$qadversion.msi`" /qn /norestart /l*c:\windows\temp\arsps.log"
$retVal = Execute-Installer "/i `"$WorkingDir\Requirements\arps.$qadversion.msi`" /qn /norestart /l* c:\windows\temp\arsps.log" "c:\temp"
if($retVal -eq $true){
Write-Host "Install finished"
}
}
else
{
Write-Host "No install of Quest.ActiveRoles.ADManagement"
}
}
}
}
}
Load-QuestAD-Plugin
#endregion
 

Check if Altiris ASDK for NS is installed.
A messagebox will be displayed if it is not installed.
If users answers yes to the messagebox the requirement will be installed.
If it is already installed the connections will be made to the server.

 
#region Load Altiris ASDK
function Load-AltirisASDK
{
Write-Host "Load-AltirisASDK"
$altirisserver="ALTIRIS"
$global:nsColl = New-Object -comObject Altiris.ASDK.NS.CollectionManagement
if($? -eq $false){
Write-Host "AltirisASDK is not installed"
$install =  [Windows.Forms.MessageBox] ::Show("Altiris ASDK is not installed. Would you like to install it?", "My Application",  [Windows.Forms.MessageBoxButtons] ::YesNo,  [Windows.Forms.MessageBoxIcon] ::Question)
#if ($install.tolower() -eq "y")
if ($install -eq  [Windows.Forms.DialogResult] ::Yes)
{
#Execute-Program "/S" "$WorkingDir\Requirements\Altiris_ASDK_1_4_209.exe"
$retVal = Execute-Installer "/i `"$WorkingDir\Requirements\Symantec_ASDK_NS_COM_x86.msi`" /qn /norestart /l* c:\windows\temp\asdkNS.log" "c:\temp"
if($retVal -eq $true){
Write-Host "ASDK has been installed"
}else{
Write-Host "ASDK installation failed"
}
}

}else{
$global:nsItem = New-Object -comObject Altiris.ASDk.NS.ItemManagement
$global:nsRes = New-Object -comObject Altiris.ASDK.NS.ResourceManagement
$global:nsReport = New-Object -comObject Altiris.ASDK.NS.ReportManagement
$global:nsReport.targetserver = $altirisserver
$global:nsReport.authenticate()
$global:nsItem.targetserver = $altirisserver
$global:nsItem.authenticate()
$global:nsColl.targetserver = $altirisserver
$global:nsColl.authenticate()
$global:nsRes.targetserver = $altirisserver
$global:nsRes.authenticate()
}
}
Load-AltirisASDK
#endregion
 

 
#Active Directory Domain
$domain = "LCODE" 
#Host name of Altiris Notification Server
$nsserver = "ALTIRISNS" 
#Major resource collection
$maincollection = "LCODE Software Collections" 
#Sub resource collection
$softinstallcollection = "Software Installation"

#This is a schematic of the structure maintained in Notification Server
#The major resource collection is a child of Software Management
#The name of the sub resource collection is just the first part of the full name (Software Installation)
# as this is being matched with the children of the major resource collection
# all children beginning with that name are being enumerated
# eg. "Software Installation" causes "Software Installation 1" and "Software Installation 2" to be enumerated
#
#Resources tab
# Resource Management
#  [-]  Collections
#       [-]  Software Management
#            [-]  LCODE Software Collections
#         [-]  Software Installation 1
#             []  SW Package 1
#             []  SW Package 2
#         [-]  Software Installation 2
#             []  SW Package 3
#             []  SW Package 4
#

#Load Altiris ASDK
$coll = New-Object -comObject Altiris.ASDK.NS.CollectionManagement
$item = New-Object -comObject Altiris.ASDk.NS.ItemManagement
$res = New-Object -comObject Altiris.ASDK.NS.ResourceManagement
$report = New-Object -comObject Altiris.ASDK.NS.ReportManagement

#Establish connections to Altiris Notification Server
$report.targetserver = $nsserver
$report.authenticate()
$item.targetserver = $nsserver
$item.authenticate()
$coll.targetserver = $nsserver
$coll.authenticate()
$res.targetserver = $nsserver
$res.authenticate()

#Retrieve GUID of the Major resource collection
$maincollectionguid = ($item.getItemsByName($maincollection)).GetValue(0).Guid

#Ask user to enter hostnames of old and new pc
$oldpc = Read-Host "Old PC"
$newpc = Read-Host "New PC"

#Retrieve GUIDs of computers
$oldpcguid = $res.getComputerByNameAndDomain($oldpc,$domain)
$newpcguid = $res.getComputerByNameAndDomain($newpc,$domain)

#Check if we don't have an empty GUID for one of the computers
if(($oldpcguid.length -gt 0) -and ($newpcguid.length -gt 0)){

#Retrieve all software collections
$softwarecoll = $item.GetItemsInFolder($maincollectionguid) | foreach-object -process { $item.GetItemsInFolder($_.Guid) | where-object { $_.parentfoldername -match $softinstallcollection } }

#Enumerate all software collections
$softwarecoll | foreach-object -process{
$softguid = $_.guid

#Check if OldPC is in software collection
$result = $coll.getinclusions($softguid,"Resource") | where-object { $_.name -eq $oldpc}
if($result -ne $null){
$softname = $_.Name

#Display and log that OldPC has this piece of software
Write-Host "$oldpc $softname"
Add-Content ".\$newpc.txt" -value "$oldpc $softname"

#Add NewPC to software collection
$coll.addinclusions($softguid,$newpcguid)

#Check if NewPC is in software collection
$result = $coll.getinclusions($softguid,"Resource") | where-object { $_.name -eq $newpc}
if($result -ne $null){

#Display and log that NewPC has this piece of software
Write-Host "$newpc $softname"
Add-Content ".\$newpc.txt" -value "$newpc $softname"
}

#Refresh the software collection
$coll.updatecollections($softguid)
}
#Write-Host "Result:$result"
}
}else{

#One of the GUIDs could not be found. Most likely computername is wrong or it does not exist in Notification Server
Write-Host "Problem finding GUID for Old/New PC"
Write-Host "Old PC: $oldpcguid"
Write-Host "New PC: $newpcguid"
}
 

The virtual directory ‘owa’ already exists under ‘ExchCAS/Default Web Site’ Parameter name: VirtualDirectoryName

The solution that I used to solve this was to delete the offending virtual directory and all other Exchange related virtual directories by issuing the following lines in the Exchange Management Shell.

Get-OwaVirtualDirectory| foreach-object -process { $id=$_.server.tostring() + ‘\’ + $_.name.tostring(); write-host ‘Going to remove $id’;  Remove-OwaVirtualDirectory -Identity $id }

Get-OabVirtualDirectory | foreach-object -process { $id=$_.server.tostring() + ‘\’ + $_.name.tostring(); write-host ‘Going to remove $id’; Remove-OabVirtualDirectory -Identity $id }

Get-AutodiscoverVirtualDirectory | foreach-object -process { $id=$_.server.tostring() + ‘\’ + $_.name.tostring(); write-host ‘Going to remove $id’; Remove-AutodiscoverVirtualDirectory -Identity $id }

Get-UMVirtualDirectory | foreach-object -process { $id=$_.server.tostring() + ‘\’ + $_.name.tostring(); write-host $id;
Remove-UMVirtualDirectory -Identity $id }

Get-ActiveSyncVirtualDirectory | foreach-object -process { $id=$_.server.tostring() + ‘\’ + $_.name.tostring(); write-host $id; Remove-ActiveSyncVirtualDirectory -Identity $id }

Get-WebServicesVirtualDirectory | foreach-object -process { $id=$_.server.tostring() + ‘\’ + $_.name.tostring(); write-host $id;
Remove-WebServicesVirtualDirectory -Identity $id }