System Center 2012 with SP1 on MSDN Subscribers

MSDN Subscribers can now download the System Center 2012 Suite with SP1 integrated; no news of separate SP1 installer yet.

Windows Management Framework 3.0 on Exchange 2007 and Exchange 2010

Windows Update began offering the Windows Management Framework 3.0 as an Optional update the key bit here is that the Windows Management Framework 3.0 includes PowerShell 3.0.

Windows Management Framework 3.0 is being distributed as KB2506146 and KB2506143 (which one is offered depends on which server version you are running - Windows Server 2008 SP2 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1).

Windows Management Framework 3.0 (specifically PowerShell 3.0) is not yet supported on any version of Exchange except Exchange Server 2013, which requires it. If you install Windows Management Framework 3.0 on a server running Exchange 2007 or Exchange 2010, you will encounter problems, such as Exchange update rollups that will not install, or the Exchange Management Shell may not run properly.

Errors include Exchange update rollups not installing with the following symptoms:

• If rollup is installed through Microsoft Update, the installation might error with error code 80070643
• If rollup is installed from a download, the error displayed is Setup ended prematurely because of an error.
• In both cases, Event ID 1024 may be logged in the Application event log with the error error code “1603”. For example, if you try to install update roll 5 for Exchange 2010 SP2, you may see the following description in event ID 1024:

  Product: Microsoft Exchange Server - Update 'Update Rollup 5-v2 for Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 2 (KB2785908) 14.2.328.10' could not be installed. Error code 1603. Windows Installer can create logs to help troubleshoot issues with installing software packages. Use the following link for instructions on turning on logging support: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=23127

More information can be found here;

Windows 8 advert – priceless.

I spotted this new Microsoft advert over on Rui Silva’s blog; all I can say is “priceless”.

Exchange 2010 / 2007 UR code 0x80070643

Some people are reporting error code 80070643 when installing the latest update to Exchange 2010; please try the following…

- uninstall Windows Management Framework 3.0 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2506143)
- install Update Rollup 5 version 2 for Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 2 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2785908)
- reinstall Windows Management Framework 3.0 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2506143)

(you may be asked to reboot the server during uninstall/install process)

Windows Server 2012 Remote Desktop Services Showcase Videos

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Overview – Summary of the value of Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server 2012

Quick VDI Wizard – Set up a virtual machine based deployment on a single server.

Set up an RDS VDI deployment – Set up a virtual machine-based deployment.

Set up an RDS session deployment – Set up a session-based deployment.

RemoteFX – Learn about the enhancements made for end user discovery and experience.

More information can be found here;

Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2013 (KB2752058)

Microsoft has released an update for Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2013 . This update provides the latest fixes to Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2013.

Issue that this update fixes
Assume that you migrate some activity types (for example, Ask Me About) from a SharePoint Server 2010 server to a SharePoint Server 2013 server. You enable the Activity Feed timer job to generate activity feed events when users update their profile properties. In this situation, the activity feed events are not successfully generated on the My Newsfeed page in SharePoint Server 2013.

Note This issue only occurs on a default tenant that has on-premises deployments for SharePoint Server 2013.

More information can be found here;

Update Rollup 5 v2 for Exchange 2010 SP2, Exchange 2010 SP1 RU8 and Exchange 2007 SP3 RU9

Today the Exchange CXP team released the following update rollups to the Download Center. All three releases cover Security Bulletin MS12-080. Because this is a security release, the updates will also be available on Microsoft Update.

• Update Rollup 5-v2 for Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 2
• Update Rollup 8 for Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 1
• Update Rollup 9 for Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 3

Update Rollup 5-v2 for Exchange Server 2010 SP2

This update contains a number of customer reported and internally found issues. For a list of updates included in this rollup, see KB 2785908 Description of Update Rollup 5 version 2 for Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 2. We would like to specifically call out the following fixes which are included in this release:

Note: Some of the following KB articles may not be available at the time of publishing this post.

• 2748766 Retention policy information does not show "expiration suspended" in Outlook Web App when the mailbox is set to retention hold in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2712595 Microsoft Exchange RPC Client Access service crashes when you run the New-MailboxExportRequest cmdlet in an Exchange Server 2010 environment
• 2750847 An Exchange Server 2010 user unexpectedly uses a public folder server that is located far away or on a slow network

More information can be found here;

**Given previous issues with Exchange 2010 updates please read comments first before deploying; and if you can I would wait a few more days just in case!

UPDATE: If after Update Rollup 5 v2 your OWA is blank, please try the following – in the Exchange BIN folder on your CAS Server locate and run updatecas.ps1

SkyDrive comes to Xbox 360

The entirely new SkyDrive experience for Xbox 360 spotlights your photos and videos. The app connects the cloud to your Xbox and TV: every photo, video, movie, and other file you put in SkyDrive from Windows or the web will be available on your Xbox-connected TV. Your Windows Phone is also now connected to Xbox and every photo you snap can be available on your TV automatically.

1. Shared photos & videos. Share a meaningful event with your friends or family by viewing photos & videos on your TV, or view photos & videos others have shared with you through SkyDrive. Imagine being able to view cherished photos and videos shared by friends and family —like a musical performance, a kid’s birthday, or baby’s first steps—on your TV.
2. Snap and see. For Windows Phone users, snap a picture and see it appear almost immediately in your camera roll on the big screen. This feels like magic! For example, you could take a quick snapshot of your child making a funny face, fire up the SkyDrive app on your Xbox, and view it right away on your 50” screen. Just make sure you’re using the same Microsoft account sign-in for both Xbox LIVE and your Windows Phone.
3. Party slide show. Plan a great slide show to play in the background of a dinner party. For example, you could start a slide show of a recent trip for friends, or have holiday-themed photos and videos playing during a holiday party.

Plus, the SkyDrive app for Xbox supports Kinect voice controls and gestures as well as remote and controller input. Yes, this means you can view a slide show of your SkyDrive photos just by talking to your Xbox… which is very, very cool. (Kinect voice controls are not available in all languages.

Here's how to get up and running with the SkyDrive app on your Xbox:

1. Turn on your TV and your Xbox.
2. Go to Apps, and then select Browse Apps.
3. In the Social category, select SkyDrive.

More information can be found here;

Exchange Server 2013 Reaches General Availability

For those of you who wish to roll out Exchange Server 2013 in greenfield environments, or in labs and test environments to evaluate new features and test with LOB applications, you can start right away.

If you are running an Exchange 2010 or 2007 environment, you’ll need Exchange Server 2010 SP3 or 2007 roll up in order to upgrade. We know you are eager to get moving to the new version, so we are hard at work putting the finishing touches on Exchange 2010 SP3 and the roll up, which are on track for release in Q1 of calendar year 2013.

More information can be found here and download here;

The EHLO team has been adding more technical content on the new Exchange since the RTM announcement:

• Offline Address Book in Exchange Server 2013 – Bhalchandra Atre
• Managing Federated Sharing with the EAC – Elber Ren and Robert Mazzoli
• Offline Access in Outlook Web App for the New Exchange – Sara Manning
• Public Folders in the New Exchange – Alfons Staerk and Nikhil Aggarwal
• Publishing Exchange Server 2013 using TMG – Greg Taylor

Office 2013 is now available for business customers

Business customers around the world can now purchase the on-premises versions of the new Office products--including Office 2013, Exchange Server 2013, Lync Server 2013, SharePoint Server 2013, Project 2013 and Visio 2013--through Microsoft Volume Licensing.

Broad availability of the new Office through retail and online channels is planned for the first quarter of 2013. The new Office gives customers a comprehensive set of productivity tools to help them do their best work in a world of devices and services.

More information can be found here;