How to find a user’s SID (security identifier)?

The Problem:

You need to find out the security identifier (SID) for a user.)

The Solution:

Run the following command:

wmic useraccount get name,sid

--Neno

How to hibernate Windows using command line

Use this command:

rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState

Source: Microsoft KB article 555569

This works on Windows XP and higher.

--Neno

How to store credentials for automated logon in Windows Credential Manager via command line

Beginning with Windows Vista/Server 2008 you can add credentials to Credential Manager on the command line using Cmdkey.exe

Cmdkey /add:Servername /user:User /pass:Password

Sending e-mail via command line

using SendMail.exe

Download: SendMail.exe (ZIP)

Disable Java update notification

As described here and here, this is what you need:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft\Java Update\Policy]
"EnableJavaUpdate"=dword:00000000
"EnableAutoUpdateCheck"=dword:00000000

Searching files in folders defined in PATH

And easy way to do this is using the "where" command:

C:\>where reg.exe
C:\windows\system32\reg.exe

Refernce:

WHERE [/R dir] [/Q] [/F] [/T] pattern...

Description:
    Displays the location of files that match the search pattern.
    By default, the search is done along the current directory and
    in the paths specified by the PATH environment variable.

See example:

(Thanks to Cameron Skinner for this tip.)

Enable BitLocker without a TPM on Windows 7

Problem

You receive an error that BitLocker will not work if no compatible TPM hardware is present.

Workaround

Use an USB stick (that always have to be inserted before booting your machine).

Steps

1. Open group policy editor: Start » gpedit.msc
2. Navigate to:
   • Computer Configuration
   • » Administrative Templates
   • » Windows Components
   • » BitLocker Drive Encryption
   • » Operating System Drives
3. Double-click Require Additional Authentication at Startup.
4. Click Enable.
5. Done!

More information:

• BitLocker Drive Encryption - Windows 7 Drive - Turn On or Off with no TPM

How to set Windows Live Mail store folder

It’s a bit hidden, but Heinz Tschabitscher from About.com knows how:

1. Select Tools | Options... from the menu.
2. Go to the Advanced tab.
3. Click Maintenance....
4. Click on the Store Folder... button.

Control multiple computers with a single keyboard and mouse

What the author says:

“Input Director is a Windows application that lets you control multiple Windows systems using the keyboard/mouse attached to one computer.”

Link: http://www.inputdirector.com/

How to backup your Windows Live Writer configuration (e.g. to another computer)

If you want to save your Windows Live Writer configuration, including Blog settings, Draft blogs, Recent blogs, Plugins, for example while moving from one machine to another, the free Windows Live Writer Backup is your friend.

Download: Windows Live Writer Backup

Screenshot:

Disabling time synchronization in VMware

Sometimes it might be useful to set the date and time in a virtual machine explicitly. Therefore you need to turn of the automatic time synchronization with the host system.

To do so set the following options in the virtual machine's configuration file (.vmx) using your favorite editor:

tools.syncTime = FALSE
time.synchronize.continue = FALSE
time.synchronize.restore = FALSE
time.synchronize.resume.disk = FALSE
time.synchronize.shrink = FALSE
time.synchronize.tools.startup = FALSE

Source: http://geekswithblogs.net/AJGB/archive/2006/10/19/94498.aspx

For more info see:
Timekeeping in VMware Virtual Machines

P.S. For disabling the time synchronization with Virtual PC 2007 see:
http://blogs.msdn.com/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2007/11/28/disabling-time-synchronization-under-virtual-pc-2007.aspx

Windows requires activation after cloning a VM

Even if your base image is activated correctly the clones created from it might require an activation.

A simple workaround is to force VMware to generate a new MAC address. This will probably cause Windows to ask you to re-activate your base image. Once this is done you can clone it without having to re-activate it again.

Turn off beep sound in virtual machine

As described here:

sc config beep start= disabled

Converting Virtual PC virtual machines to VMware

The most reliable way to convert your Virtual PC/Virtual Server/Hyper-V virtual machines to VMware is to use the "VMware vCenter Converter" (available free of charge).

Unable to print or preview in Windows Vista

Problem description:

When trying to print or print preview a page in Internet Explorer you receive an permission error about the Temp\Low folder.

Solution:

Equipped with administrative privileges change the integrity level of the "Low" subfolder %Temp% to low (as explained here):

icacls Low /setintegritylevel (OI)(CI)low

Shortcuts for Full Screen Mode

Full screen, please! But how? Well, it depends...

Program	Shortcut
Remote Desktop Terminal Services Client Hyper-V VM Connection	[Ctrl]+[Alt]+[Break]
Visual Studio	[Shift]+[Alt]+[Enter]
Internet Explorer & Windows Explorer	F11
Windows Media Player	[Alt]+Enter or F11
VMware Workstation	[Ctrl]+[Alt]+[Enter]

Tip: A process using a lot CPU time? Suspend it.

Did you know that you can suspend a running process temporarily so you can focus on something different and resume it later, so that it doesn't steel your CPU time while you are working on something else?

You can use Process Explorer (by sysinternals) to suspend and resume processes easily.

Download or run online: Process Explorer

[Remote Desktop] Quickly copying files when using Remote Desktop

  Did you know that you can copy files from:

• a remote computer to your local computer or
• a remote computer to another remote computer

using Remote Desktop (Windows XP or higher) by simple right-clicking the file and selecting Copy and then selecting Paste on your local machine/the other remote computer?

From the Microsoft KB article 300698:

Copy and Paste Files

You can copy and paste the files between the remote session and local computer, or vice-versa, by using the Copy and Paste feature.

Read the full article at: TechNet

Caution: You should not use the clipboard while a file is being copies using this method, otherwise the file transfer will be cancelled immediately. Additionally you should know that this is not a very fast way to copy large files over the network.

Undelete Files with the free Undelete Plus

You urgently need a tool to undelete files you accidentally deleted?

I had the situation and was quite happy with Undelete Plus. It's free and you don't need to install it.

Save space: Remove the Vista SP1 uninstallation files

Start » Run » Vsp1cln.exe

Vsp1cln.exe is the Windows Vista SP1 File Removal tool.

Warning: You won't be able to uninstall Vista SP1 anymore after this operation.