Category: Windows

A Better Way to Copy and Paste in Windows 10 with Cloud Clipboard

Since the very early versions of Windows in the 1980’s, copy and paste has been a very simple process. Highlight the item you’d like to copy, press +, which would copy that item to the Windows Clipboard. When you’d like to paste that item you would then press + and it would magically appear. The Windows clipboard was always limited to storing one thing at a time, such as a single word, paragraph, or a graphic. Since most Windows users only used a single computer, this wasn’t much of a limitation at the time.

There is a set of new features available in the Windows 10 May 2019 update which may be a big benefit to many… the ability to keep multiple items in the Windows Clipboard and select which you’d like to paste into a document. Holding down the + will display the last 25 items copied to the Windows Clipboard.

The feature isn’t enabled by default. To turn it on, type Clipboard Settings into the Windows search box.

Since this new Windows Clipboard now lives in the cloud, you also have the ability to synchronize the clipboard across all of your Windows devices.

For more information, see the Windows 10 Blog post Copy and paste accross Windows devices using Cloud Clipboard

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2019/12/windows/a-better-way-to-copy-and-paste-in-windows-10-with-cloud-clipboard/

Review of Surface Go Tablet

Since the Microsoft Ignite conference in early November, I have been reviewing the Surface Go device to see how useful it is to someone like me. For this review unit, I opted for the matching surface keyboard and pen. My daily driver laptop is a Lenovo ThinkPad T460 which is rock solid and where I run my work applications. The purpose of using the Surface Go was not for it to be a replacement for my work computer, but rather an in-between device. Something that can handle most of my personal computing needs. There are a few different models available, but I chose a model with an Intel Pentium 4415Y CPU, 128 GB of storage, and 8 GB of RAM. This device comes with Windows 10 Home in S-Mode. For this testing period, I kept Windows in this mode so that I was testing an out-of-the-box experience. 

Microsoft Surface Go Tablet (source: Microsoft.com)

Windows S Mode

If you aren’t familiar with S-Mode, you’re not alone. This is a relatively new mode in Windows Home and Pro which only allows the system to run applications from the Windows Store. This means no downloading and installing applications or games from vendor websites. All applications must come from the Windows Store. This has a few different benefits:

  1. The store is somewhat curated, so it is less likely that you will download malicious software.
  2. Running Windows Store applications only means the computer will run more efficiently. This results in very few apps running in the background. On most Windows 10 computers, background applications normally kill battery life, slow the system by taking up compute resources, and slow the boot process (since all these apps need to load when you log in).

With the efficiencies of Windows in S-Mode, the Surface Go boots up very quickly so you can start working quickly. Battery life is also pretty good for such a small battery. 

If Windows S-Mode isn’t for you, it can be disabled so you can run whatever Windows applications you’d like. However, given that this device has such low-end specs, it may not be advisable to do so. 

Display

Screen size is smaller than the other members of the Microsoft Surface family, but I found it adequate for most tasks. At 1800×1200, the resolution is not bad for a screen this size. The drawback is when you zoom in more than 125%, as your apps don’t fit normally on the screen vertically. I have been keeping my screen zoom at 150%, and deal with the screen real estate loss by hiding ribbon bars and such. I find this zoom level perfect for me so I’m not straining to read text with or without my glasses. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the screen. 

Performance

As you may expect, a 1.6 GHz Pentium processor does not provide very much horsepower in this day and age. It is no secret that the Surface Go does not have the power you’d need to run applications like SolidWorks or Photoshop. For example, I ran into issues filtering data on a rather large Excel spreadsheet. Then again, this device isn’t designed to be your daily driver. The performance shortcomings are saved by Windows S-Mode and how it handles applications. 

When connected to a USB-C hub with an external monitor, I did notice graphic distortions when the system was being taxed, even if the screen showed nothing other than the Windows desktop.

Surface Type Cover

As with the other Surface tablets, the Surface Go Type cover protects the screen when closed, and has a built-in keyboard. When open, the keyboard can either lay flat on the table or be wedged up against the screen for a more comfortable typing experience. Surprisingly, the biggest hurdle for me was not Windows running in S-mode or the low-end processor installed, but rather the keyboard. The Surface Go’s Type keyboard is smaller than just about any other computer keyboard I’ve ever used. Not only are keys re-arranged to maximize the use of space, but the keys are considerably smaller and the throw is shorter. It took me a couple of days to get to a point where I could type a complete sentence without typos. 

The keyboard is also loud. This isn’t noise from the key travel, but the fact that there is a void between the keyboard and the table below it, resulting in a drum-like sound when typing. 

Surface Pen

Like previous Surface tablets, the Surface Pen (sold separately) can magnetically attach to the side of the screen. This keeps it handy for whenever you want it. When storing the Surface Go in my bag, the pen would pop off. Storing the device on its side with the pen side up, resolved this problem. Long term, it probably makes more sense to keep the pen in a safe place (like a pen holder slot) in the bag. 

Small Footprint

I found the Surface Go’s size was great for meetings. The smaller footprint is less intrusive in a meeting than a laptop. If you’re a person who prefers using the pen, then there are obvious benefits there as well. Even with the keyboard, I found it very easy to store the Surface Go in my bag along with my laptop. 

The size and weight (about 1.15 lbs.) of this device make it very portable and relatively easy to hold for long periods. I decided to test this device by running a meeting PowerPoint presentation, and it went better than I expected. I was able to easily connect to the wireless display (Wi-Di) and control my PowerPoint slides by holding the tablet in my hand. It also put my notes right in front of me, making the conversation with the audience more natural. I found this much less distracting and more seamless. This is my new preferred way to control slide decks during meetings. 

One issue I ran into while presenting was screen auto-rotate. Whenever I moved the tablet so that It auto rotated from landscape to portrait, the wireless display would refresh resulting in the audience staring at a Windows desktop instead of the presentation. I don’t know if this issue was caused by Windows or PowerPoint, but disabling auto-rotate prevented this from happening.

I read that the Surface pen can also be used to change slides by clicking a button, but I didn’t have time to get that working. 

Storage and Communication

The Surface Go comes with either a 64 GB or 128 GB solid-state drive (SSD), depending on the model you choose. The model I am using has the latter. I did not run into any storage issues during my testing, but there is also a Micro SD slot on the back for additional local storage. 

I opted for the WiFi-only model, but there is a model available with a 4G radio as well. Since I was using this where I knew there was reliable Wi-Fi or could put my phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot mode, I didn’t feel I needed this. If you re considering the Surface Go as a device always on the go and need to stay connected, then you may want to splurge for the 4G model.

Price

As of the time I’m writing this, all Surface Go models come with an Intel Pentium 4415Y processor. 

The Surface Go keyboard, pen, and mouse are all optional and are available in various colors. 

Overall, I found that this is a useful size whether you are presenting, taking notes, or just need a lightweight computer to use around the house. I was expecting to hate this device because of the performance, but I didn’t. The Surface Go is by no means a replacement for a high-end daily driver, but it might meet the needs of those times when you don’t need that heavy computing power. 

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2019/12/mobile-computing/review-of-surface-go-tablet/

Save Money with Azure VMs by Using Azure Hybrid Use Benefit

Traditionally Windows VMs (virtual machines) in Azure would include a Windows Server Datacenter license.  The cost of this license was built into the hourly/monthly fee for that VM.  This made systems easy to roll out using the GUI wizards and made licensing a cinch.  If you are moving existing virtual machine workloads to the cloud, this can be expensive since you paying again for licenses you’ve already purchased.

According to their new announcement, Microsoft says “now you can move your existing Windows Server licenses to Azure when you extend your datacenter to the cloud. With the Azure Hybrid Use Benefit, you can use on-premises Windows Server licenses that include Software Assurance to run Windows Server virtual machines in Azure at the base compute rate.” Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2017/06/windows/save-money-with-azure-vms-by-using-azure-hybrid-use-benefit/

PowerShell in Action – June 2nd @ Microsoft Burlington, MA

PowerShell in Action

PowerShell in Action – June 2, 2017 – Microsoft Burlington

Join us for a day of PowerShell.  Just as it is a tool for you to do amazing things, we are going to use it as a tool to explore amazing technologies.  If you are looking to learn PowerShell, we have an entire track dedicated for you.  If you already know the basics, go deep and learn more in our full professional track.  There will be sessions on Azure, Containers, Nano Server, and hands-on lab sessions where you will be able to put the practices you learn to use on your own equipment.  Don’t forget to Bring a laptop and power supply.  Also, for security to get in the building, you will need to present an official ID.

Whether you are on the Dev or the Ops side, there is plenty here to learn.

Purpose: Introduce and Dive Deep into PowerShell leveraging the latest and greatest technologies such as Windows Server 2016, Office 365, Nano Server, Containers, DevOps, Azure Cloud

Target Audience: Those that work in the IT sector.

  1. Professional System Administrators, security professionals, virtualization professionals, or others that are part of the “Operations” side of the business.
  2. Developers (generally enterprise, but all are welcome) who want to learn how they can make their life better by learning PowerShell, Containers, DevOps and other technologies
  3. Those that what to learn introduction or deep dive on the technologies covered in this event.
  4. Early career IT or Dev

Audience Expectations: Learn about PowerShell and how to leverage PowerShell for managing,  automating other technologies that are growing rapidly.  Most of the content presented will have some element or lessons in PowerShell. Take home the lab guide, a USB drive with all content and scripts.

 

Platinum Sponsor: Microsoft 

Microsoft

 


Keynote Presentation by: Tim Mangan

A Walk-through of a real-world example of PowerShell to automate VM Management and application packaging

Tim ManganThe Windows ADK for the 1703 release includes PowerShell based scripts for automation in a Hyper-V environment. Although intended for App-V packaging, these scripts make a great example for general automation of VMs including the following:

  • OS Image creation
  • Unattended VM creation and OS installation
  • Creating a local account in the VM and enabling remote management
  • Setting VM Parameters (ex: memory, CPU, NIC, AutoStart)
  • Creating a checkpoint
  • Reverting and starting the VM
  • Copying files into the VM and injecting commands

Event Information

We will focus on Automating via PowerShell but also cover DevOps practices, Containers, Windows Server 2016 Nano and how Azure helps deliver and leverage all of these technologies. There will be a fee to cover expenses (USB drives, Drawing prizes, Snacks, Drinks, Lab Guides, etc.) (equivalent to other all day classes for $1200).  Wow, we landed a great partner and sponsor, Microsoft!  As a result, we are now able to offer a new reduced Price,  $25.00!!!! (was $50).  Still looking for other sponsors too 🙂

All Attendees Will Get

  • A full day of training on PowerShell and many other great and new technologies
  • USB Thumbdrive with all content scripts, slides, additional resources, etc.
  • Printed and bound Lab Guide so you can do more labs on your own
  • Door prizes and the opportunity to win great drawing prizes

Overall breakdown of the day…

  • Introductions
  • Keynote: Tim Mangan
  • Breakouts (two tracks): Professional | Getting Started
  • Lunch & Hands-On Labs (Thanks to Microsoft)
  • Hands-On Labs
  • Raffle Drawing Prizes

All-Star Speaker Lineup …

  • Tim Mangan
  • Gene Laisne
  • Robert Borges
  • Dan Stolts
  • Lee Benjamin
  • Warren Frame
  • Bill Wilder
  • Jason Haley
  • Jeffery Hicks
  • More…

Topics and Technologies…

  • PowerShell
  • Containers
  • Hyper-V
  • Nano Server
  • PowerShell on Linux
  • Azure
  • Docker
  • DevOps
  • Office365

 

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2017/05/learning-resources/powershell-in-action-june-2nd-microsoft-burlington-ma/

Windows 10 Features: Wi-Fi Sense

One of the more controversial features of Windows 10 is Wi-Fi Sense. Though it has been on Windows Phone for some time, this is a new feature of Windows 10. Wi-Fi Sense allows you to share access to a wireless network with your friends on social media sites like Facebook. Wi-Fi Sense also allows you to connect to wireless networks shared by your social media friends. Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2017/04/windows/windows-10-wifi-sense/

Why Do Servers Need More Memory As Time Goes On?

Have you ever noticed how a server tends to slow down over time? No, this isn’t simply your server getting old and tired. This is often caused by the same server needing more and more memory (RAM) as time passes. There are good reasons why this happens, and ways to minimize the effects. Here are a few common reasons why a server requires more memory as time goes on. Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2014/08/windows/windows-server-2008-r2/why-do-servers-need-more-memory-as-time-goes-on/

Importing & Exporting Hyper-V VMs in Windows Server 2012 R2

HyperV_LogoThough often a less frequently used feature of Hyper-V, the import and export functions offer some very useful benefits.  In Windows Server 2012 R2 these benefits get even better.  I will explain how this functionality works, and why it is useful.  I’ll also discuss how these functions are very different from the commonly used checkpoints in Hyper-V. Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2013/10/windows/windows-server-2012/importing-exporting-hyper-v-virtual-machines-in-windows-server-2012-r2/

Upgrading to Windows 8.1 RTM from Windows 8.1 Preview

On September 17, 2013, contrary to former public statements, Microsoft released the RTM (released to manufacture) version of Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows Server 2012 R2 to TechNet and MSDN subscribers.  This is before the October General Availability (GA) release date. Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2013/10/windows/windows-8/upgrading-to-windows-8-1-rtm-from-windows-8-1-preview/

Windows Server 2012 Feature: Share Nothing Live Migration in Hyper-V

Live Migration is the process of moving a virtual machine (VM) from one Hyper-V virtualization host to another Hyper-V host without any perceived downtime of the VM being moved. Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2013/08/windows/windows-server-2012/windows-server-2012-feature-share-nothing-live-migration-in-hyper-v/

Shutdown Computers from Command Line

SHUTDOWN Notification in Windows 8

SHUTDOWN Notification in Windows 8

I was recently surprised by how many seasoned IT Pros didn’t know that they had the ability to shut down a server or workstation from the command line using the SHUTDOWN command. Not only is it possible to shut down the local machine from the command line, but it is also possible to shutdown other machines on your domain as well. Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2013/07/windows/shutdown-computers-from-command-line/

Using SYSPREP in Audit Mode Before Creating a System Image

SYSPREP is a Windows utility that allows a computer to be generalized. If you’re restoring system images (using Ghost or a similar technology) to multiple PCs on a network, then it is imperative that you first run SYSPREP to generalize the system. Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2013/07/windows/using-sysprep-in-audit-mode-before-creating-a-system-image/

Windows Server 2012 R2 (Blue) Preview Available for Download

Microsoft has released the preview of Windows Server 2012 R2 to the public. This is available for download for users with a Live ID at Microsoft’s Windows Server 2012 Preview site.

If you’re not familiar with Microsoft’s “Preview Releases”, then let me explain a little. The preview is not a finished copy, but rather a beta version which contains most (if not all) of the features and improvements we should expect to see in the final version for GA (general availability). Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2013/06/windows/windows-server-2012/windows-server-2012-r2-blue-preview-available-for-download/

Closing a Crashed or Hung Application Using the Windows 8 Task Manager

Task Manager in Windows 8 (less details  view)

Task Manager in Windows 8 (less details view)

Regardless of how much time and money software companies put into writing their programs, we still have application crashes. An application crash is when a program or part of the operating system ceases to function properly. Preventing application crashes is usually difficult since the only way to permanently ensure you never get a crash again is to fix the bug in the software. We may not be able to prevent these crashes from happening but dealing with a crashed application, in Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012, is easier to deal with than many realize.

If you have a program which has crashed, you can close that program from the Windows Task Manager in Windows 8 or in Windows Server 2012.  If you have used Task Manager in previous versions of Windows, you will see significant differences in the new version.  By default, Task Manager displays a minimalist view (called less detail view), which only displays applications running (not processes).

You can access Task Manager by pressing the <CTRL>+<ALT>+<DEL> keys on your keyboard. You will either be brought directly into the Windows Task Manager or to a menu where you can open Task Manager. Once Task Manager has opened, click on the Processes tab. This will display all processes running on your computer. If you do not see any tabs in Task Manager, this is because Task Manager is in its less detail mode.  You can change to the detail mode by simply clicking on the “More Details” button at the bottom of the window.

Task Manager in Windows 8 (more details  view)

Task Manager in Windows 8 (more details view)

To close the process for the hung or crashed application, highlight the appropriate line (for Microsoft Word choose WINWORD.EXE), then click on the End Process button. You will be prompted to make sure you really want to close this program. Click on the End Process button on this confirmation if you are sure. If there are multiple lines for the same program, make sure you highlight each (one at a time) and end that process as well.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2013/05/windows/windows-8/closing-a-crashed-or-hung-application-using-the-windows-8-task-manager/

Windows Server 2012 Feature: Storage Spaces

There has always been a need to consolidate disks into a single large disk in order to store more data than any single drive can contain.  In the past we used hardware or software RAID to accomplish this.  Hardware RAID can be expensive due to the extra controller needed.  Software RAID is slow, and requires all disks to be identical. Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2013/04/windows/windows-server-2012/windows-server-2012-feature-storage-spaces/

Windows Server 2012 New Feature: Hyper-V Replica for Failover

For mission critical systems, we often want to try to achieve the highest level of up time as possible, and the best disaster recovery strategy.  Often this involves expensive software which replicates servers or data for failover purposes.  This means Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.robertborges.us/2013/04/windows/windows-server-2012/windows-server-2012-new-feature-hyper-v-replica-for-failover/