legacy systems needs to go to cloud

.NET and Win32 softwares will be around for long time, for sure..

why container? 1nd

Large systems with decades of code written, composed by 3rd party components can not be changed right away. So containerizing monoliths, are one important step on the jorney to the cloud

why container? 2st

I'm newbie, but as far as I know, the whole thing about containers is ship it as image once and run it everywhere, with environment isolation and integrity.. right?!

the issue

There is no way to properly set globalization settings like Time Zone, Language, or Windows-Location on Server Core containers. Once I can not control the container host, I don't know where my software will run: Azure AKS, AWS, On-Prem, data centers, Windows Desktops,..
So, I need to ensure some container environment settings..

the feeling

I'm very sad.. Microsoft should realize that globalization settings like language and time zone are fundamental to keep the world running..

Otherwise, Windows Server on container is useless, and if you have an OS useless for containers, what do you have?!

I want to go to cloud, I want to go with Windows platform, please don't stop me...

more details and context

https://github.com/moby/moby/issues/40284

We have several users under this scenario where they were working in a remote location with no wifi access and they connect through 4G, then a driver download for the Mobile broadband device kicks in and as it normally happens with network related device driver updates, once Windows starts the process of upgrading it, it will briefly disconnect the device, leaving the user with no connectivity.

Currently, we only have an option to allow/block the entire Windows Updates on metered networks from Windows perspective
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/mdm/policy-csp-update#update-allowautowindowsupdatedownloadovermeterednetwork

It would be great if we can have a granular setting which lets us decide to allow/block Windows driver updates over metered networks.

Default servercore:1809 image came with en-US.

• At this moment, for Server Core 2019, you have to install language pack by yourself: https://docs.microsoft.com/pt-br/windows-server/get-started-19/rel-notes-19.


• The way to do it, is using lpksetup: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4466511/cannot-configure-language-pack-for-windows-server-2019
  


• But lpksetup.exe crashes when running on container

I've described step by step how to reproduce lpksetup.exe error on container, producing crash report logs that I've extracted from container.
All here: https://github.com/sanguedemonstro/docker-playground/issues/1#issuecomment-453078549

With extra details here: https://github.com/sanguedemonstro/docker-playground/blob/master/langpack-on-servercore2019.md#why-am-i-playing-around-this-subject

But I'm not able to understand logs or fix windows base image. And I can't open support ticket once I'm not MS partner.

So if anyone could help I'm here to support.

Thanks!

Today's Windows Updates are horrible and very unreliable and Windows Updates are one of the most riskiest operations. Microsoft should take the inspiration from Linux environment as Linux implementation of OS updates is informative, transparent to administrators, it's very nice to work with and administrators have all relevant info in case of any issue or update management. And Linux updates are very reliable.

But in case of Windows Server updates they are a nightmare. Using sconfig provides only very basic information, when updates are downloaded with no information is provided about progress, about downloading process, details about downloaded packages etc. The installation is the same issue - black box hiding all info about the prrocess and it is very hard to work with as nobody knows if the system is stucked or what is happening inside and administrators must just guess what to do. No information is provided by Windows Server and admins can do just wait and pray.

And finally admins must pray if the updates will install correctly and not harming their production OSes as this is happening in Windows world frequently.

Microsoft must put Windows Updates as one of the top priorities as this is crucial functionality for every OS from point view as security, maintenance, reliability etc. Now this is a nightmare and one of the most unreliable services in Windows OS which makes Windows Server very risky environment to work with.

Make Windows Server to be able to check, download, install updates while the server is running.

like Android project Mainline.

so at first there will be 2 OS drives instead of 1, they'll be clones of each other. when an updates pops up, the OS will download and install it on the other drive that is not used to run the OS. the updates can be installed and completely finished on that drive. the next time a system admin restarts the server, OS will boot up from the other updated drive without ANY downtime for installing or finishing updates. once the system boots up, the OS will update the first drive as well to make it ready for the next update cycle and this same procedure can happen again and again.

this greatly reduces server downtimes and will be a great feature to compete against Linux servers.

technically EVERYTHING that can be done in Linux servers CAN be done in Windows Servers too. the only difference is the time it takes to do it.

for example installing a server role on Windows server can take as little as 5 to 10 minutes but on Linux it can take up to 2 hours to get the same result. and it brings No benefits whatsoever.

Currently the GPOs provided by MS SCT (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/security-compliance-toolkit-10) have differents approaches how to install them.
e.g.
Windows 10 Version 1507 Security Baseline\LocalScript\10ClientInstall.cmd
Windows 10 Version 1809 and Windows Server 2019 Security Baseline\LocalScript\BaselineLocalInstall.ps1
Windows 10 Version 1909 and Windows Server Version 1909 Security Baseline\Scripts{Baseline-LocalInstall.ps1, Baseline-ADImport.ps1, Remove-EPBaselineSettings.ps1}

It would be nice to have common/generic approach how those GPOs can be applied. For example one powershell script that can be used to install any GPO regardless of the Windows patch level or AD status (joind to AD or standalone/local GPO) and specify the details with parameters. Otherwise it every time such GPOs are rolled out it is necessary to follow a different approach on how to install them.
My wish would be to have a generic "entrypoint" that can be used for all GPOs (also GPOs which will be released in the future).

Cheers

Hello,

on a fresh installed and fully patched Windows Server 2019 Std if I enable RDSH role the Windows Search stops working.

Windows Search service looks good and eventlog shows no errors but Indexing Options shows no locations enabled for indexing and I am unable to add them

Things I have already tried

1 - Windows Search service restart

2 - Server restart

3 - Rebuild Index

4 - Enable Windows Search feature

5 - DISM ad SFC

6 - Windows Troubleshoot - shows incorrect permission on C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data folder but is unable to fix them. If I manually fix those permissions, search still not works adn permission are automatically reset to previous not working ones

Thank you in advance for help

UPDATE:

Uninstalling RDSH role fix the issue. Unfortunatelly I need both RDSH and Windows Search

BUG confirmed by other users here:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/4c200f89-5905-42b3-ab27-0d7771c0ecb7/rdsh-role-breaks-windows-search?forum=ws2019&prof=required

Currently volume licensing and most other MS portals don't provide (SHA, MD5 or any) filehashes.
I learned that later this year MS is planning to update the VLSC portal to support this. That's good news.

It would be a bonus to see the hashes on a true public part of the portals or otherwise on www.microsoft.com without any form of subscription.
Reason is that only a limited number of persons have an account that can actually download ISO’s from VLSC. On the other hand, a lot of IT admins cannot download themselves but use these ISO’s and have to rely on the hashes provided by the first group.

Could be done for all types of downloads (.ISO, setup.exe, msi etc).

Hash access without an account would enable everyone to directly verify with the source at MS which enhances integrity and security !