Windows 8 Quesions - Power Settings / Mandatory Profiles / License Script

[mattpant]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm currently in the process off upgrading our machines to Windows 8.1 (With Update 1) Enterprise Edition, however I've got a couple of questions that I can't see to find answers for:-

 

1 - How to I make changes to the power settings on the new Ctrl + Alt + Del Lock screen before a users goes to login, I would prefer that this screen is ALWAYS on, but I can't seem to find where I need to make changes for it. I know under XP, there was a .Default profile where you could edit power settings for the login screen, I can see that Windows 8 still has the .default reg key, but can't find anything related to power.

 

2 - How can I make a new Mandatory Profile for Windows 8 WORK for when users logon pointing to that Mandatory profile - I have all Staff and Students pointing to a Mandatory profile on the server, I've logon a an admin pointing to the Mandatory profile, so it creates a new .V2 version of the profile, I've modified permissions on the server for Staff / Students - Read Only - and changed it to ntuser.dat, but I'm getting errors when anybody try's to logon using that profile.

 

3 - Is there a script / PowerShell script that I can use so that after deploying the Windows 8 image (I'm using FOG) it will run a script that will automatically populate the Windows (and Office 2013) MAK key and activate it?

 

I'm sure there was one more thing but can't remember right now, but the above few are the one's that are really bugging me at the mo!

 

Thanks

 

Matt

[mattpant]

I've worked out the Power Settings using Group Policy Preferences, which was pretty easy, but new to me as we're upgrading from Server 2003 / Windows XP to Server 2012R2 / Win 8.1 so these options were not previously available to us!

[Arthur]

2. I've logged on as an admin pointing to the mandatory profile, so it creates a new .V2 version of the profile, I've modified permissions on the server for Staff / Students - Read Only - and changed it to ntuser.dat, but I'm getting errors when anybody tries to logon using that profile.

You're going to have to create a .V4 mandatory profile for Windows 8.1 since .V2 profiles aren't compatible. The ntuser.dat file should also be named ntuser.man.

 

Mandatory Profiles with Windows 8.1 Update

 

3. Is there a script / PowerShell script that I can use so that after deploying the Windows 8 image (I'm using FOG) it will run a script that will automatically populate the Windows (and Office 2013) MAK key and activate it?

This should do it...

 

cscript slmgr.vbs /ipk [color="#FF0000"]YOURM-ULTIP-LEACT-IVATI-ONKEY[/color]
cscript slmgr.vbs /ato

 

Is KMS not an option?

 

I'm currently in the process of upgrading our machines to Windows 8.1 (with Update 1) Enterprise Edition

Update 2 is due to be released next week. You may want to wait for that?

[mattpant]

Thanks Arthur,

 

God Dam it - Update 2 around the corner - ahh well I can always push it out afterwards but would have been nice to do it all in one hit...

 

Sorry, I did rename the profile to ntuser.man from .dat, my error in original posting, I'll look into the .V4 profile then, I let 8.1 create the new profile on the server which resulted in it creating the .V2 folder

 

KMS is a possibility so I'll look into that too,

 

Many thanks!

 

Matt

[mattpant]

Update 2 is due to be released next week. You may want to wait for that?.....

 

Doesn't look like Update 2 is happening now, so don't feel too bad about it!

 

http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/08/05/august-updates-for-windows-8-1-and-windows-server-2012-r2/