IIS HTTP Error 503 due to Limits in our SCCM Distribution Point

One of our IIS server have HTTP Error 503 (a SCCM Distribution Point)

Multiple check....All Seems OK.....
After some research, we found a colleague modified "Limits" in "Default Web Site" like these screenshots:

He checked "Limit bandwidth usage" (this is NOT the problem) but he checked "Limit number of connections" and set low value (50 is too low for this application, there is more connections all day long)

Normally, there is NO limitation in "Default Web Site" as below screenshot:

Reinitializing parameter (uncheck "limit number of connections"), and now IIS is OK



Conclusion:
Does not modify IIS "Limit number of connections" if you don't have a real good reason (license reason for example) and only if you must know how many users use your application in same time.
You can use "Limit bandwidth usage" to limit bandwidth usage if you need to restrict Distribution Point bandwidth (reason:VPN, low bandwidth cable use by multiple application...)

Powershell Internationalization

When you need you script work in all computers around the world, please define a cultureinfo ("en-US" cultureinfo for example)

(below an example in my 'french' computer)

$date = Get-Date            

$culture = New-Object System.Globalization.cultureinfo("en-US")         
$date

samedi 4 mai 2013 09:55:18

$date.Tostring("dddd",$culture)

Saturday

$date.Tostring("D",$culture)

Saturday, May 04, 2013

$culture = New-Object System.Globalization.cultureinfo("fr-FR")
$date

samedi 4 mai 2013 09:55:18

$date.Tostring("dddd",$culture)

samedi

$date.Tostring("D",$culture)

samedi 4 mai 2013

Culture List here or in this old cultureinfo Framework information.To play with different pattern culture go to datetimeformatinfo

Disable/Bypass all RDP prompt

There is an article on Microsoft which explain how to remove credentials:
Remote Desktop Connection 6.0 prompts you for credentials before you establish a remote desktop connection http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941641
To resume, edit your default.rdp file (hide file on your "My document" directory" Then add or modify lines using these line

authentication level:i:0
enablecredsspsupport:i:0

But, what about trust computer window ? Each time you connect a new computer you must check "Don't prompt me again for connections to this computer". What a pity that Microsoft

To avoid that problem, I created a "5 minute powershell script" below

#
# Generate registry for RDP Prompt
# 
# by Franck RICHARD 
# 2012 November
#
 
# Script Directory
$strCurDir = Split-Path -parent $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path
 
# Generate Files
$date_for_file = get-date -format "yyyyMMdd"
 
$Content =  @"
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\LocalDevices]
"@ + "`r`n"  
 
$stComputer = Get-Content computer.txt
Foreach ($strLine in $stComputer) {
 If ($strLine.length -gt 0) { # take only line with data and without # at begininng of the line
  If ($strLine.substring(0,1) -ne "#") {
              $Content = $Content + '"' + $strLine.Trim() +'"=dword:0000000d' + "`r`n" 
         }
 }
}

$RegistryFile = "RDP_dontprompttrusted_" + $date_for_file + ".reg"
New-Item $RegistryFile -Type file -Force | Out-Null
$Content | Out-File -encoding ASCII -Append $RegistryFile

You just need a computer.txt file like below with all your computers

computer1
computer2

To generate this file, you can for example use this command (on a server), which generate ALL computers in your AD

dsquery computer -limit 0 -o rdn > domain_computers.txt

or this command for servers only:

dsquery * domainroot -limit 0 -filter "(&(objectCategory=computer)(operatingSystem=Windows Server*))" -attr Name > domain_servers.txt

Powershell file generate a RDP_dontprompttrusted_DATE.reg file you just to run to avoid prompt

Simple Powershell Password Obfuscation

There is many ways to encrypt password in SHA1, MD5 or any other encrypter in powershell using .NET libraries.
This time, I only need a simple and fast obfuscation powershell encoder/decoder to avoid plain text password. I choose this simple solution:
I encode in decimal letter then I add 1
Ex: A = 41 (byte char in hexadecimal) = 65 (byte char in decimal)
obfuscation add 1 so obfuscation result = 65+1 = 66
obfuscation decoder sub 1 so 66-1 = 65 = A
((download scripts)

to encode

$strEncoded = ""
$strToEncode = "ABCD"
$strToEncode.ToCharArray() | Foreach { $strEncoded = $strEncoded + ([BYTE][CHAR]($_)+1)  + " " }
Write-Host $strEncoded

encode result:

66 67 68 69

to decode

$strDecoded = ""
$strToDecode = "66 67 68 69"
$strToDecode.Trim().Split(" ") | Foreach { $strDecoded = $strDecoded + [CHAR][BYTE](($_)-1) }
Write-Host $strDecoded 

decode result:

ABCD

Example of obfuscation encoder for your password

#
# Simple Password Obfuscation encoder
# 
# by Franck RICHARD 
# 2012 February
#

$strComputername = Read-Host "Enter Computername"
$username = Read-Host "Enter Username"
$password = read-host "Enter a Password"

# To encode password
$strToEncode = $password
$strEncoded = ""
$strToEncode.ToCharArray() | Foreach { $strEncoded = $strEncoded + ([BYTE][CHAR]($_)+1)  + " " }

$line = $strComputername + ";" + $username + ";" + $strEncoded
Write-Host $line

result with computer mycomputer, user myuser and password mypasswor;

Enter Computername: mycomputer
Enter Username: myuser
Enter a Password: mypassword
mycomputer;myuser;110 122 113 98 116 116 120 112 115 101

Example of obfuscation decoder for your password
you need a test file servers.txt using line generated above

mycomputer;myuser;110 122 113 98 116 116 120 112 115 101
mycomputer2;myuser2;111 102 120 113 98 116 116 120 112 115 101

#
# Simple Password Obfuscation decoder
# 
# by Franck RICHARD 
# 2012 February
#

$strContent = Get-Content servers.txt
Foreach ($strLine in $strContent) {
 $strInfos = $strLine.Trim().Split(";") 
 $strDecoded = ""
 $strToDecode = $strInfos[2]
 $strToDecode.Trim().Split(" ") | Foreach { $strDecoded = $strDecoded + [CHAR][BYTE](($_)-1) }
 Write-Host "Computername:" $strInfos[0] "User:" $strInfos[1] "Password:" $strDecoded
}

HP SIM 6.3 browser security setting error

An error "Your browser's security settings for the zone it chose for this connection are not compatible with the HP SIM popup menu"

HP Systems Insight Manager v6.3 installation have been done on an Windows 2008 R2. So this is an internet explorer 8. (there are some troubles with internet explorer 9)
And Security options have been set to medium-low.

Same problem with Firefox

SIM63_hotfix_2011_Aug_win.exe have been installed also

Problem is solved with SIM63_hotfix_2011_Oct_win.exe (ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib2/software1/pubsw-windows/p1002362299/v73061)

ESX or Linux update Automation for windows users: su root and password

Today, I improved an old post. (I recommend you to read it before this post)
These scripts work correctly but for security reasons I could not use this work. Indeed, we must log before with an user then su in root. Moreover, with these previous scripts, that was not possible to transfert any other files like binaries files. So I decided to work on this problem to avoid to manually update 150 esx.
Sure, some trick exist like "expect" (not included in esx) or cpan perl expect, but it was simpliest to me to improve my scripts.

To use my scripts, just create a file yourfile.zip containing a script yourfile.sh and all needed files
process of these scripts:
script use a computer listing file (here servers.txt file) including all your computers you need to update
Script upload on your esx or linux computers yourfile.zip to /tmp directory, then decompress yourfile.zip and run yourfile.sh file

In update_esx_v2.zip, I give you a script example which permit you to update ESX with 2 patchs
[EDIT 15 february 2012] I re-upload zip file and add some informations in this post

In update.zip, file update.sh script contains all commands to do update

#!/bin/sh
# Update
cd ESX350-201012404-BG/
esxupdate --nosig update
cd ..
cd ESX350-201012410-BG/
esxupdate --nosig update
cd ..

In update.zip, there is also all necessary files used by update.sh

update\
update\update.sh
update\ESX350-201012404-BG\
update\ESX350-201012404-BG\contents.xml
update\ESX350-201012404-BG\contents.xml.sig
update\ESX350-201012404-BG\descriptor.xml
update\ESX350-201012404-BG\VMware-esx-scripts-3.5.0-317866.i386.rpm
update\ESX350-201012404-BG\headers\
update\ESX350-201012404-BG\headers\contents.xml
update\ESX350-201012404-BG\headers\contents.xml.sig
update\ESX350-201012404-BG\headers\header.info
update\ESX350-201012404-BG\headers\VMware-esx-scripts-0-3.5.0-317866.i386.hdr
update\ESX350-201012410-BG\
update\ESX350-201012410-BG\contents.xml
update\ESX350-201012410-BG\contents.xml.sig
update\ESX350-201012410-BG\descriptor.xml
update\ESX350-201012410-BG\vmware-keying-data-1-20100930.noarch.rpm
update\ESX350-201012410-BG\headers\
update\ESX350-201012410-BG\headers\contents.xml
update\ESX350-201012410-BG\headers\contents.xml.sig
update\ESX350-201012410-BG\headers\header.info
update\ESX350-201012410-BG\headers\vmware-keying-data-0-1-20100930.noarch.hdr

Now, you can run "run_update.cmd" which run your updates with user esxadmin
(only if this user can do all that you want - if user to connect your esx is not esxadmin change line with set usern=esxadmin)

@echo off
set usern=esxadmin
set zipfile=update.zip
set computerfile=servers.txt

if "%1"=="" goto :nopass
set password=%1

cscript //nologo update_esx.vbs %computerfile% %zipfile% %usern% %password%
goto :eof

:nopass
echo you need a password for user %usern%
goto :eof

To run your update with user esxadmin then su root

@echo off
set usern=esxadmin
set userroot=root
set zipfile=update.zip
set computerfile=servers.txt

if "%1"=="" goto :nopass
if "%2"=="" goto :nopass2
set password=%1
set pwdroot=%2

cscript //nologo update_esx.vbs %computerfile% %zipfile% %usern% %password% %userroot% %pwdroot%
goto :eof

:nopass
echo you need a password for user %usern%
goto :eof

:nopass2
echo you need a password for user %userroot% 
goto :eof

all computers to update are in file servers.txt below

computer1
computer2
computer3

Main script update_esx.vbs that permit to transfert and decompress "yourfile.zip" and execute "yourfile.sh" on your linux or esx

'
' update_esx.vbs
'
' by F.RICHARD
'
' v1.00 2007 Nov - Initial release
' v1.01 2008 Jan - Display Standard output
' v2.00 2011 Nov - Modify script to use and send ZIP file
'
Option Explicit

Const ForReading = 1
Const ForWriting = 2

'
' Detect WScript or CScript
'
If InStr(LCase(WScript.FullName), "wscript")>0 Then  ' ex: FullName = C:\WINNT\system32\wscript.exe 
 WScript.Echo "This script must be run under CScript."
 WScript.Quit
End If

'
' Get Command Line Args
'
Dim Args
Set Args = Wscript.Arguments
If Args.Count < 4 Then
 Wscript.Echo "Syntax : " & WScript.ScriptName & " input_computer_list_file zip_file_to_send_uncompress_and_execute user password"
 Wscript.Echo "Syntax : " & WScript.ScriptName & " input_computer_list_file zip_file_to_send_uncompress_and_execute user password [root] [root password]"
 Wscript.Echo "         Example : cscript " & WScript.ScriptName & " servers.txt myfile.zip user password"
 Wscript.Echo "         Example : cscript " & WScript.ScriptName & " servers.txt myfile.zip user password root rootpass"
 Wscript.Echo ""
 Wscript.Echo "computer_list_file: line begin by # or ; indicate start of a comment, everything after is ignored"
 Wscript.Echo ""
 Wscript.Quit
End If


' Args(0) = computer list
Dim strInputList
strInputList = Trim(args(0))

' Args(1) = zip file to send and execute
Dim strScriptToExecute, strCompressFile, strDirectory, strCompressFileExt
strCompressFile = Trim(args(1))
strCompressFileExt = Right(strCompressFile, Len(strCompressFile)-InStr(1, strCompressFile, ".") )
If (StrComp(strCompressFileExt, "zip", vbTextCompare) <> 0) Then
 WScript.Echo "File to send: '" & strCompressFile & "'is not a .zip file"
 WScript.Quit
End If
strDirectory = Left(strCompressFile, InStr(1, strCompressFile, ".")-1)
strScriptToExecute = strDirectory & ".sh"

' Args(2) = user
Dim strUser
strUser = Trim(args(2))

' Args(3) = password
Dim strPassword
strPassword = Trim(args(3))

' Args(4) = root name
' Args(5) = root password
Dim strRootPassword, strRootName
If Args.Count > 5 Then
 strRootName = Trim(args(4))
 strRootPassword = Trim(args(5))
End If


'
' Get Path
'
Dim strScriptFullName, strScriptPath
strScriptFullName = WScript.ScriptFullName ' ex: C:\Program Files\MyFolder\MyProg.exe
strScriptPath = Left(strScriptFullName, InStrRev(strScriptFullName, "\") - 1) ' ex: C:\Program Files\MyFolder

Dim objFso
Set objFso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")


'
' Test If all Files Exist
'
If Not isFileExist(strInputList) Then
 strInputList = strScriptPath & "\" & strInputList
 If Not isFileExist(strInputList) Then
  WScript.Echo "Computer list:" & strInputList & " File Not Exist !"
  WScript.Quit
 End If   
End If   
WScript.Echo "Computer list:" & strInputList & " File Exist"

If Not isFileExist(strCompressFile) Then
 strCompressFile = strScriptPath & "\" & strCompressFile
 If Not isFileExist(strCompressFile) Then
  WScript.Echo "Compress file:" & strCompressFile & """" & " File Not Exist !"
  WScript.Quit
 End If   
End If   
WScript.Echo "Script to uncompress:" & strCompressFile & " File Exist"

Dim strPlink
strPlink= strScriptPath & "\" & "plink.exe"
If Not isFileExist(strPlink) Then
 WScript.Echo "PuTTY Link:" & strPlink & " File Not Exist !"
 WScript.Quit
End If     
WScript.Echo "PuTTY Link:" & strPlink & " File Exist"

Dim strPscp
strPscp= strScriptPath & "\" & "pscp.exe"
If Not isFileExist(strPscp) Then
 WScript.Echo "PuTTY Secure Copy client:" & strPscp & " File Not Exist !"
 WScript.Quit
End If     
WScript.Echo "PuTTY Secure Copy client:" & strPscp & " File Exist"


Dim objShell, ComSpec
Set objShell = CreateObject( "WScript.Shell" )
ComSpec=objShell.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%ComSpec%")

'
' Read computer list file into dictionary
'
Dim objDictionary, return
return = ReadFileToDict(strInputList, objDictionary)
If return = 0 Then
 WScript.Echo "Error during computer list file read"
 WScript.Quit
End If


'
' Generate .sh file to execute
'
Dim strContent, strScriptToDecFile
strScriptToDecFile = "decfile.sh"
strContent = "#!/bin/sh" & vbLf & _
 "# Unzip " & strCompressFile & " then enter in " & strDirectory & " directory and execute " & strScriptToExecute & " file" & vbLf & _
 "cd /tmp" & vbLf & _
 "unzip -o " & strCompressFile & vbLf
return = WriteStrToFile(strScriptToDecFile, strContent)


' Display file
Dim objItem, strServer, objCmd, strCmdline, continue, strGenerateKey
For Each objItem in objDictionary
 strServer = objDictionary.Item(objItem)
 Wscript.Echo ""
 WScript.Echo "Server:" & strServer
 
 ' Test Connection
 strCmdline = ComSpec & " /c """ & strPlink & """ -batch -C -pw " & strPassword & " " & strUser & "@" & strServer & " pwd "
 strGenerateKey = ComSpec & " /c echo y | """ & strPlink & """ " & strServer & " -pw " & strPassword & " " & strUser

 WScript.Echo "Test Connection on server " & strServer
 return = DoConnection(strCmdline, strGenerateKey, strServer, True)

 If (return > 0) Then
  strGenerateKey=""
  Do
   WScript.Echo "Re-verify Connection on server " & strServer
   return = DoConnection(strCmdline, strGenerateKey, strServer, True)
  Loop While (return > 0 and return < 255)
  If (return > 0) Then
   WScript.Echo "Transfer " & strScriptToDecFile & " script on server " & strServer
   strCmdline = ComSpec & " /c """ & strPscp & """ -batch -C -pw " & strPassword & " " & strScriptToDecFile & " " & strUser & "@" & strServer & ":/tmp"
   return = DoConnection(strCmdline, strGenerateKey, strServer, True)

   WScript.Echo "Transfer " & strCompressFile & " script on server " & strServer
   strCmdline = ComSpec & " /c """ & strPscp & """ -batch -C -pw " & strPassword & " " & strCompressFile & " " & strUser & "@" & strServer & ":/tmp"
   return = DoConnection(strCmdline, strGenerateKey, strServer, True)

   WScript.Echo "Execute " & strScriptToDecFile & " script on server " & strServer
   strCmdline = ComSpec & " /c """ & strPlink & """ -batch -C -pw " & strPassword & " " & strUser & "@" & strServer & " " & "cd /tmp; sh " & strScriptToDecFile
   return = DoConnection(strCmdline, strGenerateKey, strServer, True)

   ' if root / or not root
   If Args.Count > 5 Then

    objShell.Run "putty.exe -ssh " & strUser & "@" & strServer
    WScript.Sleep 5000
    objShell.AppActivate strServer & " - PuTTY"
    WScript.Sleep 5000
    objShell.SendKeys "" &  strPassword & "{ENTER}"
    WScript.Sleep 5000     
    objShell.SendKeys "su - " & strRootName & "{ENTER}"
    WScript.Sleep 5000     
    objShell.SendKeys "" & strRootPassword & "{ENTER}"
    WScript.Sleep 5000     
    objShell.SendKeys "cd /tmp/" & strDirectory & "; sh " & strScriptToExecute & "{ENTER}"
    WScript.Sleep 5000     
   Else
    WScript.Echo "Execute " & strScriptToExecute & " script on server " & strServer
    strCmdline = ComSpec & " /c """ & strPlink & """ -batch -C -pw " & strPassword & " " & strUser & "@" & strServer & " " & "cd /tmp/" & strDirectory & "; sh " & strScriptToExecute
    return = DoConnection(strCmdline, strGenerateKey, strServer, True)
   End If
  End If
 End If

Next



'
' Quit
'
WScript.Sleep 1000
WScript.Quit

'--------------------

' DoConnection
'
' 
'
Function DoConnection(strCmdline, strGenerateKey, strServer, displayLogfile)
 Dim objCmd, return, Continue

 'WScript.Echo "cmdline->" & strCmdline
 Set objCmd = objShell.Exec(strCmdline)
 Do While objCmd.Status = 0
  return = objCmd.stdErr.ReadAll
  WScript.Sleep 100
 Loop
 If (displayLogfile) Then
  Dim strStdOut
  strStdOut = objCmd.StdOut.ReadAll()
  If (len(strStdOut) > 0) Then
   Wscript.Echo strStdOut
  End If
 End If

 continue = 0
 If Instr(return, "Access denied" ) > 0 Then ' Access denied
  WScript.Echo "ERROR on server " & strServer & vbCrLf & return
  continue = 0

 Elseif Instr(return, "Unable to open connection" ) > 0 Then ' Unable to open connection
  WScript.Echo "ERROR on server " & strServer & vbCrLf & return
  continue = 0

 Elseif Instr(return, "ERROR" ) > 0 Then ' FATAL ERROR: Network error: Connection timed out
  WScript.Echo "ERROR on server " & strServer & vbCrLf & return
  continue = 0

 Elseif Instr(return, "fingerprint" ) > 0 Then
  If (len(strGenerateKey) > 2) Then
   WScript.Echo "GENERATE key fingerprint on server " & strServer
   'WScript.Echo "generatekey->" & strGenerateKey
   objShell.Exec(strGenerateKey)
   continue = 1
  Else
   WScript.Echo "NOT GENERATE key fingerprint " & strServer
   continue = 2
  End If
 Else
  continue = 255
  'WScript.Echo "Logged on " & strServer & " - " & return
 End if

 DoConnection = continue
End Function



'--------------------

' isFileExist
'
' Test if File Exist
'
Function IsFileExist(strInputFile)
 Dim objFSO
 Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
 If Not objFSO.FileExists(strInputFile) Then
  Wscript.echo strInputFile & " file not exist !"
  IsFileExist = False
 Else
  IsFileExist = True
 End If
End Function


'--------------------

' ReadFileToDict
'
' Read each line -> put in Dictionary
' strInputfile = file to read
' objDictionary = dictionary for results
'
Function ReadFileToDict(strInputFile, ByRef objDictionary)
 Dim objFSO, objTextFile, strNextLine, i
 Set objDictionary = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")
 Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
 If isFileExist(strInputFile) Then
  Set objTextFile = objFSO.OpenTextFile(strInputFile, ForReading)
  i = 0
  Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
   strNextLine = Trim(objTextFile.Readline)
   If ( (Not Left(strNextLine, 1) = "#") _
    and (Not Left(strNextLine, 1) = ";") _
    and (Len(strNextLine)>1) _
    ) Then
    objDictionary.Add i, strNextLine
    i = i + 1
   End If
  Loop
  objTextFile.Close
  ReadFileToDict = True
 Else
  ReadFileToDict = False
 End If
End Function


'--------------------

' WriteStrToFile
'
' Write string to file
' strOutputFile = file to write
' strContent = string to write
'
Function WriteStrToFile(strOutputFile, ByRef strContent)
 Dim objFSO, objTextFile
 Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
 Set objTextFile = objFSO.CreateTextFile(strOutputFile, True)  ' delete file
 objTextFile.Write(strContent)
 objTextFile.Close
End Function


'--------------------

Check your Onboard Administrator / Virtual Connect password

If you want to check your Onboard Administrator / Virtual Connect password, or test some passwords, because you don't really remember the real good one, I modified my previous script Plink_reg.cmd to make work for you.

For this, just change line 43 to 47 in file Plink_reg.cmd (or download TestOAVCPass.zip)

Echo Reg plink %1 (%date% %time%)
Echo ----------------------------- >> %LOGFILE% 2>>&1
Echo Reg plink %1 (%date% %time%) >> %LOGFILE% 2>>&1
plink.exe -ssh -l %2 -pw %3 -batch %1 "exit" >> %LOGFILE% 2>>&1
goto :EOF

with these lines

Echo Reg plink %1 (%date% %time%)
Echo ----------------------------- >> %LOGFILE% 2>>&1
Echo Reg plink %1 (%date% %time%)  %2 %3 >> %LOGFILE% 2>>&1
plink.exe -ssh -l %2 -pw %3 -batch %1 "exit" > temp.txt 2>>&1
set  passok=PASSWORD_KO
type temp.txt | findstr /i denied
if errorlevel 1 set passok=PASSWORD_IN_THIS_LINE
Echo ;%date% %time%;%1;%2;%3;%passok% >> resultpass.txt
goto :EOF

For example, to test password password1,password2,password3 and password4 in oa or vc with ip address 192.1.1.100 use a file "myipass.txt" with these entries:

192.1.1.100;manager;password1
192.1.1.100;manager;password2
192.1.1.100;manager;password3
192.1.1.100;manager;password4

Run "TestOAVCPass.exe myipass.txt" then you should have result like below (here password3 is the good oa password)

;31/07/2011 12:23:07,26;192.1.1.100;manager;password1;PASSWORD_KO 
;31/07/2011 12:23:10,10;192.1.1.100;manager;password2;PASSWORD_KO 
;31/07/2011 12:23:11,49;192.1.1.100;manager;password3;PASSWORD_IN_THIS_LINE 
;31/07/2011 12:23:13,94;192.1.1.100;manager;password4;PASSWORD_KO