Quick Assist in Windows 10

 

Microsoft in the latest Insider Previews has introduced (or reintroduced) Quick Assist. Quick Assist is a remote desktop tool to assist other users with Windows 10 or apps. This can be very useful for business to help remote users or folks in IT trying to help friends and family.

 

From the Start Menu, go to Windows Accessories and you will see the desktop app called Quick Assist. Currently I have build 10.0.14393 which has this application.

 

  1. Click Quick Assist and click Give Assistant.
  2. You will be asked to sign into your Microsoft Account (MSA, Live, Hotmail, Outlook.com, etc.) that you have registered.
  3. Once you sign in, you will get the Share security code dialog with a code. (* I have crossed out the code here. Even though it will not work after the expiration, I wanted to play it safe).

  4. You can copy to clipboard, send email or provide instructions.
  5. Now tell the user how to use the code so they can let you in to remote in.

Remote User

  1. Open the Start menu and select All apps > Windows Accessories > Quick Assist.
  2. Select Get assistance and follow the instructions.
  3. If User Account Control appears, select Yes to continue.
  4. After the steps are completed, please wait a few minutes for your devices to connect

     

    You will see it connecting and the remote user will need to click
    Allow to give access.

     

     

Device Categories in Configuration Manager 1606

 

In Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 1606 (Currently in Technical Preview), you can create device categories. These can be used to automatically place devices in device collections when you are using it with Microsoft Intune (Integrated/Hybrid mode). Users are then required to choose a device category when they enroll a device in Intune. You can additionally change the category of a device from the Configuration Manager console.

You can also assign a category on a non-Intune enrolled device such as a traditional domain joined PC.

 

Create a set of device categories

  1. In the Assets and Compliance workspace of the Configuration Manager console, expand Overview, then click Device Collections.
  2. Right Click on Device Collections and click Manage Device Categories.

  1. In the Manage Device Categories dialog box, you can create, edit, or remove categories.

Change the category of a device

  1. In the Assets and Compliance workspace of the Configuration Manager console, expand Overview, then click Devices.
  2. Select a device from the Devices list and then, in the Home tab, in the Device group, click Change Category.

  1. In the Edit Device Category dialog box, choose the category to apply to this device, then click OK.

Associate a collection with a device category

When you associate a collection with a device category, all devices in the category you specify will be added to that collection.

  1. In the Properties dialog for a device collection, click Add Rule > Device Category Rule.
  2. In the Create Device Category Membership Rule dialog box, select the category that will be applied to all devices in the collection.
  3. Close the Create Device Category Membership Rule dialog box and the collection properties dialog box.

Now all devices in the chosen Category will be dynamically be part of this collection and its associated deployments

Servicing server group features of Configuration Manager CB 1511 and 1605

Technical Preview for System Center Configuration Manager, version 1511, included the ability to create a collection where all devices in the collection make up a server group. Then, you could configure the server group settings to use when you deploy software updates to the server group, control the percentage of computers that are updated at any given time, and configure pre-deployment and post-deployment PowerShell scripts to run custom actions.

Technical Preview for System Center Configuration Manager, version 1605, adds the ability to update the computers in the server group in a specified order that you define, adds enhanced monitoring to view the status for the computers in the server group, and provides the ability to clear the deployment locks that is useful when clients have failed to install the software updates and are preventing other clients from installing their software updates.

Reference: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt706220.aspx

 

System Center Configuration Manager Vulnerability Assessment Configuration Pack

Configuration Manager Vulnerability Assessment allows to scan managed systems for common missing security updates and misconfigurations which might make client computers more vulnerable to attack.

Download here

This release includes

  • The capability to scan’s for potential security issues that may exist because of misconfigurations on the following Microsoft Product versions
  • New Vulnerability Assessment Overall Report will display
    • List of Security, Administrative and Compliance Vulnerabilities for a specific computer.
    • List of Windows Updates Vulnerabilities (if there are any)
    • List of Windows Server Vulnerabilities (if there are any)
    • List of IIS Vulnerabilities (if there are any)
    • List of SQL Vulnerabilities (if there are any)

Example checks are:

  • Are unnecessary services installed and running?
  • Do shared folders have appropriate permissions?
  • Is Windows Firewall enabled?
  • Are strong passwords enforced?
  • Are unsecured guest accounts enabled?

 

After downloading the pack, you will need to install it which will extract the cab file into C:\Program Files (x86)\VACP (by default).

To import the Configuration Pack

  • In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to Assets and Compliance / Compliance settings / Configuration Baselines.


  • Right-click Configuration Items, Import Configuration Data to load the Import Configuration Data Wizard.


  • Click Add, browse to C:\Program Files (x86)\VACP (unless you specified another path) and select the .cab file in the install location of the .msi, and then click Open.


  • Summary of the 34 configuration Items will be shown. Click Next to continue.


  • Follow the wizard instructions.
  • There are three base lines created from the Configuration Items. The Vulnerability Assessment Configuration Pack.docx files associated highlights the details of each base line.
  • Deploy the baselines to the proper collections as desired.

 

 

Configuration Manager 1602 Changes – Part 1

 

Here are few new items in the 1602 branch of Configuration Manager

 

  1. A new option in the Software Center that allows the user to poll the user and machine policies (without going through the Control Paten applet). In Software Center (after the new client push), a Sync Policy button has been added to the Options > Computer Maintenance page.

  1. Windows 10 Device Health Attestation. This can be enabled in Administration > Overview > Client Settings under Computer Agent

To view the device health attestation view, in the Configuration Manager console go to the Monitoring workspace of, click Security node, and then click Health Attestation.

  1. Configuration Manager sites that run version 1602 or later support the in-place upgrade of the site servers operating system from Windows Server 2008 R2 to Windows Server 2012 R2. Before you upgrade to Windows Server 2012 R2, you must uninstall WSUS 3.2 from the server.
  2. New filter options are available for Windows 10 servicing plans that allow you to filter for Language, Required, and Title. Only upgrades that meet the specified criteria will be added to the associated deployment. Prior this change, all upgrades were being downloaded regardless of language or SKU.

Disable Wi-Fi Sense – Windows 10

Option 1.

Update to registry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WcmSvc\wifinetworkmanager\config

Or via Login Script or during the task sequences in Configuration Manager or MDT (post image install)

reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WcmSvc\wifinetworkmanager\config /t REG_DWORD /v AutoConnectAllowedOEM /d 0

Option 2.

Modify Unattend.xml to add Microsoft-Windows-WiFiNetworkManager

Set WiFiSenseAllowed to 0

Option 3.

For Windows 10 build 1511 or later

Configure the Group Policy Object Allow Windows to automatically connect to suggested open hotspots, to networks shared by contacts, and to hotspots offering paid services under

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\WLAN Service\WLAN Settings\.

MDT 2013 Update 2 Now Available

Microsoft has just released an update to MDT 2013 today as Update 2.  Update 1 provided Windows 10 support (Windows 10 supported ADK is needed still).  Update 2 as stated in the blog does not add major new features but adds some improvements to existing features and functionality.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/msdeployment/archive/2015/12/22/mdt-2013-update-2-now-available.aspx

@jparekh_tech (Twitter)
jparekh at netrixllc dot com
www.desktopguy.com

Enabling iOS 9 Extension for Microsoft Intune in System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1 CU1

On September 24, 2015 Microsoft announced support for iOS9 through he iOS9 extension for Microsoft Intune in Configuration Manager.

To enable the extension, go to your SCCM console (2012 R2 SP1 CU1).  Under Administration, expand Cloud Services and click Extension for Microsoft Intune.

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In the right pane, right click the iOS 9 Extension and click Enable (or from the toolbar).  If you do not have CU1, this can fail.

2015-10-17_11-06-33

Accept the License Terms – make sure you read all of it first 🙂

2015-10-17_11-19-09

MDM in Windows 10

Built-In Mobile Device Management capabilities in Windows 10

The MDM capabilities provided in Windows covers the complete lifecycle of the device.

  • Enrollment capabilities to automate the MDM enrollment of the device as part of the Azure Active Directory join process.
  • New controls for configuring and managing the Start menu.
  • New controls over Windows updates, allowing you to control when specific Windows updates are deployed to MDM-managed devices (think “WSUS from the cloud”).
  • New AppLocker and Enterprise Data Protection configuration settings.
  • Integration with the Windows Store and the Business Store Portal (BSP) to enable automated app management.
  • Full device wipe capabilities, even for PCs.

These capabilities are supported on all types of devices, including Windows phone devices, PCs and tablets, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices.

MDM in Windows 10

Chicago Systems Management Users Group (CSMUG)

After couple of years of debates to do this or not, we have decided to move forward with this group.  There is no similar group like this in Chicagoland area.  We have done topics with the Chicago Windows User Group in the past and will continue to support them in joint events.  However, the membership for a Windows user group vs. a System Center, EMS, datacenter and client management, is much different.

If you are in the Chicago area, please sign up.

http://www.meetup.com/Chicago-Systems-Management-Users-Group-CSMUG/

The group is co-founded by Rich Lilly.  Check out his blog here and follow him on Twitter

Jay @jparekh_tech