Windows Server 2008

Server 2008 tweaks, settings, and how-tos

Adding a user as a local administrator, Windows Server 2008. (Update)

by

I originally posted about adding a user as a local administrator with the command linehere.

Since then I have realised that this only applies to Windows Server 2008 Small Business Server. Windows 2008 Standard still uses the old GUI method of adding a user as local admin that is found in Windows XP, or 2003 for example.

This can be done by opening the Computer management console, (right-click Computer) and then select “Manage”.

Expand Local Users and Groups, and then click on Groups. Double click Administrators, click Add, then type the user name in the window that opens and then click Ok. (Check name if you are not sure of the user’s entire username).

That will add the user to the local administrators group the easy way (GUI) and save you the trouble of using the command line instead.

See the screenshot below for what you are looking for.

add-administrator-local-server-2008

 

How to view thumbnails for files in Windows 2008 Server

by

By default, Windows 2008 Server does not show you thumbnails for files when viewing them in Medium, Large or Extra Large Icon modes. To be able to view the thumbnails of images for example, you will need to do the following :

– Open up explorer, or Computer
– Click on Tools, then Folder Options (Or click the Organise drop down, and select folder options)
– Click on the View tab
– Now you can deselect the check box for “Always show icons, never thumbnails”
– Click Apply, then OK.

You should now be able to view your thumbnails. See below for the Folder Options dialog box.

view_thumbnails

How to add a user as a local administrator using Windows Server 2008

by

The computer management console for Server 2008 has changed slightly between now and Windows Server 2003. I was trying to ensure a particular user was setup as a local administrator on a Windows 2008 Small Business Server today, and couldn’t find the option to do this via the GUI. Anyway, for those wondering how this is done using the command prompt, here is the solution.

First you need to run command prompt as an Administrator. Open Computer, go to your C: drive, and navigate to your Windows\System32 directory. Find “cmd.exe” right click on it, and select the run as Administrator option. Once at the command prompt, type the following :

net localgroup Administrators /add (domain)\(username)

(Obviously replace (domain)\(username) with your domainname\username that you want to be the local admin) – That is without the brackets.

You should get a message saying the command completed successfully. If you get an access denied error, you more than likely have not run cmd.exe as an administrator.

Be sure to run cmd.exe as administrator.

Changing Password policies in Server 2008

by

I have been using Windows 2008 Server Standard as my operating system of choice at home for quite a few months now, and twice I have had to change my password due to the security policy in place by default. This setting forces you to change your password every 42 days. Anyway, up until now I had been too lazy to disable the policy. So for those of you who don’t know where to do this, here is how.

Go to Start – Run, and type in gpedit.msc

Click OK.

Expand the following branches by clicking the little arrow signs next to each one :

Computer Configuration – Windows Settings – Security Settings – Account Policies – and then finally,  Password Policy

Select Password policy, and on the right hand side list double click (or right click – properties) on “Maximum Password Age”

Change this to setting to 0, and then click OK.

Close the Group Policy editor, and from now on you won’t have that annoying mandatory password change every month or so.

password_policies2