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Questions tagged [windows]

Windows is the brand name for a series of operating systems from Microsoft. Current versions are Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, and Windows Server 2022. Instead of tagging a post "Windows", try to use a tag for a specific version.

Introduction

Windows is a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft. Originally a graphical add-on for Microsoft DOS, Windows is currently the market leader for operating systems on the desktop.

Today there are several branches of Windows:

  • Windows for desktops, notebooks, and tablets
  • Windows Server, for servers
  • Windows IoT, for embedded devices such as point of sale, kiosks, and signage

Tag recommendations

If your question is version-specific, consider using a version-specific tag.

17405 questions
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How to grant network access to LocalSystem account?

How do you grant access to network resources to the LocalSystem (NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM) account? Background When accessing the network, the LocalSystem account acts as the computer on the network: LocalSystem Account The LocalSystem account is a…
Ian Boyd
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How do I know if I'm working on a Virtual Machine or not?

Is there a way to know if the Windows machine I'm working on is virtual or physical? (I'm connecting with RDP to the machine. If it's a virtual machine it is working and handled by VMWare).
user33705
69
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9 answers

How can I automatically restart a Windows service if it crashes?

I have a Windows service that exits unexpectedly every few days. Is there a simple way to monitor it to make sure it gets restarted quickly if it crashes?
Liam
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69
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6 answers

How can I query my system via command line to see if a KB patch is installed?

I'm looking to find out if a KB is installed via command line.
MathewC
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67
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3 answers

Is a VM with 2 CPUs really faster than one with 4 CPUs?

Our IT created a VM with 2 CPUs allocated rather than the 4 I requested. Their reason is that the VM performs better with 2 CPUs rather than 4 (according to them). The rationale is that the VM hypervisor (VMWare in this case) waits for all the…
AngryHacker
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67
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4 answers

Windows equivalent of iptables?

Dumb question: Is there an equivalent of iptables on Windows? Could I install one via cygwin? The real question: how can I accomplish on Windows what I can accomplish via iptables? Just looking for basic firewall functionality (e.g. blocking certain…
Aaron F.
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9 answers

What's the best way to move c:\users to d:\users under vista/W7

I just installed Windows 7 RC1 and want to move c:\users to d:\users. What's the best way to do this? Due to the fact that Windows 7 creates a reserved partition that is mounted as C: in the recovery console, I had to use the following…
Scott
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5 answers

How do I grant start/stop/restart permissions on a service to an arbitrary user or group on a non-domain-member server?

We have a suite of Windows Services running on our servers which perform a bunch of automated tasks independently of one another, with the exception of one service which looks after the other services. In the event that one of the services should…
abitgone
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7 answers

How do you wait for an exe to complete in batch file?

I'm trying to create a script to execute an exe on shutdown in order to install sp1. my script goes something like (not actual bat script). If installed GOTO END Install.exe END: My problem is that when it runs, it starts the installer, then…
Kravlin
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63
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5 answers

How to delete domain user profile from a computer?

I'm wondering how to safely remove a domain user profile from a computer that is a part of a domain. I don't want to delete the account from the domain itself, I just need to remove the profile from this computer, to do some cleanup. I'm currently…
Zlatko
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62
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4 answers

Any difference between DOMAIN\username and username@domain.local?

I'm trying to troubleshoot an obscure authentication error and need some background information. Is there any difference between how Windows (and programs like Outlook) process DOMAIN\username and username@domain.local? What are the proper terms…
Josh Kelley
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61
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9 answers

Tool to test a user account and password (test login)

Yeah, I can fire up a VM or remote into something and try the password...I know...but is there a tool or script that will simulate a login just enough to confirm or deny that the password is correct? Scenario: A server service account's password is…
TheCleaner
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4 answers

Can the environment variables tool in Windows be launched directly?

Is there a more direct way to the environmental variables GUI than the following? Right click 'My Computer' and select 'Properties'. Click 'Advanced System Settings' link. Click 'Advanced' tab. Click 'Environment Variables...' button. Can I make a…
JasonV.com
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3 answers

Mount Remote CIFS/SMB Share as a Folder not a Drive Letter

Is there any way to mount a remote CIFS/SMB/SAMBA share as a folder/directory and not as a drive letter. For example, I want this map: \\Server\ShareName -> C:\Folder\ShareName Instead of the usual map like this: \\Server\ShareName -> Z:\ The…
Anagoge
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60
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13 answers

How to monitor a windows log file in real time?

On windows how can I easily monitor a log file and see updates to the file in real time? Basically, same functionality like tail -f log_file on Unix systems Platform: Windows XP/2003/2008 server [Update] this is quite handy for a quick…
dance2die
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