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Script to make Scripts
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It finally happened, I actually needed to make a script to write scripts. There’s been a few times where I needed to write multiple scripts that are basically the same minus a few variables and in the past I’ve just done this manually. An example of this is a BitDefender Gravity Zone install script, I have a basic PowerShell script that I use and the only items I need to change are the Gravity Zone ID and the company name.

However all of the scripts broke because the URL to get the BitDefender MSI changed and the MSI used to be in a ZIP file. Now all the PowerShell scripts are trying to download from a dead URL and are written to handle an MSI in a ZIP file.

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geoSCOUT 8.17 Launcher Upgrade
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With the release of geoSCOUT version 8.17 geoLOGIC upgraded the geoSCOUT launcher but only included an upgrade file that needs to be ran as admin on each system and under each user account. Which is annoying in company setups where users don’t have local admin.

Technically speaking geoSCOUT still works even if you don’t run the geoSCOUT 8.17 launcher upgrade, the users just don’t get some of the new features and that’s not fun.

One of the changes geoLOGIC made with geoSCOUT 8.17 is the shortcuts. In the past the shortcuts would be set to start in the user’s documents folder but now they are set to start in program files.

Typically a program needs to run as admin when it is changing things beyond what a normal user account can change like system settings or files. With the 8.17 geoSCOUT launcher it is updating the geoSCOUT exe in program files and updating the system wide start menu shortcut with the updated start in info.

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Hide Installed Programs
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Have you ever wanted to be sneaky and hide a program that’s installed on your computer from Programs and Features and the Apps & features list? Well search no more, I have all the answers you seek. It’s shockingly simple.

Proper programs will list their uninstall info directly in the registry all we have to do is tweak that slightly.

If the program is 64 bit it will show up in the registry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall and it will have a key for it’s program sometimes listed by its program ID or the actual program. You may need to search for the application you want to hide.

If the program is 32 bit it will show up in the registry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall just like 64 bit it will have a key for the program.

The process is the exact same for 32 bit or 64 bit programs.

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Default Gateway Layer 3
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I’ve been playing with a Brocade ICX 6650 in router mode and got hung up on making the second VLAN on another Virtual Ethernet talk to the internet. I’m posting this so I don’t forget how to do it later on lol.

Your default VLAN of 1 is on Virtual Ethernet 1 and because that’s likely going to be on your regular network you likely won’t run into this issue. However when you make a second VLAN and you want things on that VLAN to be able to talk to the internet well the missing piece is an IP route for the default gateway so it knows how to get to the internet.

My setup looked like this

Nothing on VE 70 could talk to the internet.

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ESXi Manual Update
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You can upgrade your ESXi very easily with vCenter but if you don’t have that well then here is how you can do it manually.

With VMware the depot files contain the VIBs and image profiles (basically everything you need). You can read more about it here.

  • Upload the offline bundle into a datastore (make a note of the full filename)
  • Depending on your setup either migrate the VMs or turn them off
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ESXi Config Backup
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Backups are a good thing to have. While it can be super quick and easy to rebuild your ESXi config sometimes that is not always the case. It’s a good idea to have a backup just in case. Here’s how to do it.

  • Enable SSH by right clicking on the host and selecting Services > Enable Secure Shell
  • Login with SSH
  • Enter the following commands
vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/sync_config
vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/backup_config
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Azure IP Downloader v1
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My firewall recently blocked Microsoft Azure AD Connect which caused issues with syncing to 365. Turns out the issue was that my IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) flagged it as being “suspected RST injection”.

Normally when something like this happens it’s typically the IPS being overly sensitive and I usually can whitelist the specific detection however the IPS is blocking other things correctly that are also flagged as “suspected RST injection” because this is Microsoft Azure I can’t simply just whitelist the IP or a short IP range because there are so many and they can change fairly often.

Microsoft does list some of the IPs for most of 365 on their website however the IPs that were being blocked from my side of things was 52.239.186.132 and 52.239.149.106. Which aren’t in the main lists as they are part of the Azure side of things.

There’s a link on the same page that will take you to a download page for all the Azure IPs. However they update that file weekly. AWS publishes a JSON file of their IPs here.

It’s been years that people have asked for Microsoft to just publish the IPs in a JSON file like how AWS does. There’s a feedback request from 2016 asking for something like that here. Microsoft did make the JSON file available but in a roundabout way.

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GPO Export and Import
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You’ve spent many hours perfecting your GPO (Group Policy Object) and you have it perfect and you want to import it to another location and well you could look at manually comparing all the settings but no one has time for that. There’s an easier way.

  • Open up Group Policy Management on the server that has the GPO you want to export
  • Right click on your GPO and select Back Up
  • Give it a location to put the backup
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