SQL Server

SQL Server 2014 – How to change the Product Key

Sometimes, you may need to change the product key, the license, of an existing SQL Server installation.  This can happen if you installed the product in Evaluation mode or if you want to upgrade to Enterprise from Standard edition. Fortunately, this modification does not require to uninstall and reinstall SQL Server. It can be done using Setup Wizard.

SQL Server Product Key

SQL Server Product Key

But, you may not have the Product Key displayed in your msdn subscription portal.  It can be find in the .iso file that you downloaded from the website.

Let’s see how to do that:

Continue reading

Share
SCCM

SCCM 2012 – Change Product Key

It is possible to change the product key in System Center Configuration Manager 2012 (SCCM 2012). By example, if you installed the product in trial mode and get your license key after the installation.

SCCM 2012 Evaluation period

SCCM 2012 Evaluation period

Change Product Key

Unfortunately, the license key can not be changed using SCCM Console but we must change it using Configuration Manager Setup.

SCCM Configuration Manager Setup

SCCM Configuration Manager Setup

SCCM Configuration Manager Setup

SCCM Configuration Manager Setup

  • Select Perform site maintenance or reset the site.
SCCM Perform site maintenance

SCCM Perform site maintenance

  • Select Upgrade the evaluation edition to a licensed edition. Copy/paste your license.
SCCM Change Product Key

SCCM Change Product Key

Share
Windows 8.1

Security – Local Administrator Password Solution LAPS

Since Windows Server 2008, we can use Group Policy Preferences to set a password for Local Administrator on all workstations in an OU. In May 2014, Microsoft released a patch to remove this feature. KB2962486

In fact, the password was stored insecurely. It was crypted using a key which is now public MSDN. This is a security leak, password are sent in “clear” and several time by day, using GPO application. If KB2928120 is installed on your system, you can’t no more use GPO to define password for:

  • Drive Maps.
  • Local Users.
  • Scheduled Tasks.
  • Services.
  • Data Sources.

With the Security patch, Microsoft provided a Powershell script to change local password remotely.

Since few days, Microsoft released a new tool: Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS). With this tool, computers are able to randomly change password for local administrator and store it in Active Directory attribute.

Continue reading

Share