Converting a bitlocked Windows PC to a VM - virtual-machine

I have a Windows 10 bit locked pc. I can remove the BitLocker but do I need to do that before converting to a VM? I've attempted a couple of times to convert this laptop already but it doesn't boot (I've converted other laptops without issues so I'm familiar with the process... usually). In the past, I used MS disk2vhd, gen 1, shadow copy and then use HyperV to run the VM later. On the one that keeps failing to boot, I can access the VM as a vhd so the content is there. Based on this, is it a BitLocker issue or simply a configuration setting preventing it from booting? I do not get any error message displayed to the screen, it is just a black screen with a blinking underline cursor.

If it is properly bitlocked, you MUST remove the lock first - it is stored in a secure element that cna not be virtualized. You can have a secure VM (with a simulated virtual secure element) but - that is a NEW element, there is no way to get a key out of a secure element. That is the whole concept behind them - to make sure something secret stays secret.

Related

How to set up a PDF network printer that will keep the PDF file

I would like to find a way to have a Windows computer share a virtual PDF printer with other local computers (that first part is easy!). However, I would like the PDF to be saved on the print server and not on the computer from which the print out is initiated. Any idea how to do that?
This is going to depend on your skill at resolving other driver problems.
I was able after several false starts to get a 32bit Win 7 peer user (admin) to print on My Win 10 restricted user Virtual printer. But the output result is not great so would need to dig deeper, than I need, just to find out why.
I used a GhostScript Virtual Printer since It allows remote users on network to download its drivers for ARM x64 and x32
It is hosted on a 64bit Win 10 restricted account so I had to jump through hoops to get it seen and accessible on the network, and then had to dig into it share settings to see 32bit/Arm clients need an extra check box on.
It took some challenges to get the 32bit client to see printer was available but it ran from there with the above test page output in the 64bit printme folder, Whilst monitoring that file visually real-time a print from the client was transmitted and instantly appeared on the host screen without noticeable corruption unlike the test print!!.
So an issue you could have is how to stop clients from overwriting the file whilst they are post processed (renamed like in a port redirection monitor) since my GS virtual printer uses a single named NoPromptPort.pdf
Your question should in effect be answered, However My Question is why go this route? It would be so much simpler efficient and reliable for each client to MSPrint to NoPromptPort.PDF then simply copy their renamed.PDF to a server folder.

Synergy cannot reset on Mac

A really simple but dragged me many days that I cannot figure out how:
I've setup synergy on my Mac as a client, using Ubuntu as the server.
But now I wanted to switch to use Mac as server and Ubuntu as client.
The question now I'm facing is that synergy settings page never show up, each time I try to open it, it just appears in less than 0.1 second, then it disappeared.
Because I've set it up already and I don't need the reconfigure the Ip addresses etc.
This is convenient.
But now I wanted to switch server/client roles, I need to reconfigure it, however the settings page of synergy never shows up to let me configure it, does anyone have the same issue?
I tried to uninstall synergy on my Mac, but when I reinstall it back, it automatically configures itself again and quickly disappears and runs in the background.
It's been a pain for me.
You can't start the Server on Yosemite, because you need to grant access to the process (Synergy) to control your computer:
http://mizage.com/help/accessibility.html
doing that with Synergy should work.

Remote web server pages do not update after making changes via SSHFS

I've been troubleshooting this for a while now and can't seem to find a solution. I have a remote LAMP server in my office and sometimes need to work from home. I use a SSHFS between my home computer and work to accomplish this.
However, I have run into an issue where when I update the local files, the changes get pushed to the server immediately as they should. I have verified that the changes are there via SSH and VIM. However, if I refresh and even force refresh the page in Chrome the changes do not appear.
I also created a local file which showed up immediately on the server and I could view in Chrome, but any subsequent changes to the file are not rendered.
Any time that I'm in the office the changes are rendered immediately as well.
Anybody have any ideas?
Apache 2.4.7
Sublime Text 3 Editor
Client SSHFS: win-sshfs 0.0.1.5
Server SSH: OpenSSH_6.6.1p1
My guess is that the modified time isn't updated correctly on the remote filesystem. I'm not so sure what would be the fix for this but this at least could be a first trail to follow?
In fact, I just did a little search around and found this bug : https://code.google.com/p/win-sshfs/issues/detail?id=99
With a possible workaround in Sublime 2, I'll let you check if there is such a setting in Sublime 3

Windows Server 2008 Stuck At Preparing to configure Windows

I have a Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition VM on linux-xen. It has been working fine until a few days ago apparently it attempted to install an update. I have tried everything I can think of to get passed the 'Preparing to configure Windows' splash screen.
I have tried:
Booting into all three options of safe mode, all three performing the same splash screen step and endless reboot cycles.
Booting into last known good configuration, again boots to splash screen
F8, boot into repair, open cmd and use dism.exe /image:d:\ /remove-package PackageName:, which results in an error that I have found no information google about.
I have tried deleting windows\winsxs\pending.xml, it is currently deleted but still tries to configure updates.
Use dism.exe with the /revertpendingactions switch, which still brings me back to splash.
dism /image:D:\ /cleanup-image /revertpendingactions
Tried to repair via the installation disc, which does not have an OS repair option, just the same 3 options for Memory Diagnostics, Command Prompt and System Recovery
I did not realize that Windows Server 2008 DC Edition did not default to system restore points being enabled. Apparently I have no restore points available to revert to.
I am going out of my mind trying to find some successful way to get passed this splash screen for configuring windows updates. If the pending.xml file is missing then I do not understand how it could still be trying to configure updates.
I am at a loss, any additional troubleshooting steps or advice would be appreciated. In terms of advice, I now realize I need to double check that restore points are enabled and take regular windows system recovery disk image backups so that I have better restoration capabilities in the future.
Being that this is on a linux-xen guest, I could duplicate it and try other means, but I am not sure what else there is to do.
Can I reinstall windows 2008 server back on top of it again and achieve some sort of success without breaking all of the licensing, rdp users, profiles, data ETC? This server is not a member of a AD environment. It is simply a standalone server that allows 10-12 users to RDP to access a few applications.
However, regardless how I move forward the data on the server is needed even if I were to opt for creating a new VM with a fresh install for them to use.
Is it possible to inform Windows to skip the update installation / configuration procedure during boot by adding a particular switch to the Boot options? Currently it has:
/NOEXECUTE=OPTOUT
I am curious if it has some alternate runlevel like linux does that would potentially allow me to bypass this wretched situation.
Mine was stuck until I hit CTRL + ALT + DEL. It seems like it was a service pack that did it. I waited a few hours for it to finish when in fact all I had to do was hit CTRL + ALT + DEL.

True crypt auto mounting on start-up does not work

since yesterday my true-crypt partition do not automount on startup with my OS every time (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't).
Yes they are set as system favorites and the checkbox mount on startup is set.
Yes they have the same password, typed with the same (EN INTL) layout.
Yes it worked somehow before a few times.
Thanks for the help.
edit:
OS: Windows 8
Update
It seems only not to work from cold starts.
warm starts seem to work
I have this problem on my Windows 8 laptop. I tracked the problem to the new shutdown process with Windows 8. It won't do a full shutdown/startup when you do, only some sort of hybrid shutdown (https://superuser.com/questions/496241/are-there-downsides-to-windows-8-hybrid-shutdown)
I found that if I use the normal Charm -> Settings -> Power -> Shutdown, it would fail to load the encrypted partition when I got to the desktop.
However, if you use the command line "shutdown.exe /s /t 0" to shutdown, it will reliably load the next time you start up.
I was forced to fix it this way because my Dropbox was on the encrypted partition, and Dropbox would complain that it couldn't find the folder anymore (same with Google Drive and SkyDrive, only worse).
This might fix that problem, but I haven't tried it yet (http://www.askvg.com/fix-windows-8-restart-and-shutdown-problems-by-disabling-hybrid-shutdown-feature/)
Win 8.x seams to offer special shutdown option for a fast restart. This leads also to another special file on the boot driver (besider hypee and page). Therefore the "cold restart" is not a real cold start it's something like hypernation "light".
In the power options you may try to disable the option "turn fast startup (recommended)" selection.
There is an alternative to disabling hybrid boot/shutdown. You can also get it to work consistently if you go to TrueCrypt, Favorites, Organize System Favorite Volumes and then tick the option to Allow only administrators to view and dismount system favorite volumes.
Source.