Uninstalling software from Server 2012 R2 Core

Back a while ago I had a short post about uninstalling the SCVMM agent from Server Core.

That was an older version of Server and an older version of PowerShell.

Today, I had a reason to revisit that process.  But now I have a bit more finesse with PowerShell and PowerShell is now in its v4 revision with Server 2012 R2.

And, needless to say, it is considerably simpler.

I am simply going to capture and paste my PowerShell screen and allow you to sort out the rest by reading through it.  I think you will understand it simply enough.

PS C:\> Get-WmiObject -Class win32_product | ft

IdentifyingNumber Name Vendor Version Caption
----------------- ---- ------ ------- -------
{1D8E6291-B0D5-35EC-... Microsoft Visual C++... Microsoft Corporation 10.0.40219 Microsoft Visual C++...
{3834A905-5CC1-454D-... Microsoft System Cen... Microsoft Corporation 3.2.7510.0 Microsoft System Cen...
{A89BBF08-D933-4634-... Microsoft System Cen... Microsoft Corporation 3.2.7620.0 Microsoft System Cen...


PS C:\> Get-WmiObject -Class win32_product


IdentifyingNumber : {1D8E6291-B0D5-35EC-8441-6616F567A0F7}
Name : Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 x64 Redistributable - 10.0.40219
Vendor : Microsoft Corporation
Version : 10.0.40219
Caption : Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 x64 Redistributable - 10.0.40219

IdentifyingNumber : {3834A905-5CC1-454D-8CA4-AC449F12775D}
Name : Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager DHCP Server (x64)
Vendor : Microsoft Corporation
Version : 3.2.7510.0
Caption : Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager DHCP Server (x64)

IdentifyingNumber : {A89BBF08-D933-4634-8FBB-EB88F870981B}
Name : Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager Agent (x64)
Vendor : Microsoft Corporation
Version : 3.2.7620.0
Caption : Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager Agent (x64)



PS C:\> $installed = Get-WmiObject -Class win32_product
PS C:\> $installed[1].Uninstall()


__GENUS : 2
__CLASS : __PARAMETERS
__SUPERCLASS :
__DYNASTY : __PARAMETERS
__RELPATH :
__PROPERTY_COUNT : 1
__DERIVATION : {}
__SERVER :
__NAMESPACE :
__PATH :
ReturnValue : 0
PSComputerName :



PS C:\> $installed[2].Uninstall()


__GENUS : 2
__CLASS : __PARAMETERS
__SUPERCLASS :
__DYNASTY : __PARAMETERS
__RELPATH :
__PROPERTY_COUNT : 1
__DERIVATION : {}
__SERVER :
__NAMESPACE :
__PATH :
ReturnValue : 0
PSComputerName :



PS C:\> Get-WmiObject -Class win32_product


IdentifyingNumber : {1D8E6291-B0D5-35EC-8441-6616F567A0F7}
Name : Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 x64 Redistributable - 10.0.40219
Vendor : Microsoft Corporation
Version : 10.0.40219
Caption : Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 x64 Redistributable - 10.0.40219



PS C:\>

Deploying XenDesktop using the SCVMM Service Template

The latest release of XenDesktop is now available as a Service Template for System Center Virtual Machine Manager.

I am assuming that my blog readers are already familiar with the concept of Service Templates, introduced with SCVMM 2012. 

The “Service” is where the applications and OS are separate entities, they are layered across each other and deployed as a composed entity with intact references and dependencies.  The Template is the representation of these dependencies and relationships.  The Template is ‘deployed’ into a ‘Service’.  The Service is the running machines.

For most of the past year we have been focused on simplifying the deployment of the XenDesktop infrastructure.  After all, there are enough decisions to make without having to spend one or two days installing operating systems, applications, and configuring them.  This is where the XenDesktop VMM Service Template comes in.

The whole idea is to take the monotonous tasks of deploying VMs, installing XenDesktop, configuring those infrastructure machines and reducing them to a few questions and time.  Freeing you up to do more important things.  Ant the end you can have a distributed installation of XenDesktop – the license server, Director, StoreFront, and Controller.  All connected and ready to deliver applications or desktops.

Why not give it a go?

If you just want to see what this is all about, take a look here:  http://www.citrix.com/tv/#videos/9611

If you head over to the XenDesktop download page, you will find a “Betas and TechPreviews” section.  In there you can download the XenDesktop Service Template zip package.  (The Service Template is the TechPreview not the version of XenDesktop).

http://www.citrix.com/downloads/xendesktop/betas-and-tech-previews/system-center-service-template-tech-preview.html

By the way – there are four templates.  One template to install a scaled out XenDesktop, another for an evaluation installation of XenDesktop.  You will also find Provisioning Server templates that can also support scaling out or an evaluation installation.

After downloading the package, unzip it to a convenient location, then open up the SCVMM Console, Select the Library view, and click on the Import button in the ribbon. 

You can always stop here and read the administration guide, it is short and has all the pretty screen shots that this post is missing).

Browse to the XML file in the package you just unzipped. 

Then map your generalized Server 2012 (or Server 2012 R2) VHD / VHDX to the package by selecting the pencil (a red X appears when it is mapped – don’t ask me why a red X)

Just like the generalized virtual disk, if you want SCVMM integration enabled, then place the SCVMM installation ISO in your VMM Library and select that pencil icon to create the mapping.

The Custom Resource should be uploaded from the package and contains the Citrix parts.

There is a really short import video here if you don’t want to read all of that.

After you import, you can deploy the XenDesktop infrastructure by simply right clicking the template and selecting Configure Deployment.  Answer a few pertinent questions, select Refresh Preview for SCVMM to place the machines, and select Deploy Service.  The name you give your Service will also become the name of your XenDesktop Site.

Now, go to lunch.  When you return, connect to the console of the Controller VM, open Studio, and begin publishing desktops.

You can watch a shortened version of the deployment process.

The requirements are not different than any version of XenDesktop.  There needs to be; a domain to join with DNS, a SQL Server, a VM Network from which the machines can reach those resources, a RunAs account for the (first) XenDesktop administrator, and a user account for XenDesktop to integrate with SCVMM.

As time passes you may decide that you need additional StoreFront Servers or Desktop Controller servers.  To do that, select your Service in the VMs and Services view, right click, and Scale Out.  Select the tier and go.  Additional Controller capacity is created for you and added to the Site, StoreFront requires some additional configuration so you can tailor the load balancing to your environment.

If you need to see that one, I have a video for that as well.

If you need support, you can get that in the XenDesktop forums, we will be there to help and respond to questions.

Please, give us feedback and let us know what you think.

Modifying Hyper-V Generation2 VM boot device order with PowerShell

Yes, I know, some of you are looking at this and thinking, that has to be simple.  Or, “just use the GUI”.

Well, I can tell you.  The new Generation 2 VM introduces some interesting thinking to the world of Hyper-V.

First of all, let me drop this idea:  resource references / resource definitions / resource paths – or as Hyper-V calls it “FirmwarePath”

Okay lets look at what we have.

In Hyper-V 2012 I used:

PS C:\Users\Foo> Get-VMBios gen2r2
Get-VMBios : A parameter is invalid. Generation 2 virtual machines do not support the VMBios cmdlets.  Use Get-VMFirmware and Set-VMFirmware instead.

Whoops.  Not going to set that in the VM BIOS.  And at least there is some good guidance in the error message though (I like that).

PS C:\Users\Foo> Get-VMFirmware gen2r2

VMName SecureBoot PreferredNetworkBootProtocol BootOrder
------ ---------- ---------------------------- ---------
Gen2R2 Off        IPv4                         {File, Drive, Drive, Network}

Okay, easy enough.  Before we just fed in a string and changed the order.  But, before I do that, let me jsut avoid that error altogether and dig deeper.

PS C:\Users\Foo> $gen2r2 = Get-VMFirmware gen2r2
PS C:\Users\Foo> $gen2r2.BootOrder

VMName BootType Device                                       Description          FirmwarePath
------ -------- ------                                       -----------          ------------
Gen2R2 File                                                  Windows Boot Manager \HD(2,GPT14FD3F49-A5D7-4B1E-97EF-C...
Gen2R2 Drive    Microsoft.HyperV.PowerShell.HardDiskDrive    EFI SCSI Device      \AcpiEx(VMBus,0,0)\VenHw(9B17E5A2-...
Gen2R2 Drive    Microsoft.HyperV.PowerShell.DvdDrive         EFI SCSI Device      \AcpiEx(VMBus,0,0)\VenHw(9B17E5A2-...
Gen2R2 Network  Microsoft.HyperV.PowerShell.VMNetworkAdapter EFI Network          \AcpiEx(VMBus,0,0)\VenHw(9B17E5A2-...

Wait.  Those are objects, device references.  In the CIM world they are Resource References.  Very interesting.

But, all I want is to set my VM to PXE boot. 

And, I am going to do this the long hand way just for example – because the order has the be changed by feeding the objects in.  I am assuming that bunches of you can sort that out in various ways and will gladly leave that in the comments.  :-)

Lets capture the objects:

PS C:\Users\Foo> $genFile = $gen2r2.BootOrder[0]
PS C:\Users\Foo> $genNet = $gen2r2.BootOrder[3]
PS C:\Users\Foo> $genHD = $gen2r2.BootOrder[1]
PS C:\Users\Foo> $genDVD = $gen2r2.BootOrder[2]

Now, lets set those back, in the order I want them

PS C:\Users\Foo> Set-VMFirmware -VMName Gen2R2 -BootOrder $genNet,$genFile,$genHD,$genDVD
PS C:\Users\Foo> Get-VMFirmware gen2r2

VMName SecureBoot PreferredNetworkBootProtocol BootOrder
------ ---------- ---------------------------- ---------
Gen2R2 Off        IPv4                         {Network, File, Drive, Drive}

Let me see snazzy ways that you script this to change the boot order.

(BTW - VMM 2012 R2 does not let you do this)