CCC Technologies Ask the Expert

Before you start this process you should download a copy of the drivers from the Microsoft Surface Pro to a different computer or USB drive. Windows will NOT automatically install drivers and you will be left with a computer that cannot reach out to the Internet or network. You will also need a Windows license key for the version of Windows you are downgrading to if your computer did not come from the manufacturer with Windows 8. (Windows 8 has windows license key hard-coded into the computer.) First you will need to properly format the USB drive. Open a “Disk Partition” by holding the windows key on your keyboard than pressing the “r” button and let go of both keys. You should get a little window that looks like this called the "run" window Then start the diskpart utility by typing "diskpart.exe" and hitting the ok button List all the disks and identify your USB stick: "list disk" Select the disk number that is your USB s...

Every so often, a windows admin enters a new environment or has to upgrade his/hers domain controllers, and every so often, it doesn’t go perfect as planned. Some domain controllers’ records are left behind. When domain controllers are not cleaned up, other problems can begin to occur and reek random havoc on your network. Some of the problems are group policy issues, others are DNS resolution. This topic will cover how to clean up the mess that is left behind so that way your old environment’s domain controllers are gone and new environment is replicating and humming along. I also recommend following this after decommissioning and old domain controllers to make sure that it is 100% removed. In Windows 2008 or newer domain controller versions, you can use 2 of the methods to clean up domain controllers. The first is in active directory. Launch active directory “Users and Computers”, locate your domain, expand your domain, and locate the domain controller OU. Right click on the serv...