Michael Reinders

Exchange Server Subscription Edition (ESSE) is the new version of Microsoft’s on-premises email and calendaring solution, due to be released early Q3 of 2025. This blog post provides a detailed overview of Exchange Server Subscription Edition, tailored for IT professionals new to Exchange Server or transitioning from older versions. Discover how little is new with…

This article provides a comprehensive guide for IT Pros on why Microsoft is replacing the MSOnline and AzureAD PowerShell modules, and what it means for their current PowerShell scripts, and how best to migrate to the new modules. Microsoft announced the retirement and deprecation of the MSOnline and AzureAD PowerShell modules back in the middle…

This blog post will cover the Microsoft-supported Connect-SPOService cmdlet. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process, from verifying prerequisites to connecting to SharePoint Online in your PowerShell session and empowering you with standard cmdlets. I’ll also touch on some automation tips. What is Connect-SPOService Connect-SPOService is used to establish a connection with SharePoint…

Are you looking to get your hands on the latest Windows Server 2025 ISO for evaluation or deployment? In this blog post, we’ll walk you through three easy methods to download the Windows Server 2025 ISO: from the Microsoft Evaluation Center, from the M365 Admin Center website, and from the Windows Insider program website. Whether…

Navigating Group Policy issues can be challenging in an Active Directory environment, but the gpresult command is a powerful tool for diagnosing and resolving these problems. This article helps you to effectively use gpresult to troubleshoot Group Policy information, ensuring your system configurations are applied correctly and efficiently. Using GPResult for Basic Troubleshooting Let me…

Struggling with how to fix Windows Update errors, stuck downloads, or failed installations? You’re not alone. This comprehensive guide will walk you through step-by-step solutions to troubleshoot and fix Windows Update problems. Whether you’re dealing with error codes, slow updates, or a completely broken update system, this guide is sure to assist you in your…

Diskpart is a powerful command-line utility in Windows that allows users to manage their hard drive, disks, partitions, and volumes with precision and control. This article covers key commands, syntax, and best practices to help you manage your storage devices effectively on any version of Windows. How to access Diskpart Diskpart is accessed from the…

Group Policy WMI Filtering is a powerful feature that allows administrators to apply Group Policy Objects (GPOs) and Group Policy preferences based on specific attributes of target computers, servers, and users. By leveraging Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) queries, IT professionals can create highly targeted and dynamic GPOs that respond to the unique needs of their…

In this post, I will demonstrate how to perform an in-place upgrade to Windows Server 2025 from one of your existing Windows Servers. Reminder: Microsoft fully supports in-place upgrades to Windows Server 2025 from Windows Server 2012 R2 and later versions. In this article, I’ll show you how to perform the upgrade from the command…

Active Directory groups are essential tools for managing and organizing users, computers, and other resources within a Windows domain. This article will provide an in-depth exploration of Active Directory (AD) groups, including their types, purposes, and best management practices. Whether you’re a seasoned IT professional or just beginning your journey with Active Directory, this guide…

This guide aims to help you understand how to navigate and use the Windows Local Group Policy Editor (LGPE) to enhance your Windows desktop environment’s security, performance, and usability. What is the Local Group Policy Editor? The Windows Local Group Policy Editor is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that allows you to manage and…

Hotpatching is a powerful feature in Windows Server 2025 that allows administrators to apply security updates and patches without requiring a system reboot, minimizing downtime and ensuring continuous operation. This article provides an overview of how to enable Windows Server 2025 Hotpatching. We’ll cover prerequisites, step-by-step instructions, best practices, and troubleshooting tips. What is Windows…