SQL DBA Blog

Category: Windows Server Admin

Windows Server Admin blog which includes guides to boost performance and efficiency, written by an experienced Microsoft SQL DBA, Peter Whyte.

  • Access Local Files from Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

    Accessing local Windows files from a WSL distribution allows integration between workflows, our local Windows environment and (WSL) Linux environments. This is done by navigating to the /mnt/c/ directory within your WSL Linux terminal. Alternatively, you can enter WSL directly from any Windows directory using a terminal. Both…

    Read More

  • Reinstalling WSL Distributions

    This guide walks you through reinstalling a WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) distribution via command line. This can be useful if you want to reset your WSL environment for a fresh start. Before proceeding, ensure you back up any important work to Git or another storage solution. 1.…

    Read More

  • “Changing the Primary Domain DNS Name of this Computer Failed” – Server 2008 R2

    Within an AWS account I have a Windows Server 2016 Domain Controller, and I’m trying to join a Windows Server 2008 R2 to my Whyte.net Domain. I get this error: Changing the Primary Domain DNS name of this computer to “” failed. The name will remain “whyte.net”.The error…

    Read More

  • Testing Connectivity to Remote Server Ports with PowerShell

    This post contains a demo for how to check if a port is open using PowerShell, whether you are on the latest or older versions of Windows. All admins need to know how to test connectivity to remote server ports. In fact, all software developers and other technical…

    Read More

  • Running PowerShell Scripts as Scheduled Tasks in Windows

    When you need to schedule tasks in Windows, Task Scheduler is the tool for the job. Running PowerShell (.ps1) scripts as Scheduled Tasks differs from running standard batch (.bat) scripts. I often find myself needing a refresher on the process, so I decided to document it in this…

    Read More

  • How to Check Features Installed in SQL Server

    This guide explains how to check which features are installed on a SQL Server instance. When downgrading from SQL Server Enterprise to Standard, checking the installed features is crucial to ensure compatibility and avoid losing critical functionality. Some Enterprise features may not be available in the Standard edition,…

    Read More

  • Domain Join Sanity Checks

    In order to join a Windows Server to a domain, you may need to request that the network team open certain firewall rules. The network requirements for this process can be complex and may vary depending on your specific environment. After joining a domain, especially in a new…

    Read More

  • How to Remove Old Windows Upgrade Files

    When your machine is upgraded to a newer version of Windows, it leaves behind the C:\Windows.old directory. This folder contains backups of the previous Windows version and can take up significant disk space. Important Note:The Windows.old folder allows you to roll back to the previous Windows version. If…

    Read More

  • How to Install MySQL on a Windows Computer

    Installing MySQL on a Windows computer is a straightforward process, however selecting the right options is key for a smooth setup. This is a simple how to for installing MySQL Community Server and MySQL Workbench on Windows. I recommend you walk through this yourself if learning MySQL and…

    Read More

Categories
Tags

Always On Availability Groups (AAG) (4) AWS (4) AWS Redshift (6) Database Admin (72) Database Backups & Recovery (14) Database Mirroring (2) Error Messages (5) Failover Cluster Instances (FCI) (1) Git Commands (6) Importing & Exporting Data (2) Linked Servers (3) Linux Administration (2) Logging & Monitoring (1) Microsoft Patching (2) MySQL (4) Postgres (6) PowerShell Scripts (2) SQL Certificates & Encryption (3) SQL Server Agent (5) SQL Server CDC (2) SQL Server Data Types (2) SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) (17) SQL Server Networking (3) SQL Server on Linux (1) SQL Server Patching (2) SQL Server Performance Tuning (6) SQL Server Processes (SPIDs) (7) SQL Server Replication (2) SQL Server Scripts (13) SQL Server Security (4) SQL Server Storage (10) Windows Admin (20) Windows Authentication (2) Windows Automation (1) Windows Events (2) Windows Firewall (4) Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) (18)