Installation

When deploying Microsoft Office 2021, one of the key considerations is how to handle older, existing versions like Office 2010. By default, the modern Office installer will automatically remove these older versions, but for automated or customized deployments, you need more control. This guide will walk you through using the Office Deployment Tool (ODT) to create a silent, automated installation of Office 2021 that also cleanly removes any older Office versions. ...

In a secure or air-gapped environment, you can’t use Install-Module to download modules directly from the PowerShell Gallery. However, you can use an online machine to download the module and its dependencies, transfer them to the offline machine, and install them manually. This guide will walk you through the process using the popular Posh-SSH module as an example, but the steps can be applied to any module from the PowerShell Gallery. ...

In a secure or air-gapped environment, installing Windows features that normally require an internet connection can be a challenge. A common example is the OpenSSH Server, which is essential for secure remote management. When you run Add-WindowsCapability, Windows typically downloads the package from Microsoft Update. This guide provides two reliable methods for installing the OpenSSH Server on an offline Windows machine (Server 2019/2022 or Windows 10/11), ensuring you can maintain security and manageability even without internet access. ...

When installing Windows 11 on a VMware virtual machine (Workstation, Player, or ESXi), it’s common to run into a frustrating roadblock: “This PC can’t run Windows 11” or “TPM 2.0 requirement not met.” This error occurs because Windows 11 has stricter security requirements than its predecessors, mandating features that are not enabled by default on most virtual machines. Fortunately, this is easy to fix. This guide will walk you through the best ways to resolve the TPM error, from the official VMware method to simple bypasses. ...

PowerShell is no longer just for Windows. As a powerful, open-source scripting language and shell, PowerShell (pwsh) is now fully supported on Linux, allowing you to manage cross-platform environments, automate tasks, and use a consistent scripting language across your entire infrastructure. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for installing PowerShell on the most popular Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and Arch Linux. Why Install PowerShell on Linux? Cross-Platform Scripting: Write one script that can run on both Windows and Linux. Object-Oriented Shell: Unlike traditional text-based shells, PowerShell works with objects, making it easier to manipulate and manage data. Powerful Cmdlets: Leverage a rich ecosystem of cmdlets for managing systems, files, and services. Automation: Automate complex administrative tasks across a mixed-OS environment. Method 1: Installing on Debian and Ubuntu This is the most common method and is officially supported by Microsoft. We’ll use Ubuntu 22.04 as an example, but the steps are identical for recent versions of Debian and other Ubuntu derivatives. ...

The Windows Package Manager, better known as winget, is a powerful command-line tool that dramatically simplifies the process of managing software on Windows. Instead of manually downloading installers from websites, you can use winget to find, install, upgrade, and uninstall applications directly from your terminal. This guide explains what winget is, how to check if you already have it, and how to install or update it. What is winget? winget is a free and open-source package manager developed by Microsoft. It brings the convenience of Linux package managers (like apt or yum) to the Windows ecosystem. With winget, you can automate the setup of a new machine or keep your existing software up-to-date with a single command. ...

PowerShell is an essential tool for any Windows administrator or power user. However, it’s important to understand that there are two main versions of PowerShell: Windows PowerShell 5.1: The legacy version that comes pre-installed with Windows 10 and 11. It is no longer receiving new features. PowerShell 7 (and newer): The modern, open-source, and cross-platform version (often referred to as pwsh). It is actively developed, faster, and packed with new features. To take advantage of the latest capabilities, you should install the newest version of PowerShell. This guide will walk you through the best ways to do it. ...