April 24, 2017

Windows 10 Store Apps Missing


Purpose:
This post explains how to reinstall the Windows 10 Calculator app after it has been uninstalled

Symptom:
Windows 10 Calculator App missing

Resolution:

Issues reinstalling Win10 Store apps after removing them. This is specific to the Windows Calculator app.

Requirement is to have Base Filtering Engine and Windows Firewall service turned on.
*Note* - This is also a requirement for Windows 10 Updates to function correctly.

If the folders in the C:\Program Files\WindowsApps directory have been deleted or are missing find another machine that does have these folders and copy them into your machines directory. I also had to copy the VCLibs directories (highlighted below - You'll see why in a minute why these are needed.)



After you have these directories open up an elevated powershell window and register the apps using this command (specific to Calculator)

Add-AppxPackage -Register "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_10.1703.601.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\AppxManifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode




However when I ran this command I got an error about the VCLibs missing. So  I registered these VCLibs first with these command:

Add-AppxPackage -Register "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00_14.0.24123.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\AppxManifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode

Add-AppxPackage -Register "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00_14.0.24123.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\AppxManifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode



And then re-ran the command to register the Calculator app.

Add-AppxPackage -Register "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_10.1703.601.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\AppxManifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode

Cause:

The uninstall of Windows 10 Apps by various means

SageLike Post ID: SL0018

Applies to:

Windows 10

References:
http://www.intowindows.com/reset-and-reinstall-calculator-in-windows-10/
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-reinstall-default-apps-in-windows-10/

April 12, 2017

VMware ESXi 5.5 - Attach 4K RDM Error. Failed to Start Virtual Machine

Purpose:
This post explains why when adding a 4K LUN as an RDM to a VM doesn't work

Symptom:
When a 4K block sized LUN is added to a virtual machine on an ESXi 5.5 environment you get the below error when trying to boot the VM.  



Resolution:
Either recreate the Volume/LUN to one that is 512, upgrade vCenter and your ESXi hosts to version 6 or higher. In our case we were trying to P2V the OS of a SQL server and then move over the direct attached LUN to the VM. We had to back out our change since we were still on ESXi 5.5.


Cause:
As designed. VMWare doesn't support 4k LUNs until after ESXi 6. 

SageLike Post ID: SL0017

Applies to:
ESXi 5.5 and earlier

References:
https://gruffdba.wordpress.com/2015/08/02/4k-logical-block-size-size-fails-on-vmware/  
https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2091600