Windows 10: Are Passwords masked with asterisks by default on all Windows Servers and Domains?

Hi, I would like to know 1. whether all Windows Servers and Domains have the policy to mask passwords by default. 2. Further, could you please confirm whether there is any way to change this setting. I could not find this information in the Microsoft documentation on the password policies in the respective servers. Therefore I am raising this query here. Hoping for a quick response.Thanks!

:)

 

Raising the windows domain and forest issues?


hi,

I run a domain that was all 2003 r2 servers. I recently upgraded all my domain controllers to windows 2012 r2.
That went off without any problems.. Our trust relationships had no issues also.

My first step was to raise the Domain and Forest levels past 2003 to 2008. This went off without a hitch.
These are the features for raising the levels to 2008:

• Features and benefits include all default Active Directory features, all features from the Windows Server 2003 domain functional level, plus:
• Read-Only Domain Controllers – Allows implementation of domain controllers that only host read-only copy of NTDS database.
• Advanced Encryption Services – (AES 128 and 256) support for the Kerberos protocol.
• Distributed File System Replication (DFSR) – Allows SYSVOL to replicate using DFSR instead of older File Replication Service (FRS). It provides more robust and detailed replication of SYSVOL contents.

Forest Level Windows Server 2008

• Features and benefits include all of the features that are available at the Windows Server 2003 forest functional level, but no additional features. All domains that are subsequently added to the forest will operate at the Windows Server 2008 domain functional level by default.

My next step is to raise the domain and forest to 2008 r2, then 2012, and finally 2012 r2. I have been trying to find out exactly what I could expect from raising the Domain and Forest for each step.

The step involving 2008 r2 seems relatively a non issue. But getting the couple of new features seem very nice

Domain Level Windows Server 2008 R2

• All default Active Directory features, all features from the Windows Server 2008 domain functional level, plus 2 new features

Forest Level Windows Server 2008 R2

• All of the features that are available at the Windows Server 2003 forest functional level, plus the following features:

• Active Directory Recycle Bin, which provides the ability to restore deleted objects in their entirety while AD DS is running. <== New Feature very cool
• All domains subsequently added to the forest will operate at the Windows Server 2008 R2 domain functional level by default.

Here is my big concerns for the next raising of domain and forest to 2012.

Forest Level Windows Server 2012:

• All of the features that are available at the Windows Server 2008 R2 forest functional level, but no additional features.
• All domains subsequently added to the forest will operate at the Windows Server 2012 domain functional level by default.

Domain Level Windows Server 2012 R2: <=====Need to investigate more and why this post

• DC-side protections for Protected Users. Protected Users authenticating to a Windows Server 2012 R2 domain can no longer:

• Authenticate with NTLM authentication <==============(what issues may arise)
• Use DES or RC4 cipher suites in Kerberos pre-authentication
• Be delegated with unconstrained or constrained delegation
• Renew user tickets (TGTs) beyond the initial 4-hour lifetime

Will this affect my exchange anywhere users with remote access authenticating either clear of NTLM???
and what would/may not to work properly day 1 when I raise the domain and forest to 2012. I cant really find anyone that can answer a straight question.

Has anyone gone through this? what problems did you have, if any , if a lot???

Any thoughts and suggestions will be much appreciated??

thanks


- - - Updated - - -

One more point... I am not sure if I posted this to the correct forum.. So if I was wrong and it should be in a different one..
PLEASE LET ME KNOW

 

UnattendedJoin error: failed to find the domain data (0x6e)

Thanks for the suggestion! I don't want to add a domain account, as this is a generic unattended install that will be used for all company machines. Do you think it's possible that the computer would join the domain if, instead of using UnattendedJoin in specialize, I used your steps but left out the specific account?

The other thing I was thinking was to use a generic account to allow the domain join during the specialize step. I added a machine password in the UnattendedJoin component, and instead of getting the error listed above, I got an authentication error, which makes me think I could probably do a secure join instead of the unsecure join.

Thoughts?

 

Reconnecting a Terminal Server to a Domain

First of all I hope this is the correct section to post this in.

Here's the problem. We have a terminal server at work whose password to the main 2003 server has expired. The computer password, not a user password. How do I get the computer connected back to the domain?

You can log into local accounts, but not domain ones.

What we are wondering is if we just removed the computer account from the domain and re-add it, do the user profiles that are on the TS stay as-is or are they invalidated?

Kinda a strange problem to have happen, and many google searches later I haven't picked up much relevant information.

Thanks for the help.

-Rad_Ed