SharePoint 2013 Central Administration Ribbons Grayed Out

Problem:

On SharePoint 2013 some ribbons from the Central Administration Area are grayed out. The user is a farm admin.
For example: New Web Application, New Service Application.

Solution:

Start SharePoint 2013 Central Administration from the Start Menu icon
- or -
run Internet Explorer as Administrator.

SharePoint 2013: PowerPivot Configuration Tool Error

Scenario:

Preparing for a SharePoint 2010 -> SharePoint 2013 Migration.
Installed Windows Server 2012, SQL Server 2012, SharePoint Server 2013, PowerPivot for SharePoint.
When running the PowerPivot Configuration Tool, I got the error:

---------------------------
System Validation
---------------------------
Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.SharePoint, Version=14.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.
Plsease address the validation failures and try again. 
---------------------------

  

Solution:

What I had to do is install SQL Server 2012 SP1 (SQLServer2012SP1-KB2674319-x64-ENU.exe) and upgrade the PowerPivot instance. After install, a new link appeared: PowerPivot for SharePoint 2013 Configuration

Identify SharePoint 2013 Foundation or Server

It's crazy that there is no easy way to find out what Edition (SKU) of SharePoint 2013 are you running. To find out, you have to dig the registry:

• Open Regedit
• Nagivate to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Web Server Extensions\15.0\WSS\InstalledProducts
• Compare the guids with these:

C5D855EE-F32B-4A1C-97A8-F0A28CE02F9C	SharePoint Server 2013
CBF97833-C73A-4BAF-9ED3-D47B3CFF51BE	SharePoint Server 2013 Preview
B7D84C2B-0754-49E4-B7BE-7EE321DCE0A9	SharePoint Server 2013 Enterprise
298A586A-E3C1-42F0-AFE0-4BCFDC2E7CD0	SharePoint Server 2013 Enterprise Preview
D6B57A0D-AE69-4A3E-B031-1F993EE52EDC	Microsoft Office Web Apps Server 2013
9FF54EBC-8C12-47D7-854F-3865D4BE8118	SharePoint Foundation 2013
35466B1A-B17B-4DFB-A703-F74E2A1F5F5E	Project Server 2013
BC7BAF08-4D97-462C-8411-341052402E71	Project Server 2013 Preview

Since I can find both guids in regedit, I guess I'm having the Enterprise version.

Source: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj659075.aspx

Windows Server 2012: Disable Server Manager at Startup

To disable Windows Server 2012 Server Manager from automatically start after logon, go to Manage -> Server Manager Properties -> Do not start Server Manager automatically at logon.

Start Menu for Windows Server 2012

Problem:

The problem is evident. It's crazy how Microsoft forced its metro-style UI to Servers. (Similar to the fact that msn-s website is default in IE for server OS-es up until 2008 R2. Who would read msn news on a server??) Regarding the Metro style, if you're working through a windowed Remote Desktop Connection, it's a pain in the foot to restart the machine for example. First, you have to hover on the left corner, click then hover on the right corner for the power icon to appear. Very frustrating.

Solution:

I found a very-very great app for this which will bring back the good old start menu for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. Get it from http://www.classicshell.net/.
Big thanks for creating the app and making it open source & free!

VirtualBox + Server 2012 + IE Crashing Constantly

Environment:

• VirtualBox 4.1.18
• Windows Server 2012 as guest (Version 6.2.9200)
• Internet Explorer 10 (10.0.9200.16384)

Problem:

Internet Explorer is crashing constantly.

Error message:

Problem signature: 
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH 
Application Name: IEXPLORE.EXE 
Application Version: 10.0.9200.16384 
Application Timestamp: 50107ee0 
Fault Module Name: wined3dwddm-x86.dll 
Fault Module Version: 0.0.0.0 
Fault Module Timestamp: 4fce147d 
Exception Code: c0000005 
Exception Offset: 000230ca 
OS Version: 6.2.9200.2.0.0.272.7 
Locale ID: 1033 
Additional Information 1: 0ac5 
Additional Information 2: 0ac50e81ccc21e6e54ca6ad82e5492d6 
Additional Information 3: fc2b 
Additional Information 4: fc2b31e27c0c67d3c123dfb9e5b9546a
Read our privacy statement online:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=190175
If the online privacy statement is not available, please read our privacy statement offline:
C:\Windows\system32\en-US\erofflps.txt
  

Solution:

Disable 3D Acceleration in VirtualBox:

As of VirtualBox 4.2.6 the issue is still present.