SQL-Server 2012 unattended install

Today I spent quite some time trying to develop a PowerShell script for unattended SQL-Server install in a remote session. Probably this has been done thousands of times, but I just didn't get it working.

Finally, after a lot of research I found the clue here, in the very last comment from zkjiang. It turned out that for an unattended install of SQL-Server 2012 it needs to be unzipped first (not like SQL-Server 2016).

And I was unzipping it in the $env:temp folder, that turned out to be a folder with a long name, something like  "C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp", which apparently is too long for the SQL-Server installer.

Changing the folder name to just something like "C:\SQLServer" fixed the thing.

Now I just hope the next time I won't have to lose time on this item again.

Hope this helps someone, someday.

Visual StudioCode for PowerShell

After a period of hesitation, today I decided it was time to start learning VS Code for PowerShell.Not that I'm not happy with PowerShell ISE, I think it's a fantastic tool, but VS Code will be the future, and it's where Microsoft keeps developing.

I started off with an excellent introduction video from Tim Warner, available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O0ijuaEPqo

It explains the basics, how to configure it for PowerShell, and how to share your personal preferences between different computers using a gist on Github. Specially that last feature was important to me, since I'm using 5 different computers, both at work and at home, according to location and availability.

Update: I have been working with Code a week now and must say it has some cool features, although sometimes I fall back to ISE. It just still seems a bit easier to use sometimes.

Skoda Columbus navigator

I bought a used car the other day, a Skoda SuperB, with an integrated navigation and entertainment system: called RNS-510 or Columbus.

Since I didn't feel like going to the local Skoda dealer, I found a few useful websites with loads of information, and I thought to share it here.

Fguring these things out, trying and retrying, takes time. But eventually I was able to get it working. Now my Columbus system has the latest possible firmware for it's hardware version, including a personalised welcome image.

Here are a few websites that helped me getting started

A very good and complete starting page:

• https://www.drive2.com/l/465526077448520463

This page helped me find some important concepts, like the hardware number of my device, the latest possible firmware version that this hardware can run, installation instructions, etc. One important part was how to install the maps from an SD card, since the Western Europe maps didn't fit on a DVD.

Listings of hardware and corresponding firmware versions:

• https://www.my-gti.com/3983/volkswagen-rns-510-hardware-and-software-firmware-versions
• https://www.my-gti.com/category/reference/firmware-updates

Installation instructions:

• https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/456874-colombus-update-question/?tab=comments#comment-5133741
• https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/298284-guide-upgrading-columbus-firmware-and-maps/?tab=comments#comment-3550785

Create your own welcome screen logo:

• http://www.netdata.be/iso

Introduction

Hi, my name is Harmen, and I try to learn something new every day. As they say sometimes, a day without learning anything new, is a lost day.

Today, I decided to start recording the most important ideas, concepts, technology I learnt, for one part to keep a record over time, and for the other part to be able to lookup again over time.

Inspiration came from Don Jones, he describes the concept of KSA's - Knowledge, Skills and Abilities, where everything someone learns for the first time should be recorded for future reference.

Well, here we go