September 30, 2005
@ 02:00 PM

I'm having difficulties with IBM ThinkCentre A50s (Model 8084) with Windows XP RIS.  It obtains PXE DHCP and TFTP boot image, and then stalls.

IBM Products Driver Matrices
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/DRVR-MATRIX.html

Unable to install Intel Ethernet driver using Windows XP Remote Installation Services (RIS) - NetVista / ThinkCentre
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=psg1MIGR-53056

Intel boot agent may not work with 3Com 4900 switch - ThinkCentre A30, A50, A50p, M50, S50
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-58798

Instructions for Network Deployment of Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) Version 1.2 on PXE-enabled systems from a Remote Install - Servers
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=ibm&lndocid=MIGR-60138

Microsoft PSS' Technical Guide to Remote Installation Services
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/docs/remosadmin.doc

Microsoft Windows Remote Installation Services (RIS) process fails to install the Rapid Access Keyboard drivers and software http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-45858

How to boot the Windows Preinstall Environment from an RIS server by using PXE-enabled clients
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304992&sd=tech

Stop RIS from auto partitioning the installation
http://www.msfn.org/board/lofiversion/index.php/t40685.html
[RemoteInstall]
Repartition=1,Wait
UseWholeDisk=1,Wait

How to Create a Template to Run the Recovery Console by Using a Remote Installation Service Server
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=316558

RIS and IBM thinkcentre
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.setup_deployment/browse_thread/thread/b355f25d091885f4/f3047198e268e5d%23f3047198e268e5d?sa=X&oi=groupsr&start=0&num=3

Using Remote Installation Service to deploy Windows images
http://myitforum.techtarget.com/articles/15/view.asp?id=4824
http://myitforum.techtarget.com/articles/15/view.asp?id=4851
http://myitforum.techtarget.com/articles/15/view.asp?id=5001
http://myitforum.techtarget.com/articles/15/view.asp?id=5165
http://myitforum.techtarget.com/articles/15/view.asp?id=6572

How to Add OEM Plug and Play Drivers to Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314479

100VE, 100Vm and B57XX
http://x220.minasi.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6371&SearchTerms=ris

RIS and Windows 2003
http://www.alegsa.com.ar/N/i71/Ris%20and%20e1000.php
http://www.wug-nordic.net/articles/ris-add-nic.htm
http://www.p2preactor.com/usenet/setup-and-deployment/1307297-ris-and-ibm-thinkcentre.html

DHCP: Spanning Multiple Subnets
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/120932/EN-US/

DHCP - multiple subnets with RIS
http://www-w2k.cs.berkeley.edu/admin/docs/dhcp.htm
http://www-w2k.cs.berkeley.edu/admin/docs/docs/dhcpris.txt
http://www-w2k.eecs.berkeley.edu/admin/docs/docs/Q259670.txt

Configuring DHCP for Remote Boot Services - Add Option 60 for PXEClient in DHCP Scope
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/remboot/html/xpconConfiguringDHCPForRemoteBootServices.asp

Change in Default Behavior for SIS Groveler
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=324447

Multi-homed RIS server may not answer all PXE clients
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=260521

Computer Hope Batch File Help
http://www.computerhope.com/batch.htm

Craig Hart's PCI and AGP bus sniffer
http://members.datafast.net.au/dft0802/downloads.htm

Handy calculator for file download times
http://www.bandwidth.com/tools/fileTimeCalc


 
Categories: IT

A London underground station was evacuated and part of a main east-west line closed in a security alert on Thursday, three weeks after suicide bombers killed 52 people on the transport network, police said. (Reuters)
This Reuters story was written while the police were detaining me in Southwark tube station and the bomb squad was checking my rucksack. When they were through, the two explosive specialists walked out of the tube station smiling and commenting: "Nice laptop." The officers offered apologies on behalf of the Metropolitan police. Then they arrested me.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5291345-117079,00.html


 
Categories: IT

September 26, 2005
@ 08:53 AM

Windows Kernel Rewritten

 

Microsoft.Windows.Kernel.pdf (53.59 KB)
 
Categories: IT

September 25, 2005
@ 09:48 PM

PowerGramo is a powerful recording solution for skype.

  • You can record and replay any call in an easy and smart fashion.
  • Record whatever calls you have
  • Keep your calls in safe place
  • Share your calls with friends
  • Get started in less than 3 minutes! 
  • Totally free for download
  • Best of all, all records are encrypted. You are the only one to review them after you login Skype. Also it's very simple to share them with your friends. PowerGramo provides popular small audio format instead of large wav file

http://www.powergramo.com/


 
Categories: IT

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?childpagename=US%2FLayout&packedargs=c%3DL_Download_C2%26cid%3D1115417109974%26sku%3D1115416825841&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper

WRT54GS - Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster V4.0
 
Firmware Date: 9/06/2005
Release Version: 1.05
File Size: 2.74 MB 

Version 2.0

Firmware Date: 7/20/2005
Release Version: 4.70.6
File Size: 2.94 MB 


 
Categories: IT

Here's a problem I got today.  Microsoft ISA Server 2004 Enterprise Edition running on Windows 2003 with SP1 and all latest hotfixes.  I sporadically lose connectivity to the box internally for TS/RDP management from trusted adminnistration stations.  It appears to restore access after a reboot.  I've also had low memory complaints from the ISA Service.

This appears to have solved this problem, which is now looking like its unrelated to the low memory condition:

Event Type: Error
Event Source: TermService
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1036
Date:  24.07.2005
Time:  18:57:44
User:  N/A
Computer: Servername
Description:
Terminal Server session creation failed. The relevant status code was 0x2740.

Solution: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555382

To resolve the problem make sure that the correct network adapter is bound to RDP-TCP connection. To do this, follow these steps:
1. On the server, logon to the server locally (not using Remote Desktop/Terminal Client).
2. Click Start, Run, type "tscc.msc /s" (without qutation marks and click OK.
3. In the Terminal Services Configuration snap-in double-click Connections, then RDP-Tcp in the right pane.
4. Click the Network Adapter tab, select the correct network adapter and click OK.
5. Make sure that you can establish an RDP connection to the server.


 
Categories: IT

CAUTION: This process OVERWRITES ANY local administrators on these machines ONLY with the ones listed in the GPO.

I pushed this GPO out recently and wiped out a local list of administrators on several production machines.  Not good.

The decent solution for this problem is to use Windows Logo certified software, and reinstall workstations where Admin rights are currently being used by users.  Bad, bad, bad practice.  It takes the extra few hours to configure a system properly, giving them ONLY the necessary permissions.  Why do so many people do it the dirty way?

SUMMARY
This article describes how to create a global group so that it is a member of the local administrators group on all workstations and member servers by using group policy restricted groups.

MORE INFORMATION
It may be useful to allow certain users to automatically become local administrators on your Windows 2000-based workstations or member servers. To allow that type of access to a controlled set of users and computers by using a group policy:

...
Right-click Restricted Groups (under Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Restricted Groups), and then click Add Group.
Click Browse. Focused on the local computer, click the group to which you want your global group to be a member (in this case, the "Administrators" group), click ADD, and then click OK. You are returned to the group policy and you see the administrators group listed in the Restricted Groups window.
Right-click the group, and then click Security.
To the right side of the Members of this Group box, click ADD, and then click Browse.
Locate the group in the organizational unit that you want to place in the administrators group, and then add it the group. After you do so, close the group policy.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q320065


 
Categories: IT

Paul Thurrott
InstantDoc #47668
September 11, 2005

An examination of Microsoft internal documentation this weekend revealed that the software giant is prepping several major end-user features for Windows Vista (code-named Longhorn), many of which had not yet been revealed. Here's a rundown of many of the features we can expect in the various Vista product editions.
  
Microsoft is creating seven versions of Vista for end users (nine if you count the N Editions that will target European markets). To differentiate these products, the company is carefully matching feature sets to the expected markets that will adopt each product version.

More: http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Print.cfm?ArticleID=47668


 
Categories: IT

Paul Thurrott
InstantDoc #47665
September 10, 2005

Two days before the start of Microsoft Professional Developers Conference (PDC) 2005, I received exclusive insider information about the product editions that Microsoft intends to create for Windows Vista (code-named Longhorn). Although the exact breakdown of the Vista editions has been the subject of much speculation, the list closely matches the editions list I first published on the SuperSite for Windows last year.
  
Microsoft plans two general Vista edition categories, which map closely to the two that exist today for Windows XP (XP Home Edition, which includes XP Starter, Home, and Media Center Editions, and XP Professional Edition, which includes XP Pro, Pro x64, and Tablet PC editions). Vista will feature two categories: Home and Business. In the Home category, Microsoft will create four product editions: Vista Starter Edition, Vista Home Basic Edition, Vista Home Premium Edition, and Vista Ultimate Edition (previously known as the "Uber" Edition). The Business category will feature three editions: Vista Small Business Edition, Vista Professional Edition, and Vista Enterprise Edition.

More: http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Print.cfm?ArticleID=47665


 
Categories: IT

September 12, 2005
@ 07:38 PM

Filters (Message Rules)

Filters help you organize your mail. If you receive large amounts of messages everyday, instead of crowding your inbox with all the messages, you can have filters set so messages get distributed into different folders. Oulook Express filters are called Message Rules and they can only be used when you have your account set up through an POP server.

Setting Filters (Message Rules)

  1. Click on the Tools menu, select Message Rules and Mail.

    Message Rules

  2. The New Mail Rule dialog box appears.
  3. The box is divided into 4 parts. The first part is to configure what messages are filtered, the second is to configure what to do with the filtered messages, the third is a sub configuration of the first and the third (depending on which is active). The Fourth section is the name of the rule (you can give it any name).
  4. In this example the first section, 1. Select the Conditions for your rule will be set to Where the From line contains people because usually mail is filtered with respect to who sends the message.
  5. Notice that because you have section one active, section three (3. Rule Description) changes so you can configure whose mail will be filtered.

    New Message Rule

  6. Click on the blue underlined text contains people in section 3 of the New Mail Rule dialog box.
  7. The Select People dialog box appears.

    Select People

  8. Type in the name of the person whose mail you would like to filter and click Add.
  9. Click OK when you are finished adding all the names that you want.
  10. Now in section two, 2. Select the Actions for your rule:, specify what you would like to do with the message once it has been filtered. You have several options such as delete and move to a folder. Because the most common action is to move it to a folder Move it to the Specified folder is checked.
  11. Notice that now section three has a new option; Move it to the specified folder.

    New Mail Rule

  12. Click on specified in section three of the New Mail Rule dialog box.
  13. The Move dialog box appears. Select the folder where you would like to move the folder to (it cannot be the Inbox), then click OK.

    Move

  14. In section four, 4. Name of the rule type in a name (a good name would be one that describes the type of filter that it is).

    New Mail Rule

  15. Click OK.
  16. Log out from Outlook Express. the next time you log in the rules will be applied to any NEW incoming messages.

 
Categories: IT

September 10, 2005
@ 01:23 AM

And here we go again:

"An employee at a Shenzhen Telecom service centre said staff had been instructed to tell customers who complained about being unable to access SkypeOut that such internet telephone services were illegal in China under a 2004 regulation because they would 'destroy market order,'" the Financial Times reported

Full article: http://weblog.infoworld.com/techwatch/archives/003972.html


 
Categories: IT

September 10, 2005
@ 01:20 AM
A while back, we asked you what you thought about having Exchange 12 ship on DVD. We also did some market and customer research outside of the blog and carefully weighed all of the feedback together to make our decision: Exchange 12 will ship on a single  DVD.
 
I wanted to let you know how important your feedback was to us making this decision as well as address some of the concerns that were raised on the anti-DVD side. Another plus of this experience was it was a great proof of concept as to how useful this blog is in gathering diverse customer feedback, so thanks for all the comments and please keep them coming. Even when we don't explicitly ask for feedback, the comments are still useful, any time you tell us what you think about something, positive or negative, we appreciate it.
 
First, I should explain what would be taking up this much space. The main feature is unified messaging, which is a core feature in E12 that we're very excited about bringing to the masses (and trust me on this one, there are some amazing features in UM). The largest part of this feature are the text-to-speech engines that are needed for each language. These engines allow you to call up your server on your phone and have it read your email and appointments over the phone to you. We estimate that the final size of each language of these engines (using a non-lossy compression) will be around a couple hundred megs and we are working on including as many languages as we can.
 
I should also mention that it's a natural progression we're making towards DVD -- as several commenters said, "it's only a matter of time." Exchange will likely be one of the first products to make the switch to only DVD, but we aren't doing this without good reason and without carefully weighing the pros and cons (and if we didn't need the space, we wouldn't make this move). We are announcing this change over a year in advance in order to give our customers enough time to plan for their Exchange 12 deployments to ensure that they have a DVD drive available for copying E12 to a network share or for installing E12.

Source: http://blogs.technet.com/exchange/archive/2005/09/06/410343.aspx


 
Categories: IT

Macromedia Director 5.0 and other such ancient software fail to operate in restricted environments.  It tries to copy 2 files into the system folders WHEN such an application is launched.

Workaround is to put the two files there by default.  95% of these problems are caused by old software that does not follow best practices.  How sad.

When using Windows 2000, and if students will be logged in at the "user" or "poweruser" levels (that is, they won't have full administrator privileges), you will need two additional files for the software to work properly. For Windows 95,98, or the Macintosh these extra files are not necessary. To download the two files and a Word document giving instructions, click on each of the three links below:  

Download file XOBGLU16.DLL

Download file XOBGLU32.DLL

http://www.uwrf.edu/~mb02/Windows2000.html


 
Categories: IT