Friday 4 December 2009

Remotely enable terminal Services for Remote Desktop

Here's one of those registry keys I can never remember when I need it every couple of months or so. You've logged into the client's server or you're on their network directly but want to take over a PC to fix some pesky Outlook problem.

So you've got access to Manage their Computer or load their registry with Regedit.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server
fDenyTSConnections=0 (REG_DWORD)
and reboot.

If you want screenshots of the details take a look at the omniscient Daniel Petri's website here.
http://www.petri.co.il/remotely_enable_remote_desktop_on_windows_server_2003.htm
(works on desktop Windows too)

Wednesday 2 December 2009

SBS Backup Configuration Wizard unexpected error 80070002

Got a Small Business Server 2003 R2 box that started throwing a whole load of errors about Update Services failing and Monitoring not working, neither was the standard MS NTBackup.

Updates Services 3.0 SP2 required an uninstall, then an uninstall of 2003R2 technologies. Followed by a reinstall of both.

Monitoring was straightforward. I ran the configure wizard and told it to reinstall back to default.

The Backup Configuration Wizard was a bit messier. When you ran the wizard and it applied all teh settings, you got the following message at around 75% progress
An unexpected error occurred (80070002)
Googling gave several different suggestions, including reinstall the Admin tools, a hotfix to recreate the MS Integration part of the registry and resetting WMI. None of which fixed the problem. I did notice that the summary configuration page quoted the backup destination as \Backup Files without the drive letter (external USB).

Poking around in the registry uncovered this in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\SmallBusinessServer\Backup but it already included the drive letter. Editing the subkey didn't help.

Deleting the entire key did though. The backup wizard reset and prompted again for the destination drive plus backup exclusions, schedule, etc and completed with error. First backup is running right now ... hurrah

Monday 30 November 2009

Forgetful Outlook won't remember password

Got to make a note of this support KB from Microsoft
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290684

I can never remember how to find it when I need it. Outlook keeps prompting for the POP3 email password. It appears to have something stored - you can see the password stars - it authenticates when you type it in. Then is doesn't remember for the next Outlook session when you restart.

Skip ahead to that section about removing the Protected Storage System provider subkey (not the main key!)

Essentially you're looking for
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider
then look at the subkeys which are similar to
S-1-5-21-124525095-708259637-1543119021-16701
one for each identity.

Export as a backup then remove that subkey. Re-enter user/password and click the remember password tick box.

Wednesday 11 November 2009

Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

Just trying to load some new software on an SBS 2003 server - it was actually some ISA log reporting software to show who had done what and when with the internet connection at a client site.

I got the error ...
Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

I assumed it was a fault with the download or the program, not with Internet Security application launch permissions! Only when I tried to run another program did I realise it was a server issue.

Leo had the fix over on his blog
http://www.leonelson.com/blog/2009/08/25/windows-cannot-access-the-specified-device-path-or-file-you-may-not-have-the-appropriate-permissions-to-access-the-item/

basically you have to go into IE Internet Options > Security > Internet zone
Click teh custom level box and find 'Launching applications and unsafe files' towards teh end of the Miscellaneous section.

Change it from Disabled to Prompt. I think the change may have come in with the install of Internet Explorer 8 on the server.

Friday 9 October 2009

Samsung P10 laptop won't connect to WPA wireless security with SEW-2001M adapter

The standard Samsung driver on the P10 laptop using Windows XP didn't have an option to specify a WPA password to connect to a wireless access point, it was WEP only. It would see the network name but when you connected it didn't even prompt for a password, just went off for a think and came back saying the connection had reset and it was refreshing the network name list.

If you looked in the advanced properties and manually tried to create a wireless profile it only had Open, Shared and WEP as security options.

I uncovered a Samsung driver that updated from the original 7.42 to 7.6 but that was still way back when in 2002 and still no WPA support. There didn't seem to be anything newer and the only support download Samsung offered was a picture editor (way to go Samsung!). I did spot a mention linking the SEW-2001M to an Agere chipset so I followed that line of thought and Googled this site

latest Agere driver for Samsung SEW-2001M

ignore the most recent v8.22 driver - doesn't work with the Samsung - but jump straight to downloading the 7.82 driver. That one works and includes WPA encryption support :-)

To install, extract all the files from the downloaded ZIP file and put them somewhere handy like the desktop or make a C:\DRIVERS directory. Then go into Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager. Expand the network adapters and right-click on the Samsung wireless adapter, choose Update driver and point it to the earlier desktop/directory where you extracted the files to.

Love it when a plan comes together :-)

Thursday 17 September 2009

Exporting email addresses from outlook nickname list; outlook.nk2

Just found this really handy program which can extract the email addresses from Outlook's nickname file (*.nk2)
http://code.google.com/p/debunk2/

It picks the default outlook file first but you can specify another location to grab a different file and export the contents.

Handy when the MD says get me a new email address I'm getting too much junk and I don't use Contacts for my addresses.

Friday 28 August 2009

Win 7 meet Office Accounting - have you met before??

Been running Windows 7 (64 bit) release version for past week or so. Works a treat, runs well, doesn't have the occasional freeze that was plaguing my Vista install.

Just went to install Office Accounting 2009 before the bookkeeper arrives tomorrow and it went away with the fairies during the SQL install. Wouldn't end task for quite a while and took several prompts before restarting. Retried using the standalone SQL Express 2005 installer, but same problem - it went to scan the computer for something and didn't come back.

Had to uninstall the SQL components from the programs list in Control Panel. Then did a reboot for good measure. When it came back I did a manual install of SQL Express 2005 (64 bit). This worked straight off. Then I reran the Office Accounting 2009 installer and it worked :-)

Also tried running MSOA 2009 installer as Administrator.

Don't forget to add MSOA 2009 SP1. There are spearate US and UK versions, see here
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4E8AA62E-07CA-41FC-B8E4-3FB2D338775B&displaylang=en

Thursday 16 April 2009

Remote Web Workplace ActiveX add-on missing

You've just connected to your Small Business Server (SBS) via the /remote site, looking for Remote Web Workplace and get a warning at the bottom of the browser that the add-on is disabled. When you click on the add-on list the Remote Desktop (RDP) control is missing.

Ramesh over at winhelponline has the answer, you need to delete this registry key:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Currentversion\Ext\Settings\{7584c670-2274-4efb-b00b-d6aaba6d3850}

Then close Internet Explorer and restart. Worked a treat for a client using an IdeaPad S10e with Win XP Home and IE8.

Monday 13 April 2009

Ignorant BT HomeHub - stops talking to laptop 2200BG wireless

Its Easter weekend - you know when geeks everywhere get to sort out their parents and neighbours home IT. Then again being a geek means any excuse to play with some kit rather than sort the garden or the spring cleaning :-)

So one of the neighbour's laptops is no longer working on wireless, turns out it hasn't been for a while. It works ok with a cabled connection. However his son-in-law is staying and his laptop doesn't work either. Escalate the call! They're running on a v1 BT HomeHub. So tried restarting the router, changing channel, varying all the security settings through none/WEP/WPA, updating the wireless driver (Intel bult-in 2200BG) - no chance. Both start connecting but report a disconnect error. One of them also gets an occasional network is no longer available error on the list. One laptop had the Windows Wireless Zero Config utility, the other used Intel Pro Wireless utility - neither would work.

Just to make it a little more interesting the other wireless devices such as Nintendo DS Lite, DSi, Playstation and my BlackBerry Bold are all perfectly happy with the wireless. After much googling I track down a bunch of guys talking about a BT HomeHub problem with Intel Centrino 2200BG wireless. Both laptops at the house are Dell Inspiron 6000 with you guessed it 2200BG wireless. Bet my IBM ThinkPad would play up too if I'd had it with me.

So the HomeHub is running firmware 6.2.6E (log into your router at http://192.168.1.254 and check System or Status in bottom left) which is a suspect version according to what I found. Latest version is 6.2.6H which includes a 2200BG fix according to the changelog history. Woohoo, except its not an auto update and I couldn't find a manual download to sort this firmware at the time. BT have an automated portal that should carry out a scheduled update - didn't work for us, may be a Bank Holiday issue? The link if you want to try is http://pbteu.bt.motive.com/ElectiveFWUpgradePortal/

I left the guys calling BT, apparently it only took a 90 minute phone call - sounds like getting off lightly with BT ;-) The initial Indian call centre had no idea about firmware, eventually got a Swedish(?) support centre that understood perfectly, checked a couple of settings and did the update. Both laptops associated straight away and were online wirelessly.

So whilst I was subsequently poking around t'interweb, I found this link
http://www.btopenworld.com/broadband/adhoc_pages/hub_firmware.html
which looks like you might be able to run your own 6.2.6H update - sorry haven't had a router victim to test on yet.

Friday 20 March 2009

Recover deleted Deleted Items from Outlook PST

Here's a really handy little program
http://www.gettingclever.com/2008/06/corrupting-your-outlook-pst-file.html

It forcibly corrupts an Outlook PST file. You then run the standard Microsoft SCANPST utility which you can find in c:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MAPI\1033 or if you're using Vista look in c:\program files\microsoft office\office12

Due to the corruption SCANPST treats any deleted emails it finds as lost and recovers them :-)

Friday 23 January 2009

Email address distribution missing in public folders

Just setup an email address attached to an Exchange public folder. So incoming emails can be shared between several people but it also acts as a master list, that way you can see what has been actioned already.

You can also add the Send As permission in the Active Directory for that folder, so staff can change the email address that the message is sent from. You then need to enable the From field in the new message box. Also make sure the address is visible in the global address list and not hidden.

We noticed that incoming emails stored in the public folder didn't show the email distribution if anyone had been cc'd in. This was tracked down to the format being IPM.Post not IPM.Note. You can add a registry setting to force all new emails to store as Note, and therefore display the email distribution:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIS\servername\public-folder-id\
"Incoming defaults to IPM.Note"=dword:00000001

Restart the Exchange Info Store.

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