Windows - Comparing MBSA, MU, WSUS, and SMS 2003

Good comparison of WSUS vs SMS ... basically WSUS is easy, but SMS is detailed ...

Comparing MBSA, MU, WSUS, and SMS 2003

Windows - How to configure an authoritative time server in Windows Server 2003

How to configure an authoritative time server in Windows Server 2003

How to configure an authoritative time server in Windows Server 2003

Windows - Configuring the Windows Time Service

Configuring the Windows Time Service

Configuring the Windows Time Service

Windows - How can I determine who are the current FSMO Roles holders in my domain/forest?

Determining FSMO Role Holders

How can I determine who are the current FSMO Roles holders in my domain/forest?

Cisco - ADSL - End-to-End DSL Architectures

A sample chapter from "End-to-End DSL Architectures" that covers pretty much everything you wanted to know about DSL.

http://www.informit.com/articles/printerfriendly.asp?p=31445

Windows - Addressing and Name Resolution

A detailed explanation of addressing functions in Windows XP.

Windows XP Resource Kit: Configuring IP Addressing and Name Resolution

Addressing and Name Resolution

Cisco - Call Manager Website Errors

Gettiung a bunch of errors when you try to use CCM?

Cisco reports that a number of browsers have trouble (see below). I have also found that any connections through a proxy will also cause trouble. This problem with proxies goes for both your browser AND java. To set your JVM to not use proxies, do the following: Start Settings Control Panel. Open Java Network Settings. Select Direct Connection and then click OK twice to exit.

Troubleshooting Cisco ICS 7750 Software

Troubleshooting Cisco CallManager

Windows - Verify Domain Controller Status

This tool will help you work out whether or not each server is correctly seeing the domain controllers for your domain.

A quick look at the Windows 2003 support tools

Tool Name: Domain Controller Diagnostic Tool

Filename: dcdiag.exe

Format: Command Line

Description: Analyzes and reports on the state of a domain controller

AD - Adding Custom Information to Active Directory

A one page article on how to add custom info to AD - including the GUI.

Extending the Active Directory Schema To Track Custom Info

Date: Feb 27, 2004 By Kurt Hudson.

You
can modify the Active Directory database to track almost anything you
want: ID info, social security numbers, etc. Kurt Hudson shows how to
track additional information about user accounts.

RIS - RIS Installations of Windows XP Professional

Quick summary on how to do RIS installs of XP ... all in one page!

RIS Installations of Windows XP Professional

RIS Installations of Windows XP Professional
By Jason Zandri

Index | Next

In order to install Windows XP Professional using the Remote Installation Service, you must install the RIS on a Windows 2000 server (either Server, Advanced Server or Datacenter) using the Remote Installation Services Setup Wizard. The server can be a member server or a domain controller, it doesn't make a difference, however, what must be present on the network in order to use RIS are the following services:

DNS RIS relies on the DNS service for locating both the directory service and client computer accounts.
DHCP The DHCP service is required so that client computers that can receive an IP address.
Active Directory RIS relies on the Active Directory service in for locating the RIS servers.

PXE - Network Boot Services

Part of Microsoft's Automated Deployment Services (ADS) - which is the successor to RIS (though it only does server based deployments).

Network Boot Services

Network Boot Services

Network Boot Services (NBS) provides startup control for devices that support the Pre-Boot eXecution Environment (PXE). NBS responds to PXE network boot requests from devices and then directs the devices to boot using the Deployment Agent, the operating system on the hard disk, or a virtual floppy disk. It can also direct devices to ignore the boot request.

ADS/RIS - Choosing Between ADS and RIS for Bare-Metal Deployments and Re-Deployments

Choosing Between ADS and RIS for Bare-Metal Deployments and Re-Deployments

Windows Server 2003 includes two deployment solutions:
•

ADS is a new solution delivered with Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition, and Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition, and is designed for automated, high-speed server deployment.
•

RIS was first delivered with Windows 2000 and has been enhanced in Windows Server 2003 to enable fully automated deployments. RIS now supports deployments to servers as well as to desktops.

Of the two solutions, only RIS supports deployment of desktops—that is, computers targeted to run a Windows client operating system, such as Windows XP. ADS is designed and optimized for deployment of servers—that is, ADS is targeted to run a Windows server operating system, such as Windows Server 2003.

Windows - Deleting Stubborn Files

Need to move files that are in use? Can't delete a file even as Admin? This util from Sysinternals allows you to schedule the movement or deletion of files at boot time.

Sysinternals Freeware - PendMoves and MoveFile

There are several applications, such as service packs and hotfixes, that must replace a file that's in use and is unable to. Windows therefore provides the MoveFileEx API to rename or delete a file and allows the caller to specify that they want the operation to take place the next time the system boots, before the files are referenced. Session Manager performs this task by reading the registered rename and delete commands from the HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\PendingFileRenameOperations value

PXE - Unattended - Open Source alternative to RIS

Unattended is an Open Source alternative to RIS. It provides a system for fully automating the installation of Windows 2000 Professional and Server, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003.
Unattended - Open Source alternative to RIS

PXE - What is PXE?

An overview of what PXE is, how it works and why it is good. Written by 3COM:
What is PXE? (PDF)

PXE - Installing in a Microsoft only environment.

Another method for setting up PXE in a windows only environment: In a Microsoft only environment, Linux is only necessary to build the image. If you don't want to install a Linux box to build those images you can download and you some of the pre-built images.You will need to configure a windows TFTP server make some necessary changes to your DHCP server.
Once this is complete you can boot your clients to a Microsoft Terminal Server logon.
PXE - Installing in a Microsoft only environment.

PXE - Bart's Network Boot Disk

Bart's Network Boot Disk might be required in order to get PXE to boot correctly.

A highly professional network boot disk for connecting to a network share on a
Windows 9x/ME/NT4/2000/XP or Linux Samba machine. Also allows you to use network applications such as SSHDOS (secure shell) or Ghost Peer-to-peer/multicast, using Packet driver interface.

Bart's Network Boot Disk

Missing Graphics in Microsoft Word

Missing Graphics in Microsoft Word

There's a few reasons this can occur. I've listed them from most likely to least likely.

You're not in the right view.
For best results, from the menu choose ViewàPrint Layout.

You're not viewing graphics.
Tools Options, View tab. Make sure Drawings is checked. Make sure Picture placeholders is not checked.

Your machine is hurting for resources.
Sometimes, restarting your PC resolves this issue. Other times, we need to clean up our hard drives.

It's a Graphics Card Thing.
This issue doesn't affect every brand and model. To fix, go to Control Panel and lower your hardware acceleration. Results may vary.

Outlook 2003 - Junk E-Mail Options - Deploying a Safe Senders List

Avoiding Performance Problems When Deploying a Safe Senders List

Avoiding Performance Problems When Deploying a Safe Senders List

Sue Mosher
Outlook Tips and Techniques
InstantDoc #45976
Exchange Outlook Administrator

I'm trying to use the policy template for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 to specify a Safe Senders list for the Junk E-mail Filter for my users. I've set up the Group Policy Object (GPO) and added the policy setting. I also created a text file that contains only one line (@hotmail.com), saved the file as safe.txt in the \\domaincontroller\netlogon folder, and used that file path in the Specify path to Safe Senders list policy. But no matter what we try, the users' Safe Senders lists don't change. How can we fix this so that we can deploy a Safe Senders list?

When I tried using a GPO to deploy a Safe Senders list, I had the same result—the users' Safe Senders list didn't change. So I tried deploying the list through the Custom Maintenance Wizard instead, following the procedure described in the Office Resource Kit article "Helping Users Avoid Junk E-Mail Messages in Outlook 2003" (http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011402621033.aspx). That approach worked fine and added the desired domains and addresses to users' Safe Senders list. . . .

MDM.exe - How to turn off Machine Debug Manager in Office XP

How to turn off Machine Debug Manager in Office XP

The Machine Debug Manager, Mdm.exe, is a program that is installed with the Microsoft Script Editor to provide support for program debugging.

The Machine Debug Manager runs as a service and is loaded when your computer starts. If you do not use your computer for debugging purposes, you can safely turn off the Machine Debug Manager.