Free tool to convert PDF book to ePub format for iBooks

Step 1: Download and install ‘calibre’ application . Here is the download link :http://calibre-ebook.com/download

Step 2: After installation launch calibre application. Specify the folder where you want to save the converted books and click on ‘Next’ button:

Free tool to convert PDF book to ePub format for iBooks

Step 3: Chhose Apple from drop down list and iPhone/iTouch + Stanza from the device list then click on ‘Next’ button:

Free tool to convert PDF book to ePub format for iBooks

Step 4: Now click on ‘Add books’ button and choose the PDF file you want to convert.

Step 5: Once complete, click on the ‘Convert books’ button and hit ‘OK’

Free tool to convert PDF book to ePub format for iBooks

Step 7: Once your books has been converted, head over to the folder you specified earlier in the Wizard and drag the converted book (it should be a .ePUB file) into your iTunes library.

Step 8: Then connect your iOS-based device to the computer and hit sync. The book will automatically show up in iBooks.

This was how you can use this Free tool to convert PDF book to ePub format for iBooks:

Source  of this information: http://www.razorianfly.com/2010/08/05/convert-your-pdf-books-for-ibooks-howto/

Untethered jailbreak and unlock iphone 3GS with baseband 05.16.05 on iOS 5.0.1

As of now there is no Untethered jailbreak is available for iPhone 3GS with baseband 05.16.05. The only option is to upgrade the baseband for your phone to version 06.15.00 with the help of Rensn0w utility  . Please beware that after you install the new baseband you will not be able to downgrade the iPhone to lower baseband and also you will not be able to upgrade your iOS from iTunes.
So here is the video which tells you how to to do Untethered jailbreak and unlock iPhone 3GS with baseband 06.16.05 on iOS 5:
Untethered jailbreak and unlock iPhone 3GS with baseband 06.16.05
Links to download required files:
1. Download iOS 5.0.1 firmware from here.
2. Download  redsn0w 0.9.9b9d for Windows or redsn0w 0.9.9b9d for Mac
Above video shows how to install iPad baseband 06.15.00 , install iOS 5.0 and jailbreak using old version of redsn0w utility. You can use the latest version of that utility instead of the old version which worked perfectly for me.
I hope it will work for you!!
For more detailed see this : How To: Jailbreak iOS 5.0.1 On iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS With RedSn0w 0.9.9b9

Any place for unlocking of iPhone in Gurgaon?

Is there any place or person in Gurgaon that does unlocking of Apple iPhone?

YES!! You are on right page my friends, I do unlocking of iPhone in Gurgaon at a very minimal cost. I am an electronics engineer by profession hence it makes sure that you unlocking iPhone in Gurgaon from a qualified person. Contact me at numishra@gmail.com for more info.

iPhone Jailbreak and Unlock in Gurgaon Delhi

If you are looking for iPhone jailbreak and unlock in Gurgaon you are on right page. I can unlock your device in Just Rs.500.

Contact me at numishra@gmail.com for your iPhone jailbreak and unlock in Gurgaon and Delhi.

Jailbreak and Unlock iPhone in Gurgaon and Delhi

If you are looking for jailbreak and unlock iPhone in Gurgaon and Delhi you are on right page. I can unlock your device in Just Rs.500.

Contact me at numishra@gmail.com for jailbreak and unlock iPhone in Gurgaon and Delhi.

SCCM Client Icon Not Appear in Control Panel for 64-Bit OS

Issue: SCCM Client Icon Not Appear in Control Panel for 64-Bit OS:

Cause: The Configuration Manager 2007 client is a 32-bit application, and so does not immediately display in the 64-bit computer's Control Panel.

Solution: Open Control Pane –>View 32-bit Control Panel Items It will display the SCCM 2007 client icon.

SCCM Client Icon Not Appear in Control Panel for 64-Bit OS

difference between AD System Discovery and AD System Group Discovery in SCCM?

What’s the difference between Active Directory System Discovery and Active Directory System Group Discovery?

Active Directory System Discovery retrieves details about the computer, such as computer name, Active Directory container name, IP address, and Active Directory site. It generates a data discovery record (DDR) for each computer it discovers in Active Directory Domain Services.

Active Directory System Group Discovery works only for systems that are already discovered and assigned to the local primary site and any direct child secondary sites. Active Directory System Group Discovery is not available for secondary sites. If a resource has been discovered and is assigned to the site, Active Directory System Group Discovery extends other discovery methods by retrieving details such as organizational unit, global groups, universal groups, and nested groups. Active Directory System Group Discovery cannot discover a computer that has not already been discovered by another method.

How do I discover user groups in Active Directory?

The Active Directory User Discovery method discovers users and the user groups of which they are members.

How can I use Configuration Manager to determine the OU that a computer is a member of?

You need to configure Active Directory System Group Discovery and have it perform a discovery cycle. To force a discovery cycle, in the Active Directory System Group Discovery Propertiesdialog box, click the Polling tab and then select Run discovery as soon as possible to report the OUs and containers the client is a member of. When this data has been added to the site database, you can create queries and collections using that data. Use the System Container Name or System OU Name attributes from the System Resource class.

Source: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb892805.aspx

Freelance SCCM2007 consultant in India

If you are looking for a Freelance SCCM consultant in India please contact me. I can assist organizations in planning and deployment of SCCM 2007 server , which help them to manage entire Windows based environment. SCCM can save lot of time and resources for patch management, inventory, OS deployment and software distribution.

I have 4 years of hands on experience on SCCM 2007 utilizing all the features provided by it.

My email id is numishra@gmail.com

Enable PowerShell ISE on Server 2008

PowerShell ISE is GUI utility which allows us to create, test, debug powershell scripts is graphical mode. Powershell ISE is installed on Windows 7 by default. But we need to enable Powershell ISE on Server 2008 by following these steps:

1. Launch PoserShell and run thse command: 
    Import-Module ServerManager 
    
Add-WindowsFeature PowerShell-ISE

image

PowerShell ISE has been installed on Server 2008.

Interview questions for SCCM 2007

Question: What is SMS provider and what it does.=
Answer: The SMS Provider is a WMI provider that allows both read and write access to the Configuration Manager 2007 site database. The SMS Provider is used by the Configuration Manager console, Resource Explorer, tools, and custom scripts used by Configuration Manager 2007 administrators to access site information stored in the site database. The SMS Provider also helps ensure that Configuration Manager 2007 object security is enforced by only returning site information that the user account running the Configuration Manager console is authorized to view. More on SMS provider…

Question: Can we upgrade SCCM secondary site to primary site?
Answer: Yes we can do. More on upgrading secondary sites…..

Question: Can you change a secondary site to a primary site?
Answer:  No. A secondary site is always a secondary site. It cannot be upgraded, moved, or changed without deleting it and reinstalling it. If you delete and reinstall, you lose all secondary site data.

Question: Can you distribute a package to a computer without making it a member of a collection?
Answer:  No. To distribute software you must have a package, a program and an advertisement. Advertisements can only be sent to collections, not to computers. If you want to distribute a package to a single computer, you must create a collection for that computer.

Question: Can a site have more than one default management point?
Answer:  No. You can configure more than one management points in a site, but only one of those management points can be configured as the default management point to support intranet clients in the site. If you are concerned about performance, you can configure more than one management point, configure them to be part of a Network Load Balancing (NLB) cluster, and them configure the NLB cluster as the default management point.

Question: Can a secondary site have child sites?
 Answer: No. A secondary site cannot have a primary or secondary site reporting to it. Secondary sites are always child sites to a primary site.

Question: Can you install the Configuration Manager client components without discovering the computer first?
Answer: Yes. Client Push Installation is the only client installation method that requires clients to be discovered first.

Question: Does Configuration Manager 2007 mixed mode require a public key infrastructre (PKI)?
Answer:  No. Configuration Manager 2007 native mode requires a PKI, but Configuration Manager 2007 does not. PKI authentication helps provide a greater level of security, but Configuration Manager 2007 does not help you install or configure the PKI infrastructure. If you do not already have the expertise to install and configure the PKI infrastructure, you can start with mixed mode and then change to native mode later.

Question: Can computers show up in the Configuration Manager console before they have the Configuration Manager client installed?
Answer:  Yes. If you use a discovery method, Configuration Manager can find many resources and create data discovery records (DDRs) for them, and those DDRs are stored in the database. However, you cannot use Configuration Manager features such as software distribution, software updates management, and inventory until you install the client components.

Question: Can you assign clients to a secondary site?
Answer:  No.If you have a secondary site, the client must be assigned to the primary parent of the secondary site. However, Configuration Manager knows how to manage clients at the child secondary site. If there is a distribution point at the secondary site that has the content the clients need, the clients will probably get the content from the local distribution point instead of crossing the WAN link to the primary site.

Question: Can Configuration Manager 2007 be used to package software for distribution?
Answer:  No. Configuration Manager 2007 delivers command lines to clients and can force those command lines to run with administrative rights using the Local System account. Configuration Manager 2007 command lines can be batch files, scripts, Windows Installer files with .msi extensions, executable files – any file that the operating system can run, Configuration Manager 2007 can distribute. However, Configuration Manager 2007 does not actually package any software for distribution.

Step by Step SCUP installation and configuration with SCCM

SCUP ( System Center Update Publisher ) is a small utility which can be used to update or patch non-Microsoft third party applications like Adobe Reader, Flash Player, Java, Dell drivers, HP drivers  etc. SCUP utilize existing SCCM and WSUS as a update engine. I have collected a list of videos from Technet which tells you how to to do “ Step by Step SCUP installation and configuration with SCCM”.

How to migrate SMS 2003 packages to SCCM 2007

I was searching for the options to SMS 2003 packages to SCCM 2007 ang came across an this  article which has a nice info regarding the same .

As per the author following are the option we can consider:

Option A:
1. Build a new SMS server and attach it to the current central server.
2. Packages and collections will get replicated automatically.
3. Detach the server from the existing hierarchy.
4. Upgrade the server to SCCM.

Option B:
There is a tool from Microsoft called “CopySCCMObj” which you can get from your Microsoft TAM. It will help you migrate not only Packages but also Collections and Advertisements. (Technet Thread discussion)

Option C (Kim’s solution):
1.Install SMS 2003 SP2 on new server.
2.Attach new SMS 2003 SP2 site as a child site.
3.Let objects replicate.
4.Break Parent – Child relationship.
5.Upgrade new Site to SCCM 2007 .
6.Install KB945898.
7.Migrate clients to new site.
8.Remove boundaries from original site.
9.Add boundaries to new site.
10.Decommission original site .
11.Migrate non-replicating objects (queries/reports).

Option D :
1. Take the backup of SMS central server.
2. Restore that in LAB environment.
3. Upgrade it to SCCM.
4. Build another SCCM server with the site code and name (which you are planning for new SCCM hierarchy) and attach it to the central server.
5. All the packages and collections will get replicated.
6. Take the backup of the later SCCM server and restore it in production environment.

SCCM console crashing on Windows 7

To  resolve “SCCM console crashing on Windows 7” please try following work around:

  1. Remove the SCCM site from console and close it
  2. Now open the console and add SCCM site again
  3. Delete MMC cache from
  4. Delete file “adminconsole” from  C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\MMC

How to audit SCCM 2007

In most of large System Center Configuration Manager 2007 environment different Administrators can manage the IT environment using their Administrative accounts through System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Console that is locally installed on their PCs, while the IT manager want to audit and track different Configuration Manager activities done by which of Configuration Manager Administrator and in which time,

This post describe the step by step to show IT manager or CIO how to know what are each Configuration Manager Administrator activities in Configuration Manager 2007.

Here the original article: Step-by-Step: How to audit SCCM 2007

step by step SCCM guides guides

step by step SCCM guides created to help those of you who are starting with SCCM and for those of you using SCCM in a lab environment, hopefully this will make it easier for you to find the area that interests you. The main areas are as follows:
* Setup SCCM
* Updating SCCM
* Deploying Windows Updates using SCCM
* Deploying Applications[NEW Content]
* Deploying OS
* Capturing OS
* Task Sequences
* Migrating Data using USMT
* Asset Intelligence
* Troubleshooting and Other
* vNext / SCCM 2012 [NEW]

Here is the link:
http://www.windows-noob.com/forums/index.php?/topic/1064-sccm-2007-guides/

Extend C: drive of Server 2003 VM hosted on ESX

This article provides steps to expand a virtual disk (VMDK) and then Extend C: drive of Server 2003 VM hosted on ESX using DiskPart utility:

For more steps follow this VMWare article.

SCCM capacity planning

I came across this thread on myitforum....so sharing with you guys...it will give you some idea how people are doing SCCM capacity planning:

http://www.myitforum.com/forums/m171296.aspx

How do I uninstall or remove Internet Explorer 8 AND 9

To uninstall Internet Explorer 8 OR 9, follow these steps:

  1. Close all programs.
  2. Click Start and then click Control Panel.
  3. Click Programs and Feature.
  4. In the tasks pane, click Turn Windows features on or off.
  5. In the list of windows features, clear the check box next to Internet Explorer 8.
  6. You receive a warning message in a pop-up window. Click Yes.
Internet Explorer will now be uninstalled. The system will restart after the installation.

Disable auto update check in Adobe Photoshop

You can disable auto update check in Adobe Photoshop products described as follows:

1. Launch the Adobe Application
2. Click on Help —>Updates
3. When Adobe Updater completes checking of updates click on Preferences

image

4. Now unselect “Automatically check for Adobe updates”

image

From now on that Adobe application will not check for the updates automatically.

SMS/SCCM versions

SCCM/SMS versions

Product-Revision-Year of Release-,Service Pack -Feature Pack-Version/Build - Notes
Systems Management Server (SMS)-1.0-1994
Systems Management Server (SMS)-1.1-1995
Systems Management Server (SMS)-1.2-1996
Systems Management Server (SMS)-2.0-1999
Systems Management Server (SMS)-2003-2003
Systems Management Server (SMS)-2003-2006
System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) 2007- 2007 –RTM -4.00.5931.0000
System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) 2007- 2008 (May)- SP1 4.00.6221.1000
System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) 2007 -(Updated with KB977203) 2010 SP1 4.00.6221.1193-This update (KB 977203) may be run against SP1 or SP2 clients.
System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) 2007 R2 2008 R2 no change The R2 feature add-on requires at least SP1, and can be installed after SP2.
System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) 2007 SP2 2009 SP2 4.00.6487.2000
System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) 2007 SP2 (Updated with KB977203) 2010 SP2 4.00.6487.2111[3] This update (KB 977203) may be run against SP1 or SP2 clients.
System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) 2007 R3 2010[4] R3 4.00.6487.2157 The R3 update requires SP2 Client.
System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) 2012 (Formerly "v.Next")[5] 2011 Beta[6]

how to check sccm 2007 version?

To check SCCM 2007 version follow theses steps:

1. Open SCCM Console –> Site Database --> Site Management 
2. Right click on “site name” –> Properties –-> General tab

image

Here are the the version numbers for SCCM 2007:

System Center Configuration Manager 2007 RTM 4.00.5931.0000
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 SP1 4.00.6221.1000
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 (Updated with KB977203) 4.00.6221.1193 System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 RC 4.00.6468.2001
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2  4.00.6487.2000
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2(Updated with KB977203) 4.00.6487.2111 System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3 4.00.6487.2157

Functions of PDC Emulater in Windows 2003/2000 domain

What are the functions of Functions of PDC Emulater in Windows 2003/2000 domain:

  • Password changes performed by other DCs in the domain are replicated preferentially to the PDC emulator.
  • Authentication failures that occur at a given DC in a domain because of an incorrect password are forwarded to the PDC emulator before a bad password failure message is reported to the user.
  • Account lockout is processed on the PDC emulator.
  • Editing or creation of Group Policy Objects (GPO) is always done from the GPO copy found in the PDC Emulator's SYSVOL share, unless configured not to do so by the administrator.
  • The PDC emulator performs all of the functionality that a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server-based PDC or earlier PDC performs for Windows NT 4.0-based or earlier clients.

ConfigMgr Right Click Tools by Rick houchins

ConfigMgr Right Click Tool is an add-on tool for SCCM console (Rick Houchins) which provide additional right click options which are very very useful in terms of day to day administration of SCCM infrastructure. Here is the link to download:


Other useful SCCM tools are listed here:





Error “Some Controls are not valid” while uninstalling Exchange 2010 Management Tools

Recently I faced an issue with uninstalling the Exchange 2010 Management Tool from my Windows 7 Workstation. This error occurred when I was trying to uninstall the Exchange Management Console:

“Some Controls are not valid- Please specify an existing server role(s) to uninstall”

Some Controls are not valid- Please specify an existing server role(s) to uninstall”

Actually i was not un-checking the “Management Tools” option. I spent lot of time figuring out this..hence thought to share here which may be helpful for others…I hope this saves some time of them.

cannot delete a long file name

When you try to delete long file names on an NTFS volume you come across these errors:

"The source file name(s) are larger than is supported by the file system. Try moving to a location which has a shorter path name, or try renaming to shorter name(s) before attempting this operation."

The file name is too big”

Here are the easiest solutions:

Resolution 1: Use an auto-generated 8.3 name to access the file
To resolve this issue, you may want to use the auto-generated 8.3 name to access the file. This resolution may be the easiest resolution if the path is deep because the folder names are too long. If the 8.3 path is also too long or if 8.3 names have been disabled on the volume, go to Resolution 2. For additional information about disabling 8.3 file names on NTFS volumes, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

121007  How to disable the 8.3 name creation on NTFS partitions

Resolution 1: Use an auto-generated 8.3 name to access the file

To resolve this issue, you may want to use the auto-generated 8.3 name to access the file. This resolution may be the easiest resolution if the path is deep because the folder names are too long. If the 8.3 path is also too long or if 8.3 names have been disabled on the volume, go to Resolution 2. For additional information about disabling 8.3 file names on NTFS volumes, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

121007  How to disable the 8.3 name creation on NTFS partitions

Resolution 2: Rename or move a deep folder
Rename the folder so that the target files that are deeper than the MAX_PATH no longer exist. If you do this, start at the root folder (or any other convenient place), and then rename folders so that they have shorter names. If this step does not resolve this issue (for example, if a file is more than 128 folders deep), go to Resolution 4.

Resolution 3: Map a drive to a folder in the structure of the path
Map a drive to a folder inside the structure of the path of the target file or folder. This method shortens the virtual path.
For example, suppose you have a path that is structured as follows:

\\ServerName\SubfolderName1\SubfolderName2\SubfolderName3\SubfolderName4\...

In this path, the total character count is over 255 characters. To short the length of this path, to 73 characters, map a drive to SubfolderName4.

Resolution 4: Use a network share that is as deep as the folder

If Resolution 1, 2, and 3 are not convenient or do not resolve the issue, create a network share that is as deep in the folder tree as you can, and then rename the folders by accessing the share.

Resolution 5: Use a tool that can traverse deep paths
Many Windows programs expect the maximum path length to be shorter than 255 characters. Therefore, these programs only allocate enough internal storage to handle these typical paths. NTFS does not have this limit and it can hold much longer paths.
You may experience this issue if you create a share at some point in your folder structure that is already fairly deep, and then create a deep structure below that points by using the share. Some tools that operate locally on the folder tree may not be able to traverse the whole tree starting from the root. You may have to use these tools in a special way so that they can traverse the share. (The CreateFile API documentation describes a method to traverse the whole tree in this situation.)
Typically, you can manage files by using the software that creates them. If you have a program that can create files that are deeper than MAX_PATH, you can typically use that same program to delete or manage the files. You can typically delete files that are created on a share by using the same share.

I hope this helps…

DFS error :cannot access the local WMI repository

When you run DFS health report on a Windows Server 2003/2008 , the report shows this error: “Cannot access the local WMI repository”.

Cause of the issue:The user who is running the report do not have “Debug Programs” user rights through Group Policy.Cannot access the local WMI repository

Here is the solution:

  1. Go to Computer Configuration | Windows Settings | Security Settings | Local Policies | User Rights Assignment | Debug Program in the GPO, and then click Add new user or group button.
  2. Select your user logon name and then click the ok button.
  3. Run "gpupdate /force" on the target servers.

Latest hotfixes for DFS in Server 2008 and server 2003

Here are the links for downloading the latest hotfixes for dfs in Server 2008 and Server 2003.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968429 : Latest DFS hot fixes for Server 2008

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958802 : Latest DFS hot fixes for Server 2003

Security flaw in Facebook applications

Third parties, in particular advertisers, have accidentally had access to Facebook users’ accounts including profiles, photographs, chat, and also had the ability to post messages and mine personal information. Fortunately, these third-parties may not have realized their ability to access this information. We have reported this issue to Facebook, who has taken corrective action to help eliminate this issue. .......read more

Windows 7 crashes-How to solve?

Everything is perfect; you've upgraded to Windows 7. It's fully patched, all drivers are updated, security is tight, maybe you even have new hardware...yet the old Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) taunts you from your new high definition-screen.

The good news is that you can quickly solve the problem in most cases by using the Windows debugger tool. It's simple and free.

Read complete article How to solve Windows 7 crashes in minutes”  on Network World website.

SCCM 2007 interview questions

Q. Can you change a secondary site to a primary site?

A. No. A secondary site is always a secondary site. It cannot be upgraded, moved, or changed without deleting it and reinstalling it. If you delete and reinstall, you lose all secondary site data.

Q. Can you distribute a package to a computer without making it a member of a collection?

A. No. To distribute software you must have a package, a program and an advertisement. Advertisements can only be sent to collections, not to computers. If you want to distribute a package to a single computer, you must create a collection for that computer.

Read more SCCM 2007 interview questions

SCCM 2007 Quiz Application from Microsoft

The System Center Configuration Manager 2007 User Assistance team has created a set of quizzes to help you assess your understanding of the dependencies and requirements for key features of Configuration Manager. These quizzes help to raise your level of awareness of the some of the nuances of these features before you configure and use them.

SCCM 2007 Quiz Application

Read more about SCCM 2007 Quiz Application from Microsoft .

Exchange 2010 Quick Installation Guide

I came across this article about installing Exchange Server in very less time.   on a blog which has very good information 2010 in very less time.

Link : Exchange 2010 Quick Installation Guide

Windows server hardening guides

Here are some great resources we can utilize for Windows Server Hardening:

All these Windows Server Hardening Guides are very good and contains each and every information you need to secure your Windows server environment.

Replacing DFSR Member Server Hardware or OS

Another great article on “Replacing DFSR Member Hardware or OS” from NedPyle [MSFT] on his Technet blog covering how we can add or replace a member in DFS structure.

Here is the link.

WSUS Troubleshooting Survival Guide

Yuri Diogenes from Microsoft has written a very useful article on WSUS troubleshooting on Technet. The article covers many issues we came across with WSUS while deploying and running it. There are also some case scenarios we can relate to. Here is the link:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/wsus-troubleshooting-survival-guide.aspx

Unable to connect to remote registry

I get this error “Unable to connect to ( remote machine name). Make sure that this computer is on the network, has remote administration enabled, and that both computers are running the remote registry service.” when I try to remotely connect to the registry of a Windows 7 machine
Unable to connect to ( remote machine name). Make sure that this computer is on the network, has remote administration enabled, and that both computers are running the remote registry service

The most common cause of this error is that , the Remote Registry service is not running in the target computer.

You can enable the the service by following these steps:

1. Start —> Run—> type “compmgmt.msc” —> Enter
2. Connect to the remote computer :remote computer management  image 3.Start Remote Registry service:
image

image

Now remote registry can be accesses.

Power Management in SCCM 2007 R3

SCCM2007 R3 provide a power management tools that can be used to manage, monitor and report the different aspects of power settings on desktops and laptops. Here is a webcast from Microsoft about implementing a power management strategy with System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3:
image 

Windows 7 64 bit print error: Windows cannot print due to problems with the current printer setup

I came across this print error on Windows 7 64 bit machine: “Windows cannot print due to problems with the current printer setup”. The printer I was trying to print was a network printer installed on Server 2008 64 bit machine.

Here is the work around worked for me :

Solution1:
- Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
- Locate and then click the following registry path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters

- On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
- Type SMB2, and then press ENTER.
- On the Edit menu, click Modify.
- Type 0 (zero), and then click OK.
- Exit Registry Editor.
- Restart the computer.

We can follow this process to trouble shoot the root cause of the issue:

- Click the Start Button and type "msconfig" (without quotation marks) in the Search Box and press Enter.
- Select the Services tab in the open window. Check the “Hide all Microsoft Services” option and click Disable All.
- Switch to the Startup tab and click Disable All.
- Click OK to save the settings and select Restart when prompted.
- Check whether or not the issue still occurs.

DFS (Distributed File System) Video : What is DFS?

This video gives an overview of DFS (Distributed File System) and how it works?
                DFS (Distributed File System) Video : What is DFS?

Microsoft Virtualization Video Tutorials

Some time back I came across Microsoft Virtualization Video Tutorials on their site where they conducted a web seminar series on Microsoft Virtualization Fundamentals. This seminar series will take you through the fundamentals and architecture of each of Microsoft's core Virtualization products. These inlcude Windows Server Virtualization (Hyper-V), Application Virtualization (formerly SoftGrid), Presentation Virtualization, and more...

Virtualization Video Tutorials

Here is the link for videos: http://www.msdev.com/directory/SeriesDescription.aspx?CourseId=82

Store user pictures in AD using thumbnailPhoto attribute

We can store user pictures in AD using thumbnailPhoto attribute of AD user object. That picture can will be showing in Outlook 2010 contacts and user profile page on SharePoint 2010. Here are some helpful links on understanding and implementing the concept:

1. Configuring thumbnailphoto attribute in AD : http://www.msexchange.org/articles_tutorials/exchange-server-2010/management-administration/configuring-using-display-picture-exchange-server-2010.html

2. Free tool to store pictures to AD: http://www.cjwdev.co.uk/Software/ADPhotoEdit/Info.html ( paid version is also available at  lower cost)

3. How SharePoint 2010 fetch the user picture from AD using thumbnailphoto attribute: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/russmax/archive/2010/02/27/sharepoint-2010-profile-picture-property-101.aspx

4. Few other resources to understand the concept:

- http://blogs.technet.com/b/ilvancri/archive/2009/11/17/upload-picture-in-outlook-2010-using-the-exchange-management-shell-exchange-2010.aspx

- http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2010/03/10/454223.aspx

- http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/ITCG/thread/403cda19-7a63-4d95-a273-8f7885e836cd

5. Another licensed tool for uploading pictures in AD: http://www.dovestones.com/products/Active_Directory_jpegPhoto.asp

how to enable webclient service on server 2008

To enable webclient service on server 2008 we need to install desktop experience feature. In earlier version of windows webclient service could be installed by enabling WebDAV component if IIS.

  1. Start the Windows Server Manager.
  2. In the tree view, highlight the Features node.
  3. In the details pane, click Add Features.
  4. In the Add Features Wizard, check the Desktop Experience box, and then click Next.
  5. Click Install.
  6. When the Add Features Wizard has finished, click Close.
  7. Click Yes when promoted to restart the computer.

Outlook issues after applying kb2412171 update : outlook 2007 prompt for password

After applying KB2412171 update , outlook started prompting for user name and password. Even if you provide the credentials it will again give the same error. Finally I had to uninstall the update KB2412171 to resolve the issue.

The update was released on December 14, 2010 and was revised on January 11, 2011. Some other issue arises after the update are :

  • Loss of the Archive and AutoArchive feature.
    They are missing the option File-> Archive… and the AutoArchive section under Tools-> Options…-> tab Other as well as the AutoArchive tab in the Properties dialog of a folder.
  • Outlook is slow to respond when switching folders.
  • Accounts requiring Secure Password Authentication (SPA) may have issues to connect.
  • Exchange Accounts that have been configured to connect via Outlook Anywhere with NTLM authentication may be reset to Basic Authentication and now requests for the password.
  • IMAP accounts and accounts connecting via SSL may give send/receive errors. Gmail is for instance reporting error 0x800CCC78 and cannot send the message. Another common error is 0x800CCC1A.

How to uninstall  KB2412171 update on Windows 7 or Windows Vista:

  1. Click Start-->Control Panel.
  2. Click Programs, then under Programs and Features, click on View installed updates.
    KB2412171 issue with outlook
  3. Look for installed updates and select KB2412171 update  from the list.
  4. Click Uninstall
  5. Reboot after the uninstall

How to uninstall KB2412171 on Windows XP:

  1. Click Start -->Control Panel.
  2. Click Add or Remove Programs, click on Show Updates check box isshow that you are able to see all installed updates.
  3. Look for installed updates and select KB2412171 update  from the list.
  4. Click Remove.
  5. Reboot after the uninstall.

Microsoft is aware about the issue and posted this on their blog: http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-outlook/archive/2010/12/17/issues-with-the-recent-update-for-outlook-2007.aspx

Windows Activation error: Code 0x8007232b

I was trying to activate Windows Server 2008 and got this error:
“Activation Error: Code 0x8007232b .DNS Name does not exist”

Actually Windows was looking for KMS server for the activation . and when it did not find that , it threw error 0x8007232b.

Microsoft has a KB article for resolving the issue: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929826

I used following method to resolve the issueThe solution worked for me was:

1. Cick All Programs, click Accessories, and then right-click Command Prompt.
2. Click Run as administrator.
3. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
            slmgr -ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

Note: In this command, the xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx placeholder represents your MAK product key.

4. Now try to activate the Windows online, you will succeed.

What is MAPI(Messaging Application Programming Interface)

Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) is a messaging architecture and a Component Object Model based API for Microsoft Windows. MAPI allows client programs to become (e-mail) messaging-enabled, -aware, or -based by calling MAPI subsystem routines that interface with certain messaging servers. While MAPI is designed to be independent of the protocol, it is usually used with MAPI/RPC, the proprietary protocol that Microsoft Outlook uses to communicate with Microsoft Exchange.

More on Wikipedia :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messaging_Application_Programming_Interface

How to Migrate/move SharePoint Databases from One SQL Server to Another

Following are the major steps to be taken to migrate/move sharepoint database from one SQL server to another SQL server:

1.Log into administration site (http://sharepointserver/default.aspx)
2.Click on the Operations tab and select perform a backup.
3.Select farm level backup and hit continue.
4.Enter destination of backup files and wait until finished backup.
5.Log onto the SharePoint server hosting the central administration.
6.Go to Start > Microsoft Office Server > SharePoint Product and Technologies Configuration Wizard.
7.Disconnect the server from the farm.
8.Repeat this step for the other web servers in the server farm if any.
9.Return to the first server and run the configuration wizard again, this time creating a new farm.
10.Enter data for the new database server (DBSERVER\Sharepoint) and create the farm.
11.Go to remaining web servers and join an existing farm using (DBSERVER\Sharepoint) for database.
12.Connect to administration site (http://sharepointserver/default.aspx)
13.Go to operations tab and select services on server.
14.Enable Office SharePoint Server Search
15.Enable Windows SharePoint Services Search Service (Leave default database information).
16.Go to Operations tab and perform a restore.
17.Select location of backup file and choose to restore the entire farm.

SCCM client push installation not working

When an SCCM client push installation is not working......we need to look at root cause of the issue. Here are some pointers may be helpful to you:

Troubleshooting SCCM Client Push Installation issues
-  http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/configmgrsetup/thread/78345405-4e92-4f25-820d-32df8b37307d/

Troubleshooting SCCM Client Push Installation issues

We come across many issues with SCCM client push installation and sometimes it takes lot of time to find a clue about the causes of the issues. Microsoft has recently releases a KB article which covers all possible solutions related to SCCM client push installation.

Here is the URL: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;925282

The ConfigMgr Advanced Client rejected the site server signing certificate

Error messgae “The ConfigMgr Advanced Client rejected the site server signing certificate to a trust-related failure (0x800b0109)” is showing up on few clients which are failing to install the certificate from the enterprise root CA.

Solution :
Compare the following registry values between a working and a failing client. If the values are different, replace the values on the bad machine with those from the good machine and re-install the client:

X64 – HKLM\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\CCM\Security
X86 – HKLM\Software\Microsoft\CCM\Security
Keys - AllowedRootCAHashCode, Signing Certificate.

This may be helpful as well:  Renewing or Changing the Site Server Signing Certificate

This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties and confers no rights.

How to use SBMERGE command to update a Thinapp package

Here are the simple steps for using SBMERGE command on a ThinApp Project...
SBMERGE Process:
  1. Make a copy of the original ThinApp Project WITH the BIN folder and it's contents (EXEs/Data Container).
  2. Clear the SANDBOX within the %APPDATA%\THINSTALL folder.
  3. Run the virtual application in the project to be updated.
  4. Update the application with plugins, settings, updates, modifications. Close the app.
  5. Re-launch the app and test the updates exist and work.
  6. Close the app.
  7. Open CMD and change to the directory where virtual application is stored.
    Example: C:\Thinapp\packages\Firefox
  8. Type "SBMERGE APPLY"
    NOTE: If successful, the ThinApp Sandbox for this packaged app will have been removed from %APPDATA%\Thinstall.
  9. Execute BUILD.BAT within the project just updated by SBMERGE.
  10. Run new version of ThinApp packaged app to test updates/mods.
  11. Deploy via AppSync, Side-by-Side, MSI (via ESD), etc.
Source: VMware
More on updating ThiApp packages: http://blogs.vmware.com/thinapp/2010/05/thinapp-updating.html