Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Turn off automatic machine account password changes

Windows Server automatically changes machine account passwords every 30 daysBy default, Windows Server automatically changes machine account passwords every 30 days.

You can change the behavior and turn this off by following the procedure documented in Microsoft KB 154501.

The .REG file looks like this:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Netlogon\Parameters]
"DisablePasswordChange"=dword:00000001

Download: DisablePasswordChange.zip

(Thanks to Dominic Hopton for this hint.)

Enabling the Hyper-V role on Windows Server 2008 R2 causes a blue screen after restart

Be careful when using Hyper-V with modern high-end graphic cards
Resolution (found in Microsoft KB 691661):

When you enable the Hyper-V role in Windows Server 2008, do not install the drivers for high performance accelerated graphics adapters. This behavior will not occur when you use the Vga.sys or Vgapnp.sys generic video drivers that are included with Windows Server 2008. To revert to the generic video driver, you can uninstall any high performance vendor-specific video driver.

(see also what Virtual PC Guy has to say about this)

Wireless Network Adapter not working in Windows Server 2008 R2

Symptoms:

  • No wireless networks are shown.
  • You have a wireless driver installed.
  • Windows device manager says the device is working properly.
  • Intel Diagnostics says the wireless adapter is not present or disabled.

This is by design.

Solution:

  1. Add a feature called "Wireless LAN Service" using Server Manager.
  2. Done. :)

(Thanks to Farrukh Lala for the tip.)

Searching files in folders defined in PATH

And easy way to do this is using the "where" command:

C:\>where reg.exe
C:\windows\system32\reg.exe

Refernce:

WHERE [/R dir] [/Q] [/F] [/T] pattern...

Description:
    Displays the location of files that match the search pattern.
    By default, the search is done along the current directory and
    in the paths specified by the PATH environment variable.

See example:

WHERE command in Windows 7

(Thanks to Cameron Skinner for this tip.)

SQL Server: How to remove a file from a file group

Solution:

  1. How to remote a file from a SQL file group Empty the file by using the Shrink function
    (it will copy the content to other files in the same file group).
  2. Remote the file from the database files.

How to invoke the context menu using the keyboard of my Dell E4300?

shortcut-menu-key On some laptops the “menu key” (to open the right-click context menu) is missing.

As a workaround you can also press [Shift]+[F10].

How to change the expiration date of certificates that are issued by a Windows Server 2008 CA

WindowsServer2008

You want to increase the validity period of your certificates issued by a Windows Server Certificate Authority (CA).

Solution:

Follow the steps in Microsoft KB 254632.

This also works with Windows Server 2008.

Network Connections list empty after installing Acronis Backup & Recovery 10

Symptoms:

Network Connections are not displaying anymore after installing AcronisThe list of Network connections is blank after installing Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 on Windows Vista/Server 2008 x64.

Cause:

Installation of Acronis Agent incorrectly modifies permissions for the DCOM netman service and changes its configuration in the Windows registry.

Solution:

Follow the steps in Acronis KB 2980 and restart machine.
(Thanks to Acronis for resolving this!)

Error message: "Invoke or BeginInvoke cannot be called on a control until the window handle has been created" when Installing SQL Server 2008

Applies to: SQL Server 2008 on Windows 7/Server 2008 R2
Error message:
sqlserver2008logoInvoke or BeginInvoke cannot be called on a control until the window handle has been created.
(as described in Microsoft KB article 975055)
Workaround:
"Generally, if you just rerun it won't hit the issue again." (Source)

Hyper-V admin console: The computer 'localhost' failed to perform the requested operation because it is out of memory or disk space

Error message:

Cannot manage my Hyper-V machines anymoreThe computer 'localhost' failed to perform the requested operation because it is out of memory or disk space.

Workaround:

Locate and kill the running "WmiPrvSE" process.

(Thanks to sAnTos for the tip).

 

Event ID: 7026: The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load: storflt

Message:

storflt is only needed on Hyper-V virtual machines. Log Name:      System
Source:        Service Control Manager
Event ID:      7026
Level:         Error
Description: The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load: storflt

Resolution:

This event can be safely ignored.

Source & further information: KB 971527

Unable to edit DCOM settings for IIS WAMREG admin service on Windows Server 2008 R2

If you try to fix…

Event ID error messages 10016 and 10017 are logged in the System log after you install Windows SharePoint Services 3.0
(KB 920783)

WS08-R2_v_rgb_m… you will notice that you cannot change any settings in Component Services and all controls are greyed out. This is by design.

Workaround:

  1. Take ownership of the registry key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\{61738644-F196-11D0-9953-00C04FD919C1}
  2. Add permissions for you to edit the key (Full Control)

(Thanks to Wictor Wilén for the tip.)

How to hard reset a NOKIA cell phone

Same code to hard reset all Nokia cell phones Type *#7370#

Be aware:

  • All data and settings will be lost.
  • The device will revert to factory settings.

Note: The default security code for your Nokia device is 12345.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Where is the Wireless Switch on a Dell Latitude E4300

The Next Corner knows where it is:

"on the Dell Latitude E4300, the wireless switch is located on the right side of the laptop, just under the only USB port of the machine. See picture of the Wireless Switch below:"