Da Inner Geek

Quick Job...lol

2012-01-07T10:03:00.000-08:00

I was at a company under contract and their SBS2003 took a dump and died. The disks were ok but mirrored via Windows, not good.

I created a virtual 2008 server on a Hyper-V box in shell mode to be used as Domain controller with DHCP and DNS.

I built a new Hyper-V server with 16GB of memory, 250GB and 1TB drive. I virtualized an Exchange 2010 server and another company took the old exchange data and provided me with PST's to import.

I created another 2008 server and pointed the drive to the TB drive. I copied all the old data from the drive and shared it out again.

I was done making the backups to a NAS and they said good-by.

Hyper-V and backups

2011-12-08T15:34:00.001-08:00

I am spending a lot of time learning Hyper-V and how to perform backups of the configurations and the virtual disks. With no GUI interface on the servers hosting the virtual machines, it is a lot of learning, and fun.

Back to Work after almost 8 months off

2011-11-30T18:16:00.001-08:00

Wow. It has been a while since I had to troubleshoot, but it came all back to me.

Here's the bottom line. Their IT/Network support used to be HBGeeks and there was an issue where the company is in dire straights now so no support or documentation. I get to figure out what is going on and make it better.

It is a SBS2003 as the controller for their dot local domain. A Netgear NAS is on the network with one share called backup. Three folders for servers, virtual, and workstations with folders underneath.

Windows backup is backing up the data and the information store (exchange) to this NAS, overwriting the older backup.

I ran into a bug in installing the check-point client onto a Win7 64 new pc. Awaiting feedback from the important client to help me continue.

Router WAN IP config is not correct in my eyes. I need to see what they ordered as a lot of "funny" port forwarding is going on.

I think I will like it here :-)

Geekness for 6/23/11

2011-06-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

Remotely configuring a DSL modem and verifying a SonicWall VPN. This is a replacement modem for one that failed. It is a lot of fun talking a user through the settings on a modem only using a PDF to be my aid.

It looks like the SonicWall is not functioning. I configured the modem to be on the subnet that the SW was on so the POS systems would work. I just have to attack the SW tomorrow to insure that the VPN will be active.

Geekness for 6-20-11

2011-06-21T09:32:00.001-07:00

New client. He has 2 old terminal servers, 2003, and wants to make a redundant system. I resized some partitions for him on one and set up a backup to a 500GB external drive on another PC.

What I have been up to.

2011-06-11T12:32:00.000-07:00

Since April I ave been unemployed so not much has been going on. I did 2 interviews for Soft-Train Inc. and did not get the instructor job. My resume is still there for a consultant position.

To keep me and the wife fed and housed, I have been doing a lot of work for Western Bagel Baking Corporation, doing remote access Symantec Suite admin, pc troubleshooting over the phone with the client at the keyboard.

That was fun, none of the drivers came up when he P&P'd (Poisoned & Plowed) he computer. I remoted into his fileserver and then put them in a location where he could grab them with a thumb drive, sneaker-net. This is after I had him open up and look on the MB to get me the manuf and model#. Fun stuff.

I just recently swapped the corporate SonicWall with a newer model and made sure all 8 VPN's to their different retail outlets were active. I had him plug in the new SonicWall right out of the box. I added a second IP on the server to 192.168.168.2 then opened a browser to 192.168.168.168. Once in I was able to set the IP to one on their Van Nuys subnet and get it all set up.

Geekness for 5/15/11

2011-05-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

Yet another computer, laptop, for my neighbors. Poisoned and plowed and re-installed XP

Geekness for Cinco de Mayo

2011-05-05T21:36:00.000-07:00

Got to transfer files from an XP machine to a WIN 7 machine. All went well except the client could not find the installation disk for his invoicing software. made a backup of the data though fro when they find it.

Geekness for 4-10-11

2011-04-09T21:53:00.000-07:00

Installed Symantec Endpoint Protection server for WBBC. Also tweaked the WSUS so the updates would get pushed out of.

Geekness for 3/27/11

2011-03-28T08:11:00.000-07:00

Neighbor built a PC. One hard drive not being recoginized. Installed XP and updates.

Geekness for 3/25/11

2011-03-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

Couldn't find keychain access manager on a MAC. User will call MAC

Network adapter on one VM disappeared. Strange but I re-installed it all all is well

Geekness for 3/24/11

2011-03-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

One of the 90V Shoretel switches in ANA is not doing it's thing. No voice mail fro0 some users. Lantellengce is looking into it remotely.

Found bad CF card in 90V switch. Voice mails lost...bummer. Found out all of ANA lost their voice mail.

Geekness for 3/22/11

2011-03-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

PC done and gone.

Must move PC in MPA then WinTerm later on

Troubleshooting Pasadena connection. Covad says they were going to reboot the AP last night. Have ping enabled on SW for testing.

Geekness for 3/16/11

2011-03-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

Researched how to install a SSL certificate onto MAC OS.

Stll working on trainer's Sharon's Vista Ultimate. Thought I was done until SP1 got installed. Now more updates.

Geekness for 3/10/11

2011-03-10T08:05:00.000-08:00

User stuck opening Crystal Ease two times in one session. Killed prg.exe processes.

Assited remotely setting up a printer and POS system in CM.

Office trainer brought in her PC. Buy this antivirus software trojan was on it. Searched and destroyed!

Geekness for 3/9/11

2011-03-09T08:53:00.000-08:00

Restored a roaming profile.

Shipped register stuff to LV, re-stocked toner, replaced a keyboard that had H2O spilled on it.

Troubleshot MFP in BP. Dispatching Varitek

90V ShoreTel switch in LB lost communication for a couple of minutes.

Geekness for 3/8/11

2011-03-08T08:59:00.000-08:00

Changed display size on a POS.

Turned on data connection on a cell phone to get email.

Changed a ticket printer to different paper.

Ordered new inverters and battery chargers for rolling carts.

Chaning printer settings in LF and adding a new one..ho boy!

Geekness for 3/7/11

2011-03-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

I had to remove a Trojan from BSH laptop, Win 7. It was in a hidden folder c:\programdata\a1172a or something like that. I found out the path from MSCONFIG and the service that starts. I renamed the in-use file CRAP and after restart, all ok.

Rolled back the system to an earlier restore point, 30 days. Used Norton removal tool to get rid of all Norton and installed Symantec.

Windows update, Chrome and Picasa, and LOGMEIN.

Geekness for 3/3/11

2011-03-04T08:26:00.000-08:00

Come into work and one POS system on the counter is dead. Upstairs I get a call that the phones in BP don't work. Notified the POS repair people and now waiting on them.

The V-90 ShoreTel switch in BP was not communicating per the call director. Due to the fact that there are some strange goings on with that switch from day 1 of the install, it is time to replace it.

The problem of protocol driver errors appers to be going away as I am sending replacement Wyse Winterms to the yard. Boss agrees w/me that the installation of the new ESX servers along with the addition of another VLAN might be the cause of the problem.

Hardwoods is complaining that the Zebra printer is not printing labels. Oh well time to venture downstairs. Printer ok, print queue on AIX not running. Started the queue and all is well. 1 star for me.

The Los Al v-90 ShoreTel switch just bounced by itself. What is going on with this ShoreTel equipment???

Configuring a new MFP for CM by setting up folders for scanning, etc. It would help if I could get access to it but I can not ping it even though it is supposed to be set up. Ah ha...it got plugged back in. All scanning folders set up and tested.

Geekness for 3/3/11

2011-03-03T08:22:00.000-08:00

Nothing special going on today. DeWalt is having a road show today at work and they have the neatest inspection camera and super power tools. I know not geeky, but cool!

MFP in AP had a problem pulling from the input try. Cleaned the rollers.

Geekness for 3/2/11

2011-03-02T08:01:00.001-08:00

Same protocol driver errors. I will call Brian later on today and find out what he thinks.

Now the Xen desktops are reporting drops.

I had a user put a RJ11 into a RJ45 jack...oh boy...what a dummy. He found the correct CAT 6 cable and now all is working...amazing!

Geekness for 3/1/11

2011-03-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

Still dropping in Corona but got Brian from Z on the case.

Tried removing Shoretel phone, still protocol driver errors. Sending different winterm to try tomorrow

Geekness for 2/28/11

2011-02-28T09:01:00.000-08:00

New ESX servers and VmWare VCENTER installed at Corona. Could be what is causing the protocol driver errors from presentation server clients at that yard. Currently connecting to corvcenter but installing client support files on my XP pc.

Still dropping and I see nothing out of the ordinary.

LA SCA printer needed paper...lol. CORCASH pc had cert errors going to c-desktop

Geekness for 2/25/11

2011-02-25T08:36:00.001-08:00

Got to pack up the new POS systems to get loaded up with the software. Manual Labor...oh joy!

WB VPN to encino is back up. I should be replacing the SonicWall in Van Nuys today if MW gets it in.

Set up printer in Pasadena on print server. Had to have GM reboot SonicWall to get VPN.

Set up a user...whooo hooo. Had to change the winterm he will be loggin into from terminal emulation to Citrix desktop

BP call handling is messed up. I may need to reboot the Shoretel V90 switch.

Well MW from WB called ne and I spent a half hour talking him through setting up that darn Sonic Wall

Geekness for 2/24/11

2011-02-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

Had to reboot the Shoretel TDM switch as that was affecting outgoing and fax calls.

SonicWall in Encino is not playing well with Van Nuys' SonicWall. Currently updating the firmware on E TZ-100