The Count's Computer Corner

iPad: Map Crashes (Or Another Built-In App)

2011-06-27T00:04:00.000-07:00

Overview:

When built-in apps on the iPad crash, it can be painful to fix the problem. Unlike market apps you cannot remove them and re-install. Here are the steps I used to fix an issue with Maps crashing on start-up. After each step, attempt to start the failing application. If the app will not start or continues to crash, move on to the next step.

Details:

1) Soft Reboot

This is done by simply holding down the lock/power button. Turn the iPad off and then back on.

2) Hard Reboot

Hold down the home and lock/power buttons at the same time. This takes about 5 seconds. Ignore the power off message. You will see the screen black out, and the Apple logo will appear. This process takes a few minutes.

3) Reset All Settings

This is what fixed my particular issue. It will wipe out all your settings but NOT your data. Setting would include your background selection, lock code, ringtone settings, etc. Realistically it's not a big deal to reset, knowing that you can add these options back in a minute or two.

Choose General > Reset, then tap Reset All Settings. All your preferences and settings are reset. Information, such as your contacts and calendars, and media, such as your songs and videos, aren’t deleted.

4) Backup and Restore

This is where it gets dirtier and more time consuming. First you want to try backing up your iPad in iTunes and then restoring it. This process could take a very long time, especially if you have lots of data on your iPad (music, videos, apps).

See this Apple webpage for further instructions on backing up and restoring your iPad.

5) Wipe Everything and Start Over

If you're gotten to this option, then you have my sympathies. With this option you should first make sure everything on your iPad is backed up someplace else. Transfer your purchases to your computer, and ensure you have a current backup of your iPad as well.

To erase all content and settings, choose General > Reset, then tap “Erase All Content and Settings.” This resets all settings to their original values and erases all your information and media.

Once your iPad is completely reset, you will need to start over. Go out and retrieve all your purchased apps from the apps store (no you will not need to buy them twice). If you do not remember all of the apps you bought, you can check the "purchase history" in your iTunes account. Sync all your videos, contacts, and songs, and set everything up the way you like. Once you are done, make a new backup of your iPad. If this last option does not work, then you probably have a hardware problem and should contact Apple.

Deploying and Managing Adobe Flash Easily

2011-02-22T12:16:00.000-08:00

Overview:

Today Adobe Flash is a critical part of any system. So many sites rely on Flash to display videos and even applications. While Apple may not believe in enabling it on their devices, the rest of the real world uses it heavily everyday.

If you're a systems administrator Adobe Flash may be a huge headache for you; Constant updates, security vulnerabilities, and remnants of old versions laying around. I've done some experimenting and have found some easy solutions that may help you deploy and manage Flash.

Details:

You'll need to get the offline installers for Adobe Flash, available on their website:

install_flash_player_10_active_x.exe (Internet Explorer)
install_flash_player.exe (Firefox)

The first thing you want to do when deploying Flash is to remove old versions, if possible. I discovered that when running the standalone installer with the -uninstall switch, that it would remove all versions of Flash. Now I haven't tested this with very old versions, so your own mileage may vary. In any case, it's probably a good idea to do this like so:

install_flash_player.exe -uninstall

Now it's time to deploy the latest version as follows:

install_flash_player_10_active_x.exe -install (Internet Explorer)
install_flash_player.exe -install (Firefox)

That's it! The simple switch -install will silently deploy Adobe Flash for either the IE or Firefox version.

You may be sick and tired of users getting Adobe Flash update nag screens. To take care of this issue, we will create a file called mms.cfg with the following line:

AutoUpdateDisable=1

We then need to copy this file to c:\windows\system32\macromed\flash\. The following command will take care of this in a script:

copy /Y "mms.cfg" "c:\windows\system32\macromed\flash\"

That should do it! Users will no longer receive Adobe Flash update nag screens. Remember that these instructions are primarily for Windows XP. If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7 you will need to do your own testing and change folder paths accordingly.

Microsoft Security Essentials: Silent Installation and Registry Settings

2011-02-18T07:09:00.000-08:00

Overview:

Microsoft Security Essentials or MSE has made life a lot easier for many of us. This free Antivirus and Antimalware solution from Microsoft installs quickly and has a simple interface. If you're using MSE on multiple computers, you're probably looking for ways to automate the process.

Details:

1) MSE Silent Installation

mseinstall.exe /s /runwgacheck

From what I've learned, the "runwgacheck" is required, and attempting to install MSE without this silently will fail. The installation is very fast, and upon completion MSE will open up and do definition updates (note that they do take time). You may think that MSE is being idle, but eventually it will download all the updates and be ready to use. Also, you can logout of your computer or close the window during this process.

2) MSE Registry Settings

This is very poorly documented so far, but there are registry settings you can add that will set some default options without doing it through the user interface. Primarily, I wanted to set default actions for MSE when detecting threats. Below is a sample .reg file which will tell MSE to delete severe, high, and medium threats, while allowing low threats. Obviously you can change these values to meet your own needs.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Antimalware\Threats\ThreatSeverityDefaultAction]
"5"=dword:00000003
"4"=dword:00000003
"2"=dword:00000003
"1"=dword:00000006

Values and Settings Used in Registry File:

5 = Severe Threats
4 = High Threats
2 = Medium Threats
1 = Low Threats

dword:00000003 = Remove
dword:00000002 = Quarantine
dword:00000006 = Allow

To set "Recommended Action" which seems to prompt the user with a recommendation, delete the key completely for each threat level.

As an administrator, settings these registry values and running the silent install for Microsoft Security Essentials will make your life a lot easier. Let's hope Microsoft keeps MSE free and easy to use!

Cleaning Up Malware, Virus, Trojan, and Spyware Infections

2010-04-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

Overview:

Chances are, if you're reading this you are running Windows. Whether it's Windows XP, Vista, or 7 doesn't matter; Malware affects them all, and it's only getting worse with time. These days you don't even have to go to a shady website. "Drive By Infections" are becoming more and more common. Removing malware is time intensive, but possible. Today we will go over identifying a malware infection, and what to do about it.

Details:

1) Know When You Are Infected With Malware

First, it's a good idea to know when you have a malware infection. There are the all too obvious indications such as a million popups, even when you're on a webpage like Google (that doesn't have any popups!) How about the Fake Antivirus programs that keep prompting you to "clean your computer" when you never bought or installed them to your knowledge? These are the obvious indicators.

I would also recommend that you do a Task Manager Analysis to identify any CPU or Memory hogs that may indicate possible malware. If you see anything suspicious, it's better to run some scans than to ignore the potential issue.

2) Run Malware Removal Programs

As with many things in the computer world, the best malware removal tools are always changing. I would recommend going to download.com to find the current top malware removers. Right now the top anti-malware programs are Adaware (this one's been around for a long time), Malwarebytes, and then the typical virus removers such as Avast!, AVG, and Avira. All these programs have free versions.

As I tell my clients, the more anti-malware and anti-virus programs you run, the higher your chances of getting rid of your malware infection! They are free, so all you are wasting is time. Yes, it's a pain to have to download, install, update, and run all these programs. The alternative however is to manually remove malware (don't even think about it), or re-image your computer from scratch (takes a long time unless you are a pro and requires that you backup your data first). Even the pro's prefer to scan a computer with a few programs before blowing the whole thing up.

The best thing to do is start a malware scan and do something else for a few hours. Depending on the age of your computer and how many programs and data you have on it, scanning with one program could take a very long time. Start a scan, and go do something else for a while.

3) Ensure The Malware Is Gone

Once you're done scanning for malware (and hopefully removing it from your computer), restart your computer and do another Task Manager Analysis. Check to make sure all the symptoms of the malware infection are gone. When you're confident the infection has been removed, go on to the next step.

4) Change Your Passwords and Backup Your Data

It's important to realize that malware can and WILL steal your passwords and valuable information. I would recommend changing all your passwords once you're confident the infection is gone. Remember that you can never be 100% certain that an infection is gone, so take precautions! If you use PayPal, setup the text message security option for extra security. Also get identify theft protection if you can afford it.

Finally backup your data. This is always a good idea, since your hard drive will inevitably fail at some point.

Task Manager Analysis in Windows XP or 7

2010-04-20T07:46:00.000-07:00

Overview:

The Task Manager in Windows XP or 7 is an important analysis tool. It can help you to track down potential issues including memory hogs, CPU hogs, and malware. The task manager can also help you to determine if your computer has adequate memory and a decent CPU for the tasks you are running. In other articles we will refer to using the task manager often, so learn how to use it here.

Details:

To bring up the Task Manager in Windows XP or 7, simply use the keyboard combination Control + Alt + Delete. In Windows XP it should come right up unless you are on a domain. In this case you will need to click "Task Manager". Windows 7 is similar and you should click "Start Task Manager".

1) Check for Memory Hogs

The "Processes" tab of the Task Manager gives you this information. Simply click "Mem Usage" or "Memory" twice to sort from most memory hogging applications to least. Most background windows processes use less than 50,000 K (50,000 Kilobytes or 50 Megabytes) of memory. Anything that uses more should be examined.

When you identify a memory hogging process, one thing you can do is Google the name to see what comes up. This can help you identify the process.

Memory usage varies, but Internet Browsers such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Mozilla Firefox use about 50,000 K for each window that is opened. Multimedia programs such as VLC, Windows Media Player, and iTunes use around 20,000 - 50,000 K as well. Creativity programs such as Adobe can use much more (100,000+). Games use the most (easily 1,000,000+).

2) Check for CPU Hogs

The "Processes" tab of the Task Manager gives you this information. Simple click "CPU" twice to sort from most CPU hogging applications to least. Application typically use almost no CPU (less than 10%) unless they are actively doing something intensive. For example, if you're browsing the web and pages are loading, the CPU usage of the program should certainly be high. However, if you're just sitting at your computer staring at the Task Manager, no work is being performed. Web pages have already loaded and are just sitting there. The only thing that should be using CPU is the "System Idle Process" (and you don't have to worry about that).

Unless you're number crunching (converting a movie file, running filters in Photoshop, or saving large documents that take forever) your CPU should not be doing much other than sitting at 99% in the "System Idle Process". If you see a program that's using a lot of CPU and you don't recognize it, Google the name to see what comes up. It's probably suspicious or a "runaway program" (program that's somehow bugged or broken: Kill this process).

Alternatively, you may just be using a really old computer with a crappy CPU.

3) Check Your Computer's Performance

You may wonder, "Do I need a memory upgrade?" Well, this is a great way to find out! First you should restart your computer to establish a baseline. Don't open up any applications after starting windows.

The "Performance" tab in the Task Manager can help you out. For Windows XP, you want to look at the "Physical Memory" section, specifically "Available". If this number is low (say 300,000 or lower) you could probably use a memory upgrade. If it's REALLY low (0 - 50,000) then your computer is going to be seriously suffering. For Windows 7, you want to look at the "Memory" graphic. If the "glass" is almost full, you could use a memory upgrade.

You can also check your CPU usage under "Performance" as well. In XP and 7 it's the same; use the "CPU Usage" graphic. If this number is always over 50% and you're not really doing anything, it's time for a new CPU (or computer).

4) Check Your Network Utilization

Ever wonder how much bandwidth you're typing up on the network? There are a lot of situations where this information can be useful. The "Networking" tab of the Task Manager can help you out.

Look next to your internet adapter at the bottom of the Task Manager. It will give you a percentage of Network Utilization. The higher this number, the more you're using the network. This can be useful historically or just at a glance.

Backup Your Data Using an External Hard Drive in Windows XP or 7

2010-04-19T03:01:00.000-07:00

Overview:

Backups are a huge deal these days. With the ever increasing threat of malware, and the certainty of all hard drives failing at some point, it's very important to backup your data. Whether it's documents, music, videos, or a database, most people have something they value on their computer hard drive.

Online backup services such as Mozy or Carbonite are wonderful for convenience, but there are several problems. First, they can only backup a few gigabytes effectively. Anything larger and your internet connection won't be able to handle it. MAJOR problem for most people who have a lot more data (my iTunes collection alone is 20GB and I think that's modest these days!) The second problem is, people don't know what to backup! Do you know how to backup your iTunes collection or where all your important files are?

Today we will talk about purchasing an external Hard Drive, and installing free software in order to backup your important data. The total cost should be around $100 and an hour of your time or less. In return you will have the peace of mind of knowing your data is safe.

Solution:

1) Buy an External Hard Drive

I buy pretty much everything computer related from Newegg.com, and there's no reason you shouldn't either! One of the best things about this site is the ratings function. Customers often rate products and from this you can tell what is junk and what is quality (for the most part).

So head over to Newegg and browse to "Hard Drives" under "Hardware". Select "External Hard Drives" from the left side of the screen, and sort the drop-down box by "Most Reviews". Look for something in the 1TB (terabyte or 1000 gigabytes) range that is around $100. Most importantly, make sure it gets at least 4 stars (or "eggs") and 5 is obviously even better. Looking right now I would probably pick a Fantom or Samsung drive. Name brands are always good, so picking from Samsung, Western Digital, Seagate, or Maxtor is always a smart plan (as long as the ratings reflect it as well).

2) Install SyncBack Freeware Backup Software

Once you have your hard drive, go ahead and download SyncBack Freeware Backup Software from 2BrightSparks. You may have to browse to "Downloads" and "Freeware" in order to find it. Install this software with all the default options.

Start up SyncBack. This is the free version, so it doesn't have some bells and whistles such as backing up locked files or keeping NTFS permissions intact. That shouldn't be a problem for you, unless you are backing up company data, in which case you should buy the Pro version.

3) Connect and Format External Hard Drive

First make sure your new hard drive is plugged in. If necessary, format your hard drive. NOTE: I recommend using the "Quick Format" option. Otherwise it will take FOREVER (and I mean it!)

4) Pick a Backup Option

While there are many kinds of backups to choose from, let's go over a few to keep things simple. The first Backup I would call "Traditional". This backup would be done typically once a week or once a month, and would be a "snapshot" of your data at the point in which it was taken. The advantages of this backup scheme are that you can recover files which you have accidentally deleted. Disadvantages are that this backup scheme is slow, and your backups must be managed (after a while your hard drive will be full, and you will need to manually delete backups from the past). To use this backup go to step 5 and skip step 6.

The second kind of backup I would call a "Synchronization" or "Mirror" backup. This maintains one duplicate copy of your data on the external hard drive which is frequently updated. Typically you would run this backup daily or weekly. Advantages are that it will run extremely fast (after the first time) and therefore you can do this backup more often with less pain, and you will not need to manage anything since there is only one copy that will not fill up your hard drive. The disadvantage with this scheme is that since you are maintaining only one copy of the backup and it's frequently updated, you have a higher chance of losing a file due to accidental activities (you deleted a file by mistake, or edited the file and accidentally changed something). Once the next backup is done, you will lose that file since the mirroring will duplicate the accidental deletion. To use this backup skip step 5 and go to step 6.

If this is all confusing to you, it's understandable. Backups are not the simplest topic. The important thing to remember is that ANY backup is better than NO backup! The "Synchronization" backup puts emphasis on speed and ease of use, and is best for protection from hardware failures. The "Traditional" backup puts more emphasis on recovery of files and protection from user error. Choose your weapon.

5) Configure "Traditional" Backup

Now that SyncBack is running, you need to create a new backup profile. If SyncBack has placed you into some kind of "Wizard", exit it. Click "Profiles", and "New". Select the "Backup" option and click "OK". Give it a name.

For Windows XP Users, Next to "Source" Type c:\documents and settings\

For Windows 7 Users, Next to "Source" Type c:\users\

This will ensure that you backup all user profiles on the computer. For example, this would backup everything under "My Documents" (including an iTunes collection!), the "Desktop" folder, your internet favorites, and cookies. Most modern programs store user data under this folder. NOTE: You may have data in other places as well, but it's up to you to find out where. I find that copying the user profile folders typically gets anything the person cares about.

Next to destination, type d:\Backups\%DATE%\

Obviously if your backup drive is different than d: then change it accordingly. This will create a backup inside a folder with the current date. Very useful!

Leave the rest of the options for the backup as they are and click "OK".

6) Configure "Synchronization" Backup

Now that SyncBack is running, you need to create a new backup profile. If SyncBack has placed you into some kind of "Wizard", exit it. Click "Profiles", and "New". Select the "Synchronization" option and click "OK". Give it a name.

For Windows XP Users, Next to Source Type c:\documents and settings\

For Windows 7 Users, Next to Source Type c:\users\

This will ensure that you backup all user profiles on the computer. For example, this would backup everything under "My Documents" (including an iTunes collection!), the "Desktop" folder, your internet favorites, and cookies. Most modern programs store user data under this folder. NOTE: You may have data in other places as well, but it's up to you to find out where. I find that copying the user profile folders typically gets anything the person cares about.

Next to destination, type d:\Backup\

Obviously if your backup drive is different than d: then change it accordingly. Your backup will reside in this directory.

There is one option I like to change with this kind of backup. Click the "Advanced" tab and under the text "What to do if file is in the destination but not in the source" select "Delete file from destination". This ensures that when you delete a file on your computer, it will not "reappear" after running your next backup. Leave the other options as they are and click "OK".

7) Run Your Backup!

One last thing I like to do is Click "Preferences" and Check the "Skip Differences Window". This will ensure your backup takes place without any user interaction.

You can also setup a schedule if you desire. To do this right click the profile and click "Schedule". Feel free to set it to Daily, Weekly, or Monthly. The best time to do backups is at night, when programs are closed and nobody is using the computer.

Before running a backup, make sure you close all open applications (such as iTunes). Failure to do this may result in "locked files" that will not be backed up. To run the backup at last, select the profile and click "Run".

Determine Your User Profile Path in Windows XP or 7

2010-04-19T02:30:00.000-07:00

Overview:

Your user profile path in Windows XP or 7 is the root of all your data. This includes the Desktop folder, My Documents, Internet Explorer Favorites, and the Application Data folders. A good starting place for backing up your data or finding something of interest.

Details:

Open up a command prompt, and type echo %userprofile%

After echoing this environmental variable above, your user profile path will be displayed.

ipconfig and Determining Your Networking Configuration in Windows XP

2010-04-19T01:32:00.000-07:00

Overview:

The ipconfig command is used in Windows XP to get information on your current networking configuration, and to fix possible networking issues. As with any Windows XP command, you must first open up a command prompt.

Details:

1) Get Network Configuration Information.

ipconfig /all

You may have more than one Network Interface; ensure you are looking at the correct one. The correct Network Interface should have all the following fields filled in: "Physical Address", "IP Address", "Subnet Mask", "Default Gateway", and "DNS".

2) Fix Network Glitches.

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns

These four commands when run in succession, will sometimes help fix network glitches. Explanation? Who knows, it's Microsoft after all!

3) Fix DNS Issues.

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns

You may want to fix DNS issues without disconnecting your network connection (as the 2nd option does). In these cases, use only the two commands above.

Open Up a Command Prompt in Windows XP

2010-04-19T00:58:00.000-07:00

Overview:

Opening up a command prompt in Windows XP is the first step in many procedures. There are multiple methods to accomplish this.

Solution:

1) Start Menu Method (Normal)

Click the "Start" button, "All Programs", "Accessories", and "Command Prompt".

2) Start Menu Method (Classic)

Click the "Start" button, "Programs", "Accessories", and "Command Prompt".

3) Start Menu Method (Alternative)

Click the "Start" button, "Run", Type "cmd", Press Enter

4) Keyboard Shortcut Method

Type the keyboard combination Windows Key + R, Type "cmd", Press Enter

Setting Up DNS Properly on a Network

2010-04-13T02:29:00.000-07:00

Overview:

Setting up DNS incorrectly is one of the biggest configuration errors I see when doing consulting. Whether on a large Windows 2003 domain or small network with computers running Windows XP doesn't make a difference; Setting up DNS incorrectly will surely lead to many extremely frustrating issues in the future which will not easily be solved.

Solution:

First let's talk about setting up DNS on a small network. We will assume there is no domain, and the computers are pretty much independent from one another. The best place to point DNS on your computer is towards your gateway router. This is because many routers have "DNS Helpers" installed on them. The router itself should have a DNS setting.. It will automatically point to your ISP, but I tend to like using OpenDNS for reliability and stability. To do this you will need a router where you can enter the DNS setting manually. I personally love to use a WRT54G Linksys router with Tomato installed. It's a wonderful and stable product.

The reason you don't want to point your computers directly at DNS servers on the internet such as the ISP or OpenDNS is because they will then have trouble resolving other devices on your local network by hostname. I like to access files from one computer to another, and having DNS setup to point at the gateway router is the best solution to ensure they resolve each other by hostname.

Next we will talk about setting up DNS on a domain. It's actually simpler than you think. On a domain you should have a DNS server running. Under the DNS server settings, you want the DNS server to Forward to either your ISP or OpenDNS (I choose the latter). On the DNS server set the DNS under network configuration to point to itself by IP address. So for example, if I had a DNS server with the network IP of 192.168.1.50, I would set the Primary DNS under networking configuration to 192.168.1.50. Then I would go into the DNS server settings and add two Forwarders for 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 (the OpenDNS IPs). The idea is that the DNS server uses itself for resolution. If it cannot resolve the name internally, it will use the Forwarders next.

Now that DNS configuration on the DNS server is completed, you can move onto the clients. They should all point ONLY at internal DNS server(s) on your network. Don't be tempted to add external IPs: OpenDNS or ISP DNS addresses to the clients for "redundancy". This is the biggest error people make when setting up DNS. The ONLY devices that should be pointing to DNS outside of the network are the DNS servers themselves. Everything else points to the DNS servers and only the DNS servers. This ensures that you always get proper name resolution inside your network BEFORE the DNS servers start forwarding requests to the internet.

Script: Changing IP Address Remotely Using Command Line in Windows XP

2010-03-04T16:14:00.000-08:00

Overview:

Changing an IP Address Remotely using the Command Line is a great way to save time. The other option is to log into the computer in person and change it using the interface. Not exactly efficient. Even using remote software like Remote Desktop or LogMeIn is a hassle, since it will disconnect you when you make the IP change, Then you'll have to reconnect to your desktop session using the new IP and logoff the computer. Well, no longer!

Solution:

Use the following script to change the IP remotely. You will need to download PsTools, but you should have that already if you're any kind of sysadmin!

Unless you're on a domain as an admin, you'll need to authenticate to the computer in question. This is currently hard-coded into the script; just replace username and password with the correct details. The default gateway, subnet mask, and DNS servers are also hard-coded into the script. You run the script with two parameters, the current IP/Hostname and the new IP. The script will ping the new IP first to make sure it's not in use. It will pause after the ping (for the user to enter interface name) and you can break out of the script if there was indeed a device on that IP.

Next it will run "ipconfig /all" on the machine, which will give you the network connection names. Find the network connection in use, and then type it in. Typically it would be "Wireless Network Connection" or "Local Area Connection". However, it can be other variants as well with or without numbers at the end. This is why the script displays all the interfaces and lets you pick the right one!

Here is the script in it's entirety, but we will go over it section by section next:

@echo off
set wireless=
echo Changes an IP address remotely. Will also setup subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS.
echo.
echo changeip [Current Host or IP] [New IP]
echo.
echo.
echo.
pause
ping %2
c:\tools\psexec -u username -p password \\%1 ipconfig /all
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo Entire Network Name:
set /P wireless=
echo on
c:\tools\psexec -u username -p password \\%1 netsh interface ip set dns name="%wireless%" static 192.168.0.2
c:\tools\psexec -u username -p password \\%1 netsh interface ip add dns name="%wireless%" 192.168.0.3 index=2
c:\tools\psexec -u username -p password -d \\%1 netsh interface ip set address "%wireless%" static %2 255.255.255.0 192.168.0.1 1

Details:

@echo off
set wireless=
echo Changes an IP address remotely. Will also setup subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS.
echo.
echo changeip [Current Host or IP] [New IP]
echo.
echo.
echo.
pause
ping %2

The above lines are setup of the script (including a description displayed to the user). The last line pings the new IP to see if it's in use. Of course if a firewall is enabled on the device it's possible it won't get a response, but hey better to try being safe right?

c:\tools\psexec -u username -p password \\%1 ipconfig /all
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo Entire Network Name:
set /P wireless=

The above lines are where the script gets all the network interfaces, using "ipconfig /all". You should look for the active interface, and note the name ("local area connection" etc). The script then asks you to type in the interface name using "set /P wireless="

echo on
c:\tools\psexec -u username -p password \\%1 netsh interface ip set dns name="%wireless%" static 192.168.0.2

The above lines turn echo on (for possibly important details) and the second line sets up the first DNS server, which is 192.168.0.2. If you only have one DNS server you can ignore the second DNS line coming up and just use this one. The variable %1 was your first command line parameter, and represents the current IP/Hostname of the machine you are trying to connect to. The %wireless% variable is what you just typed in as the interface name. This is needed for the netsh command to work. Thanks Microsoft for making our lives complicated!

c:\tools\psexec -u username -p password \\%1 netsh interface ip add dns name="%wireless%" 192.168.0.3 index=2

The above line sets the second DNS server (while leaving the first one alone!) Thank you Microsoft for making the command completely unintuitive.

c:\tools\psexec -u username -p password -d \\%1 netsh interface ip set address "%wireless%" static %2 255.255.255.0 192.168.0.1 1

The final line is the most important one, and sets a static IP (using the %2 variable which was your second command line parameter), sets the subnet mask (255.255.255.0), and sets the default gateway (192.168.0.1) with a metric of 1, meaning (I have no idea what) but it seems to be the standard. I believe the lower this number after the default gateway is, the higher up in priority it is. Well, whatever the case most people seem to use 1. It worked for me!

It is important to run the IP changing line last. Why? Because if you were to run this command first, the DNS lines would fail, as they are still trying to connect to the old IP!

Deploy Windows XP Pro With All Post-SP3 Updates and DriverPacks

2010-02-20T13:14:00.000-08:00

Overview:

If you're a systems administrator such as myself, you spend a LOT of your time installing Windows, installing the latest patches, and finding/testing drivers on different computer. In a perfect world yes we would all have identical hardware and could uses OS images for all of them, but this world is.. Well not so perfect. I know I've found in my experience that a fresh install is many times the only solution. XP Repairs, Registry Edits, and 3rd Party Utilities can only take you so far before you're billing your clients by the DAY.

Solution:

We are going to take the XP Pro Install disk, slipstream updates onto it, and finally DriverPacks, to create an "Ultimate Install DVD" that should save you a lot of time.

NOTE that this process must be done in a precise order. If you for example, were to implement the DriverPacks before service packs or updates it will not work.

1) Download Files

First you need to get any necessary Windows XP Service Packs.

IF you have an XP install disk with NO service packs, you will need SP2 and SP3.

IF you have an XP install disk with SP1 or SP2 you will need only SP3.

Next you need to download the Onepiece XP Post-SP3 AIO Update Pack. This is currently the most up to date and complete Post-SP3 Update Pack. It includes great things such as IE8 and Windows Genuine Advantage. Less administration for you :)

You will also need to download and install nLite. This is used to integrate files onto your disk.

Finally you will need to download the latest DriverPacks. This is a project that seeks to integrate a large amount of drivers into the XP Installation, so that YOU don't have to find them later. I recommend downloading all available driver packs for XP. You must also download the DriverPacks Base application, which will integrate them onto the install disk.

2) Copy Windows XP Install Disk to Local Computer

You need to copy the contents of the Windows XP Install disk to a folder on your computer. I always use the desktop for convenience. I named this folder "XP". OPTIONAL: If you have the disk space, make a copy of this folder before EACH time we make a change, and give the folders descriptive names. That way if you mess something up you can revert to the last folder.

I used windows explorer to copy the disk to a folder on the desktop called "XP". Make sure you get the entire disk.

3) nLite Configuration

This beautiful program will do most of the work for us, integrating patches and updates onto the install disk. Once you install the program, open it right up.

nLite will want to know where your XP folder is. Point it to the folder where you copied the entire CD. nLite will do a check and make sure the proper files are there. It should tell you if the disk has any Service Packs on it.

Click "Next" until you see a screen with lots of options. What we want to do first is add any Service Packs needed. Click the "Service Pack" button so that it turns green. Click "Next" and it will allow you to browse to the Service Pack. If you have NO service packs, select SP2 first. If you already have SP1 OR SP2, select SP3. It will integrate the service packs into the installation folder immediately. This will take a few minutes. Once it's done, congratulations! You have already added the latest service packs!

Click "Back" and unselect "Service Pack". Select "Hotfixes, Add-Ons and Update Packs". Click "Next" and "Insert" the "OnePiece_Windows_XP_Post-SP3_UpdatePack" which you should have downloaded. Click "Next" and start the process. This will take a while. Thanks to "nonno fabio" over at the RyanVM.net Discussion Board for making and updating this wonderful package, which installs all updates since SP3 and some other features. NOTE: You can remove the optional features he added by manually editing the Winnt.sif file. There are instructions on the page where you downloaded his update pack. For instance I removed the Windows Search Tool that was pinned to the taskbar.

Once the process is completely you'll have to finish/exit out of nLite and start it up again. This time we will be dealing with configuration. You may notice the size of the CD has increased. We will ultimately be putting it on a DVD and the size will be about 1GB. This time check "Unattended" and "Tweaks". Here are the changes I recommend under "Unattended":

General - Unattended Mode - "Fully Automated"
General - Product Key - "(enter your product key here)"
General - Misc - "Skip OOBE" (Welcome to Windows Nonsense)
General - Misc - "Turn off Hibernate"
Users - (Give Administrator a password or none, and use autologin if you want)
Owner and Network ID - Full Name - (your name here)
Regional - Timezone - (select your time zone)
Desktop Themes - Default Theme - "Windows Classic" (if you hate the default theme)
Desktop Themes - "Classic Start Menu" (if you hate the new start menu as much as I do)
Automatic Updates - Options - "Elevate Non-Admin" (let non-admin install updates)
Automatic Updates - Options - "Include Minor Updates" (why not?)

Click "Next" and it will move on to "Tweaks". I won't suggest changes here, but there are lot of ways to reduce administration. Note that some of these registry changes just don't work. nLite isn't perfect. For example, I selected "Disable Windows Catalog" and it still shows up. Oh well. Click "Next" and start the process, which shouldn't take long. Finish/End nLite.

4) DriverPacks Integration

Now we will integrate the DriverPacks. When you install the DriverPacks Base Application, it will extract to a location of your choosing. Move ALL the archived DriverPack files you downloaded into the "DriverPacks" subfolder.

Startup the DriverPacks Base Application with the "DPs_BASE" executable file. Click the next arrow a few times and it will ask you for the location of the platform. Browse to your XP folder. Here are the other options that should be set in the program. Many of them are defaults, but not all:

Installation Platform - "Disc"
Select the DriverPacks to slipstream - (select all of them. however to NOT select "DriverPack MassStorage text mode" unless you have a reason to do so.
Choose the slipstream method - "method 2"
Choose the method to start the Finisher - "GUIRunonce"
KTD - "Enable KTD for ALL Slipstreamed DriverPacks" (this will ensure the drivers are available after the installation, which is good if you ever change hardware.)
QuickStream Cache - "Enable QSC"
Other optional Settings - DriverPack Graphics A - "Disabled", "Disabled"
Continue to the and and click "slipstream". This process will take a few minutes.

5) Create DVD Image
Your installation folder is now READY! To complete it open up nLite again. Select "Bootable ISO", then "Next". Give your CD image a label name (I used "XP") and click "Make ISO". Give the image a file name (also used "XP") and create it! This will take a few minutes.

6) Test the Image, then burn to DVD
It's a good idea to test your image by using a virtual computing program such as Sun VirtualBox. This program was preferable to me because it's free! Test out your windows installation in the virtual environment.

NOTES: The DriverPack will do some strange things during and after Windows is installed. This is normal. It will force hundreds of driver installations and can take quite some time.

When you're confident that your image is working properly, burn it to a DVD using your favorite burning software. Congratulations, you just saved yourself hours of time installing updates and drivers in the future!

Install Network Printer from the Command Line in Windows XP

2010-02-16T16:36:00.000-08:00

Overview:

Installing network printers on machines is always a huge hassle for systems admins. If you use a print server, then installing printers happens on a "per user" basis. The better method is to install network printers using a TCP/IP port on the computer, which makes it usable for all users. This is still a fairly slow process, requiring you to add the TCP/IP port, then install the proper drivers, give the printer a name, choose sharing settings and decide whether you want to print a test page.

I looked into installing network printers using the TCP/IP method on the command line. It took some searching but I finally figured out how to do it. The beauty is that you can throw this into a batch file and run it on many computers, easily installing printers without wasting your whole day!

Solution:

You need to run two commands to completely add a printer. The first one adds the TCP/IP port:

cscript "c:\windows\system32\prnport.vbs" -a -r IP_10.10.8.109 -h 10.10.8.109 -o raw -n 9100

Prnport.vbs is a nice vbscript built into Windows XP. The above example adds the port, pointing it to the IP 10.10.8.109 where the printer is located. It uses the RAW protocol which is pretty much standard for adding a network printer Replace the IP here with the one to your printer.

With that done you now need to install the printer drivers, and point them to the previous TCP port you made:

rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /if /b "Main Printer" /f \\file\apps\printers\2070n\BROHL04B.INF /r "IP_10.10.8.109" /m "Brother HL-2070N series"

This command is a little tricker. You will need the IP of the printer again, but also the location of the printer driver .INF file. Furthermore you need the exactly driver name of the printer you are trying to install. To get this open the .INF file in notepad or another text editor. Look for the [DriverName] section and it will list the driver names below. You need the EXACT name and put it into quotes like above. It's possible the .INF file will not have the [DriverName] section and if not, look for a line like Printer1="hp LaserJet 1300 PCL 6". If that also fails, you can install the printer using the standard TCP/IP method (add printer..) and when the printer name comes up, that should be the exact string you need.

Success! That is the whole process. Once you get the information you need to do it the first time, you can throw both commands into a script and you now have an easier way to install printers on machine!

Enable Remote Desktop for Domain Users on Windows XP

2010-02-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

Overview:

On the domains I manage, a lot of times I want to do some testing on non-administrator accounts. Of course I do a majority of my work remotely, using Remote Desktop. Unfortunately, on a domain normal users cannot access Remote Desktop. They will get a nasty error when logging in: "local policy of this system does not permit you to logon interactively." To get around this on many systems, there is an easy one liner you can add to your startup script.

Yes, you could solve this problem with a Group Policy, but it seems overly complicated, and perhaps is not even possible on Windows 2000 server.

Solution:

Simply add this line to your computer startup script. It needs to be run by a local admin account or in the case of a startup script the SYSTEM account:

net localgroup "Remote Desktop Users" /ADD "authenticated users"

Once you add this line any user will be able to access the computer in question using Remote Desktop, without any silly error. Yay!

Script: Deploy Adobe Flash, Reader, and Java Easily

2010-02-07T03:23:00.000-08:00

Overview:

As a systems administrator, deploying software and updates can be a nightmare, especially with hundreds of computers. Why make it more complicated than it has to be? Here is one way to deploy these software packages.

I first wrote the following script after browsing internet boards looking for the right switches. Of course the switches could change at any time, but let's hope they last a while :). That's one of the annoyances of deploying software is that it's not standardized, and if you don't have expensive management programs you could have a tough time.

Solution:

msiexec /i \\file\apps\install_flash_player_10_plugin.msi /qn
msiexec /i \\file\apps\install_flash_player_10_active_x.msi /qn
\\file\apps\jre-6u18-windows-i586.exe /quiet
\\file\apps\AdbeRdr930_en_US.exe /sAll /rs /l /msi"/qb-! /norestart ALLUSERS=1 EULA_ACCEPT=YES SUPPRESS_APP_LAUNCH=YES"

In this example "file" is the file server, and "apps" is the share where the programs are located. You'll need to first download the "network installation" versions of the above programs. Adobe makes it a real pain by forcing you to register, but what can you do? Adobe Flash will be installed for Internet Explorer and Firefox, as well as the Java Environment, and Adobe Reader. This is all done completely silently without any user interaction. It will save you tons of time!

As for deployment itself, you will need a way to run this script on all the computers. You could use a group policy, but I have an alternative option that is more "caveman like". See, I don't trust group policies. Instead, I have a script that goes through the entire IP range of my network, and runs the install script on all computers. Note that you will need pstools to do this. It can be downloaded from Microsoft for free. All the computers must also be accessible through the network (both ping and file access ports). Either the Windows Firewall must be off, or the correct ports open. In most domain environments this should be the case.

del /Q "\\file\apps\allcomputer.log"
SET /A subnet=8
:VERYSTART
SET /A subnet=subnet+1
SET /A count=0
:START
SET /A count=count+1
PING -w 2000 -n 1 10.10.%subnet%.%count%|find "Reply from">nul
IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 1 (
c:\psexec -u domain\admin -p password -d \\10.10.%subnet%.%count% \\file\apps\install_programs.cmd
echo 10.10.%subnet%.%count% - %ERRORLEVEL% >> \\file\apps\allcomputer.log
)
IF %count% LSS 254 GOTO START
IF %subnet% LSS 11 GOTO VERYSTART

Copy that script into notepad without word wrap and it will look cleaner. So this script walks through the network starting at 10.10.9.1 and continues to 10.10.11.254. When it successfully pings a computer, it attempts to start the install script on that computer using psexec. The script also logs whether the script started successfully or not inside the file "allcomputer.log".

Script: Track Logins for XP Users on Domain

2010-02-07T03:14:00.000-08:00

Overview:

I wanted a way to track logins onto computers in a Windows 2000/2003 domain environment. However, I didn't want to use a group policy, as I don't always trust them to work for this sort of thing :) Call me old-fashioned.

Solution:

First, for the script. What it does is generate the time in hours and minutes, and echo this information into a file when a user logs in. It's simple and effective.

for /F "usebackq tokens=1 delims=:" %%i in ('%TIME%') do set hour=%%i
for /F "usebackq tokens=2 delims=:" %%i in ('%TIME%') do set minute=%%i
echo Login Detected > \\file\apps\logins\"%computername% has been logged into by %username% at %hour%%minute%"

The echo line creates a file for each login, which it places into a folder called "logins" on a network share. Ensure that the account running this script has permissions to create these files on the share. I believe I gave "authenticated users" permissions to create but not delete files on this particular share. That would keep regular users from deleting the login information. I placed a shortcut to the above script on all the clients inside the "c:\documents and settings\all users\start menu\programs\startup" folder. This ensures that the script runs when a user logins to the computer.

To keep the network "logins" folder clean, I created another script which makes a folder with the date, and moves all the login records into this folder daily. This script runs every night at 11:59, through the task schedule.

for /F "usebackq tokens=3 delims=/ " %%i in ('%DATE%') do set day=%%i
for /F "usebackq tokens=2 delims=/ " %%i in ('%DATE%') do set month=%%i
for /F "usebackq tokens=4 delims=/ " %%i in ('%DATE%') do set year=%%i
md \\file\apps\logins\%month%%day%%year%
ping 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 600 >NUL
move /Y \\file\apps\logins\*has* \\file\apps\logins\%month%%day%%year%\

The script creates a subfolder in the "logins" folder with the date as the name. It then moves all the login records there. The ping command is only used to delay the script a bit (to ensure the move command runs after the folder has been created).

Change File Permissions and Ownership From The Command Line

2010-02-06T04:35:00.000-08:00

Overview:

There will probably come a time as a windows systems administrator when you need to script permissions or ownership settings from the command line. When you're working with dozens or hundreds of computers, this will make your life much easier. I needed to do this while setting up Mandatory Profiles, and realizing that the systems were very picky about permissions.

Solution:

Let's say for example that you need to change the permissions of a folder, and all subdirectories and files beneath. We will use the xcacls.exe tool, available from Microsoft.

\\File\apps\xcacls.exe "c:\Documents and Settings\mandatory" /G "authenticated users":F /Y
\\File\apps\xcacls.exe "c:\Documents and Settings\mandatory\*.*" /G "authenticated users":F /Y /T

Note that we are running xcacls.exe from a network share called "apps" on a server called "File". The first script replaces all permissions on the "mandatory" folder with "authenticated users", who get Full control. The second script replace all permissions on ALL subdirectories and files of "mandatory" with "authenticated users" who get Full control once again. Enclose file paths with spaces in quotes. You can of course run the xcacls.exe command with the "/?" switch to learn more about it. Use the above example as a template.

In this next example we will change the ownership of the same folder above and all subdirectories and files. In this case we will use a different tool, "subinacl.exe". This can also be downloaded from Microsoft.

\\file\apps\subinacl.exe /file "c:\Documents and Settings\mandatory" /setowner=administrators
\\file\apps\subinacl.exe /subdirectories "c:\Documents and Settings\mandatory\*.*" /setowner=administrators

Again we are running the subinacl.exe command from a network share. This command replaces the current owner of the "mandatory" folder and all subdirectories and files with a new owner, "administrators". Two commands are used. The first does the "mandatory" folder, while the second all subdirectories and files.

Using these two commands you can change permissions and ownership on any folder and its subfolders and files. This is very useful inside scripts. Good Luck!

Delete User Profiles Easily in Windows XP

2010-01-25T22:02:00.000-08:00

Overview:

This can be an extremely annoying problem with older computers and/or computers with small hard drives. Especially in environments with lots of users sharing computers. You'd be surprised how fast user profiles can take up gigabytes of space.

The problem with just deleting user profiles? It's a nightmare.. With the number of files in each profile the deletion process takes forever. Most of the files are temporary internet files (tons of small files.) Aside from this hassle, you cannot delete profiles without restarting the computer due to the nature of a few locked files in each profile (or "in use"). Windows will give you an error message and halt your deletion process. Oh and if that wasn't enough obstacles let's not forget that there are several critical directories that should never be deleted inside "documents and settings" (folder where the user profiles reside.) These directories include "Default User", "All Users", and if you have hidden files and folders disabled you may even see a few system folders which should not be touched.

Solution:

Download "delprof.exe" from Microsoft. Here is the current link, or simply Google for it. Install this package and locate the "delprof.exe" file. It should reside in "Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools" on your root drive.

What I did was use the program in an enterprise environment using a Group Policy. First I placed "delprof.exe" on a network share accessible by clients. I then placed all the computers I wanted into their own Organizational Unit (OU) in Active Directory and created a Group Policy. Inside the Group Policy I added the program to "Computer Configuration" -> "Windows Settings" -> "Scripts (Startup/Shutdown). I also added the parameters "/Q /I /D:0". This runs the script in Quiet Mode, Ignores Errors, and Deletes all profiles not active in 0 days (effectively all of them.) Running this script on startup is smart, as it will wipe out all profiles and not get any "file in use" errors.

Cannot Delete Printer in Windows XP

2010-01-25T00:52:00.000-08:00

Overview:

This is a frustrating problem that can occur while you're trying to clean up your printers. What happens is you delete the printer and it just sits there with the message "Deleting Printer" yet it will not disappear. This is caused by print jobs which are "queued" or stuck on the printer. The solution is deceptively simple.

Solution:

Simply double click the printer in question. This will bring up the jobs currently queued on the printer. Then delete any jobs. Delete the printer from the list once again and it should now disappear.

Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in your computer

2010-01-17T14:17:00.000-08:00

Overview:

This is a common problem experienced when installing Windows XP on a computer with a SATA drive. In "Native/AICH Mode" SATA drives may not be detected by the Windows XP Installation Process which does not have the proper drivers to do so.

My suggestion is to go with the first solution. It's the easiest by far. If you need to have Windows XP running in "Native/AICH Mode" there are other solutions, but they are more complicated. Most people will be happy with the first solution.

Solutions:

1) Go into your BIOS and look for a SATA setting. It may be set to "Native/AICH Mode". Change this to "Compatibility Mode" or "Legacy Mode". Note that although this is the easiest solution, your hard drive will perform slower than it would in "Native/AICH Mode". The difference in speed is debatable. Some people claim benchmarks show no noticeable difference in speed. Other people argue that "Native Mode" manages the disk better and in certain situations provides superior speed.

2) Install Windows XP in "Legacy Mode", then run Windows in "Native/AICH Mode".

Go into your BIOS and look for a SATA setting. It may be set to "Native/AICH Mode". Change this to "Compatibility Mode" or "Legacy Mode"
Install Windows
Locate and install SATA drivers inside Windows. Frequently the "Intel Matrix Storage Manager" can be used.
Reboot the computer, go into the BIOS and change the SATA setting back to "Native/AICH Mode"

3) Install SATA Driver during Windows XP Setup (NOTE: This Option Require a Floppy Drive)

Locate the SATA drivers needed for the Windows XP Setup Process. The SATA drivers should have a program which will copy them to a floppy disk to use during XP setup.
Start Windows XP setup, and near the beginning it will ask you to hit F6 to install extra drivers. Hit F6 and it will install the drivers from the floppy. Setup should now recognize your disk.

Malware: It's Not Just For Idiots Anymore..

2009-12-06T07:51:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I used to brag about how "I didn't need" antivirus because I was smart enough to avoid malware online. A few months ago my friends laughed at me as I told them about my recent purchase of Norton Internet Security. Technology has come a long way in the last 10 years, but unfortunately malware has come further!

There was a time when avoiding those yes/no installation pop-ups in Internet Explorer was enough to protect your computer; When being smart enough to avoid running executable files from unknown sources was enough. Hah! If only we had imagined that in a few years malware would install just by visiting the wrong website or hovering our mouse over the wrong image!

Yes today's malware requires a different kind of thinking. Here are my recommendations for protecting your computer:

1) Antivirus

Get yourself a good antivirus solution. Currently one of the top rated Antivirus product through is Norton Internet Security. Formerly THE definition of bloatware, Symantec has vastly improved this product. It now uses much less memory and does not give you 500 popups everytime a program wants to access the internet. Another suggestion if you are on a budget is Avira, which is free. Unfortunately, Avira does have an annoying daily popup which was enough for me to upgrade to Norton.

2) Antimalware

I would recommend scanning your machine at least monthly with an antimalware program, such as Ad-Aware, Spybot, or Malwarebytes. Or even better, all of them! Remember all of these programs are developed by different companies, use differnet methods of detection, and different definitions. Using more than one will increase your chances of keeping your computer safe.

3) Backups

You should be backing up all your important data. This is easier said than done, but there are various programs to help you do this. I personally use a program called SyncBack. This may be too advanced for some users, but there are online backup programs that make the process easier such as Mozy, or IDrive. Important files would include documents, pictures, movies, and music. I personally back up the entire "Documents and Settings" directory, which backs up all the user profiles.

4) OpenDNS

DNS is the wonderful system that makes the internet possible. It also makes malware possible in many cases. OpenDNS is a system that among other things helps block malware. Visit OpenDNS to learn how to set it up on your computer. This will also help speed up your internet access, and also cause less downtime due to DNS problems with your internet provider!