‘McAfee Agent cannot be removed while it is in managed mode’

This made sense to me as McAfee was centrally managed from a server, though we were not given the admin password for the administration console by the previous IT support company.

Solution:

* Open Command Prompt (admin rights needed)

* Browse to C:\Program Files\McAfee\Common Framework (Program Files (x86) if running a 64bit Operating System)

* Run command – frminst.exe /remove=agent

Job done!

According to Moneywise.co.uk, the emails look like a receipt from Amazon and come with the subject line “Your order from Amazon”. They will probably include Amazon’s contact details, logo and website and will give (fake) details of a recent purchase you have made - usually an expensive product, (which of course, you have not actually bought.) It will direct you to the Amazon website via a link in the email so that you can apply for a refund. But of course there is no refund, and the scammers will simply capture your personal details for use in fraud.

If you are unlucky enough to get one of these dodgy emails, get in touch with Amazon through their official website (not through the dodgy email!) and they will investigate. And remember that as ever, companies like Amazon NEVER ask for your personal details via email.

So be on your guard and spread the word. Thanks to MoneyWise for bringing thie to our attention. You can read their article on the scam here.

Checked Windows update again to make sure everything was up to date, as Microsoft advise it should be. Turns out the culprit was actually SP3 for Office 2007! Apparently Microsoft are aware of this issue and working on a hot fix for it, but for now you have to uninstall SP3 completely!

To do this download the Service Pack uninstall tool for Office 2007, which can be found here.

Extract the files to a location on your hard drive, open command prompt and navigate to the directory you extracted the files to. Run the following command to check if there are valid patch releases that can be uninstalled:

oarpman.exe /report

If you have SP3 you should see at least 10 patch updates with the label O12SP3. To remove the patch updates run the following:

oarpman.exe /remove O12SP3

This might take a while before it looks like it’s doing anything, but eventually you’ll see the patch updates being removed within the command prompt window. You will be prompted to reboot once complete.

axon IT has provided a cloud computing solution to the Federation of Irish Societies (FIS) – the national representative body for the Irish in Britain.

Through Microsoft Office 365 – a Cloud-based solution hosted by Microsoft – axon IT has replaced the organisation’s outdated on-premise VPN (Virtual Private Network) solution with Microsoft’s latest cloud offering, enabling fast and effective collaboration of workers across the country.

Jennie McShannon, Chief Executive of Federation of Irish Societies said: “With offices in London and Birmingham as well as home-based workers across Yorkshire with frequent travel to Ireland, we needed an up-to-date and reliable solution that would enable all workers to communicate and share data effectively and efficiently wherever they were.

“Microsoft Office 365 has provided a creative and dynamic approach to our information and communication needs. It has helped us to cut costs, while significantly reducing the number of hours wasted by staff unable to work while waiting for VPN or server repairs.”

Launched in June 2011, Microsoft Office 365 offers feature-rich productivity tools including Microsoft Office Professional Plus, Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint Online and Microsoft Lync Online – all hosted in the cloud.

Graham Fern, Technical Director of axon IT added: “Cloud computing can help businesses to improve their productivity while significantly reducing costs. Microsoft Office 365 is paid for on a monthly basis meaning the capital costs required to replace an on-premise server are removed and turned into a running cost. Maintenance costs are also significantly reduced with no on-site server to look after.

“Microsoft’s highly secured data centres located around the world guarantee 99.9% uptime with information securely backed up in different centres across the globe, so companies have round the clock access to their business critical services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Business information can be accessed quickly from any location with a reliable internet connection meaning increased flexibility for workers, higher levels of productivity for businesses and a clear disaster recovery and business continuity plan – if offices become unusable or the internet goes down, employees can simply go home, or work from the nearest wi-fi enabled café or hotel.”

Press Information:
For more information, photography or an interview with the senior management team please call Anna Nicholls at axon IT on 0845 313 0025 or email alnicholls@axon-it.com.

However, the project to migrate and decommissioning of SBS needs a lot of thoughts and planning in order to achieve the end goal of a smooth migration and stable/reliable new domain controller. Also, you need to ensure that reliable full server backups are available and that the SBS server has the latest Windows updates and Service Pack installed before starting the implementation phase of the migration.  Depending on the size of the network, administrators need to give themselves enough time for migration (couple of days at least). During the migration process, administrators need to continually check and evaluate each step before moving to the next step of the migration.

If the Exchange Server needs to be migrated to another server, extra work needs to be carried out. Please see the following three part article entitled, “Transitioning from Exchange 2000/2003 to Exchange Server 2007”, which describes all the steps that need to be carried out to migrate Exchange 2000/2003 to Exchange server 2007.

http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Transitioning-Exchange-2000-2003-Exchange-Server-2007-Part1.html

http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Transitioning-Exchange-2000-2003-Exchange-Server-2007-Part2.html

http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Transitioning-Exchange-2000-2003-Exchange-Server-2007-Part3.html

Let us now list the steps required for successful migrating and decommissioning of an SBS Server 2003 to Server 2008 std (without Exchange);

• Install Windows Server 2008 R2 and join the domain as member server;
• Run “ForestPrep” and “DomainPrep” on SBS Server (Using 2008 R2 DVD);
• Promote Windows Server 2008 to DC;
• Install DNS role on the 2008 server;
• Make the new Windows Server 2008 a “global catalog” server;
• Transfer the FSMO roles to Windows Server 2008;(see link below):

http://www.petri.co.il/determining_fsmo_role_holders.htm

• Migrate or install DHCP scopes/Role to the new Windows Server 2008;
• Install and replicate WINS (if needed);
• Remove “global catalog” from SBS 2003;
• Demote SBS 2003 to member server;
• Uninstall Exchange Server and other SBS Server components;
• Create a local admin User account on the SBS Server;
• Remove the SBS Server from the domain.

Please note that if Exchange Server needs to be migrated to a new server, start the transitioning phase before starting the decommissioning of SBS phase.

Device Type – Keyboard
Features – Spill proof
Connectivity Technology – Wired – USB
Key/Button Function – Multimedia, applications launch, programmable, calculator, e-mail, volume, search, mute
Manufacturer Warranty – 3 years warranty
System Requirements – PC with Windows® XP or Windows® Vista™, 1 available USB port, CD-ROM Drive

Buy One get One Free! Just £16.99 plus VAT

For more details or to place an order contact axon IT on 0845 313 0025 or info@axon-it.com.

^* Terms & conditions apply.
All prices quoted are exclusive of VAT and delivery. UK delivery only. Offers only valid while stocks last. All orders subject to axon IT Returns Policy. Installation is not included.

Log into the Office 365 admin portal, with an admin account of course, and open up the Exchange Control Panel. Now, browse to ‘Manage My Organization, Mail Control, Rules’.

Now click ‘New’ and select the following in the New Rule section;

More Options, *If – “The recipient” and “is external/internal”.

In the Select Scope pop-up window choose “Outside the organization” and click OK.

*Do – “Apply a disclaimer to the message” and “Append a disclaimer”.

Then “Enter text” and input your disclaimer message. Click OK and then Save.

That’s the basic way to add a disclaimer. You can also add exceptions to the disclaimer so it isn’t applied to all messages or mails with specific subjects. You’ll also notice there’s a fallback option if the disclaimer cannot be applied for whatever reason. In my case I just set the fallback to ‘Ignore’. This means that the message will be sent anyway, without the disclaimer, instead of bouncing with a NDR.

The Update Certificates Wizard is used to renew the following certificates:

• Messaging Server: This certificate is used for SSL connections to Internet Information Services (IIS) websites, such as Outlook Web Access and Outlook Anywhere.

• Security Server: This certificate is used by Forefront TMG to publish the Terminal Services Gateway and SSL websites in your network.

To Renew Messaging Server (Exchange 2007) Self Signed SSL Certificate, launch “the update Certificates “Wizard:

• Click Start, point to All Programs, click Windows Essential Business Server, click Tools, and then click Update Certificates.
• On User-Account Details section, enter the User Credentials (domain administrator).
• On the Choose Certificates section, Choose “Messaging Server Certificate”, you will notice that the existing SSL details are displayed on this section.
• Then Click update. Then Finish.

Please note that renewing the Messaging Server (Exchange 2007) self signed certificate directly from IIS running on Exchange server might not work. It is very important that the Update Certificates Wizard is used.

To start, log into your SharePoint site and open the relevant Library (in my example I’m going to use Processes):

Once in a Library folder, on the right hand side you’ll see a drop down box. Select ‘Explorer View’ (note, if you have any issues opening in explorer view you need to add the SharePoint site within Trusted and Intranet Sites within Internet Explorer Security Settings).

In Explorer you can then add the selected Library folder to the desktop, or Favourites, by dragging the folder (highlighted yellow):

You can now see the SharePoint folder:

Repeat for required folders. Alternatively you can add the root of the SharePoint Site.  To do this follow the same process as described, however when you’ve opened a Library in Explorer View select the root SharePoint folder and drag that to your favourites instead:

Rename the folder (DavWWWRoot) as appropriate

For Windows XP users, the same can be achieved by copying the root SharePoint site link and adding it as a Network Location.

Run through the Wizard and add the link:

You may have to authenticate with your username and password you use for SharePoint Online:

Product Description - HannsG HL195ABB 18.5″ LED monitor
Diagonal Size – 18.5″ Widescreen
Max Resolution – 1366 x 768
Aspect Ratio – 16:9
Brightness – 250 cd/m² (typ.)

WAS £65.00 plus VAT NOW £59.99 plus VAT^*

ACER 19″ TFT MONITOR

Product Description – Acer V193Dob 19 Inch TFT monitor
Diagonal Size – 19″
Max Resolution – 1280 x 1024 / 75 Hz
Aspect Ratio – 5:4
Brightness – 250 cd/m2

WAS £89.99 plus VAT NOW £84.99 plus VAT^*

PHILIPS 21.5″ DVI TFT MONITOR

Product Description – Philips 227E3LSU 21.5″ 2ms DVI HD LED LCD monitor
Diagonal Size – 21.5″
Max Resolution – 1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz
Aspect Ratio – 16:9
Brightness – 250 cd/m2 (typical)

WAS £92.00 plus VAT NOW £84.99 plus VAT^*

SAMSUNG 22″ LED MONITOR

Product Description – Samsung S22A450BW 22″ LED Display
Diagonal Size – 22″
Max Resolution – 1680 x 1050
Aspect Ratio – 16:9
Brightness – 250 cd/m2

WAS £139.99 plus VAT NOW £129.99 plus VAT^*

For more details contact axon IT on 0845 313 0025 or info@axon-it.com.

^* Terms & conditions apply.
All prices quoted are exclusive of VAT and delivery. UK delivery only. Offers only valid while stocks last. All orders subject to axon IT Returns Policy. Installation is not included.