Problem solve

Problem solve

Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.

• Work around Windows' hidden tooltip issue

  Every now and then, the Windows tooltips that show when you hover the mouse over any element in the Taskbar or System Tray inexplicably appear behind the Taskbar. Microsoft has never come out with an official fix, but here are some workarounds. Continue Reading

• Case Study: How to force immediate Active Directory replication for all core sites

  Just how fast can replication take place in your Active Directory network? You might be surprised. Systems software expert Gary Olsen presents a case study on how to use intrasite replication to achieve convergence of all core sites in one Active ... Continue Reading

• AGDLP reduces account management, permissions management headaches

  AGDLP is a practice that can greatly reduce your administrative headaches related to account management and permissions management. Continue Reading

• Crimping RJ-45 connectors onto CAT6 cable

  Crimping RJ-45 connectors onto CAT-6 cable can be particularly frustrating, because CAT-6 is quite a bit thicker than CAT-5 cable. Here are some techniques to make the process of installing RJ-45 connectors easier. Continue Reading

• Use RoboCopy to copy files from crashed hard disk drives

  By using the RoboCopy admins can avoid having to manually determine which files need to be copied over from crashed hard disk drives, says Desktop Management expert Serdar Yegulalp. Continue Reading

• Reverse DNS mismatches mark Exchange email as spam

  Many Internet service providers and email providers, such as AOL and Hotmail, attempt to block spam by using reverse DNS lookups on incoming email. This can cause problems for Exchange Server organizations in which the DNS server's PTR records are ...Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2008: A look inside the new features for Active Directory

  With the release of beta 3 for Windows Server 2008, code-named Longhorn, interest in Microsoft's new server OS has grown within the Active Directory community. Gary Olsen details some of Windows Server 2008's most important new features for Active ...Continue Reading

• Daisy-chaining SCSI devices

  With SCSI, you can daisy-chain (physically wire) multiple devices together. However, if you're considering daisy-chaining multiple SCSI devices together, you should know the SCSI bus will only support a certain number of devices.Continue Reading

• Sending email to an Exchange distribution list containing SMTP and EX addresses

  Is it possible to set up an Exchange distribution list that contains both SMTP and EX email addresses? SearchExchange.com expert David Sengupta weighs in.Continue Reading

• When authentication fails: Troubleshooting Windows time services

  Authentication issues caused by time services can result in a lot of problems concerning Active Directory security. Fortunately, they can be easy to fix if you have the right tools.Continue Reading

• How to enable Exchange Server public folder logging

  SearchExchange.com expert David Sengupta explains how to enable Exchange 2000 Server public folder logging so an administrator can track which users are deleting items from public folders.Continue Reading

• Use System Information reporting tool to view all Windows Vista system settings at once

  Once you've deployed Vista, you'll undoubtedly start installing printers, drivers and applications. While many admins currently have to deal with multiple Control Panel windows when locating these devices, Windows Vista's System Information program...Continue Reading

• You can run Windows XP from an external USB hard drive

  Although Microsoft says it's not possible to run Windows XP from an external (USB) hard drive, Ngine Software has created a guide to building an installation of Windows XP that can be booted from an external USB hard drive.Continue Reading

• Personal folders not showing up on Microsoft Outlook

  SearchExchange.com expert David Sengupta explains how to configure Microsoft Outlook so personal folders show up properly.Continue Reading

• Process Monitor tool gets around shortcomings of Microsoft Windows

  The Windows operating system does not provide a troubleshooting tool that allows you to clean up a system infected with malware, see how your files have changed or monitor registry processes and threads. Microsoft's new Process Monitor tool does ...Continue Reading

• Perform bare metal restore of Windows Server 2003 using NTBACKUP

  NTBACKUP is not an ideal tool for performing a bare metal install. However, if your backups were made using NTBACKUP, you don't have much choice in terms of using Automated System Recovery backup.Continue Reading

• Exchange Server email not being sent externally through the SMTP server

  SearchExchange.com expert David Sengupta helps an administrator track down why email sent to the local Active Directory domain is not being sent externally via the SMTP server.Continue Reading

• Time services: A closer look at Windows authentication

  Proper Windows authentication is crucial to maintaining a secure environment. Active Directory expert Gary Olsen explains the important role that time services plays in Kerberos functionality.Continue Reading

• Group Policy management: Disabling CMD

  You can disable CMD in Group Policy in two steps according to Wes Noonan, our Windows-based network infrastructure security design expert. In this tip, he'll tell you how to prevent your network users from enabling CMD.Continue Reading

• Create and manage hardware profiles

  Hardware profiles, which are set by a systems administrator, describe which pieces of hardware are enabled or disabled when a system is booted under a given profile. They eliminate the process of Windows having to redetect hardware. This tip will ...Continue Reading

• A disciplined approach to the Windows change management process

  Change management is a simple concept, but the process can be complex. Expert Harris Kern highlights the IT staff's roles in the Windows change management process.Continue Reading

• Free up disk space on your C: drive

  Do you have a Windows PC with a system disk that is nearing capacity? Or do you just want to reclaim some disk space? These tips may help you to free up space.Continue Reading

• ECC memory: A must for servers, not for desktop PCs

  Most servers should have error correcting code (ECC) memory, as should high-end workstations. But it's hard to cost-justify adding ECC memory to a commodity desktop PC. What matters more in a desktop PC is that the motherboard, power supply and ...Continue Reading

• How CPU caching speeds processor performance

  CPU caching keeps recently (or frequently) requested data in a place where it is easily accessible. This avoids the delay associated with reading data from RAM.Continue Reading

• Creating your own Windows digital certificates: The risks and benefits

  Perhaps you've considered generating your own digital certificates for your Windows system, but you weren't sure how safe that would be. This tip outlines the risks and benefits involved in creating your own certificates.Continue Reading

• Free third-party POP3 connector for Exchange Server

  Exchange Server isn't really supposed to connect to an external POP3 mailbox and aggregate email from it, but enough people do it that most Exchange Server administrators have to support it. If you have no choice but to use a POP3 configuration in ...Continue Reading

• Kerberos protocol: What every admin should know about Windows authentication

  Kerberos can be a difficult protocol to understand for some Active Directory admins, so it's best to start at the beginning. Expert Gary Olsen describes the basics of how Kerberos authentication and authorization works for Windows.Continue Reading

• Backing up and restoring server cluster nodes

  To back up and restore an entire server cluster or just a single cluster node, an administrator must first understand how to troubleshoot, back up and restore a stand-alone server running Windows Server 2003. The process of backing up cluster nodes ...Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery planning: The execution methodology

  There are certain methods to creating a solid disaster recovery plan that every IT manager should follow. Expert Russell Olsen breaks down the key steps to proper disaster recovery planning.Continue Reading

• Adding nodes to a server cluster

  Here's a step-by-step guide for adding the first node to your Windows server cluster, as well as additional nodes.Continue Reading

• How to obtain Exchange 2007's commercial version, self-extracting version and .ISO version

  There are three different media editions of Exchange Server 2007 -- the commercial version, self-extracting version and .ISO version. Learn how to obtain each version and discover a couple of hardware caveats you should be aware of before ...Continue Reading

• Case Study: Troubleshooting a logon script problem using Userenv and GPE logging

  Understanding the value of Userenv and GPE logs is only half the battle. Software engineer and author Gary Olsen shares a case study to demonstrate how the logs can be used in a real-life situation.Continue Reading

• Naming workstations on a Windows network

  There's no such thing as a perfect naming scheme for every computer on a Windows network. Here are some thoughts on naming network hosts.Continue Reading

• Manage servers and SANs better by understanding SCSI

  Most servers and SANs use SCSI drives, which typically perform better than the IDE hard drives prevalent in workstations and consumer-grade computers. In short, it's almost impossible for an administrator to allocate storage in a SAN, build a ...Continue Reading

• Remote control of Windows PCs simpler through PsExec than Remote Desktop

  The Remote Desktop feature is the most common way to control a Windows box remotely, but sometimes you need something simpler than Remote Desktop. The command-line utility PsExec from Mark Russinovich lets you run a remotely executed command instead...Continue Reading

• Userenv and GPE logging: A great tool for debugging Group Policy Extensions

  Userenv logs are great for troubleshooting user profile and GPO issues, but what about Group Policy Extensions? Expert Gary Olsen explains how Userenv and GPE logs can be valuable tools for debugging Group Policy.Continue Reading

• How to add the 'Create Mailbox' menu option to Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC)

  If you're Recipient Update Server (RUS) has not stamped your Exchange Server accounts, you may not see the "Create Mailbox" menu option in Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC). SearchExchange.com expert David Sengupta explains how to remedy ...Continue Reading

• Third-party email archiving tool helps Microsoft Outlook's AutoArchive

  If you have any experience with Microsoft Outlook's AutoArchive feature, you know that it doesn't always work as intended. Learn about a third-party email archiving software program called ArchiveAssist that alleviates Microsoft Outlook's ...Continue Reading

• Debugging user profile and GPO problems with Userenv logs

  Expert Gary Olsen walks through the basics of the Userenv.log file and shares some useful case studies that illustrate how to use Userenv to debug problems involving the user environment.Continue Reading

• Multi-core processors: Their implication for Windows

  A Windows OS is totally unprepared to handle large numbers of processor cores. So what if Intel does indeed succeed with its plan to mass-produce a tetraflop processor by 2012?Continue Reading

• Diagnosing non-maskable interrupt signals

  While non-maskable interrupt (NMI) error messages are common to the Windows platform, determining what causes them can be difficult. Discover how and why NMI error messages are generated and which Windows hardware issues often cause them.Continue Reading

• Optimizing server placement in branch offices and WANs

  Branch office networking is tricky. Here are some different approaches for establishing a WAN link between the servers in the branch office and those at corporate headquarters.Continue Reading

• Stress test Exchange Server (32-bit and 64-bit) with Load Generator

  Once upon a time, when Exchange Server administrators needed to stress test Exchange Server to see how well it performed under the load of a given number of MAPI clients (read: Microsoft Outlook users), they used a Microsoft application called ...Continue Reading

• File-copying utility Robocopy gets new GUI front end

  Administrators who want to learn how to better manage files should check out the RoboCopy command-line tool and its new GUI front end.Continue Reading

• Configuring IIS 6.0 for FrontPage

  The IIS 6.0 Web server uses a set of proprietary server-side DLLs, called FrontPage Extensions, to enable many content creation features. This tip explains how to install FrontPage Extensions.Continue Reading

• How to set up a Deleted Items Retention policy for Microsoft Outlook

  Exchange Server supports a Deleted Items Retention policy that lets you recover messages even after they've been emptied or purged from the Deleted Items folder in Microsoft Outlook. In this tip, SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman explains how ...Continue Reading

• Volume Shadow Copy Service lets users restore, recover files

  Admin dream: Users restoring their own files. And if you have some disk space to spare, you can enable this capability directly in Windows Server 2003 through the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).Continue Reading

• Using 'functions' in batch files

  Learn how to use 'functions' in batch files in this user-submitted tip.Continue Reading

• Fix USB audio problems like sputtering or glitching

  USB audio often suffers from sputtering or glitching— playback riddled with clicks and pops. The bitstream is being interrupted, and the cause is hardware-related.Continue Reading

• Memory leaks: Determine an application's CPU consumption

  The same symptoms for a memory leak can be caused by a poorly written application that consumes an excessive amount of CPU time. Here's how to determine how much CPU time an individual application is using.Continue Reading

• Erasing hard disk drive data: How many passes are needed?

  Our desktop management expert confronts the "digital legend" that you must erase a piece of data on a hard disk drive many times to guarantee its destruction.Continue Reading

• Password authentication works for OWA but fails for Microsoft Outlook

  You can access your mailbox via Outlook Web Access, but not through Microsoft Outlook. SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman explains how to determine whether this is a user account, desktop profile or workstation issue.Continue Reading

• How to configure attachment blocking in Outlook Web Access

  SearchExchange.com contributor Serdar Yegulalp explains how to edit the registry to customize what email attachment file extensions are automatically blocked by Outlook Web Access.Continue Reading

• Best practices for DNS structure design

  The dream of having an efficient Active Directory can live or die with how well DNS is designed. Expert Gary Olsen runs through the basic principles to be aware of when designing the DNS structure.Continue Reading

• Optimize your server's disk performance

  How a server's hard disks are configured and maintained can have a big impact on server performance. Here's how to improve the efficiency of your server's disk subsystem.Continue Reading

• Switch between Remote Admin, App Server modes in Terminal Services

  Here are some simple steps that will allow admins to switch between Remote Administration and Application Server modes in Terminal Services.Continue Reading

• HTTP File Server allows quick-and-dirty file sharing over the Web

  The tool HTTP File Server allows simple file sharing across a local network via the Web.Continue Reading

• Use System Monitor to find bottlenecks in Windows Server 2003

  Windows Server 2003 comes with two performance monitoring tools: System Monitor, and Performance Logs and Alerts. These tools provide information that administrators can use to find bottlenecks and for troubleshooting Windows. This tip tells you ...Continue Reading

• Performance Logs and Alerts: A guide to the Windows Server 2003 utility

  Performance Logs and Alerts is one of performance monitoring tools in Windows Server 2003. This tip discusses the tool's two types of logs: counter logs and trace logs.Continue Reading

• Defragment Microsoft Outlook .PST files for better performance

  Learn how you can use the Sysinternals Contig tool to defragment Microsoft Outlook .PST files and improve their performance.Continue Reading

• Finding memory leaks using Performance Monitor

  Locating a memory leak in Microsoft Windows often involves watching Performance Monitor counters and interpreting the results.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Outlook error: 'One or more rules could not be uploaded to Exchange Server'

  SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman helps troubleshoot the Microsoft Outlook error "One or more rules could not be uploaded to Exchange Server."Continue Reading

• Managing Daylight Saving Time (DST) changes in Exchange Server and Microsoft Outlook

  Find out how Daylight Saving Time (DST) changes in 2007 will affect Exchange Server and Microsoft Outlook, and learn what you need to do to prepare your Exchange servers and clients.Continue Reading

• Forwarding email from Exchange Server to an external email address

  Get step-by-step instructions for forwarding all Exchange Server email to an external email address.Continue Reading

• Memory leaks: Finding a memory leak in Microsoft Windows

  Applications with memory leaks can kill server performance and even render a server unstable. But memory leaks are not always obvious. Here's how to know if you've got one.Continue Reading

• DNS best practices: Making AD rock-solid

  Some consider DNS to be the heart of Active Directory, and like any heart, it is important to keep it healthy. Expert Gary Olsen offers his set of best practices for maintaining a secure and properly configured DNS.Continue Reading

• Installing additional language support for Outlook Web Access

  Exchange Server only installs support for English and common European languages by default. But it's simple to add support to Exchange Server and Outlook Web Access for foreign dialects, including Arabic, Hebrew and Asian languages. This tip ...Continue Reading

• Setting up OWA in Exchange Server 2003

  SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman provides instruction on how to set up and access Outlook Web Access via the Web in Exchange Server 2003.Continue Reading

• Fixing corrupt Microsoft Outlook calendar entries

  Microsoft Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007 can occasionally suffer from corrupt calendar entries. When this happens, certain appointment reminders repeatedly pop up no matter how many times you dismiss them. Exchange MVP Brien Posey explains how to fix...Continue Reading

• Cannot reply or forward in Outlook Web Access

  If you can't reply or forward in Outlook Web Access (OWA), you may need to add your Exchange Server URL to Internet Explorer's Trusted Sites list.Continue Reading

• Why do remote users find that all printers have disappeared from their sessions?

  Expert Christa Anderson offers advice for dealing with a crashing spooler service.Continue Reading

• How can I track which users have connected to a terminal server?

  Expert Christa Anderson offers some ideas for monitoring who is connecting to a terminal server, and when they are connecting.Continue Reading

• Use FSRM to create file screens, enforce storage restrictions

  Use the File Server Resource Manager utility in Windows Server 2003 R2 to create file screens, which disallow your users from saving certain file types.Continue Reading

• SpamBayes: Open-source antispam tool for Microsoft Outlook

  If you don't have an Exchange server, only individual Microsoft Outlook desktop installations, the open-source antispam tool SpamBayes is a handy way to manage spam without dropping a lot of money.Continue Reading

• Simple WMI tricks for AD administrators

  Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) can be a great asset for Active Directory admins. Expert Gary Olsen offers useful WMI tips and tricks for locating and gathering information from objects in an enterprise.Continue Reading

• Server consolidation: Calculating CPU utilization

  If you're doing a server consolidation through virtualization, you'll need to calculate how much CPU you'll need to have available on your host system for each guest. Here's the best way to determine this.Continue Reading

• Microsoft's daylight-saving time (DST) patch -- Does it matter to AD?

  Who would've thought that expanding the dates of daylight-saving time would cause so many problems for IT administrators? Expert Gary Olsen analyzes what the changes mean to Active Directory regarding domain operations.Continue Reading

• Switch between Remote Desktop windows

  Admins who rely on Remote Desktop will often have multiple connections simultaneously. With each one in a separate window, switching between them on the fly can get pretty unwieldy. Now there's a freeware tool to allay this problem.Continue Reading

• Diskpart utility scans for newly added disks

  Use the Windows Diskpart utility to scan for newly added disks, instead of Windows' Disk Administrator tool.Continue Reading

• Recreating IIS virtual directories for OWA, OMA and Exchange ActiveSync

  Exchange Server 2003 uses virtual directories in Internet Information Services (IIS) for a number of Microsoft Exchange services -- mainly, Outlook Web Access (OWA), Outlook Mobile Access (OMA) and Exchange ActiveSync. Learn three different ways you...Continue Reading

• OWA 'Loading' problems with Internet Explorer security zones

  Making changes to the definitions of Internet Explorer security zones can cause OWA to malfunction, particularly if it's done by a user who isn't well- versed in OWA's security zone setting requirements.Continue Reading

• Control users' Internet access

  Here's a method of controlling users' Internet access in an Active Directory environment.Continue Reading

• Remote Desktop Connection tool resolves Vista and XP snafu

  When you attempt to connect to Windows XP via Remote Desktop from a Vista machine, you get a warning message. To address the problem, Microsoft just released Remote Desktop Connection 6.0 client tools for Windows Server 2003 and XP.Continue Reading

• Should you use NTFS compression on Exchange Server files?

  Some Exchange Server administrators have debated the use of NTFS file compression to improve Exchange Server disk performance and increase the hard drive capacity. Generally, this is not a good idea. Find out why and learn about one exception for ...Continue Reading

• Beware of bare linefeeds in Exchange Server email

  A bare linefeed is a single linefeed character that isn't preceded by an ASCII carriage return. In some instances, virus scanners or security appliances will insert bare linefeeds into an Exchange Server email and cause delivery failures.Continue Reading

• When Active Directory replication fails: Debugging Event ID 1311

  Perhaps the most infamous Active Directory replication error is Event ID 1311. But how do you resolve it? Expert Gary Olsen breaks down all of the factors you must consider when troubleshooting the error.Continue Reading

• Configuring DNS server properties

  When followed correctly, DNS is fairly simple to use in Active Directory. However, it's even easier when you understand certain configurations. Expert Gary Olsen breaks down the DNS complexities that every admin should know about.Continue Reading

• DFS Replication not right for all environments

  Despite the many improvements made to DFS in Windows Server 2003 R2, there are still limitations to the service, and you should keep these in mind in order to be certain that DFS is appropriate for your environment.Continue Reading

• Zip and encrypt Microsoft Outlook email attachments

  Available for Microsoft Outlook 2000 and higher, WinZip Companion for Outlook is an affordable third-party program that can be used to protect email attachments -- with your choice of .ZIP encryption.Continue Reading

• View and manage all connected USB devices

  A utility called USBDeview lets admins view all USB devices currently connected to a PC, as well as manage these USB devices more efficiently.Continue Reading

• StickyKeys: Turning off accessibility keyboard shortcuts

  One "hidden" feature in Windows is a series of keyboard commands that turn on accessibility functions for the disabled. People who turn these commands (like StickyKeys) on by accident may think their keyboard is malfunctioning. Here's how to disable...Continue Reading

• Group Policy: Prevent unwanted software installation

  In this series, expert Jeremy Moskowitz shows readers how to designate specific administrators to specific PCs and apply updates to traveling laptops.Continue Reading

• Tweaking Outlook Web Access timeout options

  Outlook Web Access (OWA) maintains two values for timeout options -- one for trusted clients and another for public clients. Learn how to customize OWA timeout options in the registry for optimal security.Continue Reading

• Monitoring a Network Load Balancing cluster

  Once you've created a Network Load Balancing cluster, you have to monitor it so you're aware of each node's status. Here are some techniques for keeping tabs on your cluster.Continue Reading

• Replication upgrades make DFS ideal for low-bandwidth branch offices

  While DFS has been around since the days of Windows NT 4.0, improvements made to DFS in Windows Server 2003 R2 make it much more attractive for Windows systems administrators. In particular, there have been advances in the areas of replication and ...Continue Reading

• Getting 'access denied' error with wireless router

  I have a PC running XP Pro connected by cable to a router and a laptop running XP Pro connected by WiFi to the router. Both the PC and the laptop can see each other and they both have permissions set for File & Printer Sharing. The PC can access ...Continue Reading

• Test Exchange ActiveSync mobile devices with Microsoft Device Emulator 1.0

  Microsoft Device Emulator 1.0 makes it easier to test the behavior of mobile devices that use Exchange ActiveSync.Continue Reading

• Burn ISO images to CD or DVD with Microsoft tools

  Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Vista can make use of command-line tools for burning ISO images to CD or DVD. These tools, called CDBURN and DVDBURN, are from Microsoft's Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools.Continue Reading

• Using ADFind.exe when LDIFDE fails you

  Different Active Directory tools are better suited for different situations. Expert Gary Olsen provides details for how using ADFind is sometimes better than LDIFDE when listing group SIDs in a domain.Continue Reading

• Network Load Balancing cluster nodes must communicate with each other

  Even though each node in a Network Load Balancing cluster performs its own independent calculations to determine which server will handle an inbound request, the nodes must have a mechanism for communicating the cluster size to each other.Continue Reading