Problem solve
Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.
Problem solve
Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.
Maximize Internet Explorer screen
When Internet Explorer opens it can range in size anywhere from that of a postage stamp to almost filling the screen. Find out how to maximize the screen. Continue Reading
DFS Namespaces provides routing options for folders, links
In R2, the DFS service has been split into two separate components: DFS-Namespaces (DFS-N) and DFS-Replication (DFS-R). Splitting the DFS service into two components allows you to make a more granular decision regarding the services you deploy on ... Continue Reading
Troubleshooting Exchange Server Event IDs
Exchange Server event logs are an important part of system diagnosis, but oftentimes it's unclear what an Exchange Server Event ID means or where to go for help. This collection of tools and technical advice will help you pinpoint the cause of Event... Continue Reading
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RAID levels for Windows environments
This tip describes the eight RAID levels, their associated characteristics and the types of applications they can best benefit. Continue Reading
Repairing digital signature issues in Windows XP
Microsoft supplies digital signatures for key Windows components to insure that they're genuine, as a way to prevent unauthorized parties from substituting in device drivers or system .DLLs. However, if the subsystem that confirms digital ... Continue Reading
Troubleshooting Microsoft Outlook third-party add-ins
Third-party add-ins can enhance Microsoft Outlook's functionality, but sometimes they hurt Microsoft Outlook's behavior and performance. SearchExchange.com contributor Serdar Yegulalp explains three ways to troubleshoot adverse effects of Microsoft ...Continue Reading
Install backup on Windows XP Home Edition
Although the Backup utility is not mentioned at any point during the default installation of Windows XP Home Edition, it is included. However, you need to do a manual install to prepare it for use.Continue Reading
Group Policy deployment for server hardening
Learn how to deploy Group Policies to one of the four levels of Active Directory: an Active Directory site, a local computer, an organization unit or a domain.Continue Reading
Group Policy: Applying automatic proxy settings and modifying registry keys
In this series, expert Jeremy Moskowitz shows readers how to modify registry keys in Windows XP, confirm that user permissions are correctly configured and more.Continue Reading
Network Load Balancing cluster modes: advantages and disadvantages
You can run a Network Load Balancing cluster in unicast or in multicast mode. The article explains the advantages and disadvantages of the different configurations.Continue Reading
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Optimize Windows virtual memory in Windows 2000 Server
Adding multiple page files is a way to optimize Windows 2000's Virtual Memory Manager. Here are the steps you'll need to follow.Continue Reading
Three disk defragmentation issues defined
Since fragmentation still exists and remains a problem, admins should defragment regularly. But because defragging can become an obsesssion, balancing it against other actions like buying a larger hard disk drive or more memory would be wise, says ...Continue Reading
Windows System Resource Manager keeps resource-hungry apps in check
Windows is designed so that system resources such as memory and CPU time are shared among the processes that are executing. But now and then, a poorly written application consumes far more than its fair share of system resources, thereby starving ...Continue Reading
How to search multiple Microsoft Outlook subfolders simultaneously
Learn how to search multiple Microsoft Outlook subfolders simultaneously using the Advanced Find feature.Continue Reading
'You do not have permission to send to this recipient' errors
Learn how to diagnose and resolve 'You do not have permission to send to this recipient' Exchange Server non-delivery reports caused by 5.7.1 or 5.7.3 errors.Continue Reading
Sharing IP address among cluster nodes leads to network issues
A fundamental rule of the TCP/IP protocol is that you cannot use the same IP address on more than one server; if you do, an IP address conflict occurs. Sharing an IP address among the nodes in the cluster can lead to some tricky networking issues, ...Continue Reading
Disable checksum offloading to resolve network slowdown caused by Windows Firewall
Windows Firewall has an issue with some network adapters that support a hardware feature called checksum offloading. While there's no complete fix, there is a workaround.Continue Reading
Restore shadow copies from command line with volrest tool
Volrest, a command-line tool in the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit, can help administrators search for files on a server while restoring shadow copies.Continue Reading
RADIUS simplifies administration of remote access servers
If you have more than one remote access server, the administration of remote access policies can quickly become cumbersome. One way around this is to configure a single computer running Windows Server 2003 and IAS as a RADIUS server and configure ...Continue Reading
Windows Time Service: There's got to be a better way to sync XP systems
There's a tendency for any two given Windows XP systems to be completely out of sync even though they're both joined into the same domain.Continue Reading
Active Directory for Windows 2000 and 2003: What's the difference?
A common question among IT admins involves the differences in Active Directory for Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003. Expert Laura E. Hunter breaks down the key changes that took place in Active Directory when the new operating system was ...Continue Reading
Configuring Exchange Server to receive email from an ISP mailbox
The lack of a broadband Internet connection or static IP address can sometimes prevent a company, particularly a small business, from configuring Exchange Server to receive SMTP email in the typical way. Learn how you can configure Exchange Server ...Continue Reading
Why does PC freeze when converting Microsoft Word document to a PDF?
When a user on the domain tries to convert a Word document to a PDF file using Adobe Professional 7.0, their PC freezes. This admin wonders if there's another way to grant the user access other than giving them power user rights?Continue Reading
Create a console to manage remote servers, systems
By creating a custom Microsoft Management Console called the Remote Desktop Console, you'll be able to better manage your systems than with the normal Remote Desktop interface.Continue Reading
Quick-formatting hard disk drives: A shortcut, but safe
Quick-formatting a new hard drive takes only seconds, but simply erases the drive's metadata and file allocation tables. Full-formatting, which can take several hours, goes sector-by-sector across the disk, erases it and tests it for possible read ...Continue Reading
Is domain controller virtualization really a good idea?
As virtual application servers continue to grow in popularity, many IT managers are beginning to explore the idea of virtualizing domain controllers as well. Expert Gary Olsen tackles some of the many unanswered questions involving DC virtualization.Continue Reading
BCC encrypted email forking in Outlook Web Access
Enabled by default, OWA's BCC Encrypted Email Forking feature prevents blind carbon copy recipient information from being leaked when users send encrypted emails. Learn more about how this feature works and discover the storage side effects it can ...Continue Reading
Eliminate annoying Microsoft Outlook security warnings with ClickYes Pro
ClickYes Pro is a utility that enables thirty-party specified applications to access Microsoft Outlook without receiving annoying security prompts.Continue Reading
Fixing Microsoft Word's mysterious tiny cursor
No one is quite sure what causes the "tiny cursor" problem in Microsoft Word, but here are two workarounds.Continue Reading
Why .NET Framework process uses 100% CPU
If a .NET Framework process named MSCORSVW.EXE is constantly running at 100% CPU, it is either compiling high priority assemblies, which need to be completed as soon as possible, or else there's something wrong with the .NET installation. Here's how...Continue Reading
LUA Buglight utility finds program failures due to limited user account bugs
The utility called LUA Buglight helps systems administrators determine if a program's failure is due to a limited user account bug.Continue Reading
How to re-enable the Task Manager
My Task Manager has somehow been disabled. I am the administrator and I did not disable it. How did this happen and how do I re-enable it?Continue Reading
Show open documents as separate windows on the taskbar
Some applications don't show your open documents as separate windows on the taskbar, which prevents you from switching to a specific document. This tip explains how you can get quick navigation in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.Continue Reading
Step-by-step instructions for deploying an iSCSI SAN
Many companies whose storage needs are growing are deploying iSCSI SANs rather than simply buying more servers However, the process for deploying an iSCSI SAN can be a complex one.Continue Reading
OWA error: 'Page cannot be displayed. Internal server error.'
SearchExchange.com expert Patricia Guerrero offers four methods for troubleshooting the Outlook Web Access error: 'Page cannot be displayed. Internal server error.'Continue Reading
Marking calendar appointments 'private' in Outlook Web Access
Learn how to add Microsoft Outlook-like features and functionality to Outlook Web Access, including the ability to designate appointments as private.Continue Reading
Recovering encrypted files from an NTFS partition
To recover encrypted files from an NTFS partition, you need to understand how the encryption process works, and how the Encryption File System (EFS) encrypts files on Windows' NTFS file system.Continue Reading
Using the NETSETUP.log to debug domain join problems in Active Directory
One of the most overlooked features of MPS Reports is the NETSETUP.log. Expet Gary Olsen breaks down the tool and explains its value when troubleshooting Active Directory.Continue Reading
How do I change the time zone of a user's session and not the local machine?
Expert Christa Anderson offers a reader a helpul tool for changing the time zone of a user's session.Continue Reading
Outlook Web Access won't let user reply to messages
If users can't reply to email in Outlook Web Access, SearchExchange.com expert Patricia Guerrero offers some troubleshooting tips.Continue Reading
Degaussing LTO and 3950 tapes is a no-no
Degaussing used to be the standard way of preparing tapes for re-use. However, LTO and 3950 tapes can't be degaussed and reused, because they contain data they need if they are to function at all.Continue Reading
Exchange Server domain name changes -- don't forget about IIS
Because of their co-dependent relationship, changes to Exchange Server can influence Internet Information Server (IIS) behavior and vice versa. One potentially troublesome interaction between Exchange Server and IIS involves domain name changes.Continue Reading
Server room planning: Location, space, setup and environmental considerations
The following tip is excerpted from Chapter 1, Choosing your server, from our e-book, "Windows servers and storage." This excerpt looks at the physical aspects of server installation, including reasons for a dedicated server room, what a server room...Continue Reading
Running 32-bit apps in x64 Windows: Registry redirection
When a 32-bit application is run on top of an x64 version of Windows, the WOW64 emulator redirects the Program Files folder and calls to DLL files. But this emulator also redirects certain portions of the Windows registry. This article will show you...Continue Reading
How do I change IP addresses within Active Directory?
Expert Laura E. Hunter explains to a reader how easy it can be to change IP addresses in Active Directory.Continue Reading
OutlookTools: Free tool taps into Microsoft Outlook's advanced settings
Many Microsoft Outlook options are semi-hidden or only available through command-line switches, so it's not surprising that so few users and administrators make use of them. OutlookTools 2.0 is a free utility that exposes these hidden Microsoft ...Continue Reading
Backup and restore functions in Windows: Advantages and limitations
Administrators should be aware of the advantages and limitations of Windows' built-in data protection mechanisms -- NTBACKUP, Automated System Recovery, Device Driver Rollback and System Restore – plus Data Protection Manager.Continue Reading
Long-term data storage: What's the best format?
Your company has data that it wants to be accessible 20 years from now. What's the best storage format for that data?Continue Reading
How to fix inconsistent time or time-zone settings
If a program inserts a TZ variable into a system's environment variables, the system may report the wrong time zone and the wrong Daytime Savings Time setting. Here's how to remove a TZ variable.Continue Reading
Run 32-bit applications on x64 Windows servers
Because most applications are 32-bit, the x64 version of Windows makes use of an emulator known as WOW64 to allow 32-bit applications to run.Continue Reading
Creating a customized welcome email in Outlook Web Access
SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman explains how admins can create a welcome email for first-time Outlook Web Access users, despite the inability to customize welcome messages in Outlook.Continue Reading
Fix damaged or absent external USB drives
When a USB drive stops working often times it's because the Registry key is damaged or has gone missing.Continue Reading
How can I restrict rights for a group of users on a specific OU of computers, but not on any compute
Expert Jeremy Moskowitz shows a reader how to use loopback policy processing to restrict rights for a group of users on a specific OU of computers.Continue Reading
Netsh Winsock Reset command fixes Windows Firewall error
Admins can use the Netsh Winsock Reset command to resolve the error message that Windows cannot start the Windows Firewall service.Continue Reading
A guide to server system interconnects
Interconnects (often referred to as buses) move data (or program instructions) from one place to another on a server. Interconnects are characterized by three key properties: bandwidth, latency and connectivity.Continue Reading
Four steps to lessen the effect of fragmentation
Most strategies for ameliorating the effects of fragmentation involve making the best use of free space on the hard disk drive.Continue Reading
Use verbose logging to troubleshoot in Active Directory
Using event logs to troubleshoot in Active Directory is a great trick, but what if you don't have enough data? Expert Gary Olsen discusses the benefits of verbose logging and some diagnostic tools to help troubleshoot your AD environment.Continue Reading
Fix the user interface failure error
Our Windows 2000 server (Service Pack 3) gives the error "User Interface Failure. The logon user interface DLL Msgina.dll failed to load" when booting. We ran a Windows 2000 server setup, went to repair, selected Console, and replaced the msgina.dll...Continue Reading
Simple Active Directory tricks: Event logs
When troubleshooting a problem, looking through event logs in Active Directory can make you crazy. Read expert Gary Olsen's tricks for making the process less tedious.Continue Reading
DNS on workgroup servers vs DNS on domain servers
What are the similarities and differences between DNS settings installed on workgroup servers and DNS settings installed on domain servers?Continue Reading
Login Script: Perform functions based on Subnet
Find out about a simple batch file that determines the Subnet and maps a drive based on the Subnet.Continue Reading
How to forward all email to another account using OWA
Learn how to forward all email messages to another email account using Outlook Web Access.Continue Reading
Understanding basic server architecture
The following tip is excerpted from Chapter 1, Choosing your server, from our expert e-book, "Windows servers and storage." This chapter touches on aspects of server hardware, beginning with architectures--systems components and interconnects -- and...Continue Reading
Improve server performance by making better use of RAM
Your server may be slowing down because it isn't making the most efficient use of RAM or else simply because you need more RAM. Bottom line: You need to know how to make better use of RAM.Continue Reading
Automate Active Directory tasks with scripts
Scripting can be very useful in automating Active Directory tasks. This tip provides a consolidated script that demonstrates a number of Active Directory related tasks you can automate using VBScript.Continue Reading
Forcing Microsoft Outlook options using Active Directory Group Policy
SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman explains how to force Microsoft Outlook options using Active Directory Group Policy.Continue Reading
Installer hangs when upgrading or removing .NET Framework
A problem is encountered when trying upgrade or remove an edition of Microsoft's .NET Framework. The installer (or uninstaller) hangs when trying to register (or unregister) a number of the .NET .DLLs.Continue Reading
USB drive backup: Pros and cons
There are good reasons for Windows administrators to use external USB drives for backup. There are also reasons not to.Continue Reading
Protect Exchange Server and Outlook email from phishing scams
Learn why email phishing scams continue to rise and three steps you can take to mitigate the risk to your Exchange Server and Microsoft Outlook email.Continue Reading
Restrict USB pen drive access on XP networks
This tip tells you how to disable the USB Pen Drive installation mechanism on a Windows XP network.Continue Reading
Fixing conflicts between older and newer SATA drives
The two SATA speed standards sometimes conflict, but there are two easy workarounds for the problem.Continue Reading
Protect Exchange ActiveSync from premature firewall connection timeouts
To prevent attacks, many administrators close firewall connections after a predetermined period of inactivity. Unfortunately, this form of intrusion defense can cause problems for Exchange Server ActiveSync's direct push technology.Continue Reading
How to export data from a Microsoft Outlook .PST file to a .CSV file
Outlook Mail2Excel is a no-cost third-party utility that can automatically extract data from specified field values in a Microsoft Outlook .PST file and export it to .CSV file format. The results can then be imported into Microsoft Excel or any ...Continue Reading
Use VBScript to rename mapped drives
Through a bit of simple registry editing or a VBScript, you can easily rename mapped drives to hide share paths or make the drive name user-friendly.Continue Reading
Where does your client's security policy actually come from?
Your clients could be getting different domain-enforced security settings than what you defined in your domain policy.Continue Reading
When an Active Directory design goes bad -- and how to fix it
Sometimes the best way to learn how to do something right is by examining someone else's mistakes. Expert Gary Olsen presents a poorly designed Active Directory replication topology, and leads the way toward fixing some common design flaws.Continue Reading
Manage file storage with File Server Resource Manager
The File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) component in Windows 2003 Server R2 gives administrators the ability to better manage the storage of files.Continue Reading
User cannot access Exchange public folder subfolders
Get advice on how to eradicate Exchange public folder subfolder accessibility issues in Exchange 2000 Server.Continue Reading
Best practices for Active Directory replication topology design
A well-designed replication topology is the key to an efficient Active Directory infrastructure. Expert Gary Olsen highlights the most important rules to live by when designing topologies for large, complex networks.Continue Reading
Google Maps plug-in for Microsoft Outlook Contacts
CMC International's free plug-in for Microsoft Outlook lets you look up any contact's address and get a Google Maps view without overriding Microsoft Outlook's existing mapping functions.Continue Reading
Creating Send As permissions for a shared Exchange Server mailbox
Learn how setting up Send As permissions on a shared Exchange Server mailbox will resolve the error: 'You do not have permission to send to this recipient.'Continue Reading
Why are users being automatically logged off?
Expert Christa Anderson suggests why users in a network are being logged out and how to solve the problem with Windows 2003 Terminal Services.Continue Reading
What is the difference between the Global Catalog and the Infrastructure Master?
Expert Laura E. Hunter explains the different functions of the Infrastructure Master and Global Catalog in Active Directory.Continue Reading
Virtualization on multi-core and multi-processor systems
The more CPUs you have available in a computer that runs virtualized machines, the more processing power you can share among the virtual computers. But the presence of multi-core CPUs complicates the picture a little bit. This article offers some ...Continue Reading
Server power consumption: How not to overload a circuit
How many servers and peripherals does it take to overload a circuit? Some simple calculations will save you a lot of trouble.Continue Reading
Conserve svchost.exe memory by disabling Automatic Updates
If your svchost.exe process seems to be consuming an inordinate amount of RAM and/or virtual memory, the culprit may be Windows Automatic Updates.Continue Reading
When Exchange ActiveSync won't download mailbox items to mobile devices
One of the toughest problems to troubleshoot is when Exchange ActiveSync won't download mailbox items to a portable device. In this tip, SearchExchange.com contributor Serdar Yegulalp outlines the potential causes.Continue Reading
Turn off Desktop Cleanup Wizard via Group Policy
Are your users missing icons on their desktops that used to be there? The problem may be the Desktop Cleanup Wizard. Find out how to easily disable the DCW via your Group Policy.Continue Reading
Backing up Exchange Server with Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager
While Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) does not natively support Exchange Server backups, there is an unconventional workaround that will let you use DPM to back up your Exchange databases.Continue Reading
Adding a USB port without Printer Wizard
How can I add a USB port if it does not show up in the list of available ports when trying to add a printer using the Add Printer Wizard?Continue Reading
Registry hacks that improve Exchange Server and Active Directory performance
Learn two registry hack techniques that will ease the burden on overloaded Active Directory domain controllers and boost Exchange Server performance.Continue Reading
Back up and restore product activation in Windows XP
Learn how to make re-installing Windows XP product activation or reactivation easier.Continue Reading
What happens when email is sent to a non-existent user?
Exchange Server expert David Sengupta explains what happens to email that is sent to a non-existent user.Continue Reading
GPO replication: Understanding the ins and outs
Replication services for Group Policy Objects are key to the stability of a GPO. Expert Derek Melber breaks down the process for GPO replication, and explains how to ensure a more stable environment.Continue Reading
CD/DVD cleaning discs may do more harm than good
There is evidence that CD/DVD cleaning discs either accomplish nothing or actually harm the drives they're supposed to protect.Continue Reading
Bad capacitors – how to recognize and replace them
Capacitors, components found on many motherboards, are prone to failure. Here's a look at what causes bad caps in motherboards and what you can do when that happens.Continue Reading
Reverse DNS attacks and tarpitting
I have an email server that has been running flawlessly for two years. Recently, I have been seeing an increase in the number of messages seemingly "stuck" in the SMTP queues... They seem to be replies from [email protected] to spam sent to ...Continue Reading
Hard disk drives dying: Six signs a drive is about to fail
Improvements in hard disk drive technology have caused some of the once well-known symptoms of impending failure to disappear. However, hard disk drives can still give off signs that they are about to fail.Continue Reading
Active Directory tools ease import/export of data
Expert Gary Olsen explains how to use LDIFDE import and CSVDE export features to better manage your Active Directory architecture.Continue Reading
Logging into other accounts through Outlook Web Access
How can I see if someone is logging into another user's email account through Outlook Web Access. For example, if someone logs onto a user's email account as an administrator. Is it logged as a connection to the server as an administrator or user ...Continue Reading