Problem solve

Problem solve

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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Smoothly adding a second Exchange server to your organization

  We had a single Exchange server that forwarded outbound email to a smarthost. We've just added another Exchange server to our organization and moved some user mailboxes to it. Let's call this new server Server B, and our old server is Server A. Now ...Continue Reading

• Changing the IP address of your Exchange server

  Learn how to change the IP address of your Exchange server in this expert response.Continue Reading

• Existing user account names: Don't rename them, migrate them

  Rather than rename a user account that's been in use for some time, it's better to create a new user profile with the proper name and migrate the old profile into the new one.Continue Reading

• Global catalog server best practices for Exchange Server

  Learn how global catalog servers work with Exchange Server and best practices for deploying them in your network infrastructure.Continue Reading

• Discover the 'hidden' user control panel in Windows XP

  Find out about the features of a hidden control panel in Windows XP which provides user options that normally aren't available.Continue Reading

• Winmail Opener: How to read TNEF-encoded email messages

  Microsoft Outlook and Exchange Server often store and transport messages in TNEF, a proprietary format Microsoft uses to encapsulate email messages. A non-Microsoft email client that doesn't know how to interpret TNEF will simply display the message...Continue Reading

• Network isolation: When to pull the plug

  When security comes up, there is always a discussion of isolating a sensitive server, but this is often impractical. Contributor Serdar Yegulalp discusses four ways to isolate sensitive servers and their data.Continue Reading

• Quick Tips: Determine the installation date of Windows

  The following command helps you to determine the installation date and time of a Windows XP/2003 computer.Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting Outlook Web Access user login issues

  Discover a three-tier approach to troubleshooting why a user is able to access his Exchange Server mailbox via Microsoft Outlook, but can't log in through Outlook Web Access.Continue Reading

• Using Safe Mode to resolve Windows Server 2003 startup issues

  You can often resolve startup issues in Windows by using Safe Mode to recover or troubleshoot system problems. Find out how to start a system in Safe Mode in this tip.Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting Exchange Server global catalog issues

  Exchange Server relies on global catalog servers in a domain to perform user lookups in Active Directory. Learn about the Exchange-related repercussions of an unreachable global catalog server and discover options for troubleshooting this issue.Continue Reading

• Moving DHCP database to a new server

  Follow the steps in this tip to configure a new DHCP server and move the current DHCP database from the old server to the new server.Continue Reading

• Exchange Server Standard Maintenance Checklist

  Microsoft MVP Brien Posey provides this checklist to help you keep your Exchange servers running like well-oiled machines.Continue Reading

• OWA authentication issues when using a proxy server

  Outlook Web Access can work on a server directly available from the Internet or a server concealed by a proxy. If you have the latter setup, you need to watch out for potential OWA authentication issues.Continue Reading

• Remote authentication: Four tips for improving security

  Your network boundary has crumbled and ensuring secure remote authentication is an essential duty for any administrator. RADIUS expert Jonathan Hassell provides four tips for improving the security and administration of remote access to your network.Continue Reading

• Proper patching for both front-end and back-end Exchange Server setups

  If you improperly or inconsistently update your front-end and back-end Exchange servers, your Outlook Web Access users could suffer with performance and availability problems.Continue Reading

• Exchange Admin 101: An introduction to RAID for Exchange Server

  SearchExchange.com contributor Marc Grote explains how RAID works, and provides tips and tools that will help you implement and manage RAID storage in your Exchange Server environment.Continue Reading

• Checking access permissions with Server Share Check

  Windows Server security permissions can get confusing. Contributor Brien M. Posey explains why NTFS permissions are better than share level permission and how to check permissions with Server Share Check.Continue Reading

• Quick Tips: Removing thumbs.db files

  When viewing a folder with the Thumbnail view, WindowsXP creates a thumbs.db file. Find out how to turn this feature off.Continue Reading

• Creating an administrator password reset disk

  As an administrator, it's a good idea to create a password reset disk in case you forget your password. This tip explains how to do this.Continue Reading

• How to recover data from corrupt NTFS boot sectors

  If the NTFS boot sector is corrupt, it can not only cause boot problems, it can also make the data on the volume inaccessible. So it's good to know techniques for repairing a corrupt NTFS boot sector.Continue Reading

• How to move Exchange Server transaction logs and databases to a new hard drive

  SearchExchange expert Brad Dinerman explains how to free up C drive space by moving transaction logs and Exchange databases to another drive.Continue Reading

• How to automatically clear the forms cache in Microsoft Outlook

  If you use custom forms in Outlook 2003, you may experience the error message: "Outlook cannot open this form." This issue is typically caused by a polluted Microsoft Outlook forms cache. In this tip, SearchExchange.com contributor explains how to ...Continue Reading

• Rebuild TCP/IP stack in Windows XP when all else fails

  Find out how to rebuild the TCP/IP stack to the pristine condition that it was in on a clean install using the NetShell utiltiy.Continue Reading

• Domain controller penetration testing

  Domain controllers are the backbone of your Active Directory network. They require special care when testing their security. Contributor and penetration testing expert Kevin Beaver recommends some tactics and tools for testing DC security.Continue Reading

• Mastering the LDAP search filter, Part 2

  LDIFDE is a powerful command line tool that with a little practice, can easily extract specific information about AD objects. Expert Gary Olsen explains how to limit your search by way of an object class LDAP filter.Continue Reading

• Moving SBS and Exchange to new hardware using the 'swing migration' technique

  SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman explains how to move a Small Business Server 2003 installation to new hardware -- including all the Exchange Server and Active Directory data -- using the simple "swing migration" technique.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Rights Management Services: An introduction

  Don't be confused or apprehensive about RMS. Contributor Serdar Yegulalp explains the technology, what you'll need, how to use it and its limitations.Continue Reading

• Open the command prompt from right-click menu

  Save time and add an option to your right-click context menu that will open a command prompt at your current folder.Continue Reading

• Troubleshoot Microsoft Outlook offline address books (.OAB files) with the OABInteg tool

  If you have problems generating or synchronizing offline address books (.OAB files) when using Microsoft Outlook in cached mode, you can use the free command-line utility, OABInteg, to troubleshoot.Continue Reading

• How disk cluster size affects data recovery processes

  In this tip, you'll learn how to calculate a cluster size, and how disk cluster size affects data recovery processes.Continue Reading

• Automatically moving Microsoft Outlook sent items to a specified folder

  SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman offers a workaround for those looking for a built-in Microsoft Outlook rule to move sent messages rather than copy them.Continue Reading

• How to create a boot disk to run Norton Disk Editor

  Running Norton's Disk Editor can help recover data on a Windows system. However you'll need to create a boot disk before running the utility. This tip explains how to complete this process.Continue Reading

• How to recover deleted files on FAT via Disk Editor

  Recovering deleted files via Norton's Disk Editor on a FAT system is a four-step process. Learn them here.Continue Reading

• How do you automatically delete sent email in the Sent Items folder?

  SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman explains two options for automatically deleting email in a Microsoft Outlook Sent Items folder that is older than a specified date.Continue Reading

• Mastering the LDAP search filter

  Expert Gary Olsen breaks down the principles of the LDAP search filter, making it easy for an admin to formulate whatever search he or she wants in Active Directory.Continue Reading

• Problems receiving and sending email in Outlook

  SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman helps an Exchange administrator troubleshoot a user's inability to send or receive email messages in Microsoft Outlook, and explains why the likely culprit is an antivirus scanner or other egregious software ...Continue Reading

• Can you create a .PST file in Outlook Web Access?

  SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman offers an alternative to creating .PST files in Outlook Web Access, since it is unsupported if users are not connected to the Exchange server through Microsoft Outlook.Continue Reading

• AccessChk utility audits user access to files and directories

  To maintain security, administrators often need to know what kind of accesses specific users or groups have to resources, including files, directories and registry keys. A tool called AccessChk can help answer those questions.Continue Reading

• Four ways to secure SMTP servers and improve performance

  Weaknesses in your SMTP configuration can pave the way for DoS attacks and spammers. Discover four ways to secure SMTP services and limit spam.Continue Reading

• Leave spread spectrum clocking disabled

  Many PC devices, most notably motherboards, hard drives and controllers, have spread spectrum clocking (SSC) functions to control how much electromagnetic interference (EMI) they put out. It's best to leave this feature disabled. Turning on SSC may ...Continue Reading

• Active Directory LDAP scripting made simple

  It is important for every admin to have an understanding of LDAP when searching for information in Active Directory. Expert Laura E. Hunter breaks down the syntax into its component pieces and provides some essential tips for Active Directory ...Continue Reading

• Does XP support multiple processor cores?

  Does Windows XP Home support multiple processor cores in a single physical processor? A look at Intel's Hyper-Threading technology and AMD's X2 dual core series may resolve the question.Continue Reading

• Use Terminal Services Manager to manage users, sessions, processes

  If users are accessing servers using the Remote Desktop connection, the utility Terminal Services Manager can help you check which user is connected to a particular server and which processes he has started.Continue Reading

• Certifications: The benefits of Microsoft and CompTIA certs

  In this series, expert Ed Tittel helps readers prepare for MCP exams and discusses what being certified with CompTIA and Microsoft can do for their careers.Continue Reading

• Windows security update may cause shell extensions to fail

  Shell extensions in Windows can cause problems. Microsoft's MS06-015 security update includes a system component, VERCLSID.EXE, that validates shell extensions before they are installed. Unfortunately some shell extensions cause VERCLSID.EXE to ...Continue Reading

• Best practices for running ForestPrep and DomainPrep

  ForestPrep and DomainPrep can be run either manually before Exchange Server is installed, or automatically during the Setup.exe process. Which option is right for you depends on the size and administrative security parameters of your organization.Continue Reading

• How to change the Windows XP Product Activation Key Code

  Find out how to check if your Windows XP systems are using a leaked key, and how to change the product activation key if they are.Continue Reading

• Optimize Exchange Server 2003 database maintenance

  Exchange Server 2003 automatically performs regular database maintenance by default, but you may need to manually adjust a few settings to achieve optimal results.Continue Reading

• Terminal Services: Multiple time zones and only one terminal server

  In this series, Expert Christa Anderson helps readers solve USB printer issues with Terminal Services, as well as configuring Remote Desktop Web for access through ISA.Continue Reading

• Disabling guest accounts

  Intended for temporary users, guest accounts are an easy point of entry for hackers. Find out how to permanently disable them.Continue Reading

• Free tool review: AccessChk permissions checker

  Administrators typically go to great lengths to make sure that network servers are secure. Mistakes do happen though. It is not uncommon for security groups to have overlapping or even contradictory permissions. Contributor Brien Posey reviews a ...Continue Reading

• Microsoft Outlook without Exchange Server -- an option for small businesses

  Using Microsoft Outlook with a POP3/SMTP Internet Service Provider (ISP) service is a cost-effective approach for small shops, but you do sacrifice helpful Exchange Server features like shared mail folders, contacts and calendars. Learn how you can ...Continue Reading