Problem solve

Problem solve

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

• File verification freeware generates MD5 manifest for files

  If you need to burn a few dozen gigabytes to DVD for archiving, and want to generate MD5 checksums for all the files on the disk as a way to double-check that everything's written correctly, there's a piece of freeware called DVDsig to do this. In ... Continue Reading

• MoonEdit text editing freeware lets 15 users collaborate on file

  MoonEdit is an intriguing text editing program on the order of Notepad, but with a key difference: It works collaboratively. MoonEdit lets up to 15 people edit a text file together in real-time. Continue Reading

• PC running Windows XP won't go into hibernation

  Since most computers come up out of hibernation much faster than they can reboot, I prefer to hibernate my desktop PC rather than shut it down completely. But sometimes the PC won't go into hibernation. Instead of the hibernation screen, I get ... 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

• Resolve VPN connection issues on Windows Vista machines

  If some of your users are having trouble with the VPN connection from a workstation running Microsoft Windows Vista, you may have to manually configure the DNS suffix for TCP/IPv4. Continue Reading

• Windows capacity planning: Juggling user demand with system resources

  Major upgrades such as Windows Vista and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 can be especially taxing on a system, so it's important to do the proper capacity planning ahead of time. IT management expert Harris Kern offers nine steps to creating a ...Continue Reading

• Exchange Admin 101: Server roles in Exchange Server 2007

  Exchange Server 2007 introduces a role-based architecture that simplifies deployment and improves email performance and security. In this tip, you'll get a basic overview of the five server roles in Exchange Server 2007: the Client Access Server ...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

• SpamMover: Exchange Server folder integration with third-party antispam products

  Many third-party antispam software products for Microsoft Exchange Server pre-classify email by adding an X-header or subject line modification that either marks it as spam or legitimate email. Learn about a Microsoft Exchange Server add-on called ...Continue Reading

• ReadyBoost disk caching feature speeds Windows Vista performance

  The ReadyBoost disk caching feature in Windows Vista can dramatically improve the performance of systems running Windows Vista. Furthermore, all of the data that ReadyBoost writes to the flash drive is encrypted, so that the information cannot be ...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

• Designing a strategic Windows security plan: A 12-step program

  If you're planning a major Vista upgrade, now is a good time to review your organization's Windows strategic security plan. IT management guru Harris Kern lays out a twelve step program for designing a strategic security plan in the pre-Vista era.Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting a corrupt Microsoft Outlook profile after a Windows Vista upgrade

  After a Windows Vista upgrade, you may experience a corrupt Microsoft Outlook profile that requires troubleshooting. Here are step-by-step instructions that will resolve the problem.Continue Reading

• Sharing free/busy calendar information between disparate Exchange 5.5 and Exchange 2003 organization

  SearchExchange.com expert David Sengupta suggests a tool that will allow users to replicate free and busy calendar information between two disparate Exchange 5.5 and Exchange 2003 organizations.Continue Reading

• Improve your Windows server's performance: 10 tips in 10 minutes

  There are a number of simple things you can do to help increase your server's performance. None of these things -- with the possible exception of moving the pagefile to a dedicated disk -- will do much by itself, but collectively these techniques ...Continue Reading

• Moving your server network: Watch out for surprises

  Moving your server network is not an easy task, and it may involve tasks you hadn't thought of, such as investing in cabling and uninterruptible power supplies.Continue Reading

• svchost.exe hogs CPU use, causes PC to lock up

  Is your PC locking up randomly? Have you checked Task Manager and found that svchost.exe is utilizing the CPU 100%? The problem could be related to Microsoft Office and Windows Installer updates.Continue Reading

• Setting your Windows security assessment expectations, step by step

  Don't be caught off guard by changes made to your network without your knowledge. Keep security-related problems to a minimum in your Windows shop by setting security assessment expectations and allowing others to be aware of any scheduled network ...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

• Extracting data from an Exchange Server public folder

  SearchExchange.com expert David Sengupta offers suggestions about how to extract data from an Exchange Server public folder without having to resort to a time-consuming manual approach.Continue Reading

• What to expect in Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1

  Slated for release sometime in the second half of 2007, Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 promises to greatly extend Exchange 2007's capabilities, while also making it easier to manage. In this tip, SearchExchange.com contributor Brien Posey ...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

• Can we install another instance of Exchange Server on a second domain controller?

  SearchExchange.com expert David Sengupta explains why setting up a second domain controller is a great idea for Exchange Server redundancy, but won't give you the ability to replicate mailbox content.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

• Checklist for creating a cluster in Windows Server 2003

  To create and manage clusters in Windows Server 2003, admins can use either the GUI-based Cluster Administrator or the command-line utility Cluster.exe. Here's a pre-installation checklist for creating clusters with either tool.Continue Reading

• In Windows Vista, drive mappings not preserved across admin, regular-user apps

  Admins will often create a drive mapping to a deeply-nested directory in current use through the SUBST command. In Vista, when the user tries to elevate privileges on a process and then access the material in the folder through the share, they can't...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

• Restoring an NTBACKUP file from one Exchange server to another

  SearchExchange.com expert David Sengupta shares the best method for restoring an NTBACKUP file from one Exchange server to another Exchange server on a separate domain controller and in a different geographic location.Continue Reading

• Configure a backup device for Remote Storage

  The Remote Storage file migration service requires a backup device to migrate the data from the managed volume. Here are the steps for enabling a backup device.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

• Fixes for quirky disk quotas

  Disk quotas can help administrators manage a server's disk storage resources. However, disk quotas can be quirky; applying a quota doesn't always have the anticipated effect. Here's what to do when things go wrong.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

• Can I recover lost data from an Exchange Server public folder?

  A user lost all the information stored in an Exchange Server public folder after an end date for a recurring appointment was extended. SearchExchange.com expert David Sengupta offers several suggestions on how to pinpoint the cause of this issue.Continue Reading

• Hardware considerations for new servers

  How many processors? How much memory? Windows compatibility. Recommended hardware specs. These are some of the hardware-related factors to consider when purchasing a new server.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

• MAPILab Toolbox: 18 Microsoft Outlook add-ins in one

  SearchExchange.com contributor Serdar Yegulalp shares one of his favorite new finds -- a collection of 18 Microsoft Outlook add-ins wrapped up in a single bundle called the MAPILab Toolbox.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

• DriveImage XML disk imaging tool restores partitions

  Backing up and restoring partitions for disk drives can be complicated. Disk imaging tools such as Runtime Software's DriveImage XML can help admins do the job.Continue Reading

• User cannot view Microsoft Outlook archive folder remotely

  SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman points out a potential reason why a user can access a Microsoft Outlook archive folder from the office, but not remotely.Continue Reading

• Using 'functions' in batch files

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

• Auto-generating Microsoft Outlook profiles

  Learn how you can create and deploy PRF files that will auto-generate Microsoft Outlook profiles on newly deployed computers.Continue Reading

• Does running forestprep and domain prep twice hurt?

  An admin upgrading Active Directory from Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2003 doesn't know if the previous admin has run adprep/forestprep and adprep/domainprep. He wants to know if it's okay to run forestprep and domainprep a second time.Continue Reading

• Leveraging DFS in Windows Server 2003 R2

  Microsoft knew it had to make some major changes to the File Replication Service in Windows Server 2003. Enter the new Distributed File System (DFS). Expert Gary Olsen explores the new features of R2 DFS and shows how simple it is to migrate from a ...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

• TCP/IP no longer supported over Firewire/IEEE 1394 in Vista

  In Vista, Microsoft has discontinued support for TCP/IP over IEEE 1394. So much for Firewire networking. But there are a few consolations.Continue Reading

• Vista upgrade slows down keyboard input

  After an upgrade to Vista, keyboard input may be extremely sluggish. The culprit is a setting in the i8042 driver. Here's how to fix the problem.Continue Reading

• Can I have multiple Exchange server accounts in a Microsoft Outlook profile?

  SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman explains how many Exchange Server accounts you can have in a single Microsoft Outlook profile.Continue Reading

• 'Exchange is in recovery mode' errors

  "Exchange is in recovery mode" is an amibigous error that can be difficult to diagnose. It could indicate that Microsoft Outlook is detecting differences between cached data on the client machine and data stored on Exchange Server. But an "Exchange ...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

• Freeware 'greylisting' for Exchange Server

  Between blacklisting and whitelisting is a sort of interim spam-fighting strategy called 'greylisting.' In this tip, SearchExchange.com contributor Serdar Yegulalp explains how greylisting works and points to a freeware greylisting application ...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

• Outlook Web Access users cannot access Exchange Server public folders

  There are various possible reasons for the failure of an OWA user to access Exchange Server public folders from the Internet. SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman supplies some clue-gathering tips.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

• '0xC103798A' error when installing Exchange 2003 on Windows 2000 Server

  Installing Exchange Server 2003 on Windows 2000 Server often renders a setup wizard error: "Microsoft Exchange Installation Wizard Setup failed while installing sub-component Microsoft Windows Active Directory schema update with error code ...Continue Reading

• Exchange Server deployment strategies for SMBs

  SearchExchange.com contributor Brien Posey discusses techniques small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) can use when deploying Exchange Server that improve cost effectiveness and availability. Topics covered include Small Business Server vs. ...Continue Reading

• Create a rule to forward internal Exchange Server email to a BlackBerry address

  Here are some server- and client-side tips for creating a rule to forward Exchange Server email to a BlackBerry address.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

• Missing Active Directory profiles messing up printer management

  An admin discovers that because the previous IT person did not set up the profiles in AD to load the default network printer to all users when they log in, he now has install the default network printer every time a new person logs in.Continue Reading

• Changes to Active Directory: Windows Server 2003 SP1

  While Active Directory changed a lot with the release of Windows Server 2003, even more changes took place when the first service pack came out. Expert Laura E. Hunter walks through what's new in AD with Windows Server 2003 SP1.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

• Keeping your IIS server secure

  Don't allow your IIS file server to remain vulnerable. Be proactive and learn how to better secure it while running Windows Server 2003.Continue Reading

• Debugging USB boot support helps PC pass POST

  An external USB hard drive with some kind of bootable partition can be connected to a PC and booted directly. But if the boot support for a USB device is not thoroughly debugged, this could prevent the PC from coming out of POST.Continue Reading

• RAM is wrong: Video hardware makes Windows misreport RAM

  The newest integrated video controllers share out a section of the PC's RAM to render the display graphics. Shared memory can cause Windows to misreport how much physical memory is available.Continue Reading

• Shared calendar discrepancies between Microsoft Outlook and OWA

  Learn what to do when OWA shows different appointments in the shared calendar than you see with Microsoft Outlook 2003.Continue Reading

• Adding self-signed root certificates to Windows mobile devices

  Learn how you can avoid the cost of third-party SSL certificates by turning a self-assigned root certificate into a .CAB file that you can deploy to your Windows mobile devices.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

• The Microsoft Junk E-Mail Reporting Tool

  Microsoft now offers a junk email reporting tool that allows Microsoft Outlook users to mark and report spam. The reported email will in turn be used to help generate the next iteration of Microsoft Outlook's built-in spam filter.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

• How to create desktop shortcuts for Microsoft Outlook 2003 subfolders

  SearchExchange.com expert Brad Dinerman explains how to create desktop shortcuts for Microsoft Outlook 2003 subfolders.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

• Burning ISO images to disc in Windows Vista requires BurnCDCC tool

  Windows Vista doesn't seem to have an easy way to burn an ISO image to disc, but there's a freeware tool called BurnCDCC that more than does the job.Continue Reading

• Add support for legacy help file WINHLP32.EXE in Windows Vista

  Help files that use the .HLP extension are run with the program WINHLP32.EXE, but such 32-bit files are not supported in Vista. Microsoft will eventually make the program available as a download, but what do you do if you're working with Vista and ...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

• Data Protection Manager V2 offers bare metal restore, 15-minute syncs

  Microsoft's latest version of Data Protection Manager can perform synchronizations every 15 minutes and offers bare metal restore for servers. But agents used with the first version will not work with V2.Continue Reading

• Global replace freeware tool supports regular expressions

  A new freeware global replace tool performs regular-expression-driven searches across entire drives or directories.Continue Reading

• Microsoft utility restores NTBACKUP files in Windows Vista

  The NTBACKUP utility available in NT, Windows 2000, NT and XP is not shipped with Vista. But Microsoft has created a utility for restoring NTBACKUP files in Windows Vista.Continue Reading

• .PST file error: 'The operation failed. An object could not be found'

  Learn how to troubleshoot the Microsoft Outlook .PST file error "The operation failed. An object could not be found," which can occur when Microsoft Outlook can no longer "find" the .PST file.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

• The effects of Exchange Server 2007 on Active Directory

  For years now, Exchange Server and Active Directory have had major effects on each other, and the release of Exchange Server 2007 means more to AD than ever before. Expert Gary Olsen runs through what every AD administrator should know about the ...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

• Can a remote thin client access a memory card reader?

  Expert Christa Anderson advises how to map images on a network share for user on a terminal server.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

• What are options for using a scanner with Terminal Services?

  Expert Christa Anderson suggests some third-party software producst that can help in using a scanner with Terminal Services.Continue Reading

• How do I change permissions to allow drive mapping with Windows 2000 Terminal Services?

  Expert Christa Anderson explains why it isn't possible to allow drive mapping with Windows 2000 Terminal Services.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