Tips

Tips

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Using Netmon to analyze network traffic in Windows Server 2003

  The Network Monitor tool can be considered both a network troubleshooting tool and a packet analysis tool. But the version of Netmon that comes with Windows Server 2003 allows only the capture of frames sent to and from your local 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Configuring DNS server to create a DNS zone

  Admins can easily perform DNS configuration on Win2k Server for the purpose of creating a DNS zone.  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

• 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

• 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

• 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: 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

• How and why to disable certain ESMTP verbs

  Some firewalls and network devices filter out certain Extended Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (ESMTP) commands or "verbs." This can break communications between Exchange 2000, Exchange 2003, and other SMTP mail servers.  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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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