Tips

Tips

Windows Server storage management

• 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 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

• 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

• Best practices for backing up Windows server clusters

  When it comes to backup, a Windows server cluster environment is very different from standalone systems.  Continue Reading

• Verifying Data Protection Manager status

  The first step in troubleshooting most problems related to Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager is to verify that it is actually operating.  Continue Reading

• As far as Windows XP is concerned, not all floppy drives are created equal

  Only three floppy disk drives will be recognized when you try to install mass storage devices during XP installation.  Continue Reading

• Copying long file names or directory paths to CDs

  Administrators routinely use CDs and DVDs to back up files and folders from systems. But any administrator who does this with directory structures that have long file names or extremely deep paths that exceed 180 characters may run into problems. ...  Continue Reading

• Installing and configuring Data Protection Manager

  Although Microsoft has automated much of the DPM installation process, there are things you need to know to prepare for installation, not to mention the post-installation configuration.  Continue Reading

• Why Data Protection Manager is replacing disk-to-tape backups

  Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) disk-to-disk-to-tape backup product is replacing traditional disk-to-tape backup in many companies. Here's why.  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting Data Protection Manager warning message

  The "disk threshold exceeded" warning message in Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager examine it's parameters to figure out why it is gobbling up storage space in the first place.  Continue Reading

• Allocate disk space properly for Microsoft Data Protection Manager

  Data Protection Manager (DPM), Microsoft's answer to the need for fast recovery of deleted or damaged files, requires two kinds of storage space for the data entities that it uses. If the disk space is not properly allocated, DPM won't work properly.  Continue Reading

• When Windows PE fails to set up disk partitions

  Windows Preinstallation Environment (PE) works with Remote Installation Server to help admins who must configure large numbers of XP and WinServer 2003 systems across a network. But sometimes the process goes awry.  Continue Reading

• Storage pool savvy helps admins optimize Data Protection Manager

  How well Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager performs disk-to-disk backup in a company depends on how well the storage administrator works with the storage pool.  Continue Reading

• Make or burn ISO images easily with ISO Recorder

  Creating an ISO image in Windows requires a third-party application. However, ISO Recorder is a free Windows shell extension application that lets you burn CDs of ISO images without any other third-party applications.  Continue Reading

• Watch for unsupported data types in Data Protection Manager

  If you're using Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager, for disk-based data recovery, here's a heads-up: DPM does not support certain common data types and, as yet, there's no workaround for the problem.  Continue Reading

• Repairing damaged WMI

  If the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) component becomes damaged, Microsoft recommends re-installing Windows. Here's a technique you might want to try first.  Continue Reading

• RegDelNull deletes undeletable Windows Registry keys

  REGEDIT is a useful tool for making one quick change to the Windows Registry. But if you have to delete a Registry key with an embedded null character in its name, you'll want to check out the RegDelNull utility.  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting Volume Shadow Copy Service

  Volume Shadow Copy Service is a tool in Windows Server 2003 that makes periodic copies of files from shared folders, then stores these 'shadow' copies for later retrieval. But problems can arise when the server in question has many shadow copies ...  Continue Reading

• Connect to multiple 802.11 networks through one WiFi adapter

  New software from Microsoft enables connecting to more than one wireless network at the same time.  Continue Reading

• Bare metal restore via Automated System Recovery

  When a hard disk fails catastrophically, what can you do? Here's how to use Automated System Recovery to create and restore files, along with some rules to abide by when you use it.  Continue Reading

• DFS benefits go beyond the user, part 2

  Part 2 of our 2-part series on Distributed File System for Windows Server 2003 shows how you can use DFS for fault tolerance and load balancing.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2003's backup utility: Eliminating the confusion

  Many of the items on the Advanced Restore Options menu of Windows Server 2003 are fundamental for performing backup.  Continue Reading

• Repairing a damaged COM+ catalog

  If your COM+ catalog becomes damaged, programs that rely on COM+ and registered COM+ services won't work properly. Find out how you can repair a damaged COM+ catalog.  Continue Reading

• Hyena simplifies Windows management tasks

  Using the built-in Windows administration tools to manage a medium to large Windows NT or Windows 2000/2003 network can be a challenge. Hyena simplifies and centralizes day-to-day management tasks, while providing new capabilities for systems ...  Continue Reading

• Failed backup? Check out Removable Storage services

  Removable Storage lets you track your removable storage media and manage hardware libraries. But if something goes awry during a backup operation, beware of failures.  Continue Reading

• Configuring devices

  Immediately after finishing an installation of Windows 2000, or any operating system for that matter, check to make sure devices are recognized and properly configured.  Continue Reading

• Replace a failed hard drive in Microsoft's Cluster Server

  You're using Microsoft's Cluster Server and have a hard drive failure. Replacing it or modifying the SCSI ID isn't cut and dry, but this tip offers helpful techniques.  Continue Reading

• A look at file management tools for Windows

  Windows Explorer may be the first file management tool that comes to mind. But there are other options.  Continue Reading

• Make Office repairs using command line

  A simple command-line method of repair will become an important addition to your toolbelt if Office 2000 or Office XP installations become corrupted.  Continue Reading

• A look at common Windows backup problems

  This chapter excerpt talks about the technical challenges that Windows admins face when backing up data in a Windows environment.  Continue Reading

• Getting to know the Windows 2000 backup utility

  This chapter excerpt discusses the Windows 2000 backup utility, which offers support for backing up and restoring the encrypting file system (EFS) included with Windows 2000.  Continue Reading

• Breaking down Network Data Management Protocol for Windows

  This chapter excerpts explains how NDMP was designed to provide some enhanced functionality in backup and restore applications.  Continue Reading

• Techniques to create a volume snapshot in Windows

  This chapter excerpt explains the process of creating a volume snapshot, which is a consistent point-in-time copy of a volume.  Continue Reading

• Create a bootable Windows Server 2003 CD

  Parts 1 and 2 in this series covered directory structure and the special files and scripts you need for a silent install of Windows Server 2003. Next: Make the CD bootable.  Continue Reading

• What to do when your hard drive fails

  Hard drive failure is a dreaded event. But if it happens to you, all is not necessarily lost -- even if you don't have a backup to fall back on.  Continue Reading

• Checklist: Troubleshooting iSCSI

  Did your iSCSI fail? If you are having trouble with performance, this checklist can help you determine the root of the problem.  Continue Reading

• Checklist: Lock down PCs, workgroups and AD domains

  Security is often an optional component of a computer implementation. Roberta Bragg explains why good security is a must and what steps to take to enforce sound policies.  Continue Reading

• Ultimate boot CD for Windows packs recovery, repair utilities

  The disaster recovery tool, the Ultimate Boot CD for Windows, contains more than 50 freeware recovery and repair utilities. The CD is all the more remarkable because it doesn't run in DOS mode, but runs as a version of Windows, directly from the ...  Continue Reading

• Three ways to improve Network File System performance

  You can make storage performance improvements to Microsoft Services for Network File System in Windows Server 2003 with some registry tweaks.  Continue Reading

• SAN troubleshooting basics

  Troubleshooting a SAN is complex, but you can save yourself a lot of work if you do two things. First, verify that you have a SAN issue and not a generic storage issue. Second, begin the troubleshooting process at the center of the SAN so that you ...  Continue Reading

• Dynamic or static memory allocation in SQL Server?

  This tip compares two basic administrative options for controlling memory used by SQL Server programs: dynamic and static allocation.  Continue Reading

• Improving partition views in SQL Server

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• How and when to restrict parallelism in SQL Server

  Parallelism helps speed up SQL Server query results, unless SQL Server attempts to optimize the query for parallel execution first. Learn how and when to restrict parallelism here.  Continue Reading

• Windows needs your current credentials: Fixing the error message

  Sometimes Windows XP users get the message: "Windows needs your current credentials. Please lock this computer, then unlock it. . . .." Here's a quick fix for the problem.  Continue Reading

• Avoid problems related to booting from SAN

  Here's some advice to help you solve your 'boot-from SAN' issues, which can result from Windows' limitations when it comes to configuration challenges.  Continue Reading

• Correcting a corrupted computer account

  Check out this procedure for restoring a domain account for a client computer.  Continue Reading

• How to prevent null session attacks

  In the conclusion of his two-part series, site expert Kevin Beaver offers several solutions for preventing null session attacks on Windows NT and 2000 systems.  Continue Reading

• View printers via a Web browser

  Would you like to see all your printers on a Print Server from any location using a Web browser? Here's a tip explaining how to do just that.  Continue Reading

• How to fix CD/DVD-ROM issues in Windows 2000 and XP

  A particular problem with CD/DVD-ROM devices in Windows 2000 and XP can be fixed with a registry hack.  Continue Reading

• Check your BIOS version without rebooting

  Has tech support ever asked you which version of the BIOS you were on, then had you reboot when you don't know?Here are two places you can get that information without rebooting.  Continue Reading

• Expand the NTFS log file

  If an NTFS log fills up, all file operations are suspended, in some cases casuing a system to stop completely. Learn a cheap and efficient workaround to this issue.  Continue Reading

• Configure offline file synchronization policies

  If you need Windows 2000 to synchronize subfolders, you have to configure the group policy to make it happen. It doesn't do it by default.  Continue Reading

• Set processor affinity for a device driver

  Why you want to set the affinity for a device driver, and how to do it.  Continue Reading

• Recover deleted AD objects using a daily System State backup

  Restore deleted objects in 10 minutes without having to restore from tape by making a daily, local backup of System State.  Continue Reading

• How to install the FTP server on Windows XP

  How to install the FTP server on Windows XP.  Continue Reading

• The emergency repair process

  Some procedures after you are forced to do an emergency repair.  Continue Reading

• The advantages of multiple partitions

  This tip outlines the advantages of creating two partitions on your hard drive and using them for seperate purposes.  Continue Reading

• Planning a network management system: Six easy steps

  By planning your system, you'll avoid spending hours of fruitless time trying to manage it later.  Continue Reading

• Use the registry to enable services

  Use the registry to enable services.  Continue Reading

• Shortcut to ipconfig /all

  A quick shortcut to find the ipconfig /all settings in a wink.  Continue Reading

• Single forest vs. multi-forest Active Directory design

  Learn how single forest compares to multi-forest Active Directory (AD) design when it comes to security.  Continue Reading

• Mirror to increase capacity and more

  Advantages of mirroring, a form of Web caching.  Continue Reading

• Shortcut to Offer Remote Assistance

  Here's a shortcut to the Offer Remote Assistance feature of the Windows XP Help and Support Center.  Continue Reading

• HTTP basic authentication

  Pros and cons of this widely used authentication method.  Continue Reading

• Using the Microsoft Management Console: The basics

  Just what exactly is the Microsoft Management Console? Find the basic details here, with info on how to use it to accomplish certain Windows management tasks.  Continue Reading

• Top 10 ways to improve desktop management

  Following some common-sense principles can make desktop management easier for all parties involved.  Continue Reading

• CHKDSK reports "insufficient memory" -- What now?

  What to do with one of the most perplexing of error messages -- the "insufficient memory" message from the Microsoft CHKDSK utility.  Continue Reading

• Best swap file locations

  Some advice for gaining better swap file performance.  Continue Reading

• Configure backup static routes

  How and why to configure backup static routes.  Continue Reading

• Windows Explorer shortcut to root drive with folders view

  Learn step-by-step how to create a Windows Explorer shortcut on your task bar that opens directly to the root drive.  Continue Reading

• How to create and copy roaming user profiles

  This tip shows how to copy a defined user profile to several users or to a group of users.  Continue Reading

• Securing the mobile PC - Windows 2000 style

  Some tips on how to try to plug the security hole represented by mobile workstations.  Continue Reading

• Stop users creating accounts

  How to disable the ability of non-administrator users from creating accounts in Windows 2000 Professional  Continue Reading

• List all your network printers to a file

  Do you want to get a list of all your network printers and send them to a file? Find out how this user does it.  Continue Reading

• Take advantage of the Infrared File Transfer program

  SearchWin2000 member Parthasarathy Mandayam explains some uses for an infrared port and how it works.  Continue Reading

• Take control of system folders using the CLSID

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• Performing firewall maintenance

  Adesh Rampat discusses firewall maintenance in this edition of Tech Tips.  Continue Reading

• Back up the registry with batch files

  Find out how you can use a simple DOS batch file system to back up your registry with this member tip.  Continue Reading

• Securing the administrator account

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• Setting permissions for Terminal Services applications

  Permission issues you should consider when enabling Applications Sharing mode in Terminal Services.  Continue Reading

• Recovering a lost Windows NT Administrator password

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