Tips

Tips

• Disappearing OWA and Exchange virtual directory settings

  Be careful when rebooting Internet Information Server. You may lose changes to your Outlook Web Access and Exchange Server virtual directory settings.  Continue Reading

• Status of Microsoft certs: An interview with Al Valvano, Microsoft Learning

  Career expert Ed Tittel recently spoke with Microsoft Learning Group Project Manager Al Valvano about what's on tap for Microsoft's certification programs, and how they will be affected by the upcoming release of Windows Vista.  Continue Reading

• Desktop search engine uses open source tools

  A new desktop search and indexing tool written in Java uses several open source programming tools -- the PDF Box, Lucene and POI Apache APIs -- to search and index many of the most common types of documents. The tool supports searching HTML, Word, ...  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

• Why printer-sharing devices don't always work

  Printer sharing devices don't always work with low-cost printers. Because of this, there's no easy workaround for this problem. But find out what options you do have in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Active Directory: Trouble starting AD Users and Computers

  In this series, Expert Laura E. Hunter helps readers with such Active Directory issues as authorizing the DHCP, resetting the AD Restore Mode password and starting AD Users and Computers.  Continue Reading

• How to create your own MSI file to deploy applications

  Using Group Policy settings to deploy applications throughout your organization works well if the app you're deploying includes an installation package in MSI format. But it if doesn't, try creating your own MSI file.  Continue Reading

• Recovering files from a corrupted cache for offline files

  With the number of users who are using offline file synchronization to take work on the road with them, the offline files cache often becomes corrupted.  Continue Reading

• Should you turn off your network's outbound SMTP (port 25)?

  If you have an Exchange server that's allowed to open outbound SMTP connections in your network, should you block port 25 everywhere else in your network, since it's not really needed? The short answer is yes, and here are some good justifications:  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

• How to deploy an application based on Group Policy in one relatively easy lesson

  When it comes to guidelines for deploying Group Policy-based applications, file this tip under 'S' for straightforward.  Continue Reading

• 'Reader's Digest' for Exchange Server mail folders

  Programmer Glen Scales has created an interesting VB script for Exchange Server. When executed, either manually or on a schedule, it compiles a single digest-style message out of every e-mail in an Exchange folder received after a specified date.  Continue Reading

• For backup, Microsoft DPM is not the whole enchilada

  Many administrators view Microsoft's Data Protection Manager (DPM) as a welcome solution for protecting data in branch offices and in small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). However, the current version of DPM is not a complete backup system. Nor ...  Continue Reading

• Quick fix for a non-replicating DC

  While it doesn't come up every day, one of the most frustrating experiences for an AD administrator is to try to fix a non-replicating DC. Expert Gary Olsen breaks down the process step-by-step to make troubleshooting your next non-replicating DC a ...  Continue Reading

• What you should know about the Hidden Protected Area on IBM ThinkPad drives

  On most ThinkPad hard drives is a segment called the Hidden Protected Area (HPA), which contains recovery data. Using disk imaging tools on a ThinkPad with a HPA can have unexpected consequences.  Continue Reading

• Ease the pain of Exchange recovery with SLAs and RSGs

  Learn techniques you can employ to recover Exchange Server in as timely a manner as possible, and how to keep management out of your hair during the restoration process.  Continue Reading

• Active Directory: The need for AD controllers

  In this series, Active Directory expert Laura E. Hunter helps readers with problems such as creating a new AD domain and distinguishing between Windows Server 2000 and 2003.  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

• Lock Windows 2000 Server down in nine different ways

  Don't take your older servers for granted. The older and more forgotten they become, the bigger the security risk. Make sure these servers are secure with these nine tips from Windows hardening expert Jonathan Hassell.  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting Exchange Server error messages

  When Exchange Server returns a cryptic numerical error message, do you know what to do? This tip explains a three-tier approach to deciphering and troubleshooting Exchange error codes.  Continue Reading

• Scripting School: Nine links for online scripting resources

  If you're looking for good scripting resources, going online is a good place to start. Here's a list of nine recommended URLs.  Continue Reading

• Certifications: Getting work with MCSA and the value of PMP

  Career expert Ed Tittel helps readers get on the right track toward a successful IT career. In this series, Ed discusses the benefits of MCSA and PMP certifications, as well as the hot new cert trends for 2006.  Continue Reading

• Preventing DNS registration of certain SRV records

  If you have performance issues or bandwidth restrictions, you can force authentication requests to only go to certain domain controllers by preventing DNS registration of certain Service Locator (SRV) records.  Continue Reading

• SATA, ASICs give boost to RAID 6

  Storage administrators have shied away from using RAID level 6 because the tradeoff for its increased reliability was a big hit on write performance. But with the emergence of SATA arrays and the use of ASICs, that equation is changing.  Continue Reading

• Finding classic IBM-style buckling spring (or clicky) keyboards

  Just about every keyboard sold today is lacking in tactile feedback, but the author has discovered sources out there for the classic buckling spring or clicky IBM keyboard.  Continue Reading

• Determining differences between versions of text files or Web sites

  Tracking changes within plain-text files themselves is difficult, since they have no provision for recording changes. Now there is a free and open source Windows application that can compare different versions of text files.  Continue Reading

• Deploying apps via Group Policy -- cost-effective, but risky

  You can deploy applications using Group Policy. But without the proper planning, this is a good way to shoot yourself in the foot.  Continue Reading

• How to display IMF's Spam Confidence Level (SCL) rankings in Microsoft Outlook

  Learn how to create a custom Microsoft Outlook form that exposes Exchange Server Intelligent Message Filter's Spam Confidence Level (SCL) rankings for all incoming e-mail.  Continue Reading

• Use MSG command to send messages across servers

  You can use the MSG command to send messages to remote users connected to the server by creating the file in one server, and using it to send messages to other servers.  Continue Reading

• Copy saved sessions to a new computer

  Putty is a Win32 Secure Shell Client that can manage networked devices. Installing Putty on a new computer means a blank record of saved sessions. This tip explains how to copy saved sessios onto a new computer.  Continue Reading

• Limiting user and admin access

  In this set of questions and answers, Windows network security expert Wes Noonan shares with you how to selectively limit server access from users and admins alike.

  You can view ...  Continue Reading

• Clearing the confusion around Exchange Server circular logging

  Circular logging recommendations have changed over the years based on Exchange version changes, so there's a lot of contradictory information out there.  Continue Reading

• TrueCrypt: Free encryption utility

  In the mobile world the only sure way to secure sensitive data is with encryption. But any such encryption utility has to be easy to use on Windows machines. Contributor Serdar Yegulalp takes an extensive look at a free partition- and disk-level ...  Continue Reading

• Avoid system freeze-ups when installing Windows XP

  When installing Windows XP with SP1, your system may freeze with 34 minutes of the installation process remaining. At this point, the USB drivers are being installed.  Continue Reading

• Exchange Admin 101: An introduction to DSAccess

  DSAccess is an API used by all Exchange Server components to query Active Directory and acquire configuration and recipient information. Some of the many Microsoft Exchange components that depend on DSAccess are the Exchange System Attendant, ...  Continue Reading

• Misperceptions about hard disk drive MTBFs

  If you're using the Mean Time Between Failures (MBTF) rating as a gauge for buying hard disk drives, you're making a big mistake.  Continue Reading

• UltraVNC remote control freeware boosts cross-platform administration

  Freeware called UltraVNC lets anyone access a remote PC, see its desktop and work with it as if it were a local computer. UltraVNC is useful for cross-platform system administration, since it runs on multiple platforms (Windows, Mac OS X and Linux ...  Continue Reading

• SNARF: 'Triage' for Microsoft Outlook e-mail

  SNARF is a Microsoft utility that can help you better organize your e-mail by indexing your Outlook messages into three prioritized panes. It also consolidates e-mails into "threads" to give you a quick graphical overview of all e-mails passed ...  Continue Reading

• Increase Exchange Server disk performance with aligned partitions

  What if there was a way to increase your hard disk's performance (and therefore Exchange Server performance) by 20% just by making a disk configuration change? Thanks to a utility in the Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 Support Tools, you can.  Continue Reading

• Fixing Word's erratic behavior in Windows

  Microsoft Word occasionally behaves erratically when running in Windows. Often this is because the normal.dot template file is corrupted.  Continue Reading

• Secondary backups from Veritas NetBackup, MP3 risk data loss

  If you make secondary copies of your backups with Maintenance Pack 3 and either Veritas Software's NetBackup Server or NetBackup Enterprise Server 5.1, you run the risk of losing data, particularly if you use Virtual Tape Libraries.  Continue Reading

• Active Directory's inner workings influence backups and restores

  Expert Laura E. Hunter reviews some of the inner workings of Active Directory, which directly impact the AD backup and restore process.  Continue Reading

• How to enable the Exchange IMF on authenticated SMTP connections

  Normally, the Exchange Server Intelligent Message Filter only works on anonymous SMTP connections. But if your network topology or email screening logistics won't allow this, you can edit the registry to make IMF work on authenticated SMTP ...  Continue Reading

• Windows Installer Cleanup tool uninstalls hard-to-lose apps

  How do you get rid of an application that Windows won't let you uninstall? Use the Windows Installer Cleanup utility, which is included with Windows Server 2003 as part of the Windows Support Tools.  Continue Reading

• IE toolbar displays HTTP headers of received pages

  Sometimes an admin needs to see the HTTP header information. A toolbar for Internet Explorer is now available that lets admins view the exact HTTP headers for all documents downloaded by IE. It also shows SSL traffic.  Continue Reading

• Exclaimer: Add disclaimers and signatures to outgoing Exchange Server e-mail

  A common gripe about Exchange Server is that it doesn't provide an easy way to add disclaimers or footers to outgoing e-mail. The best way to handle this is through a third-party tool like Exclaimer.  Continue Reading

• Pass a no-cost Microsoft beta cert exam and get another one free!

  To stimulate interest in and understanding of its new Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional credential, Microsoft is providing a one-for-one free beta cert exam promotion.  Continue Reading

• NEO Pro: Free Microsoft Outlook message store organizer

  NEO Pro is a free tool for Microsoft Outlook that takes the hassle out of message store searches by providing virtual views of e-mail based on customizable search criteria.  Continue Reading

• Active Directory user rights for Windows domain controllers and servers

  Some Active Directory user rights are more critical than others because they control key aspects of the server that an attacker could exploit. This tip reviews the differences between some critical user rights settings for domain controllers versus ...  Continue Reading

• Performance Monitor: What to do when it yields unexpected results

  When the Performance Monitor built into Windows behaves in an unexpected manner, admins may have to look closely to find a logical explanation to the problem.  Continue Reading

• Introducing the Exchange Server Disaster Recovery Analyzer Tool

  Microsoft's Exchange Server Disaster Recovery Analyzer Tool can examine your database headers, transaction logs, etc., and use the collected information to provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to mount the Exchange database.  Continue Reading

• WORM's crawl into the enterprise speeds up

  Write-Once-Read-Many (WORM) technology is becoming increasingly common in today's storage environments because of its ability to help companies meet regulatory and compliance requirements for preserving data in a provably unaltered format.  Continue Reading

• The Exchange Server ActiveSync Web Administration Tool

  In the past, there really wasn't any centralized way to manage remote mobile device administration through Exchange Server; a lost PDA had to be locked out or wiped "by hand." Now, you can use Microsoft's Exchange Server ActiveSync Web ...  Continue Reading

• Fixes for failed USB file transfers

  The transfer of files between a USB 2.0 hub and a Windows XP system can not only fail, it can fail in very strange ways.  Continue Reading

• Use command line tools to monitor Active Directory

  Monitoring Replication is critical to maintaining Active Directory health. Repadmin is a powerful, but often overlooked, Windows Support Tool that can make AD monitoring a much easier process.  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

• Revoke user access to Internet via Group Policy method

  When an admin needs to revoke someone's Internet access, one of the cleanest and most "native" methods involves using Group Policy.  Continue Reading

• How to find the MAC address of a remote computer

  GetMAC provides a quick method for obtaining the MAC layer address and binding order for a computer running Windows 2000, locally or across a network.  Continue Reading

• Use Windows 2000 Server as a router

  You can use Windows 2000 Professional Server edition to connect to different TCP/IP networks. This tip explains how.  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

• R2's Storage Manager for SANs emphasizes the basics

  The Storage Manager for SANs feature in R2 concentrates on ease of use and simplicity in basic storage area network (SAN management tasks – a good thing if you're administering a small to medium-sized SAN.  Continue Reading

• Freeware tool lets admins analyze all drives in a system

  A freeware tool called WinDirStat visually maps content and directories of all drives in a system to help admins see what types of files are taking up space.  Continue Reading

• TNEF View: Decipher a WINMAIL.DAT package without using Microsoft Outlook

  Exchange Server developers and administrators who want to decipher a WINMAIL.DAT package can now do so without having to use Microsoft Outlook, thanks to a utility called TNEF View.  Continue Reading

• Getting more FRS debug help from FRSDiag

  Expert Gary Olsen explores some powerful features of FRSDiag that can be used to troubleshoot your Active Directory network.  Continue Reading

• How to enforce Microsoft Outlook cached mode via group policy

  Users can easily disable Exchange cached mode, since Outlook does not require any special permissions to do so. However, you can enforce cached mode at the group policy level.  Continue Reading

• Complying with SEC edict doesn't necessarily require WORM drives

  An SEC rule requires public companies to store certain data and business records, including some e-mail, on non-erasable and non-rewritable media. To most people, that means write-once optical disks, or WORM drives. But there are less expensive ...  Continue Reading

• Feature in XP and Windows Server 2003 stores passwords for servers

  The Stored User Names and Passwords feature in Windows XP and the Windows Server 2003 family stores user names and passwords for servers.  Continue Reading

• Tail for Win32 freeware helps admins monitor log files in real time

  There's no tail utility for Windows, but now there's freeware called Tail for Win32 that can monitor several files at a time in real time, so an admin can watch several related logs in side-by-side windows.  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

• Accessing Exchange public folder 'freedocs' from OWA

  Learn how to allow access to public folder freedocs through Outlook Web Access, as well as the pros and cons of doing so.  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

• Utility helps admins explore global assembly cache

  Microsoft provides its own tools for browsing the global assembly cache in Microsoft .NET, but a freeware utility from NirSoft lets administrators explore it in greater detail.  Continue Reading

• Don't empty the prefetch folder

  It's often said that periodically emptying the prefetch folder will dramatically improve your XP system's performance. The author of this tip says that may not be true.  Continue Reading

• Cleaning up Microsoft Outlook after a dial-tone database restore

  Performing a dial-tone Exchange Server database restore can be a convenient way to get users up and running quickly in a disaster, but its use requires post-recovery cleanup to .OST files in Microsoft Outlook.  Continue Reading

• SynchPST: How to synchronize multiple Microsoft Outlook .PST files

  SynchPST 2.1.1 is a standalone utility that lets you take two or more Microsoft Outlook .PST files and keep them synchronized, either manually or automatically.  Continue Reading

• Automating backups, Part 4: The trick to scripting

  This four-part series on automating backups by scripting concludes by showing how to put the GUID extracted from the Removable Storage Manager in a format so the NTBACKUP command in Windows Server 2003 can use it.  Continue Reading

• Five tips for scheduling backups

  Create a plan for backing up and protecting your data so that, in the event of a natural disaster, you can recover your data. Here are five tips for creating your backup strategy.  Continue Reading

• Active Directory: Registry keys can remove user groups

  Check out this series of responses to reader questions from Active Directory expert Laura E. Hunter. This compilation covers topics such as how to set up a DNS server with an AD domain and how to use using Registry keys to remove a user from a group.  Continue Reading

• Excessive Exchange Server NDRs destroy DNS

  A common side effect of spam is bogus non-delivery reports, which can create major problems on your DNS server. This tip explains three troubleshooting options for this issue.  Continue Reading

• Remote Storage Services troubleshooting tips

  It can be a little tricky to get Remote Storage Services, the disk management feature in Windows 2000/2003 Server, up and working correctly.  Continue Reading

• Reconfiguring Remote Storage Services for new media types

  Remote Storage Services lets you move files to other removable storage media as long as you keep using the same media type. But what do you do if you change media type? This tip explains.  Continue Reading

• Make the most of Remote Storage Services in Windows 2003

  Here are four tips for making the most of Remote Storage Services (RSS), Microsoft's hierarchical storage management utility built into Windows Server 2003.  Continue Reading

• Create virtual drives via SUBST.EXE tool

  The SUBST.EXE tool can help you create virtual drives by associating a path with a drive letter. Here's a script that shows you how.  Continue Reading

• ProduKey freeware recovers lost Windows product keys and product IDs

  If you lose the product key or product ID for your Microsoft Windows or Microsoft Office software, a utility called ProduKey can help you recover it.  Continue Reading

• Active Directory scripting secrets: When GUI just isn't enough

  While the Graphical User Interface (GUI) provides great options for many common administrative tasks, there are times when an admin needs more help to get the job done. Expert Laura E. Hunter reveals some helpful scripting secrets to help admins in ...  Continue Reading

• Adolsign: Create AD-aware Microsoft Outlook signature files

  Adolsign (short for Active Directory Outlook Signature) is a third-party utility that allows you to automatically generate and populate an Outlook signature file using Active Directory information.  Continue Reading

• Pros and cons of multiple Exchange Server organizations

  Learn about the advantages and drawbacks of a multi-forest Windows and Exchange Server architecture.  Continue Reading

• Automating backups, Part 3: Building on your script

  Now that you've learned how to write a simple script that will identify the tape in your tape drive and then eject that tape, you can build on that technique and bridge the gap between the Removable Storage Manager and the NTBACKUP program in ...  Continue Reading

• Utility hunts down, repairs broken shortcuts

  Need a quick way to locate and repair broken shortcuts in a given folder or directory? Try a utility called ShortcutsMan.  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

• Viewing advanced settings in Active Directory Users and Computers

  There is no getting around it; everyone who uses Active Directory needs to access advanced settings within their enterprises. Expert Derek Melber explains how to use the Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) feature as a means of supporting ...  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting DAS, Part 1: Replace DAS drives regularly

  There are two methods for dealing with aging disk drives in direct-attached storage applications, such as desktop PCs and departmental servers. One is to simply replace all disk drives over a certain age. The second approach is to replace them only ...  Continue Reading

• Desktop search engines may hurt Exchange Server performance

  Desktop search engines like Google Desktop and MSN's Search Toolbar can cause Exchange Server performance problems due to some peculiarities in their design.  Continue Reading

• Automating backups, Part 2: Creating a script to leverage RSM

  Part 2 of this four-part article on automating complex backups shows the first steps in creating a script that allows the NTBACKUP program in Windows Server 2003 to leverage the power of the Removable Storage Manager.  Continue Reading

• Plugging into external SATA

  Although the protocol remains the same and the same drives can be used in internal and external SATA applications, eSATA connections are very different from their predecessors.  Continue Reading

• Active Directory: Global AD environments in a one-tree structure

  Check out this series of responses to reader questions from Active Directory expert Laura E. Hunter. This compilation covers topics such as how to set up a global AD environment in a one-tree structure and preventing users in a domain from logging ...  Continue Reading

• CDCheck freeware recovers data from unreadable CD/DVD-ROMs

  If one of your CDs or DVDs wears out, you'll need a way to recover the data. The freeware CDCheck fixes unreadable CDs and DVDs by checking removable media for errors.  Continue Reading

• Worst practices for Windows backup and disaster recovery, Part 2

  Worst practices at a company will doom any backup and recovery plan. Here is a list of some of the worst practices that exist at far too many companies.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft Outlook caching considerations

  Microsoft Outlook's cached mode is a valuable feature, but it can consume a considerable amount of system resources, and there are some environments for which it isn't recommended. In this tip, SearchExchange.com contributor Brien Posey explores the...  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