Repairing Corrupt Windows Profile

What the problem is: the user profile service failed the logon and give you an error when attempting to login to windows.

 

What is causing said problem: Windows updates sometimes will not install correctly and thus making the user profile corrupt and inaccessible or a malicious piece of software has corrupted your user profile.

How to fix a Corrupt Windows Profile:

  1. Start the PC in Safe Mode and open the default account (most likely administrator)
  2. Open up the run command and type in “regedit” and then hit ok
  3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

There is one line for each profile. If a profile is bad:

  • Add the suffex “_new” followed by removing “.bak” from the simliar entry above

Make any necessary changes, close Regedit and try to log in as that user.

Corrupted updates for Symantec Mail Security (SMSME 6.5)

What the problem is:

In the mail security logs it kept saying definitions were corrupt and the date was 1/1/1601.

What is causing said problem:

While updating Symantec a update corrupted the current log files and so it needs to be recreated to resolve the issue.

How to fix Symantec Corrupted Updates:

  • Stop the Symantec mail services, and disable real-time file protection within the SAV client.
  • Backup, then delete the contents of C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\definitions\AntiVirus\incoming.
  • Delete the newly created Virusdefsxxxx folders.
  • Restart the services, and realtime protection.  Instruct SMS to update.

DroidX created appointment cannot be editted via Outlook

What the problem is:

Created Outlook appointments on a Droid are unable to be edited by Outlook.

What is causing said problem:

Unknown at this time

How to fix Symantec Corrupted Updates:

1.            Open the appointment in Outlook created via the Droid X

2.            Edit the appointment

3.            Click Scheduling Assistant

4.            Right click the blank cell, below All Attendees

5.            Type your name, hit Enter.  Exchange should resolve the typed name to your FQDN

6.            Uncheck the box to the left, click Save and Close

Outlook Anywhere Setup

What the problem is: Need to access outlook files from a mail server to client PCs.

What is causing said problem:

How to Setup Outlook Anywhere:

Open the Server and transfer the certificate files from their server (mail.xxxxx.xx:3390) to the computer you are configuring.

  • To install the certificates, do the following
  • Double click the first cert, click Install Certificate, click Next
  • Select Place all certificates in the following store, click Browse
  • Select Trusted Root Certificate Authorities, click Finish.  Yes, to install it.  Click OK
  • For the second one, double click and do the same thing.  When prompted type in their admin password
  • Check “Mark this key as exportable….”, follow the previous cert as an example.

On the client computer, do the following

  • Open the Outlook Client, if the Exchange client is installed edit it.
  • Setup the exchange client as you normally would, but click on Advanced/More Settings when done
  • Click the Connection Tab
  • Check the box “Connect to Microsoft Exchange using HTTP
  • Click “Exchange Proxy Settings”
  • Fill out the info below

When you go to open Outlook you will be required to put in a user name and password, the user name should be input as user@xxxxx.local and the password will be their normal windows password.

Manually update the GAL (Global Address List)

What the problem is:

The Global Address List is not automatically updating when by default it is supposed to.

What is causing said problem:

The error causing the Global Address List to not update is a corrupt file within Outlook. This can happen after a long period of use with outlook and happens for no apparent reason.

How to Manually Update the Global Address List:

  • Go to Exchange System Manager and
  • Navigate to Recipients -> Offline Address Books.
  • In the right pane, right-click the default address book and click Rebuild.

SBS 2008 OWA says 404 file not found

What the problem is: OWA suddenly stops working after updates or a restart.

What is causing said problem: updates or a restart.

How to Fix SBS 2008 OWA 404 Error:

  • Log into the server and go into IIS 7 (the one that isn’t IIS6). Expand until you can see all the sites. The one called SBS Web Applications will be in the stopped position (you’ll see a little stop square on it).
  • Right click the Default Web Site and go to Edit Bindings. Remove the SSL 443 entry. This site isn’t even used for SBS but the SSL is applied to it for some reason and it causes this error.
  • Right click SBS Web Applications and go to Edit Bindings.  Double click on the 443 entry or create one for SSL 443 and assign the proper SSL certificate. If I did it, it should say cert2011 or something similar. Hit OK until you are back at the site listing. Right-click SBS Web Applications again and go to Manage Web Site  Start. Test OWA again and it should work.
  • If you can’t figure out which SSL Cert to use, there’s a couple ways to make a guess. In IIS7, click the server name and then click certificates on the right side to view them all. You can also go into the exchange shell as administrator and type ‘get-exchangecertificate’ to list them all with thumbprints. The one with the most letters assigned to it is probably the one to use.

Why HDMI Cable Quality Doesn’t Matter… Well, Most Of The Time….

Digital is digital, 0s are 0s and 1s are 1s. HDMI cables transfer digital signals and HDMI standards make sure that certain standards and requirements are met for the various HDMI cable types so save your money and get the cheap cable for runs 6 feet (2 meters) or less. Longer runs (over 15 feet) can be subject to interference and data loss so quality of the material used will start coming into play the longer the length of the run but typically the cheaper cables with work just as well on those long runs as the cables that cost you a small fortune.

DVI vs VGA

If your monitor and video card have DVI use it whenever possible. Computers are digital and so are the signals they send to the monitor. When you use VGA connector the digital signal from the computer is converted to analog and transferred to your monitor where it is then converted back to digital and displayed. In this conversion to analog some of the quality is invariably lost. When you use DVI connectors the signal does not get converted so the signal is not degraded. Don’t believe us, try it yourself on a video card that has both outputs and display the same desktop on both. DVI will look clearer and sharper every time. DVI wins hands down.

The Benefits Of Multiple Monitors

One thing often overlooked is the effect that multiple monitors have on productivity. A good monitor not only helps reduce eye strain but allows more efficient use of programs. Larger monitors for instance allow more of a document, drawing or worksheet to be seen. A sharper monitor allows for better detail and reduced eye fatigue.

Multiple monitors expand these qualities even further. If you are like most people you will find yourself working in many programs at once, often moving from one to another. If you find yourself moving back and forth or having the need to have two programs open at once then multiple monitors may help.

I use 3 monitors and have added a forth recently because I needed a different resolution for a specific application I am using. I have had 3 monitors for a few years now and I don’t know what I did before I had them. Being able to have Microsoft Outlook open on one and a Remote Desktop session on a Server and whatever research I am doing on the other two without having to minimize and move programs around has become an indispensable tool for me. I have added dual monitors to all the workstations at our office and see the benefits in productivity every day.

There are a few things to consider when moving to multiple monitors. First, the monitors should be a good quality monitor and they should match in size and resolution. If your monitors do not match your eyes will adjust each time you look from one monitor to the other and the point is to try and use the monitors as seamlessly and effortlessly as possible. I have seen different monitors used successfully but that is usually when one application is consistently used on one of the monitors.

Second, they should have the thinnest border you can reasonably find. We typically use Samsung monitors because they are a good quality monitor and they have a few product lines that have a very thin border around the monitor. The thin border around the monitor will help the monitor border seem to disappear with use. Monitors with thicker border will work but the space in between the monitors will be more apparent. Multiple monitor use will continue to grow as the cost of high quality monitors continues to drop.

Backup Data Needs To Be Stored Offsite One Way Or Another!

Backups are done to ensure that in the case of a catastrophic failure your data will be recoverable. Catastrophic failure could be from hardware failure or it could be from something much worst such as a fire, theft or water damage. If your backups are stored with the equipment being backed up and get damaged with it your backup becomes worthless.

Storing the backups in another office of a fire proof safe is not enough. Your backups need to be stored offsite.

If you are taking your backups offsite you need to consider the following:

• Are your offsite backups stored in a secure manner or protected location?
• Is the backup media transported in a secure way and not subject to extreme temperatures such as in the Interior of a hot or cold car?
• Can you recover the data from the backup media if the drive that did the backup was destroyed?
• Does your industry have compliance rules that cannot be adhered to by removing backup media to an unprotected location
• Is your data accessible by others while it is offsite or is it encrypted?