Remote Managemet for DLINK DIR-100 problem

If you have an DIR-100, you may encounter a problem with setting remote management.
The manual says: just enable the remote management, select the port and save the settings...

Do not believe! Until you reboot the router, you will unable to contact to your router from internet.

If the DLINK guys read this post: you'd better update the manual and online help of this router.

Once the router rebooted, you can manage it over Web.

Every boot does good!

Enjoy

Add Windows Server 2008 R2 DC to existing Windows Server 2008 domain

Clear situation: you run a domain using Windows Server 2008 (SP1) and going to add an additional DC. But this time you plan to have a DC running Windows Server 2008 R2.
The Microsoft article describes all the preparation steps you need.

But once you start dcpromo on the new DC, you fail with an error message saying you have to run adprep /forestprep prior to add the new box as DC to the domain.

The adprep utility is resided under \support\adprep on the setup disk of Windows Server.

The clue is:
1. Copy adprep folder from setup disk of Windows Server 2008 R2 to the current DC running Windows Server 2008 (previous version).
2. Start it from there, watch for errors and expect successful finish.
3. Re-run dcpromo on the Windows Server 2008 R2 box.

Attention! Do not use adprep from Windows Server 2008 (the version of OS running on the existing DC), take the newest one (from Windows Server 2008 R2).

Enjoy.

Update: here the schedule worked for me

1. Starting with domain running W2K8 you are going to replace the DC with W2K8 R2
2. You setup a W2K8 R2 machine and make it domain member
3. You add the AD services role to the this new machine
4. You look for setup media with W2K8R2 bits and copy the \support\adprep folder to the W2K8 OLD DC!!!
5. You open an TS to the W2K8 OLD DC and start “adprep /forestprep” – watch for messages, must finish successfully!
6. You switch to the new W2K8R2 machine and launch dcpromo promoting the new W2K8R2 box to be an additional DC in the forest.
7. Do not forget to replicate DNS on this step. Mostly the DNS service is not running on this step and will need a time to start and synchronize with the OLD DC!!!
8. After a while start “active directory sites and services”.
9. Expand until you will see the – at least two – leaf nodes: one is your OLD DC and one is the NEW ONE.
10. Create new connections for replication on the new DC and let it replicate.
a. First you may receive an error with RPC server not available
b. Wait a couple of minutes until DNS synchronizes
11. After a while comes the message about succeeded synchronization.
12. You are done, lucky you! Now the old box can be powered down…

Windows Server 2008 R2 freezes on Dell (Part II)

Remember this post?

After long time and numerous investigations (thx to my colleague taking time to analyze the hang dumps!) we finally found out:

1. The problem is encapsulated in Samsung SATA HDD used as secondary drive: all the intensive file system operations led to freeze state of the box.
2. The OptiFlex 740 is known for problems with Samsung HDDs (look at OptiFlex recommended downloads list - navigate to download site and search for OptiFlex 740). Even W2K3 can hang using some Samsung HDDs (fortunately, my box had no problems with Samsung HDDs under W2K3).
3. Dell, nVidia and AMD do not provide actually complete list of drivers for Windows Server 2008 R2: for the moment of this post there are no installable drivers for the chipset (nVidia 6100/6150) and graphis adapter (in my configuration - 256 MB ATI dual monitor card).

We run stress test to confirm the problem is solved.

By the way: the "bad" HDD was put into external USB SATA<-->USB adapter and does work without problems as external disk now...

Enjoy!

The remote certificate is invalid accroding to the validation

Two Windows Server 2008 SP1 boxes, both x64. One runs WCF service hosted in IIS secure website (SSL), the second consumes the service using WCF client.

The configuration does work just fine on two Windows Server 2008 SP1 x86.

Using IE we installed the certificate in all the possible storages on the client computer: IE navigation shows the services files without any certificate errors or warnings.
But the client won't work reporting
"The remote certificate is invalid accroding to the validation".

The problem is: using IE you install it into current user storage, not computer storage - thus the client running under its own service account still cannot validate the certificate.

We should install the certificate into computer storage using MMC and not the internet settings control panel applet.
Do not forget to launch the MMC as local admin!

Later seen also:

http://brainof-dave.blogspot.com/2008/08/remote-certificate-is-invalid-according.html

and

http://www.arcencus.nl/Blogs/tabid/105/EntryID/39/Default.aspx

Enjoy!

Could not connect to SQL Express 2008

Have connection problem accessing SQL Express 2008? Try following:

1. Check SQL Server network configuration for the installed instance: ensure TCP/IP protocol is enabled, activated and listens to the port 1433. Restart SQL service after each change in service/network configuration.
   
2. Try to connect to installed instance locally using osql.exe (to find in %Program Files%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn):
   osql -S localMachineName -E
   or
   osql -S localMachineName\instanceName -E
   
3. Does it work? Try the same from remote machine (i. e. from the client where you experienced connection problems).
4. Connection timed out on login? Or another message like "Connection string invalid"? Return to the SQL Express machine and check the firewall settings.
5. Ensure firewall rules allow port 1433 as exception.
6. Ensure firewall rules allow sqlservr.exe as exception: ensure the path is %Program Files%\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe
7. Check firewall rules on the client: at least the port 1433 should be allowed.
8. Retry the connection: does it work now? My client can connect now - and yours?

Do not ask me, why the SQL Express 2008 doesn't configure automatically firewall exceptions: neither during setup nor while perform SQL servic configuration. It is so...

Enjoy!

Windows Server 2008 R2 freezes on DELL OptiPlex 740

Couple of days ago I've installed Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard on my playground box: an OptiPlex 740 from DELL.
Unfortunately, the machine runs extremely unstable: freezes, becomes suddenly terribly slow, doesn't respond on network access requests.

Guessed the problem are drivers, I was looking around for some updates from DELL and found new BIOS version (I had 2.1.8, the new one is 2.2.2).

After update the strange effects didn't apper yet. Let's wait...

Anyway: if you are going to setup WIndows Server 2008 R2 on your box - update BIOS before setup and enjoy Windows Server 2008 R2, the first Microsoft Server Operating System available only as 64-Bit OS.

Troubleshooting LiveMesh setup

Well, LiveMesh is still beta... Tried to install on three different boxes:

• Vista Ultimate en-us SP1 - ok
• Windows Server 2003 Std en-us SP2 - ok
• Windows XP Pro en-us SP3 - failed... Failed with blue screen and other ugly things.

Reboot, restart Windows XP, restart Live Mesh - setup fails with error code 0x80070020.

1. Go to %temp%, delete LiveMesh folder.
2. Go to %programfiles%, delete LiveMesh folder.
3. Open regedit, delete HKLM\Software\Microsoft\LiveMesh.
4. Restart OS.
5. Re-install Mesh: it worked for me.

Enjoy!

Custom data generators for VSTSDB (GDR R2)

The GDR R2 of the Visual Studio 2008 is released!

Among numerous improvements (see here), there's a very useful functionality - automatic data generation.
There are some built-in test data generators providing you with random generated data. In case of your need to get randomized test data matching your specific regulations, the extensibility of VSTSDB allows you to plug-in your own data generators.

The creation of a custom data generator is surprizingly easy: attached code demonstrates implementation of a custom car signs generator for Germany and Russia and can easily be extended for other countries.

The sources and installer are available for download or on request (just put a comment below).

How to use:

1. Install VSTS 2008 GDR R2.
2. Close all open instances of VS.
3. Install special string generator.
4. Open VS and create or open a database project.
5. Create or open a generation plan for table(s) with string fields to receive random car signs.
6. Select table and field to receive custom car signs.
7. In the generators list select "CarSignGenerator".
8. In Properties Window enter desired country (currently only DE and RU supported).
9. Use VS Menu "Data" -> "Data Generator" -> "Preview Data Generation" to inspect generated car signs.

Enjoy!

Deployment of BizTalk 2006 R2 solution failed with "The database or the database version is incompatible with the installed version of this product"

Scenario: you have created a BizTalk 2006 R2 solution (using Visual Studio 2005) on one machine and just copied it to another one to continue work and deploy. The rebuild goes fine, but when you try to deploy the solution, the error message comes:

"The database or the database version is incompatible with the installed version of this product"

Probably you had different versions (mostly SP of SQL Server) on your source and target machine.

What to do?

1. Close the solution.
2. Open Explorer and delete *.btproj.user files.
3. Reopen the solution, rebuild and deploy it.

Enjoy!

"Sharepoint Designer 2007 - now free!" or how to build a webportal with minimal investment

Good news, folks! Sharepoint Designer is now free - look here!

From now everybody can build webportal with minimal investments:
- Windows Sharepoint Services ("small MOSS") - free;
- Sharpoint Designer - free;
- Additional Kits (for example, accessibility kits - ARF, AKS, BKS) - free!

The only things required: a machine, a license of Windows Server (2003 and better), an internet connection and a little bit of time :-)

Enjoy!

Problem with localization ASP.NET applications: thing to keep in mind

Ever tried to create an localizable ASP.NET 2.0 application?
Seen following links?
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/fw69ke6f(VS.80).aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/w7x1y988.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/1021kkz0.aspx

It does work very well until you decide to keep only localized resources, for example:

MyPage.aspx.en-US.resx
MyPage.aspx.de-DE.resx
MyPage.aspx.ru-RU.resx

Once you delete the default resource MyPage.aspx.resx - the localization stops to work!

So here is the rule:

NEVER DELETE DEFAULT RESOURCE FROM PROJECT IF THE APPLICATION MUST BE LOCALIZABLE

and enjoy...

Windows Server 2008: alternate actvation method not available

You may encounter a problem with activation of Windows Server 2008: there's no internet connection in place (for example, a virtual machine with internal connect only) and the link to alternate activation methods either does not appear or disabled (not clickable):



The reason is: you have no or wrong product key entered. As long as you do not change the product key you won't be able to activate you copy of Windows Server 2008 by phone.

So enter the valid product key and retry.

Enjoy!

MOSS WebPart to change user password using WinNT

Last week I was faced to following problem: I drive a temporary MOSS Website on a standalone box for a half dozen of external users. Every user has an own local (!) account on the box since there's no domain. It does work well since MOSS supports WinNT authentification.

The local administrator is responsible to create users and provide them with initial passwords. Users can now login on Website. Immediately come the questions like: "How can I change my initial password? I forgot my password, can you reset it?"

As the one and only administrator of the box I can do it only over the weekend, when I get physical access to the machine. It is a little bit annoying for users as well as for me. So I dreamed about self-service for users: just change your own password via dedicated MOSS web page.

After a couple of minutes Web surfing I've understood: there are numerous approaches to change a user password for AD based MOSS farms. Unfortunately they won't work for WinNT authentification.

So I decided to write my own Web part helping the currently logged in user to change her/his password. Additionally there must be an option for administrator to set password for any user, if he/she forgot it.

Thanks to the MOSS Web part framework and .NET Framework at all, the work was done in couple of hours:

• Implement a routine to check if the currently logged in user belongs to local administrators group.
  
  
• Override CreateChildrenControls() to build the UI for desired Web part. We need:
  
  • textbox for username
    
    • set this box to read-only if currently logged in user is not a local admin (simple users cannot change passwords of other users)
      
    • let the local admin to put any user name here to be able to change password for any other user
      
  • textbox for old password
    
  • textbox for new password
    
  • textbox for new password repeated (to avoid typos in new password)
    
  • button to invoke change password operation
    
  • labels for all the textboxes to guide the user input
    
  • a control to display result of the operation (I used another label control)
    
  • a couple of literals with line break to align UI elements
    
    
• Implement click handler for the button invoking the password change. Here's some logic behind the scenes: if the content of the username textbox is the same as login name of the currently logged in users, the change password routine should be invoked. The old password and new password are required for changing the password.
  If the content of the username textbox differs from the login name of the currently logged in users, the set password routine should be invoked (currently logged in user is a local administrator and wants to set a forgotten password for another Web site user). Sounds more complicated as implementation.
  
  
• Both change password and set password routines are easily to invoke using built-in .NET support for Active Directory: event using WinNT as authentification provider. System.DirectoryServices is the namespace, and DirectoryEntry is the class one needs to use to achieve the goal.
  The standard ADSI scenario: Find, Bind, Edit, Save – does work here. To set or change password for a user, the user object must be bound. The connection string has usually the form: "WinNT ://<servername>/<username>,User", where servername is the authentification NT machine name, and username is the user's login name.
  Both names can be passed out of username obtained from identity of current thread.
  
  
• Being skeptical about trouble-free work of the part, one may want a rudimentary tracing functionality just dropping tracing messages in a local text file. This functionality can help on troubleshooting but must be flexible enough to be turned on or off.
  
  
• In common there's not much to configure the Web part. Nevertheless two configuration options were implemented in the Web part:
  
  • Provider connection string (standard value "WinNT://<servernbame>/<username>,User" as described above)
    
  • Pathname of the log file: additionally as toggle for tracing – no tracing on null or empty log file pathname
    

  Both options were implemented as Web part editable parameters to provide the Web site administrator with comfortable configuration integrated into standard MOSS Web page edit mode.
  
  

  That's all. Check out the code and feel free to ask for more information (e. g. how to build a MOSS solution with this Web part, how to localize etc.
  

  
  

  Enjoy!
  

  
  WebPart as .wsp file available on request.
  

  Code:
  

  
  

using System;

using System.Diagnostics;

using System.DirectoryServices;

using System.Web.UI.WebControls;

using System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts;

using Microsoft.SharePoint.WebControls;

using System.Security.Principal;

using System.Threading;

namespace MBecker.SharePoint.Web

{

public
class
MBChangePasswordWebPart : WebPart

{

///
<summary>

/// WebPart title

///
</summary>

public
const
string Title = "Web Part to help users to change their passwords.";

///
<summary>

/// Logfile pathname

///
</summary>

private
string logFileName = "";

///
<summary>

/// Directory entry string to access user object

///
</summary>

private
string userEntryString = "";

///
<summary>

/// WebPart property: Provider connection string.

/// To be configured in webpart modification mode.

///
</summary>

[WebBrowsable]

[WebDisplayName("Provider connection string")]

[WebDescription("Provider connection string to get the user object for password changes; {0} is the placeholder for user login, {1} is the placeholder for domain/server name.")]

[Personalizable(PersonalizationScope.Shared)]

public
string UserEntryString

{

get

{

return userEntryString;

}

set

{

userEntryString = value;

}

}

///
<summary>

/// WebPart property: Logfile pathname.

/// To be configured in webpart modification mode.

///
</summary>

[WebBrowsable]

[WebDisplayName("LogFile Pathname")]

[WebDescription("Quick switch to toggle tracing on/off; empty logfile pathname assumes no tracing required")]

[Personalizable(PersonalizationScope.Shared)]

public
string LogFilename

{

get

{

return logFileName ;

}

set

{

logFileName = value;

}

}

///
<summary>

/// Mastering outlook of the WebPart with required child controls, required.

///
</summary>

protected
override
void CreateChildControls()

{

if (Page.IsPostBack)

{

}

else

{

}

// Add webpart controls

try

{

// Label for username

Label labelUsername = new
Label();

labelUsername.Text = Resource.labelUser;

labelUsername.CssClass = "changePasswordLabel";

Controls.Add(labelUsername);

Literal br1 = new
Literal();

br1.Text = "<br/>";

Controls.Add(br1);

// Textbox to enter username

// will be displayed as readonly if current user is not an local administrator

TextBox textBoxUsername = new
TextBox();

textBoxUsername.Text = System.Threading.Thread.CurrentPrincipal.Identity.Name;

textBoxUsername.ReadOnly = !IsAdminMode();

textBoxUsername.CssClass = "changePasswordTextBox";

textBoxUsername.ID = "textBoxUsername";

Controls.Add(textBoxUsername);

Literal br2 = new
Literal();

br2.Text = "<br/>";

Controls.Add(br2);

// Label for old password

Label labelOldPassword = new
Label();

labelOldPassword.Text = Resource.labelOldPassword;

labelOldPassword.CssClass = "changePasswordLabel";

Controls.Add(labelOldPassword);

Literal br3 = new
Literal();

br3.Text = "<br/>";

Controls.Add(br3);

// Password textbox to enter the old password

PasswordTextBox textBoxOldPassword = new
PasswordTextBox();

textBoxOldPassword.ID = "textBoxOldPassword";

textBoxOldPassword.CssClass = "changePasswordTextBox";

Controls.Add(textBoxOldPassword);

Literal br4 = new
Literal();

br4.Text = "<br/>";

Controls.Add(br4);

// Label for new password

Label labelNewPassword1 = new
Label();

labelNewPassword1.Text = Resource.labelNewPassword1;

labelNewPassword1.CssClass = "changePasswordLabel";

Controls.Add(labelNewPassword1);

Literal br5 = new
Literal();

br5.Text = "<br/>";

Controls.Add(br5);

// Password textbox to enter new password

PasswordTextBox textBoxNewPassword1 = new
PasswordTextBox();

textBoxNewPassword1.ID = "textBoxNewPassword1";

textBoxNewPassword1.CssClass = "changePasswordTextBox";

Controls.Add(textBoxNewPassword1);

Literal br6 = new
Literal();

br6.Text = "<br/>";

Controls.Add(br6);

// Label for new password repeated

Label labelNewPassword2 = new
Label();

labelNewPassword2.Text = Resource.labelNewPassword2;

labelNewPassword2.CssClass = "changePasswordLabel";

Controls.Add(labelNewPassword2);

Literal br7 = new
Literal();

br7.Text = "<br/>";

Controls.Add(br7);

// Passowrd textbox to enter new password repeated

PasswordTextBox textBoxNewPassword2 = new
PasswordTextBox();

textBoxNewPassword2.ID = "textBoxNewPassword2";

textBoxNewPassword2.CssClass = "changePasswordTextBox";

Controls.Add(textBoxNewPassword2);

Literal br8 = new
Literal();

br8.Text = "<br/><br/>";

Controls.Add(br8);

// Button to invoke password change

Button buttonSetPassword = new
Button();

buttonSetPassword.Text = Resource.buttonSetPassword;

buttonSetPassword.Click += new
EventHandler(buttonSetPassword_Click);

buttonSetPassword.ID = "buttonSetPassword";

buttonSetPassword.CssClass = "changePasswordButton";

Controls.Add(buttonSetPassword);

Literal br9 = new
Literal();

br9.Text = "<br/><br/>";

Controls.Add(br9);

Label labelResult = new
Label();

labelResult.ID = "labelResult";

labelResult.CssClass = "changePasswordResultLabel";

Controls.Add(labelResult);

}

catch (Exception ex)

{

// Adding child controls fired an exception

Debug.Assert(false, Resource.exceptionCreateChildControls + ex.Message + "\r\n" + ex.StackTrace);

trace(Resource.exceptionCreateChildControls + ex.Message + "\r\n" + ex.StackTrace);

}

base.CreateChildControls();

}

///
<summary>

/// Button click handler, invokes change/set password

///
</summary>

///
<param name="sender">Button object</param>

///
<param name="e">Click event argumets</param>

void buttonSetPassword_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

string result;

try

{

((Button)this.FindControl("buttonSetPassword")).Enabled = false;

((Label)this.FindControl("labelResult")).Text = "";

try

{

bool bSetPassword = false;

string userName = ((TextBox)this.FindControl("textBoxUsername")).Text;

// Check if set or change password operation should be invoked

// change password - to change password for currently logged in user

// set password - to change password for username entered in username textbox

// (only if currently logged in user is a local admin)

bSetPassword = (userName != System.Threading.Thread.CurrentPrincipal.Identity.Name);

string serverName = "";

if (userName.IndexOf('\\') != -1)

{

// Parse user name to split server name and user name

serverName = userName.Substring(0,userName.IndexOf('\\'));

userName = userName.Substring(userName.IndexOf('\\')+1);

}

if (!bSetPassword)

{

// Change password for currently logged in user

result = changePassword(

serverName,

userName,

((PasswordTextBox)this.FindControl("textBoxOldPassword")).Password,

((PasswordTextBox)this.FindControl("textBoxNewPassword1")).Password,

((PasswordTextBox)this.FindControl("textBoxNewPassword2")).Password

);

}

else

{

// Set password for a username entered in textbox

result = setPassword(

serverName,

userName,

((PasswordTextBox)this.FindControl("textBoxNewPassword1")).Password,

((PasswordTextBox)this.FindControl("textBoxNewPassword2")).Password

);

}

}

catch (Exception ex)

{

Debug.Assert(false, Resource.exceptionSetChangePassword1 + ex.Message + "\r\n" + ex.StackTrace);

trace(Resource.exceptionSetChangePassword1 + ex.Message + "\r\n" + ex.StackTrace);

result = ex.Message + "\r\n" + ex.StackTrace;

}

((Label)this.FindControl("labelResult")).Text = result;

((Button)this.FindControl("buttonSetPassword")).Enabled = true;

}

catch (Exception ex)

{

Debug.Assert(false, Resource.exceptionSetChangePassword2 + ex.Message + "\r\n" + ex.StackTrace);

trace(Resource.exceptionSetChangePassword2 + ex.Message + "\r\n" + ex.StackTrace);

}

}

///
<summary>

/// Check if the currently logged in user is a local admin

///
</summary>

///
<returns>True if the currently logged in user is a local admin, false otherwise</returns>

private
bool IsAdminMode()

{

bool bRet = false;

string groupAdministrators = "Administrators";

//if (System.Threading.Thread.CurrentPrincipal.Identity.Name.IndexOf("mbecker") != -1) bRet = true; // :-)

AppDomain.CurrentDomain.SetPrincipalPolicy(PrincipalPolicy.WindowsPrincipal);

bRet = Thread.CurrentPrincipal.IsInRole(groupAdministrators);

trace(

String.Format("{0} is " + (bRet?"":" not ") + "in role {1}.",

Thread.CurrentPrincipal.Identity.Name,

groupAdministrators

)

);

return bRet;

}

///
<summary>

/// Change user password

///
</summary>

///
<param name="serverName">Server name</param>

///
<param name="userName">User Loginname</param>

///
<param name="oldPassword">Old password</param>

///
<param name="newPassword1">New password</param>

///
<param name="newPassword2">New password repeated</param>

///
<returns>State string to display on webpart</returns>

private
string changePassword(

string serverName,

string userName,

string oldPassword,

string newPassword1,

string newPassword2)

{

string result = Resource.textPasswordChanged;

if (newPassword1 != newPassword2)

{

// new password and new password repepated do not match, break operation

result = Resource.testPasswordNotChanged + Resource.exceptionPasswordDoNotMatch;

}

else

{

try

{

// Change user password as seen in numerous ADSI samples

DirectoryEntry myDirectoryEntry;

string directoryEntryString = String.Format(UserEntryString, userName, serverName);

trace(directoryEntryString);

myDirectoryEntry = new
DirectoryEntry(directoryEntryString);

string[] passwords = new
string[2];

passwords[0] = oldPassword;

passwords[1] = newPassword1;

myDirectoryEntry.Invoke("ChangePassword", passwords);

}

catch (Exception ex)

{

// Change password failed

result = Resource.testPasswordNotChanged + ex.StackTrace;

while (ex != null)

{

trace(ex.Message);

trace(ex.StackTrace);

ex = ex.InnerException;

}

}

}

return result;

}

///
<summary>

/// Set user password

///
</summary>

///
<param name="serverName">Server name</param>

///
<param name="userName">User Loginname</param>

///
<param name="newPassword1">New password</param>

///
<param name="newPassword2">New password repeated</param>

///
<returns>State string to display on webpart</returns>

private
string setPassword(

string serverName,

string userName,

string newPassword1,

string newPassword2)

{

string result = Resource.textPasswordChanged;

if (newPassword1 != newPassword2)

{

// new password and new password repepated do not match, break operation

result = Resource.testPasswordNotChanged + Resource.exceptionPasswordDoNotMatch;

}

else

{

try

{

// Set user password as seen in numerous ADSI samples

DirectoryEntry myDirectoryEntry;

string directoryEntryString = String.Format(UserEntryString, userName, serverName);

trace(directoryEntryString);

myDirectoryEntry = new
DirectoryEntry(directoryEntryString);

myDirectoryEntry.Invoke("SetPassword", newPassword1);

}

catch (Exception ex)

{

// Set password failed

result = Resource.testPasswordNotChanged + ex.StackTrace;

while (ex != null)

{

trace(ex.Message);

trace(ex.StackTrace);

ex = ex.InnerException;

}

}

}

return result;

}

///
<summary>

/// Trace diagnostic information in configured log file.

/// Ensure access rights to the file/folder to avoid exceptions due to

/// file access failures

///
</summary>

///
<param name="msg">Trace message string</param>

private
void trace(string msg)

{

if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(LogFilename))

{

// Trace message if a logfile specified

try

{

System.IO.StreamWriter sw = new System.IO.StreamWriter(LogFilename, true);

sw.WriteLine(DateTime.Now.ToString() + "\t" + msg);

sw.Flush();

sw.Close();

}

catch (Exception ex)

{

Debug.Assert(false, String.Format(Resource.exceptionTrace, msg) + ex.Message + "\r\n" + ex.StackTrace);

}

}

}

}

}

Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2

What a change!!! Never saw IE so speedy and useful !!!

The absolute "must have".

Download here.

Enjoy!

Detecting hardware memory problems

Last week I've got a new PC for evaluation of W2K8 Server - especially Hyper V features. Unfortunately, two days ago the box started to show me BSOD approximately once a hour. All the available out-of-box checks didn't show valuable results. Microsoft error reporting displayed on each new start after crash, the report is corrupt. Analyzing of numerous dump files didn't show any regularity either.

Only usage of Microsoft Memory Diagnostics helped to detect memory problems:
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

This free tool was the only solid technical witness for computer store to change the bad memory modules.

I would highly recommend to burn this bootable diagnostics CD and keep it in the "emergency box" to be able to detect memory problems quickly.

Enjoy!

Windows Live Writer for bloggers

This blog entry I created using Windows Live Blog Writer:

http://get.live.com/writer/overview

Must have for bloggers.

Enjoy!

Cannot scan to a SMB location on Vista (Part II)

Investigating scanning to SMB problem - using RICOH multi-function device and VISTA Home Premium edition - found out, the proposed solution is no always enough.

Trying to send scanned page to a shared folder on VISTA Home Premium box still returned error "connection error". Other computer in the same net segment can easily create files and folder on this share but RICOH cannot.

Installed wireshark on the VISTA box and recorded network conversation between RICOH and VISTA. Following fragment was the key to found error cause:

No. Time Delta Source Destination Protocol Info SrcPort DstPort HwSrc HwDst Length

2 21:16:19.909854 0.000099 192.168.2.105 RNPC5354D NBNS Name query response NBSTAT 137 61929 00:1d:92:29:55:ec 00:00:74:c5:35:4d 253

Frame 2 (253 bytes on wire, 253 bytes captured) Ethernet II, Src: Micro-St_29:55:ec (00:1d:92:29:55:ec), Dst: Ricoh_c5:35:4d (00:00:74:c5:35:4d) Internet Protocol, Src: 192.168.2.105 (192.168.2.105), Dst: RNPC5354D (192.168.2.102) User Datagram Protocol, Src Port: netbios-ns (137), Dst Port: 61929 (61929) NetBIOS Name Service

Transaction ID: 0x0000

Flags: 0x8400 (Name query response, No error)

Questions: 0

Answer RRs: 1

Authority RRs: 0

Additional RRs: 0

Answers

*<00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00>: type NBSTAT, class IN

Name: *<00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00><00>

Type: NBSTAT

Class: IN

Time to live: 0 time

Data length: 155

Number of names: 6

Name: SCH<9a>R<00> (Workstation/Redirector)

Name flags: 0x400 (B-node, unique, active)

Name: RA<00> (Workstation/Redirector)

Name flags: 0x8400 (B-node, group, active)

Name: SCHsR<20> (Server service)

Name flags: 0x400 (B-node, unique, active)

Name: RA<1e> (Browser Election Service)

Name flags: 0x8400 (B-node, group, active)

Name: RA<1d> (Local Master Browser)

Name flags: 0x400 (B-node, unique, active)

Name: <01><02>__MSBROWSE__<02><01> (Browser)

Name flags: 0x8400 (B-node, group, active)

Unit ID: 00:1d:92:29:55:ec

The NETBIOS name of the VISTA box was using german umlaute characters: SCHÜR. These characters were wrong interpreted by RICOH (seems to be, the built-in networking communication software cannot process localized characters - only english character set).

Changed the name to MYPC - it worked immediately.

One more remark: localization of VISTA is smart. I'd say - too smart. When I tried to the name of the box to SCHUER, VISTA keeped box name as SCHÜR instead - automatically transform UE letters combination to an Ü according regional settings.

So, never use local language special characters if you want that networking devices speaking with shares on your machine over NETBIOS can connect to them.

Enjoy!

Access privileges troubles while using STSADM

Being promoted to MOSS Farm administrator in Central Administration Application still doesn't mean one may freely use also STSADM utility on this farm.
Promotion to farm administrator registers a user for use MOSS config database but not the Admin Content database. You need access to Admin Content database to be able to use STSADM - at least dbdatareader and dbdatawriter role.

Unfortunately, there are number of operations not available from Central Administration, but highly required to perform effective farm administration. One sample is adding a MOSS solution to the farm: you cannot do it from CA - only STSADM -o addsolution helps.

So, as far as you consider to use STSADM utility to manage your farm - be sure you have enough privileges for MOSS SQL database.

Enjoy!

Missing annotations in Microsoft Document Imaging

User of Microsoft Office 2003 may miss annotations functionality in Mircosoft Document Imaging: the toolbar and controls are here, but nothing works. Even more: the annotations contained in a TIF document are no shown.

The reason: Mirosoft Handwriting Component is not installed.
Refer to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/828507/en-us, install Mirosoft Handwriting Component and use annotations as expected.

Enjoy!

Cannot scan to a SMB location on Vista

Many scanners offer a possibility to scan to a network location. There are different possible protocols to transfer scanned files over the wire. Most popular are SMB and FTP. SMB uses UNC notation to scan to a network share on your PC (home version) or a server.
While it works fine for Windows XP you may encounter problems after switching to Vista. Same network, same share name, same IP address, same access privileges, but... the scanner reports "connection error" or "connection unavailable".

One of popular reasons is the difference in handling of SMB network packets between Windows XP and Vista.

What now? Check the MS KB article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935755/, download the hotfix (available on the top of the page), install on your Vista, restart the box and scan the page again. Should work...

Enjoy!