Windows Update Domain Policy
I have to search for this everytime I’m asked to make a setting so here’s how I do it.
To turn on Windows Update for domain users.
Start – Run – type “mmc” – ok -> This opens Microsoft Management Console.
File – Add/Remove Snap-in.
In the “Available Snap-ins” list select “Group Policy Management Editor and click “Add.”
Select “Browse” – from the “Select Group Policy Object”
Highlight “Domain Controllers.domainName.com” and click “OK” and “OK” and “OK” once more to get to the Console Root
Click the plus signs next to “Default Domain Controllers Policy,” “Computer Configuration,” “Policies,” “Administration Templates: Policy definitions,” and “Windows Components.” Go to the bottom of that list to find “Windows Update.” In the the window to the right you’ll find all the settings that can be enabled to make client PCs update automatically. Not all are beneficial and a few are very annoying so to avoid making your users mad… Double click on a setting and go to the “Explain” tab to read the consequences of enabling or disabling a setting. If you don’t know what you’re about to do, leave it “Not Configured.”
Microsoft Website Prefers Firefox
In 2007 I went to a Vista launch event and recieved a free version of Office 2007. I just moved from a desktop to a laptop so I needed to reinstall. They didn’t give a CD, only a license key and a link to download the software. Well, after so much time has passed the original download site is no longer there. So, you just download the trial version and use the old key; no biggy. Except, that I just went to download the trial with IE8 and kept getting an error message. Tried it in Firefox and the process went straight through without a hitch. Way to go MS for making your site work with Firefox, now if you could just get it to work with your own browser.
Windows File Corruption
With all the malware I’ve been cleaning lately I’ve noticed a rise in windows file corruption. There’s no way to tell if the problem is from the infection or from the cleanup. Probably a little of both but I’d rather blame the infection.
To clean up the file system I do 2 things:
- A hard disk scan: go to My Computer – right click on the C:\ drive and select Properties. In the properties sheet choose the Tools tab. In the Error Checking section click Check Now. In the window that pops up check both selections. You will get a warning that says something like “the check can’t be performed now, do you want to schedule for the next time you reboot” click yes and restart your computer.
- sfc -scannow This command checks all the files in your Windows installation and makes sure they are the same files that were installed originally and that they have not become corrupted. To run click on the Start button and select Run. In the text box type “sfc -scannow” (without the quotation marks) and click ok. If the scan needs to rebuild or recopy a file you’ll need a copy of the Windows cd that is the same version that you have installed.
Exchange Mail Limits
To increase mail attachment sending limits look in one of two places.
- Active Directory – domainName.nnn – Users – userName properties – Exchange General tab – Delivery Restrictions Button. Under the Sending or Receiving message size areas click the radio button for “Maximum KB” and set as desired. 1000 KB is approximately 1 MB (20,000KB = 20MB)
- Exchange Server Manager: Under the “First Organization (Exchange)” open the Global Settings folder, then Message Delivery, and then Defaults to set the limit.
Act! Database Connection Issues
“The database name could not be accessed. In order to access this database, check your network connection and verify that your database server is available. It may be necessary to disable any firewall software on your computer or server.”
Act! Answer ID 19640 http://is.gd/rpqb
In this user’s case the SQL Server (ACT7) service keeps stopping or doesn’t start when the laptop is rebooted (we’re tracking which). So I wrote a batch file (of which I’ve only done a couple) that will start the service. For those of you who don’t know, a batch file is just a text file saved with the .bat extention instead of the .txt extention and the contents contain a command for Windows to perform (careful that you have “Hide extensions for known file types” unselected in “Folder Options” -> “View”. In this case the command in the batch file is
::Turns on Act SQL Server Service
@ECHO OFF
NET START (or STOP) “exact name of service”
Programming is fun!! BTW, I stole this batch file from http://www.codingforums.com/archive/index.php/t-137177.html
