Archive for the ‘Technical’ Category

Reliability Monitor and Windows 7 (How it saved my life!)

Technical | Posted by Tom Carpenter
Feb 17 2011

Ok, so maybe it didn't save my life, but it sure does help me discover what's really happening on my users' computers. No longer do I have to rely on answers from the users. I can simply look at the history of their computer and see new installs, crashes and other valuable information in the Reliability Monitor.

To access the Windows 7 Reliability Monitor the fast way:

  1. Simply click Start, type Reliability and click the View reliability history link that is displayed with the blue flag.
  2. Once in the interface, you can scroll through the history viewing errors, warnings and information entries by clicking on them.

 

The information displayed in the Reliability Monitor will include device driver installations, software installations, system crashes, application crashes, failed installations and more. You can export the data to an XML file, which could then be analyzed by other reporting applications, for example, Crystal Reports supports XML data sources.

Interestingly, Microsoft removed the feature to view remote computers' reliability data through the GUI interface of the Windows 7 Reliability Monitor. With the new tools, to view the reliability data on remote computers, you must use PowerShell , which, quite frankly, sucks in comparison to the graphical view in my opinion. However, there is a nice article at the TechNet Magazine website that gives you the basics of PowerShell and reliability data here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd535685.aspx.

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SharePoint Lists Clearly Explained

Technical | Posted by Tom Carpenter
Dec 15 2010

SharePoint is an excellent product for collaboration and content management; however, it is also a great database front end. In this post, I will explain how a list is really nothing more than a data entry and data reporting interface for a back end database.

When you create a list in SharePoint, you are actually creating a set of database table in the back end SQL Server. Because SharePoint allows you to create your own custom lists, the back end database tables are not as simple as traditional tables one might create in a database-driven application, but they are tables nonetheless.

In order to support the list, SharePoint will store two important sets of information. The first is the description of the SharePoint lists and the second is the data stored in the lists. The description of the lists will contain the columns included and the requirements of those columns as well as the lists properties, such as the name and description. The data stored in the SharePoint lists will be in a different table. This table contains all of the column values for all of your lists with list IDs used to map them to the appropriate visible list in the SharePoint interface.

You can verify all of this by directly querying the back end SQL Server database. I don't recommend that you play around in this back end database very much as your actions could quickly lead to disaster (accidentally deleting or improperly modifying data), but you can see the structure SharePoint uses to store the list.

The next time you need a simple tracking table, consider using a SharePoint list. The SharePoint lists will have automatically generated forms. The data will be backed up automatically with your, hopefully, already scheduled SharePoint backups. And the interface will be familiar to your users.

Custom lists provide yet another way that SharePoint shows its power. I'll provide a demonstration video soon showing you just how to create such a custom list. Until then, happy computing!

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Convergence+ Becomes CTP+

Professional Development, Technical | Posted by Tom Carpenter
Nov 17 2010

CompTIA has decided to merge with the CTP exam and change Convergence+ into CTP+. The good news is that there really isn't a massive difference between the two exams. My Convergence+ book covers 70-80 percent of the material needed to pass the CTP+ exam; however, I have good news. We are in the process of writing a CTP+ book that should be out in the late part of the first quarter of 2011.

The book will include more coverage of networking technologies (such as cables, devices and protocols) as the CTP+ exam addresses these technologies with more emphasis than the Convergence+ exam did. Additionally, wireless networking will be covered in more detail and extensive coverage of VoIP protocols will be added (such as H.323, SIP, MGCP, RTP and RTCP). The VoIP protocols were covered in the Convergence+, but more depth is required for the CTP+ exam.

In the end, the CTP+ book will be larger than the Convergence+ book by around 125 to 150 pages. The exam itself, will be a more thorough evaluation of your VoIP and video over IP knowledge. Look for the book in early 2011 and, in the meantime, if you have questions feel free to ask.

Thanks,
Tom

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Disabling System Restore in Windows 7

Technical | Posted by Tom Carpenter
Oct 11 2010

At times and for many reasons, you may want to disable system restore in Windows 7 systems. Windows 7 creates restore points or recovery points on a scheduled basis and when you install software or upgrades by default. You can change when and how it does this and even completely disable system restore, if you desire. I'll explain more about system restore in this post.

Just to make us as confused as possible, Microsoft refers to two different things in windows 7 systems. First, we have the System Restore and second we have System Recovery. System Recovery is best thought of as the umbrella that covers System Restore and the process used to schedule and create restore points. Technically, you use System Restore when you want to recover a restore point created by System Recovery.

When you perform a system restore, by default, several items are restored including the following:

  • Windows system files
  • The registry
  • Applications

 

Always use caution when performing a restore. It is possible that the end state will be worse than the existing problem.

So, why would disabling System Restore in Windows 7 be a good thing. Well. the simple answer is that it consumes space. If it is set to use up to 10% of your drive space, on a 100 GB drive, it could be consuming 10 GB of your  space. If you system is currently stable and you simply need to get some free space, disabling System Restore will delete all restore points immediately. You can then enable it again and Windows 7 will begin creating new restore points in the regular manner.

If you are an advanced user and are willing to take the risk, you can simply turn System Restore off permanently. In either case, disabling System Restore in Windows 7 is a very easy process. Simply follow these steps:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Right-click on Computer and select Properties.
  3. In the left pane, select System Protection.
  4. Click the Configure button.
  5. Select Turn off system protection.
  6. click OK.

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Windows 7 Desktop Icons Disappeared

Technical | Posted by Tom Carpenter
Oct 11 2010

Have your Windows 7 desktop icons disappeared? Are you Windows 7 desktop icons missing? If so, there are two common issues impacting this. I'll help you work through them in this post.

First, many people wonder what happened to the good old Windows XP icons like Internet Explorer, My Computer, My Network Places and My Documents. These icons, or their Windows 7 counterparts, are still available. In most default installations, Windows 7 only includes the Recycle Bin on the desktop. All other icons are removed.

You can get back any of the following Windows 7 desktop icons that may be missing from your display:

  • Computer: This icon opens an Explorer window with all of your drives listed for navigation through the available storage.
  • User's Files: This icon, which will have the user's name listed as the descriptive text, opens an Explorer windows with the user's documents location open by default.
  • Network: This icon allows you to browse the network.
  • Control Panel: This icon allows you to place the Control Panel on the desktop as a direct shortcut.
  • Recycle Bin: This icon allows you to manage the Recycle Bin from your desktop.

 

To get most of them back, follow these instructions:

  1. Right-click on the desktop and select Personalize.
  2. Select Change desktop icons from the left pane.
  3. On the Desktop Icon Settings tab, select the icons you want to display on the desktop.
  4. Click OK to save your changes.

 

The preceding steps will help you place Computer, User's Files, Control Panel, Network or Recycle Bin on the desktop. To get Internet Explorer back on the desktop, you'll need to create a shortcut. The simplest way to do this is to follow these instructions:

  1. Click the Start menu.
  2. Open All Programs.
  3. Right-click-and-drag the Internet Explorer icon to the desktop.
  4. When you release, select Create shortcuts here from the menu.

 

In addition to these tips, Windows 7 seems to have a bug that causes two things. First, the icons may end up overlapping each other. Second, icons may seem to completely disappear from the desktop. Sadly, there is no direct patch for this at this time, but here are a few things you can try when your Windows 7 desktop icons have disappeared.

  • If they are overlapping, which will be evidenced by the fact that you do not see the icon anywhere on the screen, but some icons seem to look corrupted, simply right-click on the desktop and select View > Auto arrange icons. Then, right-click again and deselect the option. You will have to go through all of your icons again placing them where you desire, but this will cause them to be displayed on screen again.
  • If they are simply missing, first, try rebooting. This often gets the icons back. Second, manually look in your profile to ensure that the icons is in the C:\Users\{UserName} folder, which is the default locations for user profiles. In this folder, should be another folder named Desktop, which should contain the icons. If the icons are not in this folder, they are completely lost.
  • If the Windows 7 desktop icons have disappeared because they have been rearranged by the operating system, pray that they will stop. I wish I had a better answer for you and if I come across one I'll let you know. For now there seems to be no fix for this annoying bug other than to align the icons to a grid, reboot, and remove the alignment.

 

Hopefully, one of these tips either solves your problem or gets you moving in the right directions when your Windows 7 desktop icons are missing or disappeared. Good luck!

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Windows Boot Configuration Data File Is Missing

Technical | Posted by Tom Carpenter
Oct 04 2010

If you receive the error "The Windows Boot Configuration Data file is missing," you are likely to have heart failure. It can be a very scary event. The good news is that, assuming your hard drive is not toast, you can recover your machine in 20-30 minutes or less.

When the error "the Windows Boot Configuration Data file is missing" appears on our computer, don't panic. Instead, boot from the Windows 7 installation DVD in order to repair your computer.

NOTE: Ensure that no USB flash drives are connected to the computer so that the machine does not attempt to boot from them.

When the system boots from the DVD, you'll have to choose a language. Then click Next and select the link that reads "Repair your PC." You will choose to perform a Startup Repair in order to get the windows Boot Configuration Data fileback. This process can take awhile simply because booting from DVD can be a bit slow compared to booting from a hard drive.

Remember, when the Windows Boot Configuration Data file is missing, the Windows 7 installation DVD can save your day!

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Desktop Icons on Windows Server 2008 R2

Technical | Posted by Tom Carpenter
Aug 11 2010

Have you noticed that you cannot add the desktop icons (Computer, Network, etc.) to your Windows Server 2008 R2 desktop? Am I the only one who is annoyed by this? If not, here's how to get them back.

First, you'll have to go into Server Manager and access the Features section. In Features, you will select to add a feature and then select the Desktop Experience feature. Once added, you will have to reboot the server. That's right! A reboot is required to add icons to your desktop.

Now this is really insane. Think about it. You can add your own icons for shortcuts on the desktop, but to get Computer and Network, you have to add the entire Desktop Experience feature. What a ridiculous decision Microsoft made here.

Now that I've expressed my suffering, we shall move on.

Once you've rebooted the server, simply right-click on the Desktop and select Personalize. From here, you can add the desktop icons you desire as usual.

OK. I'm over it now, but it's still ridiculous.

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SQL Server Transaction Log Backups

Technical | Posted by Tom Carpenter
Jul 28 2010

When you backup the SQL Server transaction log, the log is truncated by default. The space that has been consumed by transactions is freed once those transactions are backed up. Backing up the transaction log of a database throughout the day allows you to recover to the point of failure or any point in time. In addition, because databases that are set to full or bulk logged recovery models do not truncate the transaction log during full or differential backups, it may be essential to backup the transaction log periodically just to truncate the log.

If you allow the transaction log of a database to become completely filled, users will be denied write access to the database until you clear the transaction log. Scheduling regular backups of the transaction log can prevent this from happening. When the log is full, users may still execute read-only SELECT statements against the database. You can also prevent the transaction log from filling up by enabling autogrowth on the transaction log.

Just as you can backup the database using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), you can backup a transaction log in the graphical interface. Just be sure to select the Backup Type of Transaction Log. The T-SQL command for backing up the transaction log for the AdventureWorks database is as follows:

BACKUP LOG AdventureWorks To DISK='C:\BACKUPS\AWorksTlog.bak';

The preceding content excerpted from SQL Server 2008 Administration by Tom Carpenter.

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Windows Command Line – 64-bit?

Technical | Posted by Tom Carpenter
Jul 09 2010

I've had a lot of people ask me about the 64-bit edition of Windows 7 and whether it has a 64-bit command line. The answer is yes and no. In this post, I'll explain what I mean.

First, if you launch the Windows command line (cmd.exe) on a 64-bit edition of Windows 7 and then look at the Task Manager, you'll notice that the process entry for cmd.exe does not have an *32 after it. This indicates that the cmd.exe process is 64-bit. You may notice several entries in the Task Manager with the *32 after them. These entries are for 32-bit applications and processes.

Now, the question is this: are all the Windows 7 command line commands also 64-bit now? The answer there is: It depends?

You see many of us have old habits that die hard. As long as you use 64-bit commands, while in cmd.exe, you will be using 64-bit command line tools; however, if you run a 32-bit command that command will still run, but it will be in 32-bit mode.

To see this, open the task manager and then open the command prompt from the Start menu on your Windows 7 64-bit machine.

Now change to the C:\Windows\SysWOW64 directory in the command prompt window and then execute the more command with no parameters. It will appear to hang, but that's OK.

Look at the task manager and note the entry for the more.com command. It has an *32 after it.

You see, the files in the C:\Windows\SysWOW64 folder are 32-bit commands. There is even a 32-bit version of cmd.exe that you can launch from there.

The point is simply this: To ensure that you are running a true 64-bit command prompt, make sure that all of your commands are 64-bit and not just thecmd.exe.

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IPv6 Network Utilization on Windows 7

News, Technical | Posted by Tom Carpenter
May 18 2010

OK. For about a year now I've been telling you all that Windows 7's implementation of IPv6 by default will cause quite a bit of unnecessary activity on your network if you're not actually using it yet in the infrastructure. The numbers will be in soon.

Up to this point, I've only been telling you that a packet capture clearly shows the traffic generated by the IPv6 stack is significant when you consider dozens or hundreds of machines that may exist on a subnet. That's all about to change. I'm in the process of writing an article for Windows IT Pro magazine on the impact of IPv6 on a non-IPv6 network. In the process, I've built a lab of 24 virtual machines running Windows 7 with IPv6 out-of-the-box setup on an IPv4-only network infrastructure. I will be measuring the traffic generated by these machines.

Next, I will be enabling IPv6 on the infrastructure by doing the following:

-Enabling DHCPv6

-Enabling DNSv6

-Enable IPv6 on the Cisco routers(two will exist in the network)

Now, I will measure the network consumption when IPv4 is disabled on the network.

Finally, I'll measure the network consumption when IPv6 is enabled alongside IPv4 in both the Windows 7 clients and the infrastructure. When I'm done, I'll post the fast facts here and, of course, you'll be able to read all the details in Windows IT Pro magazine. I'll let you know the issue that will contain the article as soon as I find out.

Can you tell I'm excited about this lab fun I'm about to have?

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