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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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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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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One of the great new tools in Windows Vista and Windows 7 is the ICACLS command line command. While I’m very annoyed with Microsoft for not supporting the old CACLS syntax and adding the features of ICACLS (all our old CACLS-based batch files break), I have to admit that a few capabilities are very welcome. One such capability is the function used to export and import ACLs from and into objects.

For example, imagine you are about to make several permission changes to a directory structure. You want to ensure you can revert to the current permission structure if you make mistakes. ICACLS allows you to quickly export the permissions for an entire directory structure with the /save switch.

The ICACLS syntax for ACL (or permission) export is as follows:

ICACLS folder_name\* /save filename.acl /T

The /T switch is used to indicate that directory recursion should be used. The /save switch is used to export the results. For example, to save the permissions in a directory named HORSES on the C: drive and all subdirectories and folders, execute the following command:

ICACLS C:\HORSES\* /save horses.acl /T

The file, horses.acl, will contain the permissions in text format. Later, you can import the permissions with the /restore switch if required. To restore the permissions, execute the following ICACLS syntax:

ICACLS C:\HORSES /restore horses.acl

Of course, the ICACLS command provides syntax for permission management as well as backing up and restoring the permissions; however, this new feature is one of the most important to know about. Hopefully, you find this information useful.

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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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ClearType Text Tuning

You can adjust the ClearType text feature so that the text looks good to you. After all, isn't that the whole point. I don't know about you, but I love books – and I mean printed books. However, I don't like the fonts used in some books and find them harder to read. At the same time, the boldness and size of the font can have a big impact. Of course, what I like, someone else may dislike.

To tune the ClearType text to your liking, follow these instructions:

1) Click Start

2) Type cttune and press Enter

3) Step through the wizard to adjust the ClearType engine to your liking

Color and Brightness Calibration

You can also adjust the gamma and brightness/contrast for your needs using a wizard. To launch the Display Color Calibration wizard:

1) Click Start

2) Type dccw and press Enter

3) Step through the wizard to adjust your display colors and settings

Hopefully these little tips will help you configure your display for a more pleasant experience. These two steps are now the first steps I take when setting up a new laptop computer and I've even used them a few times on my desktops.

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My rant aside, did you know that you can automatically generate rules for the allowed applications instead of manually creating rules for each app? You sure can.

The best way to do it is to build a reference computer that has all of the applications installed that you want AppLocker to allow. Then, on this reference computer, open the local Group Policy editor (remember, the faithful GPEDIT.MSC?). Now, navigate to Computer Configuration\Policies\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Application Control Policies. Right-click on the Executable Rules node and select to Automatically Generate Rules.

After you've gone through the wizard selecting the rule types you want to generate, right-click on the Application Control Policies node and select to Export the Policy. You'll save the policy as an XML file. Now go to your Server 2008 R2 server and import the policy into the desired GPO. It really is that easy.

This method makes creating Windows 7 AppLocker rules a breeze.

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In order to get the support for non-HAV Windows Virtual PC, you will need to download and install Windows Virtual PC itself and then download and install the update that removes the requirement for HAV. Both can be found here at Microsoft's website.

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