Category: Tips and Tricks

Compress individual log files into individual compressed archives

There was a task to compress all the log files for a Microsoft IIS6 installation. The log files were taking up gigabytes of space, whereas a single log file may be as large as 50 to 100MB in size.  A compressed log file resulted in only 2-4MB in size. I needed a method that would compress each log file into…

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Internet Explorer 7 Gold RunOnce Removal

Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer 7 Version: 7.0.5730.11CO Update Versions: 0 Version: 7.0.5730.13IS (confirmed working) Issue The annoying Runonce linking to runonce.msn.com/runonce2.aspx either fails to start or you do not want it to start. There is no reasonable explanation as to the purpose of this link. All settings may be changed within the installation of itself without linking to Microsoft. I…

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How to remove the DnsEvent, NTDS, and NtFrs event logs on DC

How to remove the DnsEvent, NTDS, and NtFrs event logs from Demoted Domain Controller. It is not possible to delete event logs while EVentLog service is running, and the EventLog service cannot be stopped. You can use the following procedure to locally remove the subject event logs: 1. Start->Run->CMD, press ENTER 2. Type REG ADD \\DemotedDC\HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog /V Start /T REG_DWORD…

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April 2006 Update Rollup for Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

Microsoft has released an April 2006 Update Rollup for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005.  However, after applying the April 2006 Update Rollup for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 (MCE2005), many encounter several issues, including: Component registration failed Some of the files needed to play radio or video are missing or corrupt. Media center component registration may have failed…

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How to create a local admins group using AD, GPO, VBS in a Microsoft Windows domain

In a Microsoft Windows server domain, in this case a Windows 2003 Server, Windows Server 2003 Enterprise and Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Advanced Server mixed mode environment, there was a need to create a local administrators group, add members to that group, and give those users administrator access to either workstations or servers.  Using a Group Policy Object (GPO),…

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eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware Corporate Edition 5.x Removal

I wrote this little script that has worked for me to remove eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware Corporate Edition 5.x. :: PestpatrolUninstall Version 1.0 (Build 20051221) @ECHO OFF>NUL :: PestPatrol Remote Service is installed by the execution of :: eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware Corporate Edition console NET STOP “PestPatrol Remote” C:\WINDOWS\system32\ppRemoteService -unregserver ECHO Y| DEL “C:\WINDOWS\system32\ppRemoteService.exe” :: PestPatrol Folder to be removed ::…

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Outlook Password Protection for Personal Folders (PST) is weak, very weak

Password protection on PST files should not be relied upon for security. Outlook uses a CRC32 algorithm rather than a cryptographic hash like MD5 or SHA-1, which makes it trivially bypassable. Applies to Outlook 97–2003 (ANSI format PST files). Outlook 2007 and later use the Unicode PST format, though PST password protection remains weak and should not be considered a…

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Remove Windows 200x Domain Controller from AD in DSRMode

Demoting a Domain Controller When Normal Demotion Fails If DCPromo fails to demote a Domain Controller gracefully, you can force the machine to forget it’s a DC by temporarily tricking it into thinking it’s a member server. Step 1 — Modify the product type in the registry Boot into Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) and open Regedit. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ProductOptions…

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Enable Multiple Remote Desktops in XP & MCE 2005 Simplified

Simplified (Tested Successfully) Note: Use Google to find the file. termsrv.dll – 215,552 bytes 5.1.2600.2055 (xpsp_sp2_beta1.031215-1745) Backup original termsrv.dll by renaming c:\windows\system32\dllcache\termsrv.dll to termsrv.dll.bak Copy termsrv.dll to c:\windows\system32\dllcache Copy termsrv.dll to c:\windows\system32\ Open Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 and add the following dword values: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\Licensing Core] “EnableConcurrentSessions”=dword:00000001 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services] “MaxInstanceCount”=dword:00000002 Note: MaxInstanceCount can…

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Enable Multiple Remote Desktops in XP & MCE 2005 Full

Restart your computer in Safe Mode Turn off/disable Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) and Terminal Services Right click My Computer and click Properties Click on the Remote tab at the top of the window UNCHECK the box next to, “Allow users to connect remotely to this computer“ Click OK Go to Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services Find…

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Video Card Drivers not compatible with MCE 2005

After building a Microsoft Windows Media Center 2005 computer, it is quickly discovered that the video card does not have any compatible drivers.  The next obvious option is to use regular Microsoft Windows XP drivers.  Once installed, one may encounter serious incompatibility issues as it relates to DirectX 9 and Microsoft Windows Media Center 2005 will only operate in “safe…

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Video Card Drivers not compatible with MCE 2005 #2

If the video card driver is outdated and no longer supported by the manufacturer, the following website offers tweaked drivers for gamers and enhusiasts. One such driver updated a 2001 driver to a modified 6/2006 driver and MCE 2005 functioned as it should. http://www.tweakforce.com Go to the downloads section.

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How to remove paragraph mark from Outlook messages?

Problem Copied something into an email and it turned on formatting when reply or create new email messages. Resolution Create a new email message. Go to Tools -> Options -> View tab. Look in Formatting marks and uncheck any and all boxes. Click OK. Done.

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Hot to enable a Symantec Antivirus LiveUpdate that is grayed out

We have had several computers that were recently reloaded that had the Symantec Antivirus LiveUpdate grayed out or locked out.  This may be as a result of a group policy or policy pushed through the Symantec server, however, there is an easy fix for this.  To re-enable Symantec LiveUpdate using the following code and regedit. Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00…

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Change Registered Information for Microsoft Office 2003

There are more than one valid reasons for doing this. In one case, a company buys out another company. The assets exchange possession and you want to re brand the applications to reflect company ownership. Here is how. Using regedit, edit the registry for the following keys. Be certain that there is a 00 between each letter. Windows Registry Editor…

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GPResult.exe Returns Error Message or No Result

GPResult.exe Returns Error Message or No Result. This usually indicates a corrupted WMI repository. The following script rebuilds it from scratch. Run the commands below from an elevated command prompt: net stop winmgmt c: cd %systemroot%\system32\wbem rd /S /Q repository regsvr32 /s %systemroot%\system32\scecli.dll regsvr32 /s %systemroot%\system32\userenv.dll mofcomp cimwin32.mof mofcomp cimwin32.mfl mofcomp rsop.mof mofcomp rsop.mfl for /f %%s in (‘dir /b…

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Query Adobe Acrobat 7.x using LANDesk

Adobe Acrobat 7 cannot be queried as ACROBAT.EXE as the file size remains the same. The results will be inconclusive. ACROBAT.DLL, however, changes. Update the LDAppl3.Template file to add .DLL to ScanExtentions. Go to LANDesk Management Suite, Software License Monitoring, and Make Available to Clients. To create the query use: “Computer”.”Software”.”Package”.”File Name” = “ACROBAT.DLL” Add a column using “Computer”.”Software”.”Package”.”Version”

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