BJ's TechnoBlog

An error occurred while creating the IIS virtual directory during Exchange 2007 setup

2008-01-07T23:40:00.000-08:00

Trying to setup Exchange 2007, you get an error that basically states:
An error occurred while creating the IIS virtual directory 'IIS://mailserver.yourserver.com/W3SVC/
1/ROOT/owa' on 'mailserver'.

You try to uninstall the Client Access Role (CAS) but alas! you can only do maintenance once you install Exchange 2007...and you get the same error (over and over and over...)

I suspect that the base problem is that IIS is running in 32-bit compatibility mode; Exchange 2007 only runs on 64-bit processors; but you can't fix it and you can't find it.

Is there help!

Yes!

However, once you start the install, how do you wipe out the CAS and start over?

That old fallback - command line tools!

Check out this link:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124273.aspx
It tells you how to do cool stuff!

For example, to remove the Client Access server role from an existing server, type the following:

%LocalExchangeInstallationDir%\bin\Setup.com /role:ClientAccess /Mode:Uninstall

(My %blahblahblah% didn't work, so I did a CD to the Exchange program directory and type it in manually)

It killed the role! I could reinstall! So, I ran setup again (note, this process will wipe out the setup files cached on your drive, and you will need the installation media *or* the downloaded programs to continue).

After wiping out CAS, during the reinstall the IIS error popped up, and I had to follow the recommended action, which was:

***--***

Microsoft® Exchange Server 2007 setup cannot continue because the Microsoft Internet Information Service (IIS) is running in 32-bit mode on this 64-bit computer.

Exchange 2007 requires that IIS be in full 64-bit mode when it runs on a 64-bit computer.

To resolve this issue, switch IIS to 64-bit mode, and then rerun Microsoft Exchange setup.

To switch IIS to 64-bit mode

Open a command prompt.

Type the following:

cscript c:\inetpub\adminscripts\adsutil.vbs SET /w3svc/AppPools/Enable32BitAppOnWin64 False

Press enter

*** Then it worked!!!!! ***

Hope that helps.

-Brian

Activesync fails with error 0x8004010F on Pocket PC

2007-01-25T23:58:00.000-08:00

Activesync fails with error 0x8004010F on Pocket PC, when synchronizing the Exchange/Outlook.

Nothing changed on my Pocket PC *or* my server! Rebooting the server didn't work.

This began happening yesterday. There are a few suggestions, but the one that worked for me was to remove the email synchronization from the Pocket PC, sync (which removes all the email from the device), add it back and sync again. Presto!

So..start activesync on the Pocket PC.
Go to Menu -> Options and uncheck E-mail

Sync

Go to Menu -> Options and re-check E-mail

Sync

If that doesn't work...Doug suggested:

I had the same problem and none of the above worked!
However this did: On the pockect PC open the my device\windows\activesync folder
delete the synckey and srvrSync files
re sync

[Note: I haven't tested this solution!]

How to remove Office 2000 programs

2005-10-03T22:16:00.000-07:00

How to use msiexec.exe and the globally unique identifier (GUID) of the product to remove suite or stand-alone Office 2000 programs

This article was previously published under Q296067

SUMMARY
You can remove Microsoft Office 2000 Suite editions and stand-alone Office programs remotely with Microsoft Systems Management Server or by other means. To remove a program or suite remotely, you need the product's globally unique identifier (GUID). This article lists the GUIDs for all Office 2000 suite editions and stand-alone Office programs.

MORE INFORMATION
Each Office Suite and stand-alone program has a globally unique identifier (GUID). There are two forms of GUIDs: uncompressed (or standard) and compressed. Compressed GUIDs are stored in the registry. You can use the uncompressed GUID to identify the suite or program to be removed when you are running the Windows Installer program.

Removing Programs or Suites
To remove a program or suite, run the following command with the appropriate product GUID:

msiexec.exe /x {guid} where GUID is the uncompressed GUID number inside braces.

For example, the following command removes Microsoft Office 2000 Premium Edition without any further user interaction:
msiexec.exe /x {00000409-78E1-11D2-B60F-006097C998E7} /qn

If necessary, you can also create a log file during the removal. To do this, append the following to the end of the command line:
/l*v C:\uninstall.log

Compressed and Uncompressed GUIDs
The following are the GUIDs for all the Microsoft Office product suites and stand-alone programs. The first GUID for each product in the following list is the uncompressed or standard GUID.
Office 2000 Premium CD1 GUID: {00000409-78E1-11D2-B60F-006097C998E7}
Compressed GUID: 904000001E872D116BF00006799C897E

Office 2000 Premium CD2 GUID: {00040409-78E1-11D2-B60F-006097C998E7}
Compressed GUID: 904040001E872D116BF00006799C897E

Office 2000 Professional CD1 GUID: {00010409-78E1-11D2-B60F-006097C998E7}
Compressed GUID: 904010001E872D116BF00006799C897E

Office 2000 Professional CD2: (same as Office 2000 Premium CD2)

Office 2000 Standard CD1 GUID: {00020409-78E1-11D2-B60F-006097C998E7}
Compressed GUID: 904020001E872D116BF00006799C897E

Office 2000 SBE CD1 GUID: {00030409-78E1-11D2-B60F-006097C998E7}
Compressed GUID: 904030001E872D116BF00006799C897E

Office 2000 SBE CD2: (same as Office 2000 Premium CD2)
Office 2000 SBE CD2: (same as Office 2000 Premium CD2)

Word 2000 GUID: {00170409-78E1-11D2-B60F-006097C998E7}
Compressed GUID: 904071001E872D116BF00006799C897E

Excel 2000 GUID: {00110409-78E1-11D2-B60F-006097C998E7}
Compressed GUID: 904011001E872D116BF00006799C897E

PowerPoint 2000 GUID: {00130409-78E1-11D2-B60F-006097C998E7}
Compressed GUID: 904031001E872D116BF00006799C897E

Access 2000 GUID: {00100409-78E1-11D2-B60F-006097C998E7}
Compressed GUID: 904001001E872D116BF00006799C897E

Outlook 2000 GUID: {00160409-78E1-11D2-B60F-006097C998E7}
Compressed GUID: 904061001E872D116BF00006799C897E

XP Blue Screen of Death, Inaccessable Boot Volume or other nonsense

2005-06-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

First, try to boot in Safe Mode by pressing F8.

Then, try booting from your XP CD and either Re-install or try the follwing.

Go to Recovery mode

Type the following commands

CHKDSK C: /r
CHKDSK C: /p
fixboot

If you STILL have problems you can try this last ditch fix:

Boot off the XP CD into recovery mode

COPY K:\i386\ntldr
C: COPY K:\i386\ntdetect.com C:

ATTRIB -H -R -S C:\boot.ini
DEL C:\boot.ini
BootCfg /Rebuild

Good luck!

Deleted/Missing Components causing problems

2005-03-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

Got this from one of the Lockergnome forums....seems to be a problem with XP and Windows Server 2003, especially in the networking componets area.

Problem: You have deleted a netword adapter/upgraded motherboards, and now you get IP Address conflicts with the "phantom" adapter -- and you can't find it in Device Manager to delete it!

---------------------
Solution: Either open a command prompt (Start -> Run -> CMD) and type in the following, or copy and paste it to a new .BAT file. You will have to save the Notepad file as "all files" or it will put ".txt" on the end of the name.

set DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1
devmgmt.msc
exit

If you saved the file run it, or, if you typed the commands, the Device Manager should appear. Click on View -> Show Hidden Devices.You should now have a device manager which shows all of the hardware ever detected on your system.
-----------------------

Delete the offending devices, reboot, and you should be ready to go!

Here are two MSKB articles on missing network components:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/269019
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=825826

Weird stuff not connecting to SQL server

2005-01-19T13:47:00.000-08:00

IF, after trying everything in the known world, including updated the MDAC, try reading this knowledgebase article.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q328306

What part of that that worked for me was deleting the key for the SQLSERVER instance under the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Client\ConnectTo\DSQUERY

Cheers.

Explorer.EXE - Entry Point Not Found

2004-11-09T21:13:00.000-08:00

This is the latest bestest fix for the Entry Point Not Found (incomplete SP2 install!)

You receive an "Explorer.EXE - Entry Point Not Found - The procedure entry point SHCreateThreadRef could not be located in the dynamic link library Shlwapi.dll" error message after you install the MS04-038 security update

This article discusses how to recover a computer that reports an error after you apply the security update MS04-038.

SYMPTOMS
When you install security update MS04-038 on Microsoft Windows XP, you receive the following error message after your computer starts:
Explorer.EXE - Entry Point Not Found - The procedure entry point SHCreateThreadRef could not be located in the dynamic link library SHLWAPI.dll

CAUSE
This error occurs when MS04-038 is installed on a computer with a failed Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) installation. Typically, if Windows XP SP2 installation fails, an automatic rollback occurs that returns the computer to the pre-Windows XP SP2 installation state. If automatic rollback does not occur, the service pack recovery process will partially uninstall Windows XP SP2 after you restart your computer. (For example, automatic rollback may not occur if a power failure occurs during Windows XP SP2 installation.) After you restart the computer again, you receive a message that prompts you to use Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel to manually remove the remnants of the failed installation. If you do not follow this recommendation, and you do not use Add or Remove Programs to remove the remnants of the failed installation, your computer will have pre-Windows XP SP2 files, and your registry will contain Windows XP SP2 information. If your computer has pre-Windows XP SP2 files and your registry contains Windows XP SP2 information, Windows Update or Automatic Updates offers the Windows XP SP2 version of the MS04-038 security update.

RESOLUTION
To recover your computer, follow these steps:
1.
Start your computer and log on as you typically do. Note If your computer will not start correctly, start the computer in Safe mode. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
315222 A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP
2.
When you receive the error message, press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open Task Manager. You can safely ignore any additional error messages that may appear.
3.
On the File menu, click New Task (Run...).
4.
In the Open box, type control appwiz.cpl, and then click OK. You can safely ignore any additional error messages that may appear.Note If the Add or Remove Programs tool (Appwiz.cpl) does not open, type the following line in the New Task (Run...) box to remove the Internet Explorer fix, and then go to step 5:
%windir%\$NtUninstallKB834707$\spuninst\spuninst.exe
5.
In the Add or Remove Programs window, click Windows XP Hotfix – KB834707, click Remove, and then follow the instructions.
6.
When the Finish button becomes available, click Finish, and then let your computer to restart, even if it seems that the removal process is not complete. You can safely ignore any messages about additional software or hotfixes that are installed during this process.Warning Although your computer may successfully start without error messages, your computer is still in an incomplete Windows XP SP2 state. You must complete the remaining steps and reinstall Windows XP SP2.
7.
After your computer restarts, click Start, and then click Control Panel.
8.
Click Add or Remove Programs, click Windows XP Service Pack 2, click Remove, and then follow the instructions. If you receive a message about software that you may have installed after you installed Windows XP SP2, make a note of the titles. You may have to reinstall these products after you reinstall Windows XP SP2.Note If you cannot access Add or Remove Programs, use Task Manager as described in steps 1, 2, and 3. Remove Windows XP Service Pack 2 by typing the following in the New Task (Run...) box:
%windir%\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst\spuninst.exe
9.
After your computer restarts, visit the Windows Update Web site. Reinstall Windows XP SP2. For information about how to install Windows XP SP2, and for steps that you can take to help make sure that Windows XP installs successfully, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/sp2install/
10.
After Windows XP SP2 has successfully installed, visit the Windows Update Web site and install any critical updates.If this procedure does not work, you can perform an in-place reinstallation. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
315341 How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

MORE INFORMATION
Q1: I do not think my computer is in an "incomplete Windows XP SP2 state." How can I know for sure?A1:. After you successfully remove Windows XP Hotfix – KB834707, use one of the following methods to determine whether your computer is in an incomplete Windows XP SP2 state.
Method 1
1.
Check Add or Remove Programs for the presence of Windows XP SP2. If Windows XP SP2 is listed, go to step 2. If Windows XP Service Pack 2 is not listed, Windows XP Service Pack 2 is not installed.
2.
Determine the version of the Lsass.exe file that is in the %Windir%\System32 folder. To do this:
1.
Click Start, click Search, and then click All Files and Folders.
2.
In the All or part of the file name box, type %windir%\system32\lsass.exe, and then click Search.
3.
Right-click the Lsass.exe file, click Properties, and then click the Version tab. Note The Lsass.exe file may appear as "Lsass" without an extension.If the version number of the Lsass.exe file is earlier than 5.1.2600.2096, and Windows Service Pack 2 appears in the Add or Remove Programs tool, your computer is in an incomplete Windows XP SP2 state.

Method 2
Click Start, and then click Run, type winver, and then click OK.If the version is listed as "Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158: Service Pack 2" or a later version, you have the correct installation of Windows XP SP2. However, if the version has a number that begins with a 01, a 02, or a 03, your computer is in an incomplete Windows XP SP2 state. Additionally, if any number that is less than 040803 appears after "xpsp2", such as "Build 2600.xpsp2.030422-1633: Service Pack 2," your computer is in an incomplete Windows XP SP2 state.

REFERENCES
For additional information about Windows XP SP2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

How to manually remove Xupiter

2004-11-09T21:03:00.000-08:00

Found this at doxdesk.com, and wanted to store it for posterity...

Xupiter consists of an Internet Explorer toolbar containing link buttons to one of Xupiter's search engines and a task run at Windows startup which downloads updates to the software and may launch pop-ups. It also contains functionality to hijack your home page and address bar searches, and add Xupiter links to your bookmarks.

Variants
Xupiter/Xupiter uses the site xupiter.com for all functions; Xupiter/Xjupiter is the same but uses xjupiter.com instead. Xupiter/2003 is the same as the Xupiter variant, but puts its DLL directly in its Program Files folder instead of in an 'Updates' folder.

Xupiter/BrowserWise points to browserwise.com but is still otherwise identical to Xupiter. Xupiter/Browser is a newer variant which still points to browserwise.com, but stores its program files in a folder called 'Browser' instead of 'Xupiter'.

Xupiter/Sqwire is a newer variant pointing at sqwire.com. Its program files are stored in a 'Sqwire' folder, in a different layout to previous versions, and an installer DLL is left in Downloaded Program Files.

Xupiter/OrbitExplorer is the latest variant, pointing at orbitexplorer.com. Some of its program files are stored in an 'Orbit' folder in Program Files, the rest in an 'OE' folder in Common Files. It also has the installer DLL.

Also known as
XupiterToolbar (program name).

Distribution
Installed by ActiveX drive-by-download in affiliate pages. Known sources include the site www.freewebupgrades.com (which is advertised by junk e-mail) and pop-up adverts on sites such as FortuneCity and cjb.net subdomains.
More recently also bundled with Grokster.
One of Xupiter/Sqwire's ActiveX drive-by-download pages has been advertised by junk e-mail (spam) offering a 'Free Christian Toolbar'. Another pretends to be a program to disable Windows Messenger service pop-ups.

What it does
Advertising
Yes. Apart from the hijacking and added links, the software periodically opens pop-under advertisements as directed by its controlling servers. (These may appear in windows with only an 'exit' menu.)
Privacy violation
The privacy policy states that the software may track all web usage. However this behaviour has not been observed.
Security issues
Yes. The software contacts its servers to ask for update code, which is executed without checks. It has also been known to download third-party software (for instance a casino loader app).
Stability problems
In the initial variants, the update-checking task tries to connect to xupiter.com to download updates whether or not you are connected. If it fails it may cause a crash in 'RunDownload.exe'. Some versions of Xupiter can cause the Windows Explorer to crash when opened under Windows XP.

Removal
The OrbitExplorer variant may have an uninstall available. Go to Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel, choose 'Orbit' and click 'Remove'.
Other variants have no built-in uninstall. An uninstaller is available through ActiveX drive-by-download from Xupiter sites; reports suggest this works for some but not all variants, and may leave a message on bootup that Xupiter must be reinstalled.

The latest updates of Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware can remove all Xupiter variants.

Manual removal
Open the registry (from the Start menu, click Run and enter regedit) and find the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
Delete the entries 'XupiterStartup' and 'XupiterCfgLoader' (earlier variants), 'SQUpdatesChecker' and 'SQConfigChecker' (Sqwire variant) or 'OrbitUpdate' and 'OrbitView' (OrbitExplorer variant).

Open a DOS command prompt window (Start->Programs->Accessories) and enter the following commands to deregister the toolbar (Xupiter and BrowserWise variants):
cd "%WinDir%\System" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Xupiter\Updates\XupiterToolbar.dll" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Xupiter\Updates\XTUpdate.dll" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Xupiter\Updates\XTSearch.dll"
(The earliest variants of Xupiter didn't have the XTSearch.dll file, so don't worry if this last command gives an error.)

For the 2003 variant, use:
cd "%WinDir%\System" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Xupiter\XupiterToolbar.dll" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Xupiter\XTUpdate.dll" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Xupiter\XTSearch.dll"

For the Browser variant, use:
cd "%WinDir%\System" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Browser\Updates\BrowserToolbar.dll" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Browser\Updates\BWUpdate.dll" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Browser\Updates\BWSearch.dll"

For the Sqwire variant, use:
cd "%WinDir%\System" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Sqwire\t.dll" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Sqwire\u.dll" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Sqwire\s.dll"
For the OrbitExplorer variant, use:
cd "%WinDir%\System" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Common Files\OE\toolbar.dll" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Common Files\OE\redirector.dll" regsvr32 /u "\Program Files\Common Files\OE\search.dll"
(On non-English versions of Windows, 'Program Files' and 'Common Files' may be called something different. In that case you will have to change these commands to match the name of these folders.)

Restart the computer and open the Program Files folder. Delete the 'Xupiter', 'Browser', 'Sqwire' or 'Orbit' folders, and in the OrbitExplorer variant also the 'OE' folder inside Common Files. For the Sqwire and OrbitExplorer variants, you should also open 'Downloaded Program Files' in the Windows folder and remove the 'Loader class' entry if it is there.

You can now restore your home page (Internet Options->General->Home page) and your search settings (Internet Options->Programs->Reset web settings). You can also delete the settings to clean up if you like: open the registry and delete the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Xupiter, HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SQ (Sqwire variant) or HKEY_CURRENT_USER\CLSID\{0FDA4D2B-7975-405d-8D7C-F5E2247EAE80} (OrbitExplorer variant).

2004-09-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Inetinfo.exe process repeatedly crashes and restarts, and "Event ID 7031" and "Event ID 7034" error events are repeatedly logged in the system log in Windows Server 2003.

This is from Knowledge Base article Q827214.
What you might notice is that your SMTP fails, emails stop coming in and out, and there are zillionz of 7034/7031 messages in the event log. Rebooting might fix it for a few minutes, hours, or days.

To fix this you have to download the fix, farther down this post.

SYMPTOMS
After you restart a Microsoft Windows Server 2003-based computer that is running the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) service with or without Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, the Inetinfo.exe process the Inetinfo.exe process unexpectedly crashes and then restarts. This problem occurs several times. The Error Reporting dialog box appears on the screen every time that the Inetinfo.exe process crashes. Additionally, the following events are repeatedly logged in the system event log:
Source: Service Control ManagerType: ErrorEvent ID: 7031Description:The IIS Admin Service service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this x time(s).
Source: Service Control ManagerType: ErrorEvent ID: 7034Description:The Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this x time(s). Note You may also see additional "Event ID 7034" error events logged by services that are dependent on the IIS Admin Service.

RESOLUTION
Download informationTo resolve this problem, install the following update file. The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
Download the Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition or Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition package now.Download the Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Enterprise Edition package now.

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
119591 How to obtain Microsoft support files from online services Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.
Update information
PrerequisitesNo prerequisites are required.
Restart requirementYou must restart your computer after you install this update.
Update replacement informationThis update does not replace any other updates.
File informationThe English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.
32-bit editions of Windows Server 2003Date Time Version Size File name
------------------------------------------------------
25-Aug-2003 22:15 6.0.3790.80 456,192 Smtpsvc.dll
64-bit editions of Windows Server 2003Date Time Version Size File name Platform
-----------------------------------------------------------------
25-Aug-2003 20:38 6.0.3790.80 1,174,528 Smtpsvc.dll IA-64
STATUSMicrosoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
MORE INFORMATIONFor additional information about standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

2004-09-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

"An operation was attempted on something that is not a socket"

Another post to save KB articles that might go away...this tends to occur during spyware removal.

Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 817571

You receive an "An operation was attempted on something that is not a socket" error message when you try to connect to a network (Windows 2000 Pro, XP)

Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS: When you try to connect your computer to a network, you may receive the following error message:
An operation was attempted on something that is not a socket. This symptom occurs on a computer that obtains an IP address from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server. If you assign a static IP address to your computer, you do not receive this message.

CAUSE: This issue may occur if you have a third-party product installed that uses Windows sockets and also uses the ipconfig, release, and renew commands. The Windows sockets registry subkeys may be corrupted.

RESOLUTION: Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk. To resolve this problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1 We recommend that you use Method 1 if either of the following conditions are true:
You only have one computer.
You do not have access to a computer that is similar to the first computer where you experienced the symptoms that are described in the "Symptoms" section. A computer that is similar to the first computer is another computer that has the same operating system version and a similar hardware configuration.Use Registry Editor to export and delete the Winsock and Winsock2 registry subkeys, and then remove and reinstall TCP/IP on Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP. To do this, follow these steps.

Export and delete the corrupted registry subkeys
Insert a floppy disk in the floppy disk drive of the computer whose registry entries you are exporting.

Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock

On the File menu, click Export.
In the Save in box, click 3½ Floppy (A:), type a name for the file in the File name box, and then click Save.
Right-click Winsock, and then click Delete. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.

Repeat steps 3 through 6 for the following subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2

Note Each .reg file that you save must have a different name.
Right-click Winsock2, click Delete, and then click Yes.
Quit Registry Editor.

Windows 2000-based computer
Remove TCP/IP on a Windows 2000-based computer
Log on to Windows as administrator.
In Control Panel, double-click Network Connections, right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Properties.
Under This component uses the following items, click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click Uninstall.

Follow the instructions on the screen to remove TCP/IP.
Restart your computer, but click No if you are prompted to let Windows enable a protocol.
Install TCP/IP on a Windows 2000-based computer
Log on to Windows as administrator.
In Control Panel, double-click Network Connections, right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Properties.
Click Install.
In the Select Network Component Type dialog box, click Protocol, and then click Add.
Under Network Protocol, click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click OK.
When the protocol is installed, click Close.
Restart your computer.

Windows XP-based computer

Reinstall TCP/IP on a Windows XP-based computerIn Windows XP, the TCP/IP stack is a core component of the operating system. Therefore, you cannot remove TCP/IP in Windows XP.
Install TCP/IP on top of itself. To do this, follow these steps:
In Control Panel, double-click Network Connections, right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Properties.
Click Install.
Click Protocol, and then click Add.
Click Have Disk.
In the Copy manufacturer's files from box, type System_Drive_Letter:\windows\inf, and then click OK.
In the list of available protocols, click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click OK.
Restart your computer.

Method 2

If you are correcting this problem on several computers and you have access to a working computer with the same operating system version and a similar hardware configuration, we recommend Method 2.

To resolve this issue, delete the corrupted registry entries, and then replace them with the registry key information that you exported from a computer that has a working installation of TCP/IP. To do this, follow these steps.
Delete the corrupted registry entriesOn the computer that has the corrupted registry entries, follow these steps:
Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
In Registry Editor, locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services.
Right-click Winsock, and then click Delete. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.
Right-click Winsock2, and then click Delete. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.
Export the registry entries to a floppy disk On the computer that has a working installation of TCP/IP, follow these steps.Note The computer that you are importing the registry entries from must use the same version of Windows and be either similar to or a duplicate of the computer that is experiencing the symptoms that are described in the "Symptoms" section.
Insert a floppy disk in the floppy disk drive of the computer that has the registry entries that you are exporting.

Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
In Registry Editor, locate and then click the following registry subkey and then click Winsock:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services
Click File, and then click Export.
In the Save in box, click 3½ Floppy(A:), type a name for the file in the File name box, and then click Save.
Click Winsock2, click File, and then click Export.
In the Save in box, click 3½ Floppy(A:), type a name for the file in the File name box, and then click Save. Note Each .reg file that you save must have a different name.
Quit Registry Editor.

Import the registry entries from the floppy disk:

On the computer that had the corrupted registry entries, follow these steps:
Insert the floppy disk that contains the .reg files in the floppy disk drive of the computer that is experiencing the symptoms that are described in the "Symptoms" section.
Start Windows Explorer, click My Computer, and then double-click 3½ Floppy(A:).
Double-click each .reg file that you created and saved to the floppy disk in the "Export the registry keys to a floppy disk" section.
Click Yes when you are prompted to add information to the registry.
Click OK when you receive the message that the information is successfully entered in the registry.
Quit Registry Editor.

MORE INFORMATION: These methods restore basic functionality to the Winsock and the Winsock2 subkeys. You may have to reinstall some third-party proxy software or firewalls.

2004-09-01T13:39:00.000-07:00

Symantec NAVCE Server Group Password Changed
or How do I get into my server group?

change this key in registry
HKLM\SOFTWARE\INTEL\LANDesk\VirusProtect6\CurrentVersion\ConsolePassword

to value 1084A085DC6BD2D755D4D6A7726

The password is now: symantec

2004-08-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

OLEXP: "Send To" and E-mail Links Do Not Work Using Outlook Express as Default

Another Knowledge Base article that seems to come and go...

OLEXP: "Send To" and E-mail Links Do Not Work Using Outlook Express as DefaultView products that this article applies to.
This article was previously published under Q306098
For information about the differences between Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express e-mail clients, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
257824 OL2000: Differences Between Outlook and Outlook ExpressI

MPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMSWhen you attempt to use Outlook Express to send mail from a hyperlink, to send mail by using the "Send To" feature of another program, or to send mail by using the "New Message" feature in Microsoft Internet Explorer, Outlook Express may not be used to send the message.

CAUSE This issue can occur if:
Outlook Express is not registered as your default e-mail program.
An entry for the default mail client is missing in the Microsoft Windows registry.

RESOLUTION To resolve this issue, register Outlook Express as the default e-mail program. If this does not resolve the issue, or if Outlook Express is already registered as the default e-mail program, edit the Windows registry to correct the default mail client string values.

MORE INFORMATION
Register Outlook Express as the Default E-mail ProgramTo register Outlook Express as the default mail program on your computer, use one of the following methods:

In Outlook Express:
In Outlook Express, click Tools, and then click Options.
On the General tab, the Default Messaging Programs section states Outlook Express is NOT the default mail handler; click Make Default, and then click OK.
Try to send mail from a link or another program.
In Internet Options:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Internet Options icon, and then click the Programs tab.
Under Internet Programs, click the E-mail list, and then click Outlook Express.
Click Apply, and then click OK.
Try to send mail from a link or another program.
From the Run line (if the Outlook Express and Internet Options methods do not register Outlook Express as the default e-mail program, use this method):
Click Start.
Click Run.
Type the following line, including the quotation marks, where drive is the letter of the drive in which Outlook Express is installed, and then click OK:
"drive:\program files\outlook express\msimn.exe" /reg
Edit the Windows Registry: If you can register Outlook Express as the default mail handler, but you still cannot send mail from mail links or other programs by using Outlook Express, you need to add a data string to the default mail client key in the registry.WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
To add the data string to the default mail client key:
Start Registry Editor; click Start, click Run, and then type regedit.
Locate the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express
In the left pane, click Outlook Express. Two values should be displayed in the right pane: one is Default, which has a value of Outlook Express, and the other is DLLPath, which contains the path to Msoe.dll on your computer.
If the DLLPath value is not present, click Edit, point to New, and then click String Value.
New Value #1 is displayed, with the text selected. Type DllPath, and then press the ENTER key.
Double-click the new DLLPath value to open it. In the Value Data box, type the path to the Msoe.dll file on your computer, for example:
drive:\PROGRAM FILES\OUTLOOK EXPRESS\MSOE.DLL
Click OK, and then quit Registry Editor.
Try to send mail from a link or another program.

2004-06-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

How Domain Controllers Are Located in Windows XP

Just in case this disappears...
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 314861

How Domain Controllers Are Located in Windows XP

This article was previously published under Q314861
For a Microsoft Windows 2000 version of this article, see 247811.

SUMMARY
This article describes the mechanism that Windows XP Professional uses to locate a domain controller in a Windows-based domain.

The article details the process of locating a domain by its DNS-style name and by its flat-style (NetBIOS) name, which is used for backward compatibility. In all other cases, it is recommended that you use DNS-style names as a matter of policy.

The article also addresses issues that are involved in troubleshooting the domain controller location process.
MORE INFORMATION
The following sequence describes how the Locator finds a domain controller:
On the client (the computer that is trying to locate the domain controller), the Locator is initiated as a remote procedure call (RPC) to the local Netlogon service. The Netlogon service implements the Locator DsGetDcName API call.
The client collects the information that is needed to select a domain controller, and then passes the information to the Netlogon service by using the DsGetDcName call.
The Netlogon service on the client uses the collected information to look up a domain controller for the specified domain in one of two ways:
For a DNS name, Netlogon queries DNS by using the IP/DNS-compatible Locator--that is, DsGetDcName calls the DnsQuery call to read the Service Resource (SRV) records and "A" records from DNS after the domain name is appended to the appropriate string that specifies the SRV records.

A workstation that is logging on to a Windows-based domain queries DNS for SRV records in this general form:
_service._protocol.DnsDomainName

Active Directory servers offer the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) service over the TCP protocol. Therefore, clients find an LDAP server by querying DNS for a record of the form:
_ldap._tcp.DnsDomainName

For a NetBIOS name, Netlogon performs domain controller discovery by using the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0-compatible Locator--that is, by using the transport-specific mechanism, for example, Windows Internet Name Service (WINS).

In Windows NT 4.0 and earlier, "discovery" is a process for locating a domain controller for authentication in either the primary domain or in a trusted domain.
The Netlogon service sends a datagram to the computers that registered the name. For NetBIOS domain names, the datagram is implemented as a mailslot message. For DNS domain names, the datagram is implemented as an LDAP User Datagram Protocol (UDP) search.

UDP is the connectionless datagram transport protocol that is part of the TCP/IP protocol suite. TCP is a connection-oriented transport protocol. Note that UDP allows a program on one computer to send a datagram to a program on another computer. UDP includes a protocol port number, which allows the sender to distinguish among multiple destinations (programs) on the remote computer.
Each available domain controller responds to the datagram to indicate that it is working and returns the information to DsGetDcName.
The Netlogon service caches the domain controller information so that subsequent requests do not need to repeat the discovery process. Caching this information encourages consistent use of the same domain controller and a consistent view of Active Directory.
When a client logs on or joins the network, the client must be able to locate a domain controller. The client sends a DNS Lookup query to DNS to find domain controllers, preferably in the client's own subnet. Therefore, clients find a domain controller by querying DNS for a record of the form:
_LDAP._TCP.dc._msdcs.domainname

After the client locates a domain controller, the client establishes communication by using Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) to gain access to Active Directory. As part of that negotiation, the domain controller identifies which site the client is in, based on the IP subnet of that client. If the client is communicating with a domain controller that is not in the closest (most optimal) site, the domain controller returns the name of the client's site.

If the client has already tried to find domain controllers in that site (for example, when the client sends a DNS Lookup query to DNS to find domain controllers in the client's own subnet), the client uses the domain controller that is not optimal. Otherwise, the client performs a site-specific DNS lookup again by using the name of the optimal site. The domain controller uses some of the directory service information for identifying sites and subnets.

After the client locates a domain controller, the domain controller entry is cached. If the domain controller is not in the optimal site, the client flushes the cache after 15 minutes and discards the cache entry. The client then attempts to find an optimal domain controller in its own site.

After the client has established a communications path to the domain controller, the client can establish its logon and authentication credentials and, if necessary for Windows-based computers, set up a secure channel. The client then is ready to perform normal queries and search for information against the directory.

The client establishes an LDAP connection to a domain controller to log on. The logon process uses Security Accounts Manager (SAM). Because the communications path uses the LDAP interface and the client is authenticated by a domain controller, the client account is verified and passed through SAM to the directory service agent, then to the database layer, and finally to the database in the Extensible Storage engine (ESE).
Troubleshooting the Domain Locator Process
To troubleshoot the domain locator process:
Check Event Viewer to see whether the event logs contain any error information. On both the client and the server, check the System log for failures during the logon process. Also, check the Directory Service logs on the server and the DNS logs on the DNS server.

To view Event Viewer in Windows XP, click Start, click Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Event Viewer.
Check the IP configuration by running the ipconfig /all command at a command prompt. Verify that the configuration is correct for your network.
Use the Ping utility to verify network connectivity and name resolution. Ping both the IP address and the server name.
Check the Network Diagnostics tool in Help and Support under "Use Tools to view your computer information and diagnose problems" to determine whether the network components are correctly installed and working properly. Network Diagnostics also runs some tests and provides information about the network configuration, information that can be helpful.
Use the nltest /dsgetdc:domainname command to verify that a domain controller can be located for a specific domain. The NLTest tool is installed with the Windows XP support tools.

For information about how to install these tools, refer to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
306794 How to Install the Support Tools from the Windows XP CD-ROM

Use the NSLookup tool to verify that DNS entries are correctly registered in DNS. Verify that the server host records and GUID SRV records can be resolved.

For example, to verify record registration, use the following commands:
nslookup server_name.child_of_root_domain.root_domain.com

nslookup guid._msdcs.root_domain.com

If either of these commands does not succeed, use one of the following methods to reregister records with DNS:
To force host record registration, type ipconfig /registerdns.
To force domain controller service registration, stop and then restart the Netlogon service.
To verify appropriate LDAP connectivity, use the Ldp.exe tool to connect and bind to the domain controller. Ldp.exe is a support tool that you can install from the Windows XP CD-ROM.

For information about how to install these tools, refer to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
306794 How to Install the Support Tools from the Windows XP CD-ROM

If you suspect that a particular domain controller has problems, turn on the Netlogon debug logging. Use the NLTest utility by typing nltest /dbflag:0x2000ffff at a command prompt. The information is logged in the Debug folder in the Netlogon.log file.
If you still have not isolated the problem, use Network Monitor to monitor network traffic between the client and the domain controller.
For additional information, refer to the Windows 2000 Server Resource Kit, Chapter 10, "Active Directory Diagnostic, Troubleshooting, and Recovery."

2004-06-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

ANI numbers. If you don't know what ANI is, then these won't help you...

ANI
1010732-1-770-988-9664
800-444-4444
800-555-1140
800-555-1180

-More-
800-300-4206
800-314-4258
800-444-0800
800-444-3333
800-444-4444
800-532-7486 press 1
800-552-8355
800-555-1140
800-555-1180
800-729-0056
800-732-2468 (800-REACH-OUT)
800-789-4779
800-797-6088
800-877-2278
800-964-0176
800-964-0221
877-265-5343 (877-COLLEGE) press 8, then 1
888-253-8225
888-253-8226
888-253-8227
888-253-8229
888-253-8249
888-253-8251
888-253-8253
888-253-8254
888-776-5733

2004-06-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

Got popups out the wazzoo, a bunch of "Missing Shortcut" boxes at startup and all sorts of gibberish programs running in your task list? You've got the latest spyware/adware scourge. Use these instructions to rid yourself of the pest. You'll need a copy of HijackThis and a strong cocktail before you start. I also ran Ad-aware 6 before and after the process.

** You can follow the below steps. A workable shortcut is also to remove autorun entries, and especially browserhelper.dll! **

Since morze1.exe disappears soon after it morphs into random selected 600K files...

Let's name this tool the "MORZE1 REMOVAL TOOL"

Removal:

Right-Click on the Yahoo stocks task bar icon, choose remove (while being online!). A web page from Adtomi should appear "uninstall was successful!"

Restart computer in safe mode ONLY!

Make a new text file in Notepad, copy and paste this inside:

REGEDIT4

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\adtomi]

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{B549456D-F5D0-4641-BCED-8648A0C13D83}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{B549456D-F5D0-4641-BCED-8648A0C13D83}]

Save it (Change to "all files" in Files of Type drop-down box) as Remove.reg Double-click and hit yes on the prompt! (If you want to save yourself the hassle of creating this file, download it here.)

In HijackThis or similar startup manager, delete any entries with the following pattern:

With random, unknown .exe files, ending with "/dk" - Example: (C:\WINDOWS\IH5B0AKB.EXE /dk )

Delete any such entries in HKCU....\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Delete any such entries in HKLM....\..run......

In HijackThis fix the 02 line BHO -if present: C:\WINDOWS\BrowserHelper.dll

2004-06-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

During boot up, you get an error SPOOLSV.EXE has generated errors, and you can't print, and there may not even be any printers in the printer folder. You may not be able to add any printers.

This can be caused by a damaged printer driver. See the following knowledgebase article Q312052.

Since some of these articles seem to disappear, here is the good part.
NOTE: I have successfully resolved the problem by merely deleting the non-default printer driver in the currentcontrolset/controlset001 areas. You may have to do more...

RESOLUTION
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this issue, remove printers and printer drivers, and then delete the items that are under certain keys in the registry. Follow these steps:
If possible, remove any printers that are listed in the Printers window.

To remove a printer, right-click the printer in the Printers window, click Delete, and then click Yes to confirm the deletion.
In the Printers window, on the File menu, click Server Properties.
On the Drivers tab, remove all of the installed printer drivers.

To remove a printer driver, click the driver, click Remove, and then click Yes to confirm.
Start Registry Editor (Regedit.exe).
Export the following registry keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Print

Delete any items that are listed under the following keys (do not delete the keys themselves):
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86\Drivers\Version-2

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86\Drivers\Version-3

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86\Drivers\Version-2

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86\Drivers\Version-3

Delete any non-default items that are listed under the following keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Monitors

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Print\Monitors
The list of Default monitors includes:

AppleTalk Printing Devices (When Services for Macintosh is installed)
BJ Language Monitor
Local Port
PJL Language Monitor
Standard TCP/IP Port
USB Monitor
Windows NT Fax Monitor (When a Fax Modem is installed)

2004-06-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

Having problems with a computer, completely infested with spyware.
Ran Spybot Search & Destroy but it had lots of trouble closing. Ad-Aware picked up lots more stuff (usually it's the other way around!) but that's not the point of this post...

Anyway, in looking at the task manager, I noticed a few processes that I tracked down to GotoMyPC:
g2svc.exe
g2comm.exe
g2tray.exe

FYI

2004-05-18T12:44:00.000-07:00

When installing Office (or other programs) you get:

This installation is forbidden by system policy. Contact your system administrator.

This is an MSI error 1625. Steps to do...

Run the setup program in verbose mode:

setup.exe /L*v c:\verbose.txt

Then you can check out the error messages, pay particular note to the product ID. {#####-####-###########}

Run Regedit, go to
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products and (after backing up the registry) delete all instances of the Product ID.

Then reinstall...

2004-05-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

Outlook Express Loads Slowly (Especially with XP)

This is caused by MSN Messenger. Go to the following keys and remove whatever is entered into the (default) key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{FB7199AB-79BF-11d2-8D94-0000F875C541}\InProcServer32

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{FB7199AB-79BF-11d2-8D94-0000F875C541}\LocalServer32

[Don't delete the key, just the data/value!

2004-05-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

How to Fix NET SEND on Windows XP SP2 Computers

After you install SP2, you might find that you can no longer use NET SEND to send messages to another computer on the LAN using the NET SEND command. This is because SP2 disables the Windows Messenger service by default. To use NET SEND, you need to start the Messenger service, and change its startup type to Automatic so that in the future it will start by default when you reboot. Here's how:

1. First, right click My Computer, click Manage, expand the Services and Applications node and click Services.
2. In the right pane, scroll down to find the Messenger service. Right click it and select Properties.
3. On the General tab, under Startup type, select Automatic from the dropdown box.
4. Click OK.
5. Right click the Messenger service again, and select Start.

SP2 disables the Messenger service because it is exploited by some hackers to send unwanted messages. If you enable it, you might be vulnerable to receiving Messenger spam.

2003-09-03T01:17:00.000-07:00

While nVidia has ruled the video world for some time now, ATI is giving them a real run these days -- so much so, that some feel the ATI Radeo 9x00 series cards are better than the Geforce series.

Be that as it may, here is a good article on how to tweak you ATI card:

http://www.techspot.com/tweaks/radeon/index.shtml

If you read all the way to the end, there link for tweaking your nVidia card as well, but be warned: it is about a year old.

2003-09-01T00:34:00.000-07:00

Ever have a need for a boot disk at 2:00am, and can't seem to find your old MS Dos 6.0 install disks?

Ever find your hard drive crashed just enough that you can almost load windows...but can't. But that you could copy the really really really important file off if you could just get to the C: prompt?

Well, just zip on over to www.bootdisk.com NOW, before it is too late and download one!

2003-09-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hah!
Within minutes of creating the first techno-blog, I managed to spring into action and help out a fellow sufferer!

Annoyances.org - Outlook 2002 ''Operation Failed'' (Windows 2000 Discussion Forum)

2003-08-31T23:36:00.000-07:00

Here we go, the first entry,

Ever frustrated that, no matter what you do, when you try to send/receive mail in OUTLOOK you get an error message:

The operation failed.

What kind of error message is that!

What I have found that worked in Windows 2000/XP is:

Exit from Outlook.
Go to the task manager (or ctrl-shift-esc) and hunt down and kill (in the processes tab) OUTLOOK.EXE
Ignore the warning, when you restart Outlook, it works!

Not sure what conditions cause this error. It may be related to Active Sync, may not.