Windows

Right-click to Copy a File Path in Windows Vista

In Windows Explorer, hold down the shift key and right-click a file or folder. Select Copy as Path to send the full path name as text to the clipboard. It also works with multiple selects. That is, if you select multiple files/folders by holding down the control or shift key, selecting the Copy as Path menu item will send all of the items’ names to the clipboard - one item per line. Nice! As a tech who is constantly sending and receiving information about files, shares and folders, this is reason enough to upgrade to Vista.

Windows

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Running Nmap on Windows Vista

The standard install from Insecure.org won’t run on Windows Vista. However, if you install WinPcap 4.0.1 it runs successfully.

Windows

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Which Devices are Using USB 2.0?

Here is how to tell which USB devices are using USB 1.1 and which USB devices are using USB 2.0. In Computer Management, go to Device Manager. Right-click on Device Manager and select View > Devices by connection. Then expand the USB device nodes until you see one that says Enhanced Host Controller. Devices listed under this node are using USB 2.0. Devices listed under other USB nodes are using USB 1.1.

Windows

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Authentication attempt has failed with error 0×52e

Configuring an application to retrieve messages from an Exchange Server 2003 using POP3, I kept getting failures. I enabled POP3 authentication diagnostic logging and this event started popping (bad pun) up in the application logs.

Event Type : Error
Event Source : POP3SVC
Event Category : Authentication
Event ID : 1011
Description : Authentication attempt from to User Logon Name has failed with error 0×52e

That event lead me to the following Microsoft KB article which contained the information necessary to resolve the issue.

Users Cannot Log On Using POP3 and the Error 0×80040920 Is Logged

Essentially, it says to use the “DomainName\LogonName\MailboxAlias” format for the user name. It fixed the issue immediately in my case.

Windows

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Bugcheck String: 0×00000077 - Causes and Possible Resolutions

The stop error 0×00000077 is a KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE_ERROR and means that a page of kernel data could not be read into memory from the paging file. Additionally, the parameter 0xC000009D is a STATUS_DEVICE_NOT_CONNECTED error and is the result of the controller not seeing the hard disk drive.

Some causes of this condition are:

  • Outdated or faulty disk controller firmware
  • Outdated or faulty disk controller driver
  • Bad disk block in the paging file
  • Improper SCSI termination
  • Loose or bad cabling between the disk(s) and disk controller
  • A disk controller error
  • Lack of non-paged pool resources

Some possible resolutions to this condition are:

  • Update disk controller firmware
  • Update disk controller drivers
  • Verify cabling between disk(s) and controller
  • Verify proper SCSI termination

In all cases you should run a “CHKDSK X: /F /R” to repair any file system errors on the disk. If you have an additional disk on the machine you may want to rebuild the paging file.

Windows

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Rebuilding the Paging File on a Windows System

Go to System Properties > Advanced > Performance > Settings > Advanced > Virtual Memory > Change and configure No paging file for the existing drive. Select one of the other drives and configure System managed size. This effectively removes the paging file from one disk and creates it on another disk. You may get some warnings regarding the inability to create a dump file when doing this. Just click past them and finish the configuration. Reboot the server when prompted. When the system finishes rebooting, run the CHKDSK X: /F /R command and reboot again when prompted. When the system finishes the CHKDSK process, check the application log for the CHKDSK results and then move the paging file back to the original drive using the previous steps. A successful completion of these steps results in a fresh paging file on a known good file system.

Windows

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CHKDSK Log File - Where is it?

CHKDSK doesn’t create a log file but it does write an entry to the Windows application log.

Event Type: Information
Event Source: Winlogon
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1001

You would think the system log would be more appropriate. That’s where I looked first. But there I go again…expecting things to make sense. What was I thinking!

Windows

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C00D11BA: Cannot Play the File

Windows Media Player handles sound differently when the session is connected via Remote Desktop. If you are connected using RDP/RDC, exit the session and reconnect using “mstsc /console” and then try playing the file again. Assuming that everything else is running properly this will work for you. Here are the rest of the details on the error message:

C00D11BA: Cannot play the file
Windows Media Player cannot play the file because there is a problem with your sound device, such as a sound card or sound controller. You might encounter this error message for one of the following reasons:
Your sound device is in use by another program. Quit other programs that might be using your sound device, and then try to play the file again.
Your sound device requires an updated driver. To determine if an updated driver is available, see the Windows Update Web page at the Microsoft Web site, or see the sound device manufacturer’s Web site.
The selected sound device does not support Secure Audio Path (SAP). If you have multiple sound devices installed on your computer, try using a different one.
Your sound device is not functioning properly. To troubleshoot the problem, see the Sound Troubleshooter in Windows Help or refer to your sound device’s documentation.
You do not have a sound device installed on your computer. Install a sound device, and then try to play the file again.
To use a different sound device
On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Devices tab.
Double-click Speakers, and in Audio device to use, click a different device.
Error ID = 0xC00D11BA, Condition ID = 0×00000000

Windows

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Remote Desktop Stops Working After SQL Server 2005 Installation

Although, I have no idea why this happens, here is how to fix RDP/RDC connections after a SQL Server 2005 installation breaks it.

  • Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Terminal Services Configuration > Connections
  • Delete the RDP connection
  • Right-click Connections and select Create New Connection
  • Accept the wizard’s defaults
  • Name it RDP-tcp or something descriptive
  • Reboot, and you’re back in business!

Unfortunately, the reboot is necessary.

Windows
SQL Server

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Using dsquery or dsget for Users’ Terminal Server Profile Path

Sorry but it won’t work. I can’t imagine why Microsoft would have dsquery and dsget operate on only a partial set of the user’s properties and leave out others but they did provide TSPROF to bridge this particular gap.

tsprof

TSPROF /UPDATE [/DOMAIN:domainname|/LOCAL] /PROFILE: username
TSPROF /COPY [/DOMAIN:domainname|/LOCAL] [/PROFILE: ] src_usr dest_usr
TSPROF /Q [/DOMAIN:domainname|/LOCAL] username

Active Directory
Windows
Citrix

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