How to Enable and Use ReadyBoost in Windows 7 and Vista

Enabling ReadyBoost in Windows Vista / Windows 7

Getting ReadyBoost set up and working on a Windows Vista or Windows 7 computer is extremely simple. First, insert an empty USB drive into the computer's USB2.0 slot and Windows Vista will do a quick test to make sure the device is ReadyBoost compatible. It's a good idea to move all your data off the USB drive before setting it to function in ReadyBoost.

The AutoPlay window should pop up, if not open up "My Computer" then right click on the USB device and go to "Properties". Click the "ReadyBoost" tab. From there check the "Use this device" radio box and then use the "Space to reserve for system speed:" slider to assign how much space you want to assign to ReadyBoost. Once that's done click "OK" or "Apply" and you're set!

Doing this will create a ReadyBoost file that is placed in the root directory of the USB drive, in the size that you assigned previously. If you do not devote 100% of the drive space to ReadyBoost, you can still use the remaining free space for storage.

ReadyBoost serves as a repository for non-critical files only, so you can remove the USB stick at any time without having to worry about corrupting system files, or crashing the entire computer. Reinserting the USB drive into the computer will allow it to reassume its ReadyBoost abilities automatically.

Configuring DNS

The Domain Name System (DNS) is an Internet standard for mapping Internet computer names (called “host names”) to numerical Internet Protocol addresses (called “IP addresses”). The DNS server contains a database of all of the host names for a domain. Active Directory uses DNS to locate the domain controllers in a domain. Note: Incorrect configuration of DNS is the #1 cause of problems with Active Directory. If DNS is configured incorrectly, domain controllers will not be able to locate each other for replication. Client computers will not find their domain controller(s), and users will not be able to log on. UMove moves all DNS settings Because DNS is critical for Active Directory, UMove is careful to move all DNS settings from the source computer to the destination computer. This includes the following: Client DNS settings Server DNS settings Server DNS zone data files (\Windows\system32\dns\*) Hosts and lmhosts text files (\Windows\system32\drivers\etc\*) By moving all DNS settings, UMove prevents potential DNS errors due to differences in the DNS settings between the old and new computers. Types of moves When doing an emergency move or a planned move, the DNS settings will carry over transparently to the new computer. The only issue is re-registering dynamic DNS records written more than 7 days ago (see below). When doing a test move, you need to consider additional issues (see below). Troubleshooting DNS Problems Use the console commands ping and nslookup to test connectivity with DNS. To avoid confusion due to negative caching by the DNS Client service, you may want to temporarily turn that service off while troubleshooting DNS. (Exception: If your server depends on DHCP to set its IP address you must leave the DNS Client service turned on.) netlogon.dns To assist you in troubleshooting DNS problems, upon each boot the domain controller will write a copy of its desired DNS records to a text file. The text file is named C:\Windows\System32\config\netlogon.dns. You can inspect this file (use NOTEPAD.EXE) in order to verify that your DNS server contains the correct A, PTR, and SRV records for the domain controller. If your DNS server does not contain the records listed in netlogon.dns, you need to find the cause and correct it. If you are using dynamic DNS updates, you need to investigate why the domain controller failed to update the dynamic records (for example, the NIC has the wrong DNS client IP address). If you are using static DNS, you may need to manually recreate the necessary A, PTR, and SRV records. The DNSLint Utility The DNSLint tool can be used to diagnose DNS errors. On the moved domain controller type the command dnslint /ad 127.0.0.1 /s localhost /v Immediate re-registration of DNS records If you see errors in the Event Log due to problems with locating a domain controller in DNS that has failed to dynamically register its DNS address, and you do not want to wait 5-10 minutes for automatic re-registration, you can force the domain controller to immediately register its IP address with the DNS server. Open an administrative console and type the following commands: ipconfig /flushdns ipconfig /registerdns nltest /dsregdns The ipconfig command will tell the computer to send ("register") its DNS A and PTR records with the DNS server. The nltest command will register the SRV records. The SRV records are used to locate domain controllers. ipconfig is a built-in utility. nltest is part of the Windows Support Tools, located on the Windows Server CD/DVD. Restoring DNS from a backup more than 7 days old Many DNS zones use dynamic updates. When a computer boots that is a member of a dynamic DNS zone it will write its IP address and host name to the DNS server. (This is called “registering with DNS”.) The computer will send an update when it boots, and again periodically - typically once per day. Domain controllers will send dynamic updates to the DNS server just like other computers. The DNS server will erase stale records if they are not updated after (typically) 7 days. If you restore the DNS server database from a backup that is more than 7 days old, and if the DNS server on that computer has dynamic DNS zones, upon booting the DNS server will immediately erase all the dynamic records. This is because the DNS server checks the timestamp of each dynamic DNS record when it boots (and periodically thereafter). If the timestamp is older than the aging interval (default 7 days), the DNS record is erased. During the initial boot with a newly loaded Active Directory you may see somespurious errors in the Event Log regarding the inability to locate a domain controller or the Global Catalog. These error messages are temporary and can be ignored. Each domain controller will attempt to dynamically re-register its IP address every 5-10 minutes until it succeeds. The first registration attempt may fail because the DNS server has not yet fetched the DNS zone records from AD. This can happen if you use integratedDNS zones. (see below). This is normal, and the next registration attempt should succeed. Error: The DNS Service cannot load integrated DNS Zones from AD By default each DNS zone database is stored in C:\Windows\System32\DNS\* as a simple text file. When creating a DNS zone you have the option to instead store the DNS zone inside of Active Directory as an AD object. A DNS zone stored in AD is called an “integrated” DNS zone. If you use integrated DNS zones, and you are using dynamic DNS registration, there is a circular dependency between DNS and AD that can cause a delay of up to 30 minutes during the initial boot. The reason for the delay is that DNS needs to contact AD to fetch its zone records, but AD will refuse to accept requests until it can register its IP address with DNS. But DNS will refuse to honor AD's registration request because DNS has not loaded the zone records yet from AD. The result is a circular deadlock. The DNS service will report (via the DNS Event Log) that it is unable to load the integrated DNS zones from Active Directory. Within 30 minutes AD will recognize the problem and start without DNS, breaking the deadlock. If you do not want to wait for 30 minutes, you can manually stopand restart the DNS service. This will break the deadlock. (The deadlock will not happen on subsequent boots. This is because DNS will cache the AD-integratedzone records and use them on subsequent boots.) Turn off the DNS Client service If you are testing or troubleshooting the DNS service, you should first temporarily stop the DNS Client service. The DNS Client service caches results from the DNS service. This includes “negative” results where an address is not found. You should stop the DNS Client service to avoid confusion during troubleshooting or testing of DNS. On a test computer you should permanently turn off the DNS Client service. You can leave the DNS Client service turned off as long as your server does not use depend on client DHCP to set its IP address. (Client DHCP depends on Client DNS.) Test move: Not moving all DNS servers If you are not moving all the DNS servers to your test lab, you must reconfigure DNS so that the test domain controller(s) can continue to locate each other and so that test client computers can locate the domain controllers. Test move: Creating a dummy root DNS zone Your test lab will be isolated from the rest of the network. This means that DNS queries for external zones outside of the test lab will time out. Some Microsoft components will attempt to access external DNS zones, such as microsoft.com. Because the DNS server cannot forward these requests, they will time out, causing irritating delays. To avoid delays due to timeouts for external DNS zones, you can create adummy root DNS zone on the DNS server in your test lab. This will cause the DNS server to immediately fail external lookup requests instead of trying to forward them (and timing out). To create a dummy root DNS zone use the following procedure: Start the DNS MMC snap-in: Click on Administrative Tools -> DNS. Right-click Forward lookup zones, then click New Zone. When the New Zone Wizard starts, click Next. Click Primary, clear the checkbox Store the zone in Active Directory so that it is not checked, and then click Next. In the Zone Name box, type a single dot (.), and then click Next. Click Create a new file with this file name and type root.dns (default), and click Next. Click Do not allow dynamic updates (default) and click Next. Then clickFinish.

Outlook 2007 - animated GIF

As per Microsoft:

Other Unsupported Web-Related Features
The following is a list of all other Web-related features that Word 2007 does not support:

• Animated GIF images. Only a static representation of the GIF image shows.
• Flash. Only a red “X” shows in the area where the flash would display.

Steps to view the animation:
1. Double click the message in Outlook 2007 to open it in its own
Window.
2. On the “Message” toolbar, in the 2nd section, there is an “Other
Actions” button.
3. In the “Other Actions” drop-down menu, select “View in Browser”.

Activation error code 0xC004B100 on Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista-based computers

Error code 0xC004B100

Symptom

When you try to use a MAK to activate one or more computers, you may receive the following error message:

0xC004B100
The activation server determined that the computer could not be activated.

Cause

This issue may occur if the MAK is unsupported.

Workaround

To troubleshoot this issue, verify that the MAK that is used is the MAK that was provided by Microsoft. To verify that the MAK is valid, contact the Product Activation Call Center.

Solution:

Type slmgr.vbs –upk command to clear all product key that are present on the computer. For example, these may include the Multiple Activation Key (MAK) and the Key Management Service (KMS) key.

After you run the slmgr.vbs –upk command, you may decide to run theslmgr.vbs – dli command or the slmgr.vbs – dlv command to display the Windows Vista licensing information. However, no result is returned in this situation. Additionally, you may receive the following error message when you check the Windows activation information:

This copy of Windows is not activated. Click here to activate Windows now.

Finally, when you restart the computer, you may be prompted to insert a product key. In this situation, Windows Vista may enter reduced functionality mode.

To resolve this problem, use one of the following methods.

Method 1

1. In the Start Search box, type command prompt, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.
2. In the Administrator: Command Prompt window, type a command that resembles the following, and then press ENTER:
   cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs -ipk {ProductKey}
   Note If your organization uses a KMS key instead of a MAK key, use the generic KMS key that is provided in the Pid.txt file. This file is located in the \sources folder on the Windows Vista installation DVD.
3. Type a command that resembles the following, and then press ENTER:
   cscript c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs -ato

Method 2

1. Click the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.
2. Type the product key, and then follow the instructions to activate the product key.

Method 3

1. Restart the computer.
2. Log on to the computer. The Windows Activation window will appear.
3. Type the product key, and then follow the instructions to activate the product key.

Endpoint Protection Manager: Email sending failed

I tried this from Symantec blog: Mail Server tab in the Server Properties in the SEPM and for the "User Name" entry I want you to put in the email address that the emails are supposed to be sent to. Leave the password field blank.

Dexterity Shared Components 10.0 installation Error

During the installation of MS Dynamics - Great Plains 10:
Component Installation window has everything marked off with a green check mark except the 
"Microsoft Dexterity Shared Components 10.0".  When I click the Install button, it tries to
install the "Microsoft Dexterity Shared Components 10.0" but it fails.
Error message pops up stating, "Initialization failed. Review the log file for more details: C:\DOCUME~1\Ramzy\LOCALS~1\Temp\log8.tmp".It says is 
"ERROR: One or more components failed to install correctly."
I researched it on the Internet, it says uninstall the Microsoft .NET FrameWork 2.0.
When I tried to uninstall the FrameWork2.0, I have this error: 
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1 cannot be uninstalled 
because it will affect other applications that are installed. 
This error occurs when you have installed also the higher version of .NET FrameWork 
either version 3.0 or 3.5.
Before you can uninstall the .NET Frame Work 2.0 you should uninstall first 
from higher version down to lower version. 
e.g. from 3.5 then 3.0 then 2.0.
After uninstalling .NET Framework2.0 restart the PC.
Reinstall again the Great Plains.

How to remove Madforelmo malware?

Registry Entries:

• The newly created Registry Values are:

• [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Folder\shell\explore]
  • (Default) = “Owned!”
• [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Folder\shell\open]
  • (Default) = “b-b2g”
• [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
• autoMe = “wscript.exe “%Windir%\samok.vbs”

To Remove the malware manually:

1. Google and download the tools to enable the taskmanager (Download Here) and regedit (Download here) and Download combofix 2. Restart the computer in Safe Mode (press F8 before the Windows Startup Screen and Select Safe Mode)

3. Select the Administrator Account

4. Copy the tools that enable taskmanager and regedit to Desktop and double click to run

5. Copy combofix to desktop and double-click it to run program (follow the combofix instruction)

6. After the combofix had remove malware in your PC, kindly click to Tools>Folder Options

*If Folder Options is not found, run regedit in the RUN command or at the command prompt, changed the values of this keys from 1 to 0

• [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
  • NoFolderOptions = 0
  • NoRun = 0

7. Click View Tab>Click Show Hidden Files and Folders

8. Browse to C:\Windows\

9. Find the file samok.vbs and Delete the file

10. Run Regedit to Cleanup the Registry (to run Regedit click RUN Type Regedit or in the command prompt type Regedit

Change these Keys to return to defaul AM and PM

• [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International]
  • s1159 = “b-b2g” changed to “am”
  • s2359 = “madforelmo” changed to “pm”

Please search this registry entries:

• [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Folder\shell\explore]
  • (Default) = “Owned!” -> Removed the value
• [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Folder\shell\open]
  • (Default) = “b-b2g” -> Removed the value
• [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
  • autoMe = “wscript.exe “%Windir%\samok.vbs”" -> Removed the entry

MS Word 2007: Translate numeric on different language.

Click START à CONTROL PANEL à REGIONAL & LANGUAGE OPTIONS à KEYBOARD & LANGUAGES tab à CHANGE KEYBOARDS…. à ADD button à select your language à Ok.

On the task bar you can switch the language. For shortcut Left ALT + SHIFT to switch between languages.

On the MS Word 2007, click Office button à Word Options button à Advanced then scroll down, you can see numeral then select Context à OK