Windows updates via PowerShell
The script runs for a while at get-wulist Install-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -MinimumVersion 2.8.5.201 –Force Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate get-wulist get-wuinstall –acceptall –AutoReboot
Outlook “Signatures” button fails
If the “Signatures” button fails to open the dialogue box for changing your signature, you can take the following steps: Locate: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{0006F03A-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\LocalServer32] Direct it to outlook.exe This file can be renamed .reg and imported to fix this issue on Office 365: Office365
Windows 10 1803 not installing
If the 1803 download gets stuck you can manually install it from here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 Do NOT choose download now.
Remote Connections
These PowerShell scripts list the remote IPs connecting on 443 , while filtering out local IPs and devices on ATT (107.77)
Carrier Network IPs
Cellular providers use specific IP ranges that can be filtered.
Mac O365 Password
If Outlook for Mac repeatedly asks for a password when connecting to an Office 365 e-mail account you need to: Open Utilities > Keychain > delete items referencing: “exchange” “adal” and “office”.
AnyConnect Password
The Cisco Any Connect Client does not allow you to save a password on the client. This code when saved as a .vbs file will let you get around this. Be warned that the client’s password is saved in clear text in the file. I hide the file in Drivers and create a shortcut to it with the… Read More »
SMG Queue – 450 4.4.1
If you are seeing the following error, on messages in the Symantec Messaging Gateway queue: 450 4.4.1 [internal] Connection Timed Out These messages are being interrupted during transmission. This leads to the sender receiving a delayed delivery notice. This is caused by something in the message being rejected by the Cisco router during inspection of the traffic. To… Read More »
VPN Interface MIA
If the Cisco VPN launches, but no window appears delete this file: C:\Program Files (x86)\Cisco Systems\VPN Client\vpnclient.ini
Exchange Permissions
You can list all users with Mailbox permissions with this in PowerShell: Get-Mailbox | Get-MailboxPermission | where {$_.user.tostring() -ne “NT AUTHORITY\SELF” -and $_.IsInherited -eq $false} | Select Identity,User | Export-Csv -NoTypeInformation mailboxpermissions.csv
PPI – Pixels Per Inch
The PPI of a monitor is a measure of its size in inches and the total number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical directions. It is important to account for PPI when choosing a monitor for a client to ensure a positive user experience. A 20-inch 4k monitor would be virtually useless, as the elements of the… Read More »
Naming Cloud Services
Choosing a name for your client’s cloud services comes with permanent ramifications. As this post explains there is no ability to change the name.
Home Ed. in a Domain
You can connect a Windows home edition PC to a domain as follows: Change the PCs workgroup to the domain name (pre-Windows 2000) Change the local username and password to exactly match a domain account. The PC should now have full access to Outlook, network shares and printers without entering credentials.
AutoCAD Interface Reset
If your toolbars vanish you can do the following to reset AutoCAD: From the Start menu go to > AutoCAD 20nn – English (Folder icon) > Reset Settings to Default Backing up the current interface is advisable if you have made extensive customizations. In some instances, Reset Settings to Default will be missing. More…
Safe Mode from CMD
If you need to put a system into safe mode you can do this from cmd then reboot: This will set the safemode switch: bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal with networking: bcdedit /set {current} safeboot network to put back in normal mode via dos: bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot
SpeechExec License Fix
Stop the FlexNet licensing service Delete the files in this folder: “C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\FLEXnet” Delete one file in this folder: “C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher” but NOT the FNPLicensingService.exe file. RestartedFlexNet licensing service Oened the program and activate it.
Outlook AutoComplete
Copy the AutoComplete list The steps to export and import the AutoComplete list are different, depending on the version of Outlook that you are using.
Remote log off
I recently had a console session hang with just a white screen and no start menu on an Exchange Server. Not wanting to reboot the server and disrupt the entire office, I used the following to remotely log the admin out via PowerShell: (gwmi win32_operatingsystem -ComputerName $PCname).Win32Shutdown(4)
Setup a Printer on Windows 10
Go to start > type Print > Choose Printers & Scanners Choose Add a printer or scanner
Install Exchange 2016
Upgrade Active Directory Forest Functional level in the organization to Server 2008R2 or later. Install .NET Framework 4.8 Unified Communications Managed API 4.0 Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable Package
Autodesk License via VPN
If AutoCAD fails to pull a license over a VPN you need to adjust the time out period that it tries to connect. Do this by adding a system variable and it fixes all Autodesk products. System>Advanced…>Environment Variables>System Variables>New variable name: FLEXLM_TIMEOUT Variable value: 10000000
Segmented Zip Files
7 Zip will segment files as it creates a compressed file with this command: cd “C:\Program Files\7-Zip” 7z -v500m a c:\backup\Filename C:\FolderToCompress Usage: 7z a -v{Size}[b|k|m|g] [<switches>…] <archive_name> [<file_names>…]
Site VPN 1/2 Connected
In a Site-toSite VPN setup between two Cisco ASAs you find that traffic stops passing between sites, however, the connection is established. In addition under Monitoring>VPN>IPSec Site-to-Site one side shows: Bytes Rx 0 / Tx increasing and the other ASA shows BytesRx increasing / Tx 0. While rare the fix is to: change nothing, save the configs and… Read More »
Prevent .DS_Store files
As each user of the Mac open terminal and execute the following, then log out and in: defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores true
Add an Exchange Relay
To relay through exchange server the following receive connector settings should be used: Set your Name and Port as needed. Under security check ONLY: Transport Layer Security (TLS); Externally secured (for example, with IPsec); Exchange Servers; Anonymous Users From Scoping REMOVE the 0.0.0.0-255.255.255.255 range. (WARNING: Skipping this will create an open relay) and add Static IPs for approved senders.… Read More »
Photo Viewer for 10
Some users prefer to use the old Windows Photo Viewer. If the PC was upgraded it is still available. For a system that was clean installed use this registry hack. This also addresses the fact that Outlook is missing from the “Share Pictures” feature of the new photos app.
Crossing the netmask
When a device has a static IP address and it is introduced to a new network with a different IP scheme it is possible to gain access to the device inorder to reprogram it.
Create macOS ISO
1) Create a blank disk image: hdiutil create -o /tmp/HighSierra.cdr -size 7316m -layout SPUD -fs HFS+J 2) Mount your image: hdiutil attach /tmp/HighSierra.cdr.dmg -noverify -nobrowse -mountpoint /Volumes/install_build 3) Restore BaseSystem.dmg from the installer: asr restore -source /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/BaseSystem.dmg -target /Volumes/install_build -noprompt -noverify -erase 4) Unmount the image: hdiutil detach /Volumes/OS\ X\ Base\ System 5) Convert the… Read More »
Create MacOS USB
To Create a bootable UBS drive for installing Mac OS. Download the installer from the App Store From Terminal Enter the following for High Sierra: sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/Mojave Change Mojave to the name of the destination USB Drive Commands for older Mac OS
Reset Windows Update
Disable Windows Update service Rename the folder %windir%\SoftwareDistribution Restart the Windows Update service
7to10 Remote upgrade
Windows can be upgraded remotely with these steps. Verify MSP Connect is working on the PC. Download the ISO and copy the contents to C:\Win10\ Run the upgrade to Windows 10. After about 30 Min. access the PC with MSP Connect (RDP will not work yet) Answer the setup questions to complete the upgrade. Test RDP
Symantec Features
This post details the features of each product we deploy: https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.INFO3162.html
Microsoft Update Catalog
Microsoft has a searchable catalog of all their updates located here: http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Home.aspx. You will find links to standalone installers and other resources.
CRM not loading
If CRM hangs you just need to clear the cache for the browser you are using.
Outlook Search Fails
In June Microsoft released a patch for Office that breaks the index on some PCs (users can no longer search Outlook). To fix this install optional update “2017-06 Preview on Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows…”. This only applies to Windows 7.