GenivNET

If you getting the following error when trying to restore a database.  This is because you have selected the restore a ‘file or filegroup’ option instead of using the restore ‘database’ option.

Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 3219

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If you are getting the following message when accessing a website,

“Content was blocked because it was not signed by a valid security certificate”

You might want to check the followings: 

1. Check the website certificate and make sure it is from the correct website.

2. Check your browser’s security settings and make sure it is correct.

3. Check your computer clock and make sure it is set correctly.  A wrong settings will give this message. e.g. if you set in the time to something that is over the certificate date will give this error message too.

How to expand a SAN volume in windows?

* Make sure you have extended the spaces on the SAN first

Windows 2000 / Windows 2003
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You will need to use the “diskpart” utility tool to do this.

1. Start up the command prompt
2. Type in “diskpart”
3. Type “list volume” to display all the volumes
4. Choose the volume you want by using the “Select volume num” command
5. Type “extend [size=n] [disk=n]” to expand the volume.

Windows 2008
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For Windows 2008, you can use the Disk Management to extend the volume.

1. Start the “Disk Managerment” utility
2. Right click on the volume and select “Extend Volume” to expand the volume.

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Recently, we are seeing the Event ID 474 and Event ID 705 errors in our Event Logs. 

Event ID 474 – an error (checksum error) on our Exchange database
Event ID 705 – online maintance issue from event 474

Searching through the web, we found several ways in fixing this.  One, is to restore the database from a good backup and replay the transaction logs. Two, take the database offline and use the eseutil tool to scan / fix the database. Third, create a new storage group and move all mailboxes into the new storage group. 

Since we have plenty of SAN storages, we went with the third option and moved all our users’ mailboxes out to a new storage group.

There are many way you can monitor your Exchange environment.

- MOM
- Third party application
- Scripting

With Exchange 2007, it comes with its own powershell cmdlets where you can use to monitoring your Exchange environment. 

Some of my favorites are: 

Test-ReplicationHealth

Test-ServiceHealth

You can also find more information by searching the microsoft site.

If you are getting the following event id 13508 in your event logs and no 13509 afterward, then this is most likely that the File Replication between domain controllers isn’t working correctly.

File Replication Service Error

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: NtFrs
Event Category: None
Event ID: 13508
Date:
Time:
User: N/A
Computer: DC1
Description:
The File Replication Service is having trouble enabling replication from
DC2 to DC1 for c:\windows\sysvol\domain using the DNS name
dc2 FRS will keep retrying.
Following are some of the reasons you would see this warning.

[1] FRS can not correctly resolve the DNS name dc2 from
this computer.
[2] FRS is not running on dc2.
[3] The topology information in the Active Directory for this replica has
not yet replicated to all the Domain Controllers.
NTFRSUTL.EXE error

ERROR – Cannot bind w/authentication to computer, (null); 000006d9
(1753)
ERROR – Cannot bind w/o authentication to computer, (null); 000006d9
(1753)
ERROR – Cannot RPC to computer, (null); 000006d9 (1753)

1. Check your network settings and make sure everything looks correct

2. Check your firewall and make sure RPC ports are open between domain controllers

3. Check your registry and make sure RPC ports are different between AD and FRS

Good Reference for troubleshooting RPC Endpoint Mapper errors:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/839880

Once in a while you will need to login to an user’s computer and modify its network connection.  E.g. when you need to release and renew an IP address without rebooting the machine.

One way to do this is by being an administrator, but the problem is that for the “Network Connections” there is no “runas” option when you shift+right-click on the “Network Connections” icon.

Searching online, I can only find one working method. And this is by running IE as an administrator.

Below are steps on how to use the “runas” command to become an administrator on a machine that has limited rights.

1. Right-Click on the IE icon and select the “runas” option

* sometimes you might get an error on this, if so you will need to type the following command under the command prompt
e.g. runas /user:yourmachinename\Administrator “%Programfiles%\internet explorer\iexplore.exe -nohome”

2. Open the “Task Manager” and ends the “explorer.exe” process

3. In the new IE instance, type in the following

c:\windows\explorer.exe

4. Now you are logged in as Administrator and can navigate to the “Network Connections” icon and make your changes.

5. Once completed, you can end the “explorer.exe” process again in Task Manager/

6. Start back the “explorer.exe” file again but this time from the Task Manager windows.

e.g. File->New Task->c:\windows\explorer.exe

7. Now, you should be logged back as the normal user.

In you forgot or brought a printer with a password already set in it and you need to modify settings on it, the only way to access the printer configuration page is to do a COLD RESET of the printer.  You can initial the process by holding the “GO” key while powering up the printer.  Once it finished powering up, you should be able to access your printer by telnet or the web to make any configuration changes.

If holding the “GO” doesn’t reset the password, you might need to do a reset of the NVRAM.

e.g. For an NVRAM init on an HP8150

- Power on printer while holding down the “Select” and “Cancel Job” buttons

- If display is blank and lights on, release holding.

- You should see on the display NVRAM INIT.