Archive for October, 2009
Hey, I know this guy! :-)
Posted by: | CommentsGet to know the Windows Home Server Team: Video interview with Jonas Svensson, Community Program Manager
Today the Windows Home Server Blog, tomorrow your own TV series! ;-)
Windows Server 2008 R2 ebook – Get yours now!
Posted by: | CommentsThank you Charlie and Craig for writing it, and Microsoft for offering it up. Get your own copy of the Introducing Windows Server 2008 R2 ebook for free!
Handy Windows 7 URL’s
Posted by: | CommentsDuring last weeks Windows 7 webinar, several URL’s were mentioned and we received requests and made a promise to provide those on our blog. Here they are:
Synergy. This is how Tim gets all of those monitors attached to more than 1 computer to work together as a unit.
Synergy lets you easily share a single mouse and keyboard between multiple computers with different operating systems, each with its own display, without special hardware. It’s intended for users with multiple computers on their desk since each system uses its own monitor(s).
Redirecting the mouse and keyboard is as simple as moving the mouse off the edge of your screen. Synergy also merges the clipboards of all the systems into one, allowing cut-and-paste between systems. Furthermore, it synchronizes screen savers so they all start and stop together and, if screen locking is enabled, only one screen requires a password to unlock them all. Learn more about how it works.
How to Read and De-Code a Stop Error memory dump file.
Peter Gallagher wrote an excellent blog post on how to do this, step-by-step. Susan says, “It’s easy!”
Where do Non-Profit Corporations get dirt cheap software?
TechSoup Global is one of the most comprehensive technology resources for NGOs in the world. Working with corporate donors, including Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, and Symantec, TechSoup provides nongovernmental organizations, nonprofits, libraries, and community-based organizations with the latest professional hardware, software, and services they need. These information and communication technology (ICT) donations are available alongside educational content, such as articles, webinars, and nptech community forums. As of June 2009, TechSoup Global has served more than 101,000 organizations, distributed more than 4.9 million technology donations, and enabled nonprofit recipients to save more than US$1.4 billion in IT expenses.
A list of all available Group Policy Settings
These spreadsheets list the policy settings for computer and user configurations included in the Administrative template files delivered with the Windows operating systems specified. You can configure these policy settings when you edit Group Policy objects (GPOs).
You will need a Microsoft partner account to download these.
Windows 7 Cannot Access Shadow Copies in SBS 2003
When you connect to a share hosted on SBS 2003 from a Windows 7 client joined to the domain and you select “Restore previous versions” or the “Previous Versions” tab under properties of the share/folder, you get a view that shows snapshots with the incorrect time, with share names missing and that cannot be restored. if you open the contents of the snapshot you notice that you are actually viewing the CURRENT contents of the network share and NOT the stored contents of the shadow copy snapshot that is stored on the server.
That blog post will show you which registry key you need to remove to allow Windows 7 to properly read Shadow Copy data in 2003.
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MS Partner Licensing Information and SKU lookup
Posted by: | CommentsLooking for the SKU for Microsoft Server 2008 Remote Desktop Services by chance? The US price list, in addition to the License Configurator tool are at https://partner.microsoft.com/US/licensing/licensingchoices/licenseconfigurator. Get there by logging into your MS Partner account and clicking on the URL in the last sentence, or from the licensing tab, then expanding "Making Licensing Choices" on the left (at least at the time I wrote this post).
Karl Palachuk is Seattle Bound!
Posted by: | CommentsHere's a quick advertisement for Karl's next Seattle visit. I've already bought my ticket, so I'll see you there. - Steve
Meet Karl in Seattle on Tuesday, November 3rd
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Introduction to Project Management and Zero Downtime Migration Strategies
$10 discount available instantly. Just use discount code SEA200911 at checkout.
For more info, see http://www.smbbooks.com/categories/seminars.htm
Windows 7: Crystal Meth for Geeks Q*A
Posted by: | CommentsQuestion: What version of Windows 7 is running on the Dell Mini?
Answer: I’m running the basic business version.
Question: Nice!
Answer: yeah, it’s very cool. Works great and cheap!
Question: Microsoft didn’t even keep the best Ultimate Extra from Vista, Tinker. Any idea if they are going to do any real Extras for 7? VIsta Ultimate Extras was a joke.
Answer: Microsoft has discontinued Ultimate Extras. 
Question: please repeat the url for lowest-cost W7 upgrades.
Answer: We can ask Susan to repeat hers later. I use www.nextag.com to price search the Internet.
Question: Will slides be available for download?
Answer: The session is being recorded and will be available but not the slides separately. You’ll find the webinar at www.thirdtier.net/store
Question: Late breaking news! For non-profits…Windows7 upgrades are exempt from the annual purchase limit on TechSoup.
Answer: Windows 7 Upgrade licenses for $8 for Professional or $9 for Enterprise,
Question: Microsoft Games says that Tinker is coming back, soon, for free!
Answer: WHOOT
Question: Substitute for Windows Mail?
Answer: You can download Windows Live Mail from Microsoft.com
Question: http://www.microsoft.com/games/en-US/community/newsarticles/pages/tinkercomingsoon.aspx
Answer: Link for Tinker
Question: Substitute for Windows Mail?
Answer: It’s Windows Live now. You’ll get a whole package of cool Live apps
Question: Do the new group policy settings require Win 2008 R2 or will they work on SBS 2003?
Answer: Most will work. You will not get Group Policy Preferences. You will need to import the group policy .adm file seperately. They are available for download.
Question: Can I upgrade directly to W7 from XP64?
Answer: There is no inplace upgrade option for any version of XP. However, use the file and settings transfer wizard on the Win7 DVD. It’s does a great job at helping you move apps.
Question: Can you do XP64 to Vista64 to W7 inplace upgrade?
Answer: Yes, I suppose you could.
Question: psr.exe tool makes a .zip file how do you get around having the user send this type of file?
Answer: It only saves as this type of file. No around that I’m aware of
Question: Is this Problem Recorder a feature of 7 only?
Answer: Yes
Question: What are the security risks of using the new Homegroups feature – taking your domain-joined notebook home and connecting it to your home network via Homegroups?
Answer: They’ve got you covered on that.
Question: Home Groups security and Domain Joined PC’s.
Answer: You can join, but can’t create shares on it. You can only look out. Homes users cannot look in. From the MSDN Blog: The only difference is that sensitive content on the corporate laptop is never shared to the other HomeGroup computers. In essence, the domain-joined computer can see out (and consume) but no one can see in. We believe this meets the need for corporations to maintain security over documents while enabling our customers to enjoy a fun and interesting work environment at home, with access to all their media and home printers while they work. All you need is an existing HomeGroup, a domain-joined computer, and you can be rocking to your favorite tunes on your home network, while you catch up on all your important work.
Question: Is easy xfer really needed on an SBS 2003 network since all docs are on the server?
Answer: All docs aren’t necessarily there. Depends on your environment.
Question: More about Home Groups.
Answer: http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2008/12/30/at-home-with-homegroup-in-windows-7.aspx
Question: How to for GoDaddy for SBS 2003
Answer: Use the IIS certificate wizard direct from IIS in SBS 2003.
Question: Can we get this slide deck put up for downloading?
Answer: Normally we just put up the recording. But there’s a lot of links in here, so we’ll find a place to post it. Looks for a notice on our blog
Question: Please mention the virtualization thing Tim spoke about again?
Answer: Here’s the link. This is the new P2V tool from Microsoft SysInternals. (best purchase they ever made) http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415.aspx
Question: The ability to print at home is convenient, but how easy is it to copy company data to your home computer or be infected by your home network? Could the corporate notebook user copy data to a share on the home network? Can this feature (Homegroups) be limited to printing only somehow via group policy?
Answer: Yes you can control Home Group use by domain members in Group Policy.
Question: XP Mode site http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx
Answer: Thanks!
Question: What was the blog site just mentioned?
Answer: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415.aspx
Question: For those of us that downloaded Windows XP Mode RC and Virtual PC RC for Windows 7, will we be able to "upgrade" the 2 of them to the released versions, or will we need to start over again, making sure we copy data out of the existing XPMode VPC?
Answer: No upgrade. You’ll have to reload to the RTM.
Question: Does XP mode pickup the domain user credentials? also, network printers?
Answer: Yes it does. Very cool
Question: costco has a ‘family pack’ of 3 home prem at $134
Answer: sweet
Question: If you’re a computer studies student, MSDNAA makes almost everything but Office available for free, including Windows 7.
Answer: Sweet
Question: I have Win 7 64-bit Ultimate and two eVGA video cards with NVIDIA chips. It **ALWAYS** BSODs on waking from sleep.
Answer: NVIDIA makes me cry.
Question: slide deck not available
Answer: yes it will be. watch our blog
Question: Will this slide deck be available for download?
Answer: Yes, watch our blog
Question: Just a comment. We have done multiple in-place Vista to Win 7 upgrades, both Professional and Ultimatre and while they do take 4 hours, they all work perfectly
Answer: Good to know. I’ve been hearing the same. But old habits dies hard.
Question: Winnners of our Exchange Defender for 10 users for a year drawing are:
Answer: Jerry Hotho and Ray Smith
Question: nVidia just released new video drivers in early October.
Answer: New drivers are always a good thing.
Question: I’ve used it… Great post
Answer: Thanks
Question: Is there a way to strip 7 down to an XP looka’like easily?
Answer: Not that I’ve seen personally.
Question: MS has killed Classic View
Answer: Yep
Question: Couldn’t hear the winners for the three-year-old in my lap… please repeat!
Answer: Jim Hotho and Ray Smith
Question: Handy Windows7 URLs:
Answer: <http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/2009/10/21/windows-7-cannot-access-shadow-copies-in-sbs-2003.aspx> <http://blogs.technet.com/petergal/archive/2006/03/23/422993.aspx> www.techsoup.org <http://www.techsoup.org>
Question: What size Video Card would you recommed for 7? Is 256MB enough or should we be targeting 512MB and up?
Answer: Normally 256 will be fine. 512 is dual monitors. 1GB for CAD and other high use.
Question: one heads up is if you have a ‘picture’ folder on the SBS 03 share and you add it to a W7 picture library it renames it to My Pictures
Answer: Thanks
Question: What’s the best end-user-facing video you’ve seen that we could show to our customers to get them excited about Windows 7?
Answer: We’ll look but haven’t really noted any yet. Suggestions anyone?
Question: Thanks Tim! Can Libraries be setup/controlled by GPO?
Answer: I think so. But we’ll get something up for sure on the blog.
Question: Please remember toPost link for Win 7 Group Policy
Answer: Will do. We’ll blog it.
Question: Great Webinar!! Super
Answer: Thanks!
Question: You went so fast through parts – where is the replay of this going to be posted ?
Answer: www.thirdtier.net/store
Question: Great job – well worth the time.
Answer: Thanks!
Question: Thanks Amy!
Answer: Welcome
Today’s Winners are…
Posted by: | CommentsToday we held a drawing during the Windows 7 for several items:
Windows 7 – Jud Spence
Exchange Defender – Jerry Hotho
Exchange Defender – Ray Smith
Congratulations to our winners! And thanks for attending the webinar.
Group Policy Loopback Processing
Posted by: | CommentsSubtitled – “Wow, I learned something new today!”
So in the Third Tier support queue today, Jon posed an interesting question:
How do I exclude Folder Redirection from applying to one domain-joined laptop that is out of the office & disconnected from the domain most of the time?
To revisit Group Policy basics for everyone – GPOs can apply to either computer accounts or user accounts. GPOs that apply to computer accounts are processed when computers boot up (we’ve all seen the “Applying Computer Settings” message during startup), and GPOs that apply to user accounts are processed during login. Obviously, Folder Redirection is a user setting in Group Policies, and GPOs don’t have the same targeting options that Group Policy Preferences do. So how do we have different GP user settings implemented when users log in to specific machines? Via User Group Policy loopback processing, of course . . .
So what is User Group Policy loopback processing? It is a Group Policy setting that applies to Computer accounts. When enabled, it effectively tells a computer to process User Settings in GPOs that apply to the computer account whenever a user logs on to that computer. As a result, we are able to define user GP settings in a GPO applied to computer accounts instead of user accounts.
User Group Policy loopback processing can be enabled in one of two modes: merge or replace. In merge mode, both GPOs applying to the user account and GPOs applying to the computer account are processed when a user logs in. GPOs that apply to the computer account are processed second and therefore take precedence – if a setting is defined in both the GPO(s) applying to the user account, and the GPO(s) applying to the computer account, the setting in the GPO(s) applying to the computer account will be enforced. With the replace mode, GPOs applying to the user account are not processed – only the GPOs applying to the computer account are applied.
In Jon’s specific case, he wanted to exclude Folder Redirection for one remote laptop. The folder redirection settings in Group Policies do not have a “disable” option – only “Not Configured” or enabled via the “Basic” or “Advanced” modes. Since there isn’t an option to explicitly disable Folder Redirection, the merge option would not meet Jon’s needs, since the user GPOs would be applied and Folder Redirection would remain enabled on the laptop. By using the “Replace” mode and not defining Folder Redirection in the GPO that applies to the computer account, Jon is able to achieve his desired result.
Take-aways on User Group Policy Loopback Processing:
- This is a COMPUTER setting, which is found under Computer Configuration | Administrative Templates | System | Group Policy | User Group Policy Loopback Processing Mode
- You want to create a new OU in AD that is dedicated to computer accounts that will have loopback processing enabled.
- Create a new GPO in your new OU to enable User Group Policy Loopback Processing and set the appropriate mode (merge / replace).
- You will define the user settings you want to apply to the loopback-enabled PCs via GPOs in this same new OU. You can define these settings either in the same GPO where you enabled the User Group Policy Loopback Processing setting, or you create another new GPO in the same OU for your user settings.
- Remember that when using the REPLACE mode, none of your other user GPOs will be applied when a user logs in to a machine that has loopback processing enabled. ONLY the user settings that are defined in the GPOs that apply to that machine will be applied.
So who wrote this blog and what do they do for a living anyway?
We’re Third Tier. We provide advanced Third Tier support for IT Professionals.
Get Support 
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LinkedINContest! Another chance to win Exchange Defender for a year
Posted by: | CommentsLast time we ran the contest on Twitter and gave two of our Followers a chance to win. This time the prizes are going to go to 2 of you that attend our next sponsored webinar: Windows 7, It’s Like Crystal Meth for Geeks. It’s this coming Thursday at Noon eastern.
http://www.thirdtier.net/2009/10/special-webinar-windows-7-its-like-crystal-meth-for-geeks/
Two lucky attendees will win an Exchange Defender account for 10 users for a full year.
So get it on your calendar and we’ll see you there.
Third Tier has invited you to attend an online meeting using Live Meeting.
Join the meeting.
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So who wrote this blog and what do they do for a living anyway?
We’re Third Tier. We provide advanced Third Tier support for IT Professionals.
Get Support Blog Twitter Facebook LinkedINSpecial Webinar! Windows 7: It’s like Crystal Meth for Geeks!
Posted by: | CommentsThird Tier is proud to present our friends Tim Barrett and Susan Bradley in a special webinar next Thursday at Noon Eastern.
Tim Barrett: Windows 7 addict. Susan Bradley: Windows 7 addict.
Let me give you a sneak preview to prove the extent of the addiction:
This presentation will help you understand the very coolest features of Windows 7. This version of Windows has many, many cool new features that end users are going to love and geeks will become addicted to. Join us and learn more about Windows 7.
Third Tier has invited you to attend an online meeting using Live Meeting.
Join the meeting.
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So who wrote this blog and what do they do for a living anyway?
We’re Third Tier. We provide advanced Third Tier support for IT Professionals.
Get Support Blog Twitter Facebook LinkedIN
