Archive for Microsoft
{ May 20, 2009 @ 7:17 pm }
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{ Internet Explorer, Microsoft, software }
{ Tags: IE 7, text box trouble, text issues, web problems }
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I have a user who suddenly was unable to type anything in her text boxes in IE 7 a while back. We were in the middle of a big move and my time was so limited that we just installed Firefox for her and she was fine, for a while. It wasn’t until we started rolling out Microsoft Office Communicator and Microsoft Office Live Meeting this week that I was reminded of the issue because she was unable to type new messages or respond to messages sent her in Communicator.
I did all of the normal things we do, I think. I cleared out all cookies and temporary internet files, I ran antivirus and ad checking and spyware programs. I even uninstalled Java and reinstalled it and nothing worked.
Finally, I reinstalled IE 7 as a last resort before just doing an upgrade to IE 8, and after a reboot . . . walla . . . she is able to type in text boxes in IE 7 and Communicator now.
{ March 27, 2009 @ 1:50 pm }
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{ Exchange, Microsoft, Network Administration, gadgets }
{ Tags: ActiveSync problems, Device partnership, Exchange 2007, Motorola Q, MSExchange ActiveSync Event ID 1008 }
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I really like Exchange 2007. My most active smartphone user has a Motorola Q that uses ActiveSync and he called in a panic the other morning because for about 12 hours his phone would not sync with the server. He could send mail out, but he couldn’t get anything new in.
My first response was to have him reset his device, but that didn’t help. So I went to the server, not really expecting to find anything there. What I found were two consistant error messages in the Event Logs: Event ID 1008 and Event ID 4999.
Here is the exact error for MSExchange ActiveSync Event ID 1008:
An exception occurred and was handled by Exchange ActiveSync. This may have been caused by an outdated or corrupted Exchange ActiveSync device partnership. This can occur if a user tries to modify the same item from multiple computers. If this is the case, Exchange ActiveSync will re-create the partnership with the device. Items will be updated at the next synchronization. . .
So I went back to the server to check the settings under Manage Mobile Device and noticed that I could “Remove Mobile Device Partnership.” Since it wasn’t working anyway, I gave it a shot. What do you know, after the users next sync he was ready to go. Seems the partnership had corrupted and removing it and forcing a new one fixed our issue. . for now.
{ March 11, 2009 @ 7:40 pm }
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{ Microsoft, Office 2007, software }
{ Tags: MSXML error, MSXML failed, Windows Install Cleanup Tool }
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Good night! It took me several hours and lots of frustration today just to get Outlook Business Contact Manager 2007 installed. Actually, to be most accurate, it took me that long just to get SQL Server Express Edition installed. I would get almost done and then get a failure message. The logs would indicate that
MSXML 6 Service Pack 2 (KB954459) 6.20.1099.0 Failed.
Ok, seems easy enough, uninstall the darn thing and try again, right? WRONG. It gave me the same darned error message when I tried to uninstall it to.
A quick Google search had me installing and using the Windows Install Cleanup Tool to completely remove MSXML 6 Service Pack 2 and a quick reboot had me back on track with the contact manager software installed in no time. I had never heard of this program before, but I will be adding it to my list of tools.
{ July 15, 2008 @ 1:25 pm }
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{ Microsoft, Office 2007, software }
{ Tags: Linking Contacts, Office 2007, Outlook 2007 }
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When working for a small company, I am finding that it is often necessary for me to be the desktop support technician as well as the backup gal, server dudette, and network wirer. I guess this is perfect for me, since I have always been more of a jack of all trades, master of none type of person anyway. I can also usually track down the answer to any question, if given enough time and resources (usually 2 minutes and Google).
That is what it took to find the answer to the question for today. I had a user ask me today how to link contacts in Office 2007. He said he had done it in the older version, but could not find any information on how to do in 2007. I personally have never linked contacts, so I had no idea what he was talking about, but as he seemed quite distressed, I jumped on Google to see what I could find. Thankfully, this article by Jennifer Kershaw was just what I needed to be the hero today.
Here is the quick rundown; Open Outlook 2007, go to Tools –> Options –> Contact Options –> check the box next to “Show Contact Linkin gon all Forms” and wallah! Now each contact has a box at the bottom right allowing you to link contacts to other contacts in your list.
{ June 30, 2008 @ 8:21 pm }
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{ Exchange, Microsoft, Network Administration, software }
{ Tags: Exchange }
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Why is it that I always learn best by fire? Why can’t I sit down with a tech book and read about issues, problems and tools BEFORE I have a fire to put out? Oh well, I don’t. I usually only learn tech tricks by having to put out fires on the job. This was the case last week when our main Exchange server stopped sending mail and started to hold all the messages in the queues.
I had not had to track anything in the queues before this, so looking at and using the Message Tracking Center Tool was new to me. I found some useful information on how to do this at two sites; Computer Performance and Amset.info.
But for quick information on how to get to your queues, what you should see, and some quick troubleshooting tips I recommend these sites to get you started. And by all means, check out you queues, see how messages normally flow so that when you do have a problem you will know how things should work and may just be able to quickly resolve your trouble.
{ April 3, 2008 @ 12:55 pm }
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{ Microsoft, VISTA, hardware }
{ Tags: hard drive, hardware, sp1 }
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Hard Drive Fun
I read an article today over at TechRepublic about how to build and configure an external hard drive enclosure that was really well done.
Greg Shultz not only goes through how to set one up, but he also explains how to properly set the jumpers on the drive, and what the different settings mean. I enjoyed this article quite a bit, and thought that the information was pesented in a way that was very easy to understand. I will be purchasing one of these for myself.
Vista Service Pack 1
I am installing it right this minute for the first time, so I will post updates here as I go today. Hopefully this SP will fix all my issues with Vista (yeah right, and monkeys may fly out of my butt today).
Ok, here is the update, it took me about an hour to update my PC early in the morning. It went smoothly and I had no download or update problems.
I have not seen any improvements or changes, other than now everytime I remotely connect to my servers at work I get a security message. Nothing seems faster, it still takes MINUTES to open my network connections, and basically all annoyances are still present.
I will be installing spk 1 on my laptop today, that may be a better indicator, as I use it much more often than I do my desktop.
{ March 19, 2008 @ 5:59 pm }
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{ Exchange, MAC, Microsoft, gadgets, hardware, software }
{ Tags: ActiveSync, Exchange, iPhone }
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It only took a few days to find what I needed to know about Exchange and the iPhone. I guess in all fairness, I was not looking super hard, but still it seems like it was hard to find information about this.
Anyway, it seems that ActiveSync will not be available until June for the iPhone. That is not a big deal to me, I have a Blackberry. But, for our graphics guy here who just got his cool new iPhone, it is a bit disappointing to have to wait so long just to check his work email account.
According to a blog by Peter Cohen over at Macworld ActiveSync, which is software that is used by Exchange to push email to mobile devices, will be released in June during a major software update. We are already using ActiveSync here to push e-mail content to our Treo users, so I know this will work, but JUNE? Wow. I wish I would have known this when my user first came to me asking about whether or not he should get an iPhone. Again, sure they are cool and all, but come on, if I am paying that much for a “smartphone” it darn well better be smart enough to deliver my mail.
Ah well, June it is.
{ March 3, 2008 @ 9:55 pm }
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{ AD, Microsoft, Server 2003 }
{ Tags: contacts in AD }
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I came across a new thing today in our OU and I wanted to document both what I found and how I changed our settings. I came across a few contacts, where all other listings are Users or Groups.
We had three “contacts” setup in our list of users who have email accounts outside of our mail system. As far as I could tell, they had no account or email with us, but they were members of two internal distribution groups. The only options I have with these contacts is to add to a group, move, delete email addresses, open home page or send mail.
My boss asked me to delete these accounts today and forward the mail to him. I couldn’t forward their mail, as it existed off our server, and I couldn’t disable the contacts as far as I could tell either, not did I really want to do this. Instead, I simply removed the two group memeberships from these accounts. Which actually achieved his goal, they will no longer get mail from us.
{ February 21, 2008 @ 6:38 pm }
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{ Computer Management, Group Policy, MCSE, Microsoft, Server 2003 }
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I don’t use Group Policy a lot here. I am only one admin in a much larger group, but I do need to know a bit about Group Policy for the MCSE tests. That is why, when I got an email from Windows IT Pro that they were hosting a web seminar on “How To Implement an Effective Change Management Strategy for Group Policy” I signed up.
The web seminar was ok, and I always enjoy hearing and seeing presentations instead of having to read yet another article or book. I think though, that the best thing I got out of the seminar was a link to one of the speakers websites, which I had not heard of before.
Jeremy Moskowitz has written a book or two on Group Policy, and comes recommended by another favorite Microsoft author of mine, Mark Minasi. He has a decent website called GPanswers.com with a newsletter which I just signed up for.
If Group Policy is something that you use and need help with, I recommend Jeremy’s site as a good starting place, that is, of course, once you have finished reading all you can on Microsoft’s site.
{ January 31, 2008 @ 7:06 pm }
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{ Computer Management, Exchange, Microsoft, software }
{ Tags: Exchange, mailboxes, server }
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I was asked today to delete the mailbox for a user who has recently left the company. Having never deleted a mailbox before, I thought it best to at least read up on it first before jumping right in and hitting the delete key.
A quick search brought me to a site I have used in the past to help with Exchange questions that I have had. Armed with instructions and pictures I was able to quickly delete the users mailbox.
We often have to change passwords around here, so I am very familiar with the ADUC (Active Directory Users and Computers) MMC, so that is how I accessed the Exchange delete tool. Please note that what follows is a very quick fly-by for my own record keeping. If you are going to delete anything from your Exchange environment, please do your homework. Read books
, check out Microsoft’s Exchange Support Pages, and by all means, talk to someone else who has been doing Exchange Administration for a while.
What I did after finding my user in the OU was to right click on the username, from that menu I chose “Exchange Tasks”, from the pop-up menu choose Delete Mailbox and follow the prompts. It was that simple.
And, just in case you do this all by mistake, there are instructions on the post above as well as additional links for recovering deleted mailboxes.
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