Windows 7 Offline Files
So I've been getting some feed back from staff about issues with working from home on a laptop with offline files enabled. In my previous post (here) I gave a quick explanation on how to reset the offline database using a register entry. Even with this some users are complaining that they can't access files they've made at school but are only able to access the files they've made offline at home.
The icon for the offending file is grayed out with a little gray X next to it:
I have found that a solution exists if you fix your sharing security settings... Find the share folder and then in the security settings add "Domain Users" (or in my case I used a group) in advance settings you need to make sure that they are able to "Traverse folder/execute file" and "List folder/read data" adding these permissions and a log off/on. On the offending computers and the problem for now has gone.
MCTS EXAM 70-640
So the time has come for me to crack on with some exams and start to develop myself in the eyes of Microsoft and make myself a little bit better. I have three units I want to do but the biggest one so far is going to be the "Configuring Windows Server 2008 Active Directory" unit. Now I've been playing with AD for a while and I have a good concept of what it does, why you need it etc but this book is just massive... a very interesting read so far. Passing the exam should at some weight to my currently limp CV!
2012
A new year a new post.
Welcome to 2012 everyone! It's supposed to be the end of the world as we know it but I have a strong feeling it will be alright!
I hope you all have a great 2012 and all your hamsters (servers) behave!
IE 9 & my little blog
So I've only just noticed (because I pay so much attention) that my header is sometimes missing from the site using IE9. So if your missing nwilkie.co.uk accross the top of the site try running the site in "Compatibility Mode" - This little tip will also help with several educational sites that you might use in school...
Self Signed Certificates
From my previous post about the Nokia it was clear that I needed a SSL for my exchange server in order to get my phone talking to the site. Well hours have passed and I was starting to look at other phones to use because assessing my email on my phone just wasnt going to happen...
But I found snippets of information on the web that on their own were no good to me but together they proved to be a useful source of information. Microsoft Windows 7.5 Mobile will only accept certificates that are trusted and I can't afford nor do I need to pay for an expensive one for my purposes. So a self signed certificate was the answer.
So here are the steps I took to make a self signed certificate:
- Open IIS Manager
- On the top-level select your server
- In the main window under the ISS option click "Server Certificates"
- On the far right of the window click "Create Self Signed Certificate"
- Follow the wizard
- Give the certificate a name you will be able to recognise
- Click OK
- That's it the basic certificate is created
- Download the following bit of kit from the Microsoft website IIS 6 Resource Kit
- This will let you change the certificate you have just made
- Install the program you can do a complete install or a custom install. The bit of kit you will need for this is the SelfSSL
- Run the SelfSSL program and enter the following command:
- /N:CN=mail.your.public.address.for.exchange.sch.uk /V:1000
- You will be asked if you want to overwrite the existing certificate say yes to this
- Go back to ISS Manager and you will see a certificate with your address on it.
- Now we need to bind this certificate to the website
- IIS Manager
- The Server you are working on
- Highlight Sites
- On the far right you will see Bindings
- You can either add or edit a binding
- Export the certificate and give it a password (export it to the desktop or another easily accessable folder)
- Now we need to add the certificate to your CA
- run mmc
- When that loads go to file -> Add Snap In -> Certificates -> Computer Account -> Local Computer ->Finish
- Click on the Personal -> Certificates
- You will see your newly created certificate
- Right click on the certificate and click "Copy"
- Now open "Trusted Root Authority" and "Paste"
- On a web browser make your way to your owa account and install the certificate.
- When the wizard loads up you want to manually select the location store.
- Save it under Trusted Root Certificate
- Then do the following:
- Run -> mmc -> File -> Add/Remove Snap In -> Certificates -> My User Account ->OK -> Finish
- Trusted Root Authoritative
- Certificates
- Left click your certificate
- export
- follow the wizard
- save it to your desktop
- Email the certificate to an account you can already access on a mobile device
- download the attachment and install it on your device
- for the sake of being sure restart your device handset up your email account again...
If you have any questions drop the question in the comment below
Updated Jan 3rd 2012:
If you are having problems accessing the Exchange Management Console after doing the above on your server try this command in the command prompt. IISRESET
Nokia Lumia 800 – Update
Well I've had this phone for a few days now so here are the good points I wont bog you down with details:
- Large screen;
- simple to navigate
- good app store (not on the levels of android or apple)
- interacts with Xbox Live
- the people hub is a nice spin on a phone book
The bad:
- You can't connect to exchange hosted email account if you have a self signed certificate... sucks If I can't find a solution soon (within my 14day cool off period) it is going back to Orange. Shame because apart from that its a nice phone. It's not an apple killer either.
- The battery on mine sucks 100% battery doesn't even last a day.
Greatings from Nokia 800
I got my new phone yesterday and today is the first day I've had a chance to look for a WordPress plugin for win7 phone. So far so good I'll post a quick evaluation of the phone later (when the battery is charged)
Now you see me, now you don’t
- Folder options
- Hidden Files and Folders
- Show hidden files
- Untick "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)"
- Click OK
- Search the folder for "Desktop.ini" and then delete it.
- Go back up a level and you will now see the folder is no longer masked as "Documents" but has the user name it originally had.
What you could do is a search for all desktop.ini files on a share of a server and then delete them all in one go... but it might cause some problems later on. I will look into making a vbscript that will search a share and delete the desktop.ini file...
-
- Folder and Search Options
-
- Hidden Files and Fodlers
-
- Confirm Changes
-
- Find and delete
Open A Command Window…
Sometimes you need to quickly run a bat file or a vbs file from a folder that is miles deep in your directory. Quick tip make your way to the file you need to run in windows explorer. Then holding down the shift key right click in the window and click "Open Command Window Here" a command window will open set the the directory you need... then just run your file!
See what magic Windows 7 does at startup…
... and calm users who think their computers are slow because the blue circle of "please wait" just keeps spinning.
Simples solution:
- Open GPO Editor
- Create a new GPO or edit an existing network GPO you may have. Then its:
- Computer Configuration;
- Policies;
- Administrative Templates;
- System;
- Verbose vs normal status message
- Right click
- Properties
- Enabled
Its up to you where you have this GPO take effect but I have it high up my list. Its good for users to see that the computers are updating software and just shows users that a computer has to do lots of work before you can even log on.