Tag: bustpc.co.uk

Remote Support – the exact meaning

A rather busy evening of 3 remote support requests tonight and by no means easy!

I had a request to get a printer working with Windows 8, no problem there only the printer was wireless and there were no usb cables anywhere for me to set it up. Given the self-appointed level of IT skills the remotee had it was going to be interesting to say the least.

In all honestly it wasn’t too difficult as I could get access to the wireless router web interface and could do that part of the wireless set up myself. It was just the instructions for setting up the printer that were going to prove interesting.

Maybe because I have been in IT for 20 odd years that I know what to do, maybe I take that for granted too often, after all if someone says that they do not know much about using a computer then I should expect a level of use that is very basic.

It still amazes, and amuses, me just what kinds of things people do when you have a remote session with them.

Closing every window that I open as I open them! You have asked for my help to fix something so please do not close what I open. It took a few gentle comments to get that to stop.

Following the instructions on the screen too literally – when it says select [this] and then press the OK button on the [device], it means do that on the [device] not the computer. No matter how many times you click the OK button on the screen with the mouse it will not do anything and will certainly not replicate that event on the [device]!

As I have a remote session, and as explained, I can see everything that is on your screen. Please, please, please do not feel that you have to read everything out to me, as by the time you have started to read it I have clicked the next button and am way ahead of you.

I’m sure that they will not be the only things that people will do.

.Net 3.5 on Windows Server 2012

Today I set about having a look a look at Server 2012. I wanted to test out a website that I had written in .Net 2.0 and convert it to run on a newer version and generally have a play with its interaction with the OS.

Installing .Net 4 went ok, so I thought I’d add .Net 3.5

I added the feature, and installed only to be greeted with the error ‘The source files could not be found’.
That was quickly fixed by looking at a few forums, so I added it again and pointed to where the ‘sources\sxs’ folders was – on the usb key stick that I used to install Server 2012, and installed.

This time it failed with an error message `a component`s file does not match the verification information present in the component manifest`

Another check around yielded quite a few results, one of the most common ones was to run the following command – `dism /online /cleanup-image /checkhealth`

So I run that. It took a while to come back with no problems.

I copied the ‘sources\sxs’ folder to the root of the C drive, pointed the feature install files there and tried again. Again it gave me the same error.

This time I mounted up the ISO that I had originally downloaded and copied the ‘sources\sxs’ folder from that to a new usb keystick.

I pointed the feature to that folder and run the install again. This time it finished with no problems!?

So, some sort of corruption had happened from when I transferred the ISO to a keystick to install it.

Can’t think of what the hell could have caused that to happen?

TechNet Subscriptions

Microsoft have decided to retire their TechNet Subscription service
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/subscriptions/ms772428.aspx

I signed the “Continue TechNet or create an affordable alternative to MSDN” petition to show my support for keeping the Microsoft TechNet Subscription service going.

http://www.change.org/petitions/continue-technet-or-create-an-affordable-alternative-to-msdn

As an IT Professional I use the software a hell of a lot to test things out and set up test environments. Some environments I have had going for well in excess of a year and having to rebuild them regularly would be a right pain to say the least!

I don’t know any fellow IT Pro’s that could afford an MSDN subscription to match the TechNet one.

If you are a TechNet Subscriber then sign the petition and show your support for keeping it going.

Microsoft, please continue the TechNet Subscription Service.

Thank you

IE10, desktops.exe and noframemerging

Today I upgraded my Windows Server 2008 R2 server to IE10.
Having used it on my work pc and my various Windows 8 installations for a while I thought it’s time to upgrade my server.
A quick install and reboot and it’s all done.

As I use my server for most of my work, it’s on all the time as it hosts Yodacam and is accessible remotely, it is a god send to have it all there when you need it.

I use Desktops from SysInternals to split up my work on to 4 separate desktops to keep the clutter to a minimum. My desktops are split into the following

Main Desktop – various email accounts, web browsing, Excel, Word etc
Development Desktop – php/asp.net websites, mysql and any think VB.net
[Undisclosed] Desktop – used for an [Undisclosed] task
Remote Access Desktop – for RDP/TS sessions to various computers and servers

I was working away on the Main Desktop and the Remote Access Desktop when i needed to do some work on some php files. Loading up a IE10 browser windows resulted in nothing showing. So I clicked it again but still nothing. I checked Task Manager and could not see anything that looked like a hung iexplore.exe process but there was nothing.

I then switched to the Main Desktop only to find several new IE10 windows open on the desktop. It would appear that every time I clicked the IE icon it would open a new window on the main desktop, which is not how it was in IE9.

I done a bit of digging and found a switch for IE10, `-noframemerging` which said `Internet Explorer 8 and later versions. Prevents Internet Explorer from opportunistically merging new frame processes into existing frame processes.`

I created a new shortcut to IE10 and added the -noframemerging switch to it. Now every time i load up a IE10 window it opens on the correct desktop.

Oh and Yes i know other browsers are available to use and I now there are other multiple desktop programs out there, but I am used to using IE and Desktops.exe and will continue to do so. GOI