AD Modify

If you ever need to change an attribute for a lot of user in Active Directory, you might want to use ADModify.Net tools. It is available free.

Following is the example for querying any user that has empty mobile phone number field in Active Directory.

(&(&(objectcategory=person)(objectclass=user))(!mobile=*))

VMWare - Cannot start Client Machine - Failed to lock the file

Description
You have setup a VMWare host and configure a couple of client machines inside.
One day you want to start the client machine but recieve an error "cannot open the ***********.vmdk or one of the snapshot disks it depends on. Reason: Failed to lock the file." You are certain that nothing is using that file.

Resolution
Find the file with *.lck extension inside the VM directory on the host machine. Rename the extension into something else. Try to start the VM client again.

Script to Add Windows Registry Keys

You can add / create windows registry key through command line by using REG.Exe tool.

Example:

Reg Add HKLM\Software\Classes\Excel.Sheet.8\ /v Browserflags /t REG_DWORD /d "8" /f

/v value name to add, under the selected Key
/t RegKey data types:
[ REG_SZ, REG_MULTI_SZ, REG_DWORD_BIG_ENDIAN, REG_DWORD, REG_BINARY, REG_DWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN, REG_NONE, REG_EXPAND_SZ ] If omitted, REG_SZ is assumed
/d data to assign to the registry ValueName being added
/f force overwriting the existing registry entry without prompt

Outlook 2003 and ISA Firewall Client

Description

You need to enable user with Outlook 2003 to connect to external POP3 and SMTP server.
You have created an access rule in Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) 2006 server. Also, you have installed ISA firewall client at the user computer. However the user still cannot connect to the external POP3 and SMTP server through Outlook 2003 even though you can telnet to those ports from the command prompt.

Resolution

Modify the Firewall Client Setting in ISA 2006

1. Open the ISA management console, expand the server name and the expand the Configuration node.
2. Click on the General node.
3. In the General node, click on the Define Firewall Client Settings link in the Details pane.
4. In the Firewall Client Settings dialog box, click the Application Settings tab.


5. Click the Outlook entry and then click the Edit button. In the Application Entry Setting dialog box, change the Value from 1 to 0. Then click OK.
6. On the Application settings tab, click Apply and then click OK. Then click Apply to save the firewall policy.

Next, on the client computer you need to refresh the firewall client configuration. You can do this by double clicking the Firewall client icon in the System Tray. On the General tab, click the Test Server button. You’ll see the Testing ISA Server dialog box and the name of the ISA firewall will be solved and the Firewall client will download the new configuration file.

Email stuck at "Messages awaiting directory lookup" SMTP queue in Exchange Server 2003 or in Exchange 2000 Server

Description

Have you ever had an issue where all your mails get stuck at "Messages awaiting directory lookup" SMTP queue in Exchange? However this issue seems to be happening locally to certain storage group only. Other storage groups have no issue with email flow.
You have configured message journaling / archiving on the Exchange server.

Resolution

Make sure that the message archive location is a valid mailbox. If you had move the user account to another OU or container, please move it back again to the original location.
Restart the IIS Admin Service.