When I have started too many virtual machines in Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 I find that the administration application (http://server/virtualserver/VSWebApp.exe) stops working.
To get it to restart, change the authentication settings on the IIS virtual directory to something other than what you have already (but not anonomyous). For example if it is Basic and Integrated set it to Basic only.
Open the admin page again and you will be prompted for authentication and it will now work.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Mouse Pointer Delays in Virtual Server
I am running Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 and every 10 seconds or so I get a pause in the mouse movement on the screen - very annoying.
Examining the performance logs of the server I see that the Virtual Server service "vsssrv" goes to 0% CPU utilisation when this happens - so something is interupting the service.
Stopping my anti-virus software solves the problem, but introduces another problem in that my computer is now unprotected, so I will post back here later my results on not have the AV software (McAfee Managed Anti-Virus) from scanning the filesystem where my virtual machines are installed and the vsssvc.exe application ("C:\Program Files\Microsoft Virtual Server" folder).
Examining the performance logs of the server I see that the Virtual Server service "vsssrv" goes to 0% CPU utilisation when this happens - so something is interupting the service.
Stopping my anti-virus software solves the problem, but introduces another problem in that my computer is now unprotected, so I will post back here later my results on not have the AV software (McAfee Managed Anti-Virus) from scanning the filesystem where my virtual machines are installed and the vsssvc.exe application ("C:\Program Files\Microsoft Virtual Server" folder).
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Unable to Delete Active Directory Object
Whilst doing some tests on an Active Directory to do with permissions I removed all the permissions apart from SYSTEM. This proved what I wanted to prove, but I then could not delete the object or reset its permissions etc. to tidy up my test environment.
A search on the web for the problem returned one page and they had not solved it either. This was found here. Though they had deleted a user object and I had set permissions on an Exchange Server address list object I think the answer might be the same.
The problem in Exchange System Manager was "The specified directory service attribute or value does not exist" and "8007200a" when I tried to delete the object. Opening ADSI Edit would not let me delete the object (which appears as a notepad icon and not the folder icon it is supposed to be). Opening the object returns "An invalid directory pathname was passed" and deleting the object returns "This folder or one of its children has one or more property sheets up. Please close the property sheet before continuing with this action."
So taking the advice in the above link, and going a few steps further I managed to delete the object.
The key (in Windows Server 2003) is to use a command line tool called DSRM. This deletes active directory objects, but before it can be deleted the permissions need to be reset using another command line tool called DSACLS.
A search on the web for the problem returned one page and they had not solved it either. This was found here. Though they had deleted a user object and I had set permissions on an Exchange Server address list object I think the answer might be the same.
The problem in Exchange System Manager was "The specified directory service attribute or value does not exist" and "8007200a" when I tried to delete the object. Opening ADSI Edit would not let me delete the object (which appears as a notepad icon and not the folder icon it is supposed to be). Opening the object returns "An invalid directory pathname was passed" and deleting the object returns "This folder or one of its children has one or more property sheets up. Please close the property sheet before continuing with this action."
So taking the advice in the above link, and going a few steps further I managed to delete the object.
The key (in Windows Server 2003) is to use a command line tool called DSRM. This deletes active directory objects, but before it can be deleted the permissions need to be reset using another command line tool called DSACLS.
- Determine the distinguished name of the object. This is easiest to do in ADSI Edit by opening the parent item and copying the value of the distinguishedName property.
- Paste the copied distinguished name into Notepad and prepend to the text the name of the child object in the form of CN=child,distinguishedname.
- On the command line enter DSACLS "Distinguished Name" /A. The quotes are needed if there are spaces within the distinguished name. This will display the current permissions on the object for your interest.
- Repeat the above command but change the ending to /G Everyone:GA (remove the /A). This will grant full control to Everyone to this object. Remember that you are deleting this item so these permissions are temporary. This should be successful.
- Finally you can delete the object using DSRM if the object is a leaf object, but if not a leaf object then DSRM distinguishedName -subtree. It might also be possible to use ADSI Edit or the valid Active Directory administration tool to delete the object if the permission fix has worked.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Dell Notebook System Software (NSS) Failure to Install
I recently had to rebuild a Dell Latitude D610 as it was not working properly on purchase. The reinstall instructions for Windows XP SP2 included installing the relevant Dell drivers from the Dell CD (or internet download if they were later versions). The Notebook System Software (NSS) always failed to install - it would crash upon starting the program.
After phoning Dell Technical Support to fix this problem, the answer was to run the software whilst in Windows XP Safe Mode. To get to this reboot your computer and press F8 just before the Windows logo appears (easiest thing to do is press F8 repeatedly as soon as the computer boots and you are sure to get the option for Safe Mode).
After installing it in Safe Mode you can reboot into normal Windows XP.
After phoning Dell Technical Support to fix this problem, the answer was to run the software whilst in Windows XP Safe Mode. To get to this reboot your computer and press F8 just before the Windows logo appears (easiest thing to do is press F8 repeatedly as soon as the computer boots and you are sure to get the option for Safe Mode).
After installing it in Safe Mode you can reboot into normal Windows XP.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Vonage Installation with NTL as Your Broadband Provider
Connecting the router was easy, just followed the instructions, the only thing that I had to do (as I did not turn off my NTL cable modem) was clone the mac address of the current firewall onto the Linksys VoIP router (this is a setting in the Linksys admin pages).
Voice quality over a 2Mb line is good, and the 200K upload speed that I currently have will allow me to have two phones on the line as each uses 90K per call.
Role on NTL's upgrade to 10Mb lines in 2006
Voice quality over a 2Mb line is good, and the 200K upload speed that I currently have will allow me to have two phones on the line as each uses 90K per call.
Role on NTL's upgrade to 10Mb lines in 2006
Saturday, September 10, 2005
ntl Netguard Installation with Roaming Profile
I installed ntl Netguard yesterday, the free antivirus software provided by this broadband provider. The comments on various forums where that it was easy to install but I found this to be incorrect advice. The main issue, and the one I blog about here is the creation of the required product folders when you have a remotely stored profile folder caused due to Active Directory/Group Policy folder redirection policies.
For the software to install you need to create the "logs" and "test" folder in the "ntl netguard" folder, which needs to be in the "ntl" folder in your Application Data folder. All the folders in quotes you need to create.
For the software to install you need to create the "logs" and "test" folder in the "ntl netguard" folder, which needs to be in the "ntl" folder in your Application Data folder. All the folders in quotes you need to create.
Friday, August 12, 2005
Windows Vista on Virtual PC's
As I do not have any spare PC hardware I decided to install a copy of Windows Vista (Beta 1) on virtualization software. I have a choice of both VMWare Workstation 5.0 and Microsoft Virtual PC.
And the winner is - Microsoft Virtual PC
The reason is simple - I can see what I am doing and what is happening with Virtual PC as it runs with a decent virtual graphics adapter. VMWare Workstation 5.0 runs at 4bit colour until after installation has completed and you install the VMWare tools (which installed fine) but compare that to Virtual PC and the experience is so different.
And the winner is - Microsoft Virtual PC
The reason is simple - I can see what I am doing and what is happening with Virtual PC as it runs with a decent virtual graphics adapter. VMWare Workstation 5.0 runs at 4bit colour until after installation has completed and you install the VMWare tools (which installed fine) but compare that to Virtual PC and the experience is so different.
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