Windows Server 2008 R2 complex passwords

One of the new "features" with Windows Server 2008 is the password complexity "security" that ensures you have a complex password on your monster servers. The problem is, this is supposed to be defaulted to DISABLED on first installation, but in my experience, it isn't!

To find out a bit more about what sort of complexity you need to have in your passwords (so you can just darned well log in for the first time to change it), check out this link:
http://thebackroomtech.com/2008/03/10/windows-server-2008-password-complexity-requirements/

To find out how to fix it once you're logged in, check out this link:
http://stevepietrek.com/2007/05/08/change-active-directory-strong-password-policies/

Gotta love free food!

God bless Micro$oft conferences!
Still nowhere near as good as XBOX360 giveaways, Parlotones live music, all-you-can-eat candy floss, popcorn, and all-you-can-drink slush puppies.

VMware conversion error: Error: Unable to obtain the IP address of the target virtual machine running the Converter helper server.

While running VMware converter, one may encounter this error;

Error: Unable to obtain the IP address of the target virtual machine running the Converter helper server.

For those who may not know how to fix it, it's really easy (and I feel a little ashamed that I have to post the solution here, but who knows, someone may need the help, so step forward my young Padawan, and pay attention)...

A quick google takes us to this page; inside is a handy little tip -

Helper virtual machine

Source computer

22

The helper virtual machine must be able to establish an SSH connection with the source computer. By default the helper virtual machine gets its IP address assigned by DHCP. If there is no DHCP server available on the network chosen for the target virtual machine you must manually assign it an IP address.

So all one has to do is specify an IP for the Helper VM, which can be done in one of the pages through the configuration process of starting the CONVERSION TASK.

You must be a member of the Administrators group on this computer to install this hardware (USB flashdrive)

If anyone else out there has to manage a locked down LAN, you'll know how frustrating it is when a little thing becomes a big problem. A little thing like inserting a USB flash drive and XP says you need to be an administrator to install it. Sigh. This shouldn't be so complicated.

After digging around for a host of options, I've narrowed down my particular solution for my particular problem in our student LABs, and here it is, in all of its documented glory!

Platform: HP DX7400, XP Pro
Event: Plugging in a USB flashdrive to the desktop lockdown image

Brief:
This occurs on a DX7400 after we’ve done the windows repair of a DX2000 image. The DX2000 image works fine, but USB flashdrives won’t work on the DX7400.

Solution:
Replace the USBSTOR.* files with older versions (i.e. from the DX2000 image) and it works fine.
 
Details:
As administrator, copy the files below into the appropriate directories. We keep older copies of these files on the NAS (\\nas.cs.ukzn.ac.za\SSCUWVL\Documentation\Sorted (as of May 2009)\SSCU LABs (notes, checklists, etc.)\Windows-related notes (lockdown, tweaks, etc.)\Windows bugs\USB Flashdrive Administrator bug), but otherwise copy them from another machine that works with USB.

Copy USBSTOR.INF (ours is august 23 2001) to C:\WINDOWS\INF

Copy USBSTOR.PNF (ours is july 5 2007) to C:\WINDOWS\INF

Copy USBSTOR.SYS (ours is august 3 2004) to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS

Log off. Unplug USB. Log on. Insert USB. Job done :)

If we want users to be able to eject or unplug the USB with limited rights, then this is a GP edit, which is the subject for another post.

UPDATE:
Here is a list of some links that may also prove helpful in troubleshooting the administrators group problem if the solution I've mentioned doesn't work for you...

• Windows Requires Administrator Rights to Install USB Flash Drives - the most in-depth one I've found so far.
  
  
• http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows/12659-usb-drives-require-administrator-access-install.html
  
  
• And the typical good ol' GOOGLE search which will no doubt pull up one of these links above anyway.
  

Portable SWF player

I've recently faced the task of setting up our LAB machines to be able to support SWF files for a Mathematica workshop to be held in the forthcoming weeks. The problem is, why should I now deploy SWF support on the LAB machines just for one workshop, and face a lifetime of headaches from kiddies playing their favourite (and noisy) movies ad infinitum? Enter, the portable SWF player...

If you go to http://download.macromedia.com/pub/flashplayer/updaters/9/sa_flashplayer_9_debug.exe you should find just what you're looking for - a portable flash player! Enjoy :)

VMware "Hardware Error" when pinging

After resuming my VMs from a power failure the other day, I discovered that one of them won't be seen on the network any more, even though it THINKS it has a network connection. When I ping anything else, it says "hardware error". It cannot be ping'ed, and I think it's pretty much broken. The short of it is that you need to reinstall the VMware tools and "update driver" for the network card, and it's fixed.

VMware's link to resolving this (with instructions) is here.
(http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=1006692&sliceId=1)

VMware Conversion problems

I've recently started to use VMware Converter for work, and the first problem I've hit is that the process won't get past task 2 on the cold-cloning P2V.

Failed to intialize locator to WMI. Err code = -2147221164

I think what needs to be done is update the ISO with the latest drivers for this network card, which can be explained in the VMware Converter manual, page 42, which reads:

Using peTool to Modify the Converter Boot CD

DELL PowerEdge 2900 Strike F1 to continue

What an annoying problem. Power in South Africa is so flaky now that you can expect a server to have died sometime over the weekend. You don't expect the server to have woken up, but be halted at a "strike F1 to continue" screen, which is precisely what I'm facing with the DELL PowerEdge 2900 machine. Philosophical question: If a network tree fails in a cluster, and no-one is around to press F1, is there a way to revive it?


http://www.experts-exchange.com/ITPro/Servers/Q_23885630.html

The user manual for the DELL is here
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/pe2900/en/index.htm
(nothing useful in here)

UPDATE:
In our case, the problem is that the DELL POWEREDGE 2900 spits out the "press F1 to continue" when there is an error. Since it always came up straight after the PERC RAID controller stuff, one presumed it was related, but it's not!

After going into the BIOS and checking out the stuff, I noticed that SATA PORT A is an "unknown device" and when I went into it, the setting was "AUTO" ... when I switched it OFF, and there was no longer a SATA PORT A device (only SATA PORT B device which was the CD-ROM), it no longer spewed forth said error. Turns out it was confuzzled! Now I can allow my machine to wake itself up without my interventions. Job done. :)

VMware ESX Server - set up VM

A basic, step-by-step instruction sheet to set up a VM with VMware ESX. Really no-brainer stuff, but who knows, a 5-year-old kid may want to be spoon-fed... :)

Any personal choices are illustrated in []'s; so yours may differ...

1. Create a new virtual machine
2. Typical
3. [VM test]
   
4. Assign a resource pool (if necessary)
5. Choose a datastore
6. [Microsoft Windows]
   [Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit)]
7. [1] Virtual processor
8. [512MB] RAM
9. [1] NIC to connect
   [Flexible]
   [Connect at Power On]
10. [20GB] for maximum size of storage
11. Finish
12. Tada!
    

Test running VM

1. Under Inventory on the VMware Infrastructure Client (you need to connect to your VMware server using this client), select [VM test] under the resource pool he's been assigned to
2. You'll need to make sure he's got an ISO mounted for installing the OS, so... make sure you mount an ISO, one way or the other... for example the default is CLIENT DEVICE so you just need to click on CONNECT CD/DVD 1 when you power on the virtual machine (see below). In the interim, you need to make sure the boot sequence is right - either hit ESC when the VMware logo shows up after powering up the VM, or edit this permanently in the BIOS of the VM.
3. Edit virtual machine settings
4. Select Options TAB at the top
5. Advanced --> Boot Options --> Force BIOS Setup must be checked.
6. OK
7. Power on the virtual machine
8. Select Console to view the progress (if you have a DHCP server and use TFTP boot options, then obviously you'll have to assign a MAC ADDRESS to an IP for this guy)
9. If he won't boot up and it says "operating system not found" then you need to change the boot sequence as mentioned in step 5 or make sure you press ESC straight after step 7.
   
10. Tada!

Windows cannot copy file ...

[ UPDATE April 2011: the solution / code mentioned at the end of the article can be incorporated with AUTOEXNT so that the script is run on PC startup as ADMINISTRATOR before any login is invoked. Check out my post on AUTOEXNT to get further clarity ]


Windows cannot copy file c:\windows\system32\profiles\student\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\C1Y7S1IV\!fcHandoff%2CSW2%3A!fc

After running my desktop lockdown solution for the UKZN LABs, I get this bug cropping up every once in a while:

Windows cannot copy file c:\windows\system32\profiles\student\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\C1Y7S1IV\!fcHandoff%2CSW2%3A!fcHandoff%2CSW3%3A!fcHandoff%26f%3D150550152%26p%3Dmail_candygram%26id%3D1%26cbk%3DfcLoaded%26bg%3Dtransparent%26tgt%3D_blank%26hs%3D2%26en%3Diso-8859-1%2&r=0 to location C:\Documents and Settings\student\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\C1Y7S1IV\!fcHandoff%2CSW2%3A!fcHandoff%2CSW3%3A!fcHandoff%26f%3D150550152%26p%3Dmail_candygram%26id%3D1%26cbk%3DfcLoaded%26bg%3Dtransparent%26tgt%3D_blank%26hs%3D2%26en%3Diso-8859-1%2&r=0. Possible causes of this error include network problems or insufficient security rights. If this problem persists, contact your network administrator.

DETAIL - The filename or extension is too long.

And then:

Windows cannot log you on because your profile cannot be loaded. Check that you are connected to the network, or that your network is functioning correctly. If this problem persists, contact your network administrator.


DETAIL - The operation completed successfully.

---

Here are some places that are "helping" me to fix the problem...



UPDATE: This seems to help the problem, but I still get the occasional bug out as I did before... still working on a complete solution.

http://social.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/windowssteadystate/thread/2186fd6f-4ce9-420d-a44b-0de9fa5e431c/
- this forum works on the Windows Steady State stuff but same principle should apply here. The most interesting solution offered so far is that it's a permissions issue, or a long file name issue (really?? gosh), and the one dude's solution is to set up a script to run on logoff (if it's graceful) or startup (if it's been ungraceful). I'll try the startup solution, but must make a note at this point:

Deleting the temporary user profile in C:\DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\ when logged in as Administrator does also remedy the problem, but it means manually intervening. We don't want that with 300 PCs - it's far too time consuming. I've also attempted to avoid this problem by reducing the temp Internet Files capacity to 1MB (minimum), but that didn't fix the problem either.

Another comment: C:\Documents and Settings\student\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\C1Y7S1IV exists, but there's no corresponding LOCAL SETTINGS folder in c:\windows\system32\profiles\student ...

My solution / code:
rd /s /q "c:\Documents and Settings\student\Local Settings\temp"

I'm thinking of just removing LOCAL SETTINGS completely and seeing if that fixes the problem. Not much grace with this solution, but it works, so we're 3 steps ahead. Of course if there were something as useful as UPHCLEAN for this, it would help :)