Timewarp Technologies, LLC

Windows 8, another Windows Vista.

Thu, 2013-04-18 09:24 — jlopez

Reports are rolling in that the expected 7% downturn in PC sales has turned into double that: 14% lost year or year sales. (1) The finger for the extra 7% loss is being pointed squarely at Microsoft's Windows 8.

Adding Event Viewer Permissions

Fri, 2012-06-08 13:04 — jlopez

To add firewall rules to a remote machine allowing remote event viewing quickly, here is a batch file:

set INPUT=
set /P INPUT=Type machine: %=%

"C:\Users\administrator.UCIA\Desktop\Sysinternals Suite\psexec.exe" \\%INPUT% ^
netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Remote Event Log Management" new enable=yes

pause

From http://dbastas.blogspot.com/2009/06/configuring-firewall-for-remote.html some example groups are

Editing system files in Windows 2008 R2

Fri, 2012-06-08 12:38 — jlopez

Windows 2008 R2 and other newer Microsoft operating systems are enforcing very strict permissions over C:\Windows and its sub-directories. This is a good thing as far as system security goes, but it is important to be able to modify some of these files from time to time.

In the specific case I had, I needed to made a change to %systemroot%\inf\sceregvl.inf to add rules to the group policy editor relating to remote event viewer permissions. The file was "read/execute" only to the Administrator and the Administrator's group.

Microsoft Lightswitch - Round 1 of testing.

Mon, 2011-08-29 10:26 — jlopez

In every company there is more demand for applications than there is ability to create those applications. In the past, a workgroup in a Microsoft shop might create their own workarounds the limits of IT resources by using tools such as Microsoft Excel, Access or even a little bit of VB.NET code.

Excel is great for simple reporting, charting and even light data tracking as a intermediate step before the main line of business applications. However it quickly runs against the wall if the data being worked with is more complex than a few tables and look-ups.

Accessing shadow copies

Wed, 2011-08-24 09:32 — jlopez

Previously we talked about the fact that the backups created by the Vista, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 backup tool are actually virtual hard drives which can be mounted for access via drive letters. It is also possible to mount shadow copies as well, as documented at http://blogs.msdn.com/b/adioltean/archive/2005/01/20/357836.aspx

Resetting networking in XP

Wed, 2011-07-27 16:57 — jlopez

I had a machine with slow response in Remote Desktop. I found this article, but the primary solution was regarding Windows Vista/7 automatic configuration.

However, in the comments I found the following sequence, which does seem to reset troubled adapters even on XP:

netsh winsock reset netsh int ip reset netsh interface ip delete arpcache netsh winsock reset catalog netsh int ip reset reset.log

Remove the OEM wallpaper.

Wed, 2011-07-27 12:28 — jlopez

Many machines come with a fancy wallpaper when you turn them on. Locally, this isn't a problem... however, when you connect via Remote Desktop, you get to watch this wallpaper download slowly, every time you connect. (You can disable the *actual* wallpaper that the desktop shows after logon in the RDP client, but this splash-screen isn't disabled when you do so.)

The fix is easy, delete the registry key: /HKU/.default/Control Panel/Desktop/Wallpaper. Alternatively, pointing it at a BMP that doesn't weigh in at 1MB. Either way, your remote desktop logon will be *much* faster.

Installation List

Wed, 2011-07-27 11:29 — jlopez

When I repaved my development machine, what got reinstalled... and why? Here is my list, in alphabetical order.

Adobe Web Premium 5.5 Suite, from which I primary use Acrobat X, Illustrator, Photoshop, Flash Pro and Dreamweaver.

Bulk Rename Utility, the ugliest UI in the world, but priceless when you need to rename some crazy batch of files in some regular way.

Carbonite, to access my online backup (and eventually it will be unfrozen and backing up the new install).

DevExpress Refactor! Pro/CodeRush, for code efficiency.

Filezilla, for GUI ftp access.

Backups, backups, backups.

Wed, 2011-07-27 08:51 — jlopez

Computer hardware will fail eventually. We all know this from experience and instinctively. That such complex systems work as reliably as they do should be the amazing thought, not the idea that someday they will crash.

Yet one of the recurring plea's I get is from people who failed to back their data up. The story itself varies remarkably little each time the call comes in: "please help, I lost [everything/the last 6 months/some important project]".

SEO, living with it.

Thu, 2011-06-09 16:24 — jlopez

SEO companies have created an interesting dilemma. On one hand, they have created a market for their services which is self perpetuating: a company without good SEO is at a disadvantage compared to one with strong SEO behind it, which creates more demand for their services. The amount of disadvantage depends on the companies business.