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  • Installing the Windows SBS 2003 R2 Premium Technologies

    This simple guide covers what you need to know to install the Premium Technologies. Installing SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition You can install SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition as your database for a business application. Additionally, you can upgrade the instance of Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine (Windows) (MSDE) that is used by Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services if you want to be able to search document libraries in your company's internal Web site. For step-by-step instructions about how to install SQL Server 2005, download the file sqlinstallsteps.htm below. Installing ISA Server 2004 You can install ISA Server 2004 as the firewall for your local network. For step-by-step instructions about how to install ISA Server 2004 with Service Pack 1, download the file isainstallsteps.htm below. Installing FrontPage 2003 You can install FrontPage 2003 on one computer in your Windows SBS network and then use FrontPage to create or modify your Internet Web site. Note It is recommended that you do not install...

  • Transition Pack for Windows SBS 2003 R2

    Very small and simple documentation on how to move from SBS 2003 R2 to Windows Server Standard 2003 R2, Exchange 2003 SP2 etc. These documents cover Standard and Premium editions. Download details: Transition Pack for Windows SBS 2003 R2 ttfn David

  • Want to play with Vista, but don't want to install it - Welcome to the Microsoft Virtual Lab for Windows Vista

    I have had a few people say they don't have the resources to load and explore Vista, but wanted to see more. Well now you can explore all the following subjects without leaving your desk or loading a DVD. The Vista lab covers the following areas: Microsoft Virtual Lab Express: Exploring New Functionality in Internet Explorer 7 Using System Image Manager to Automate Windows Vista Installations Windows Vista: Image Engineering Configuring Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Exploring New Group Policy Settings in Windows Vista Exploring User Account Control in Windows Vista Migrating User State from Windows XP to Windows Vista Managing Windows Vista and Windows Server Longhorn Network Bandwidth with Policy-based Quality of Service Managing Windows Vista Using New Management Technologies Source: Microsoft Virtual Lab: Windows Vista Enjoy them! ttfn David

  • CRM Webcast focusing on the customer's needs that CRM can help solve

    CRM: Focus on the Customer Tune in and learn how you can help increase sales success, deliver superior customer service, and make informed, agile business decisions with Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Whether your organization is currently using Microsoft CRM or considering it, this Webcast series offers demos and interaction with CRM experts that you won’t want to miss. ttfn David
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  • How patching should be done for all servers and clients - by Susan Bradley (super Jedi)

    I still fear Susan and what she would do if I ever made a serious security blunder. Luckily for me, I haven't yet. I also love the way she tells you the way it should be and makes it easy. I went through the process of evaluating my patches and then installing those I thought were needed (I do have some Office components on my test server, but I am hoping she will let me off for that). I was thinking on how to write this up when I say Susan's entry The risk evaluation of patching and saw she put it exactly how I would have done. What is my message - use her process and your customers will be as safe as can be expected. In fact, I applied the IMF patch immediately, which resulted in Exchange being offline for a few minutes, which when using Outlook 2003 or 2007 is no biggie at all. ttfn David

  • BitLocker is very secure, so how can you prepare for when you or your customer looses their key / password so their disk is not turned to mush?

    I have been asked this before - how can someone recover information if they forget their BitLocker password. One of the things that Bitlocker does now is offer a recovery mechanism. This is not something that can be done post a failure, but at the time a disk is encrypted. This is documented on the Bitlocker Team's blog at Open Sesame: BitLocker Recovery Passwords . ttfn David

  • If you are interested in the Full Disk Encryption(BitLocker™ Drive Encryption) feature in Vista - it has been made over

    This tool has been made over, simplified and is now far less confusing. While the full capability to re-partition the disk if required is not automated, the info at BitLocker™ Drive Encryption Team Blog : BitLocker Makeover also provides RC1 step by step instructions too. ttfn David

  • Is Windows SharePoint Services taking ages to display the gallery when you are trying to add a web part?

    This is a quick one to speed up WSS when using it, especially when doing demos. The service by default will try to connect to the web to get the online gallery - remove this and things speed up amazingly :-). For into on how to change this, have a look at Is it taking ages to display the gallery when you are trying to add a web part? ttfn David

  • Running SQL Server on Microsoft Windows Server Longhorn or Microsoft Windows Vista

    Most people do not run SQL on their Windows client PCs, with the exception of MSDE. Windows Vista will not support MSDE (aka SQL 2000), so applications dependant on SQL will need to be moved to SQL Express, which in simple terms is SQL 2005 MSDE on steroids. I have checked and Microsoft will be releasing updates to it's packages that are supported on Vista to move them to SQL Express. Obviously, if you are looking at Vista, check with other 3rd parties to ensure they are doing the same. More details can be found at Running SQL Server on "Microsoft Windows Server Longhorn" or Microsoft Windows Vista . ttfn David

  • Windows XP SP1 support is ending in October

    Support Ends for Windows XP Service Pack 1 http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=5159878 Effective October 10, 2006, support for Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) will end. After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide any incident support or security updates. To enhance the security of your computer and to continue receiving updates, we recommend upgrading to Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2). To learn more about this upgrade and the free technical support provided to download and install the service pack, visit the Web site http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=5159908 . You know the answer, if your customers are not on XP SP2, time to move them up. ttfn David

  • Small Business Security Guidance (Windows Clients and Peer to Peer networks)

    These documents are slightly old, as in published in late July 2006, but very much worth a read and a potentially useful as a checklist for those customers without servers in their environment. Protecting Client Computers from Network Attacks.doc Securing Remote Clients and Portable Computers.doc Securing Windows XP Professional in a Peer-to-Peer Networking Environment.doc Link to Download details: Small Business Security Guidance ttfn David

  • Small Business Security Guidance (via Group Policy)

    These are a little old, as in published on 21st July 2006, but still great step by step guides on how to ensure that servers and clients connected to them are secure. They do not just look at SBS 2003, but also Windows 2000 & Windows Server 2003 server environments too. How to Configure Windows Firewall in a Small Business Environment using Group Policy.doc How to Configure Windows XP SP2 Network Protection Technologies in a Small Business Environment.doc Securing Internet Information Services 6.0.doc Link to Download details: Small Business Security Guidance ttfn David

  • Simple tool - online alarm clock - ever needed a really big alarm clock on your PC?

    Maybe it is just me, but I often want a huge clock on my PC when I am in a hotel, and I want there to be a wake up call. This web site gives me exactly what I want - http://onlineclock.net/ ttfn David
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  • Fair and honest appraisal of the browser wars - Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Netscape and Firefox

    I am someone who likes the best browser for me. While I have often tried other browsers, I have always come back to IE based ones. I say IE based ones as I was a Avant and Maxthon user for a good 2 years until IE7 came on the scene. I loved tabbed browsing and those browsers gave me that. The discussion can be found at the CRN web site and does an amazing job of describing the browser wars and talking about who won each round. What might surprise many is that MS has not won many, but does have a large base now and the verdict is open for the next round. For the record, I now use IE7, I still get tabbed browsing and quick tabs and I have not yet had a site I could not browse, so that is great. I LOVE the new security features - protected mode and anti-phishing technology. I save trees with the "about time" feature of shrink to fit for printing and when I start the browser, it opens up the 8 pages I want it to in tabs, so no longer choosing which page will be my homepage, I have 8. (as it happens, they are Valdville...

  • Office 2007 beta 2 Tech Refresh 2 is available to download

    Hopefully you are aware of Office 2007, the soon to be released next version of Office. Microsoft previously had made this available to 2.5M people for download and then beyond that was on a cost recovery basis. Well, the refresh is out, with a huge number of improvements and available for download with the number expected to be much higher than the previous beta build. To go get this, go to http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview ttfn David

  • Vista could create 50,000 jobs in Europe

    Recently there has been discussion about Vista in Europe around security - some to-ing and fro-ing around if there will be a requirement to ship a version without security features. While all this stuff has been going on, there has also been some discussion around the impact of Vista on the European economy. Vista could create 50,000 jobs in Europe | Tech News on ZDNet European Launch of Windows Vista is on Track ttfn David

  • how up with technology (E-typed) is your neighbourhood (or Britain's digital tribes)

    I love the User Experience Trends Blog that covers all sorts of weird and wacky things, but saw this and just had to comment on it. UCL have mapped the country and put postcodes into technology usage. I didn't agree with mine, so added the feedback. Anyway, here is the item from the blog: Classifying by technology use Britain's digital tribes revealed . "Households in Britain can be classified into 23 "e-types" depending on their access to technology, say researchers. E-types include mobile explorers, the e-committed and rational utilitarians. [...] Every postcode in Britain has been assigned a classification which people can check online to see if they agree with the researcher's analysis. "What really emerges is that almost all of the types have some interaction with technology," said Professor Paul Longley, who led the study at UCL. "In a sense we are all digital now"" ttfn David
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  • Want to understand the details about Windows Vista's changes to the network stack, IP6, diagnostics etc

    http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/netw... will be your answer. ttfn David

  • Want to understand more about BitLocker (drive encryption) in Vista and how to set it up?

    Vista has loads of features, but for those small businesses who think that spending the small amount extra to get Software Assurance for the Enterprise version or Ultimate Edition to get the disk fully encrypted, so that even with physical access to the machine the disk is still unreadable, this is the info you need. I don't see all small businesses needing this, but for those that do, here is how to set it up and understand what it is doing. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=90c3a9c7-e324-404d-afad-e8f52885419d&DisplayLang=en ttfn David

  • Microsoft acquired Win Internals (SysInternals.com)

    http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/jul06/07-18WinternalsPR.mspx This is a bit of old news, but I have not reported it. There has always been a set of amazing tools that were usable to diagnose inside Windows, they were sold from a company called WinInternals, who then produced a set of free tools on the web site http://www.sysinternals.com . These tools I normally use are below. I use them for those questions like "what file is failing to load", or "where is it looking in the registry" or "what process is using all the CPU". Filemon This monitoring tool lets you see all file system activity in real-time. MoveFile Schedule file rename and delete commands for the next reboot. This can be useful for cleaning stubborn or in-use malware files. PageDefrag Defragment your paging files and Registry hives! PendMove See what files are scheduled for delete or rename the next time the system boots. Autoruns See what programs are configured to startup automatically when your system...

  • Do you need to edit XML files

    If you need to edit XML files, this is the tool for you: XML Notepad 2006 that is it, enjoy ttfn David
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  • Save as PDF download for Office 2007 on the net for download

    This little feature was hotly debated as to whether any legal action would occur when Microsoft shipped it, but the download is now on the web. details on where to download are below, but lets talk about the use of this in a business context. While some people have said this is a nice feature why should anyone really care about it. Well, lets this of the uses of PDFs (I know we could discuss XPS, but most people know PDF, so PDF it is). Anyway, PDFs are often documents sent out in "final" form, such as an invoice, contract, purchase order, etc. Many smaller organisations want to send out these final documents, but the only option for them was to send a word document or excel spreadsheet. While these are as universal as PDF in terms of people being able to read them, they could also change them which is bad for those documents that you don't want people to change. Enter the Save as PDF feature - now you can send them documents which without some out of the ordinary methods, are now read-only. To get the download...
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  • Do you use Business Critical Support - did you know you need to re-register each year now?

    This one was a bit of a surprise to me, but my Dad, who is an IT Consultant phoned me up to explain that when he range business critical support for a customer down situation he was told that his registration had lapsed. He then had to go through a process to re-register before his call could be processed - and this all took valuable time. I put this down to my Dad's unique way of finding problems with systems, however the very next day I got a mail from another partner who hit exactly the same thing, so think of this as a warning, go give yourself the ability to call MS Support without them charging you when your customers are "down". To get more information and registration information (it is not a long process honest), go to Register for free- Business Critical Telephone Support for registration and http://www.microsoft.com/uk/partner/tech_support/b... for information. Once you are set up, you MUST note your Support ID - this is the magic that will make it work when you need it. ttfn David

  • Do you want to help your customers use more of Office and value your advice more?

    This is a fab tool - for example, the page has: Inside Microsoft Office Excel 2007 Stop the Press -Microsoft Office Excel 2007 - making working with numbers easier than ever! Where minutes are kept and hours are wasted Well-planned and organised meetings can be very useful. However, not all meetings leave attendees feeling like their time has been well spent! Internet Explorer 7 RC1 Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) RC1 is now available with new features. Download it today! Making the most of Virtual Meetings with Live Meeting Transform the way you operate at work Get more done in meetings Edit Data quickly Instead of using the formula bar to edit the contents of a cell, you can edit directly in the cell by double clicking it. View archive Have a look for much, much more. ttfn David

  • Financing help from Microsoft for customer - partners can finance the whole deal, services, software and hardware - get the 1st 6 months for £50 per month followed by 36 monthly payments

    Buy now pay later '6/50' promotion from Microsoft Financing This attractive low-start offer will help drive adoption of new product releases, providing you with a simple, compelling way to sell IT solutions, including software, hardware and your own services. Customers pay just £50 each month for the first six months, and the loan balance is then paid in 36 monthly installments. Financing is available for the complete Microsoft solution, not just the Microsoft product elements. This is not always the most competitive rate a customer can get, but it is extremely useful especially when the rates the customer has been offered is not so good. ttfn David
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(c)David Overton 2006-23