AZ SMB IT Thoughts

Danger Danger!!!

Windows Update is not perfect and can become unable to install updates!

What??? You are not surprised? No revelations here to you?

OK. This is not news. If anything, it is a reason to start drinking.

Maybe I can save you from the unrelenting desire to find a fifth of Jack Daniels. That is if your error in the Windows Update log is "FATAL: Error: 0x80004002".

First things first. Lets cover some steps for locating and correcting the 0x80004002 error.

1. Identify the symptoms.
   In the case of the 0x80004002 error that I ran into, the updates would download, but fail as soon as you attempted to install them. This was the same behavior whether you started the Windows Update process from Internet Explorer or approved the updates that Windows had downloaded by itself. If Windows Update 3.1 or Geniue Advantage was attempting to install, they would also fail.
   
   
2. Look in the Windows Update Log.
   This log is in the Windows directory and is named "windowsupdate.txt". The latest entries are at the bottom of the log. Look there for "FATAL: Error: 0x80004002" error. If you find it, then perhaps the solution that follows will correct your issue.
   
   
3. Reregister the Windows Update dlls.
   I located these commandline entries on this Microsoft Forum link. Make a batch file from these entries and run the batch file. At least in my case, I was able to install the updates without further incident.
   
   net stop wuauserv
   regsvr32 wuweb.dll
   regsvr32 wups2.dll
   regsvr32 wups.dll
   regsvr32 wucltui.dll
   regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll
   regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
   regsvr32 wuapi.dll
   regsvr32 wups.dll
   regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
   regsvr32 wucltui.dll
   regsvr32 wuweb.dll
   regsvr32 msxml.dll
   regsvr32 msxml2.dll
   regsvr32 msxml3.dll
   regsvr32 urlmon.dll
   regsvr32 softpub.dll
   regsvr32 initpki.dll
   regsvr32 mssip32.dll
   regsvr32 wintrust.dll
   regsvr32 dssenh.dll
   regsvr32 rsaenh.dll
   regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll
   regsvr32 sccbase.dll
   regsvr32 slbcsp.dll
   regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll
   regsvr32 jscript.dll
   net start wuauserv

You don't have to become a drunk over Windows Update issues.

Whether Vendors, Clients, the dog next door, the bozo driving next to you... you just feel beatup...

Oh Man!!! Let a virus attempt to pass that Firewall!

If you need the functionality of 2 computers accessing two different networks on the same monitor and keyboard while using one physical machine, listen up!

I have a client that was subcontracting some work for another company. The other company moved in to an ajoining suite, so physical connection of the networks was possible. Some of my client's employees needed access to the LOB of both companies. That originally meant purchasing second computers for these employees and placing them on kvm switches. Cost was limiting how many employees could be setup this way.

What if we load virtual machines on the existing workstations? We can install a second network adapter in each computer to allow the virtual machine to connect to the second network. Tinker, install, load OS, expand memory... 2 hours later, it works! Duplicate virtual machine to additional computers. Client saves a bunch of money. IT consultant looks like he knows what he is talking about. Employees do not have to switch between 2 computers. Power utility sells less power. All positives!

Well... There were a couple of snags along the way.

SEPARATE THE NETWORKS : To make the networks not intermingle, attach the second adapter to the virtual machine. Then, uncheck all services on the second adapter inside the host OS except Virtual Machine services. Just run "ipconfig" on the host OS to verify that the second adapter does not appear. That way, neither the host nor the virtual can access both networks.

ERASE THE MAC ADDRESS : Open the vmc file for the virtual machine and erase the mac address. Don't worry. A dynamic mac address will be generated the next time the machine is started. If you don't do this, every copy of the virtual machine will have the same mac address and will pull the same ip address from DHCP. You will see some strange thing happen on your network then!

Hopefully this will encourage you to think of offbeat ways to use Virtual PC...

Have you got an executive that has more than one company to exec at? I do. What do you do to allow them access to multiple Exchange accounts from one computer? Pop3? You lose Calendar, etc. OWA? A little different interface with limitations. RWW? Got to have a pc at the office or a virtual machine at the office to login to. RDP? Same issue as previous.

Well, none of those are very elegant. All either require extra steps and/or give up some of Outlook's strengths. BAH! Need real Outlook that is local and quick. Something simpler that allows them access to their all their different companies' exchange accounts from the same computer/laptop even when not connected to the internet.

You see, Outlook will only support one exchange account at a time. "AT A TIME" is the magic phrase. With some extra thinking, I thought myself out of this box. Two solutions (gems produced by the overheating of my brain and pressure inside my head) have come to mind.

• Outlook Profiles:
  Create a profile for each exchange account, setting them up as "Outlook Via HTTP". The executive would have to select which profile to access at a time, but not a time intensive or error prone problem.

• Virtual Machines (Coolness!!)
  This is the techie "Cool" way to do it. It involves running Outlook in multiple virtual machines at the same time. I created a virtual machine on an XP Pro workstation, loaded XP Pro on the virtual machine, and then loaded Outlook into the virtual machine. The host XP Pro computer had Outlook that accessed one exchange account and the virtual machine had an Outlook that accessed a different exchange account. Sure its more complicated. Sure it requires more licenses. But it is COOL. ... And it does work. I can have both Outlooks open and see them get email AT THE SAME TIME! Did I mention it was COOL?

I am glad to "work around" my original problem of providing this for an executive. The practical way is the first one. It can be done without any additional software cost. The second is appropriate if the executive requires more than one PC attached to the domains of the different companies. Thankfully, that is not the case with my executive.

Swapping Motherboards - No More Nail Biting!

Swapping motherboards in a existing computer is nothing to be relished. Driver incompatibilities will drive you to chew your nails off.


The HIR (Hardware Independent Restore) feature in the ShadowProtect IT 3.o Edition is marvelous! But it can be used in a case where you did not backup an image.

I had a client that had a computer go to electric heaven this week. Just the motherboard stopped working. The hard drive was replaced within the last four months. Told the client today that I would build them a new computer and have it ready with all the employee's stuff on it before the employee returns from vacation on Tuesday. There is just one problem.

EQK! I am leaving for WWPC in Denver on Sunday.

How could I get this done in time? StorageCraft to the rescue. I had a revelation earlier this week. Since ShadowProtect HIR has a mode to allow it to work on the image after it is restored, I could use it to change and match drivers on hard drives without restoring an image!

That fit my current situation. I ran by my favorite component distributor just before they closed on Friday and picked up all the parts for a new computer except the hard drive. I constructed the new computer and transferred the old hard drive to the new computer. I booted from the IT Edition cd and used HIR to replace the drivers. I only used drivers that were a fair match or higher. The network card and audio card showed no driver matches, so I did not replace the drivers. A quick reboot and Voila! Windows XP booted on the new motherboard. I then ran the drivers cd for the new motherboard.

What a relief! I will hand the computer to my backup tech tomorrow night at dinner and he will install it on Monday for me while I am hobnobbing at the Small Business Symposium :^).

Wow! A quick switch of all hardware except the hard drive, a HIR config, load some drivers, and now a network station from a SBS network is ready to go back on the network WITHOUT any additional configuration! And I still have my nails!

The Waiting Game - Virtual Server 2005 R2 and ShadowProtect

Had an issue with a server that had way too many experiments performed on it. You know. Failed CRM installs, bits and pieces of monitoring packages left over, etc. It was, unfortunately, my main SBS server. Reloading from scratch was not the best option; losing my profiles was unacceptable. I worked hard to gum up that Active Directory and wanted to keep as much of it as possible while cleaning out the refuse (taking out the trash).

Hallelujah, there is an option! Many of you have hear about the Swing Migration technique that Jeff Middleton has produced for cleaning and moving Active Directory to a , new server, saving the lone IT guy from endless hours of work and "cross your fingers" data transfers. My need was for a specific iteration of his technique called "Redeploying SBS 2003".

Success though is predicated on the originating server having a healthy AD. As it turned out, mine did not. I was ignorant of my AD issue and began my "redeploy"...more than once. Much weeping and gnashing of teeth later (screams, howling at the moon, reexamination of my purpose on earth), I found the resources that Jeff provided for diagnosing and repairing AD issues. My server must have just finished a personal diary, because it had a "Journal Wrap" error. Further study indicates that this is possible side effect of CRM installations on SBS.

Oh, Jeff, you are good. Thanks for the information and excellent troubleshooting guides. I should have turned to you sooner. Then I could have smacked that home run much much quicker!