Download Pick of the Week: Windows Automated Installation Toolkit, How to Make a PE Boot Disk

Hi All,

I have spoken about the new Pre execution enviroment (2.0) that will be available when Windows Vista Releases and this weeks download pick it eh Windows Automated Installation Toolkit which allows you to create a Vista PE Environment.  You'll need the toolkit, a Windows Vista DVD (just released in Technet plus if you get it) , a Technician Computer, Master computer, a Floppy/USB stick and a blank CD/R disk to do this. (obviously your machine will also need at least a CDR burner.

 

In Mark Minasi's latest newsletter in the Tech section portion at  http://www.minasi.com/newsletters/nws0701.htm Rhonda Layfield has wrote an excellent article on how to make a PE boot disk.  This is a must read and print out and save article for any tech!

 

The article does not include the link to the WAIK but here it is:

 

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=993c567d-f12c-4676-917f-05d9de73ada4&displaylang=en

 

Microsoft also has a page set up for Vista downloads with many other items of interest at:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/downloads/winclient/windowsvista/default.mspx

 

One in particular that people should be looking at is the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor. This utility tells you what you need to do to get your computer ready for Vista.  I can save people a lot of time... don't even bother unless your workstation has at least 512 MB of memory.  http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/upgradeadvisor/default.mspx

 

Regards,

--
Jim Kenzig
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Services
http://www.thinhelp.com
Citrix Technology Professional
Provision Networks VIP
CEO The Kenzig Group
http://www.kenzig.com
Blog: http://www.techblink.com

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Microsoft to have MEGA Launch Event for VIsta/Office on January 23rd!

I wanted to remind you all that Microsoft is having a Mega Launch Event of Vista/Office 2007 across America on January 23 if a few weeks as a prelaunch for the January 30th release. You can now sign up for this event and it is not one to be missed!  SEE http://www.microsoft.com/business/launch2007/signup/default.mspx

And now the real reason to go.. they are offering a FREE version of Office 2007 and Vista to attendees!

And just for fun here are some Vista links to keep you busy..

Windows Vista - What You Need To Know (PC Magazine) http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,1874,1786052,00.asp
Why You Don't Need Vista Now (Wired News) http://www.wired.com/news/culture/reviews/0,72295-0.html?tw=rss.index
Q&A with Microsoft about Windows Vista (Lifehacker) http://www.lifehacker.com/software/vista/qa-with-microsoft-about-windows-vista-220986.php
How Windows Vista Will Affect Government Information (Free Government Information) A href=" http://freegovinfo.info/node/833

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TIP: Why your USB Key may not work on a public workstation and how to get it to work!

Our local Web Guru Greg Weller here at the Library I work for just came across some great information that I wanted to go ahead and pass along to the group about USB Drive issues on locked down machines. As most of you know not all USB Stick, keys, fob, or whatever you want to call them work on public computers. That is because a lot of them use a proprietary driver. Greg has discovered that holding the shift key down when inserting the device bypasses the request for driver installation and recognizes the key as a basic drive.

Here is the text from Greg:

There is a distinct class of USB drives that are labeled as a 'U3' device, or a SmartDrive. A lot of the Sandisk Cruzers are this type of device. Some other big ones are: Kingston U3 DataTraveler, Verbatim Store 'n' Go U3 Smart Drive, Intuix Smart Drive, Memorex Mini TravelDrive, and GeekSquad Flash Drives. The U3 home page is here:

http://www.u3.com/default.aspx

And there's a more comprehensive list of drives and what they look like here:

http://www.u3.com/smartdrives/default.aspx

The U3 device has a launcher application that starts when you plug it in and while they say that it doesn't affect the operating system it does in the sense that it needs to load some drivers in and then wants you to reboot the PC in order for it to work. Obviously, this is not going to work on a Dell in the branch. Here's the fix: Hold down the Shift key while you are plugging in the device, and keep the shift key held down for around 30 seconds. This disables the launch pad and it now looks like a plain old USB drive instead of a SmartDrive. The only other apparent solution to this is to wipe the drive completely to remove the software, which is not something that I would ever tell a patron to do. This 'fix' is from the USB page, and does not harm the drive. I tested it out on our Dell behind the help desk, and on a couple of machines at a branch and devices that I've never gotten to work on a Dell, worked fine. As far as it goes, it might just be a good idea to tell people to hold down the Shift key no matter what kind of USB drive they're plugging in.

Thanks for the tip and info Greg!

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Dowload Pick: PortableApps

This weeks download pick is a FREE utility called PortableApps that lets you run an application on any PC from a USB Stick or your Ipod or any portable disk.

They have even put together a suite of Apps called PortableSuite that you can download that includes things like Open Office, Firefox, Thunderbird and others.

Get it at:

http://portableapps.com/

From their site:

A portable app is a computer program that you can carry around with you on a portable device and use on any Windows computer. When your USB flash drive, portable hard drive, iPod or other portable device is plugged in, you have access to your software and personal data just as you would on your own PC. And when you unplug the device, none of your personal data is left behind.

No Special Hardware - Use any USB flash drive, portable hard drive, iPod/MP3 player, etc

No Additional Software - Just download the portable app, extract it and go

No Kidding - It's that easy

Consider the Possibilities...

• Carry your web browser with all your favorite bookmarks
• Carry your calendar with all your appointments
• Carry your email client with all your contacts and settings
• Carry your instant messenger and your buddy list
  
• Carry your whole office suite along with your documents and presentations
• Carry your antivirus program and other computer utilities
  
• Carry all your important passwords and account information securely
  

Consider the Convenience...

• Have your favorite websites handy to recommend to a friend or colleague
• Have your presentation AND the required software ready to go for that big meeting
• Have your password with you if you want to bank online while traveling
• Have utilities handy when visiting family or friends that are having PC problems

Definitely worth having a look at!

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Download Pick of the Week: WiseSoft Password Control

Hi All,
While thumbing through the lastest ission of Redmond Magazine I came across a suggestion for an Admin Password changing utility that can be give to Help Desk People. It is called WiseSoft Password Control. I installed the software on my Citrix PS 4 servers and published it as an app and it works a champ. Just for safety's sake I set windows file permissions on the executable so that no one else could "accidently" execute it. A nice feature of this utility is that it will let you disable and enable accounts also.
This is a FREE utility albeit you will be required to sign up for the website with a username and password and give up an email address to get it. To me it was definitely worth it.

Get it at:

http://www.wisesoft.co.uk/Products/PasswordControl/default.aspx

This site also has a few other useful utilities. One called NTFSFix that lets you do a global "fix" of permissions on user directories and one called scriptbuilder which helps you build and automate vbscripts.

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KB: Remote Desktop Connection 6.0 client update is available for download in the Microsoft Download Center

FYI:
Microsoft announced last week the Remote Desktop Connection 6.0 client update is available for download in the Microsoft Download Center.
This article discusses the Remote Desktop Connection 6.0 client update that helps you use the new Terminal Services features. These features are introduced in Windows Vista and in the Microsoft Windows Server Code Name "Longhorn" operating system from a computer that is either running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2).

See

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925876/en-us

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Is your company ready for the new document retention rules?

Is your company ready for the new document retention rules? 

 

The government recently enacted and law went in effect today requiring corporations to retain emails, blackberry messages and cell phone databases.

Would you be able to provide this info today.  This ruling is a golden ticket in Citrix's sales peoples pocket! Having all the word/email docs at the datacenter makes it a little easier to comply to this ruling.

Here is a couple links and an article on it:

http://law.richmond.edu/jolt/v12i4/article13.pdfhttp://law.richmond.edu/jolt/v12i4/article13.pdf
 

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=274762http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=274762
 

Here is an article from todays Cleveland Plain Dealer
New e-records rules go into effect today
Companies must be able to hand over electronic data
Friday, December 01, 2006
Janet H. ChoPlain Dealer Reporter

If you got slammed with a court request for all of your company's electronic records, including e-mails, BlackBerry messages and cell phone databases, would you be able to dig them up and hand them over?

Starting today, you don't have a choice.

Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure that govern electronic discovery take effect today, and they're far more expansive in terms of the kinds of data businesses have to keep, store and keep track of.

The new e-discovery rules require all businesses, both public and private, large and small, to hang on to e-mails, server backup tapes, home office computer data, BlackBerry messages, cell phone records and other electronic information - anything that could be sought in future corporate litigation, a fraud investigation, a mergers and acquisitions deal valuation or other proceeding. Penalties for non-compliance can include fines.

But some think the new rules could be as costly and burdensome for companies as complying with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which regulates corporate financial reporting and auditing.

Matthew Rechner, chair of the electronic discovery practice group and response team at the Cleveland law firm McDonald Hopkins Co. LPA, says the new guidelines formalize what the courts have been saying for years: that e-mails and other electronic data are relevant and can be requested as evidence.

Companies that update their policies can help insulate themselves against liability in future lawsuits.

"It's not something that happened overnight. This has been coming since the late '90s," said Tom Aleman, national service line leader for the analytic and forensic technology group at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services in Charlotte, N.C.

"Here now is written in stone: 'Thou shalt be ready.' "

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