If you have run across my blog searching for content, I am no longer here on myITforum. I will leave my posts in the hope that it helps someone looking for information on Microsoft products. If you want the new blog which has all the posts listed here, just click the link and you can see the new information as well. Rod Trent and the other members of myITforum have been a great resource and I hope to continue the relationship long after today. This is an awsome site for technical knowledge and I will continue to lurk around in my own way and possibly post here and there. If you like the content of my posts, make sure to bookmark the link below or just get the RSS feed.

P.S., I will be watching.... keep up the great work folks!

http://www.blogcastrepository.com/blogs/brian_tucker/default.aspx

Come on, register to get the content.. I know ya want to!

 

Looks like DNS has begun to replicate asross the USA. Getting confirmation that east and west coast can hit the new site. Let me know what ya think! Man, that was quick!

WWW.BLOGCASTREPOSITORY.COM

WOW, I have been waiting for this for almost 6 months! Seems like one thing after another has held me back from making the change to the new site. Community Server has a lot of new features in version 2.0 Beta 3 that help with the videos. That has been the tough hurdle to wait for CS to get the video issues resolved. Some of the new features are listed below.

• A community RSS feed that is made up of several different resources such as myITforum.com, TechNet, and a slew of others all in one feed which focus on Microsoft solutions.
• Registered users will have their own “built-in“ RSS reader and you can add anything you want!
• Registered users will be able to post in the forums, but everyone can read.
• Want a blog? Add it yourself when you register.
• Want a place for your pictures, add it wen you register!
• When you register, you can post videos and Blogcasts. Each Blogcast and video has a comment section now where both registered and non-registered users can make comments and rate the video!
• Registered users can post files and documents to share immediately with everyone.
• New Blogs skins for you bloggers.

I think the theme really allows people to talk about the videos and post questions which we never had before. I always wanted a site that had the features that make it “community” rather than see and walk away... I hope you like it. I made it for you.

131 Videos and counting....

Some of you may know that I am doing a full upgrade to The Blogcast Repository. I have been really impressed with the work of Michael Trefry who has custom developed a large portion of the site and is responsible for everything you see above the basic Community Server website. Michael spent a bunch of time making the video section look the way I wanted it and I think everyone will love what they see (thanks Mike for not killing me with all my requests). Mike is always looking for new work to develop custom solutions for sites based on Community Server. If I had the choice to pick a developer again, I would not think twice to hire Mike.

As for the site. I'm really excited to say that sometime this week will mark the birth of the new site. I will post more in the next few days. We are up to 126 videos and will continue to push forward as new blogcasts are created. When you see a new blogcast somewhere, make sure to add it to the site. Some blogcasts are hosted and others are linked, so add all you can to make the most of the site!

Keep your ears perked, DNS changes will begin in the next few days! Below is the new site logo!

I spent 3 days in Utah last week meeting with the Vintela (Quest) development group to learn about their VMX extension to the SMS 2003 admin console. The VMX SMS client will allow you to manage Unix, Linux, Solaris, Mac and a few others in the same way we manage Windows SMS clients. Not being a Unix guy, it takes a little to learn that side of the process. You will need to work closely with the Unix admins to properly configure packages for each OS. Anything you can do with a Windows SMS client, you can do with Vintela's SMS VMX client. After working with the product, it's very easy to manage the Unix environment. If you have Unix in your company and are interested in possibly adding those OS's to SMS, read the documentation on Vintela's website.

If you are interested in seeing how it all works, just watch the Blogcast!

There are 4 parts in the video and the time is 25:24. Let me know if you have questions.

This is very interesting to me now that I travel all the time. When I am home, I can send email no problem, but when I'm in Chicago, I can't send anything. I can get my mail, just not send. After 3 weeks of dealing with this I found the answer after a little searching. I should have done this weeks ago. Turns out that many ISPs are blocking routing of SMTP mail due to large numbers of SMAM emails. So, what the ISPs have done is block outgoing mail to 3rd party email providers. I opened a command prompt and did a “tracert yahoo.com” (without quotes) and found the hop for the ISP for where I am staying. My ISP where I am in Chicago is Ameritech. So I did a search on Google for “Unable to send email in Outlook” and found this link with a little digging. http://www.ameritech.net/help/email/Youremailsettings_427.shtml

Well, geezzz there is the SMTP address I needed to use for Chicago. Now I can send email from my personal account. Very strange, but it works. Here are some of the others I found.

If you're using DCAnet, enter postoffice.dca.net

If you're using AT&T WorldNet, enter mailhost.worldnet.att.net

If you're using MindSpring, enter smtp.mindspring.com

If you're using Microsoft's MSN, enter smtp.email.msn.com

If you're using Prodigy Internet, enter smtp.prodigy.net

If you're using Sprynet, enter smtp.sprynet.com

If you're using EarthLink, enter mail.earthlink.net

If you're using NetZero, enter smtp.netzero.net

If you're using another ISP, contact your ISP for the correct setting for their outgoing (or "SMTP") mail server.

 

If you have yet to notice, Matt Broadstock is hitting us with some great information on SMS and scripting for Active Directory. If you are not reading Matt's information, you are missing out! One of the smartest guys I have ever met... need not say another word on that subject..

If you knew only half of Matt's skills on Micosoft technology.. you would be blown away!!!!!

I guess it's an inside joke, but after a month without the crew (you know the drill guys), it felt just out of place killing the cat on my own.... http://www.thebestsean.com/games/kitty.html

It's just not the same killing the kitty without the crew.... You know the drill... IM me crew and let's get it going again! straehley@hotmail.com Race to 1,000 again????

How many times I have spent at the keyboard and typed a million words only to delete the post I want to display..... Too bad this is only what the world will see...today...

Ok, I have been talking about some site changes for The Blogcast Repository for a while now. However, for those who have asked, I have been providing links to the new test site. I have been working after hours and doing what I can (in my limited knowledge of web site design) to get things finished. I don't have the funds to hire someone (as always)! I just noticed that there were 23 people viewing the site.. so much for silence.... So, if you are interested in the future path of The Blogcast Repository, check it out. Maybe it's a good thing that people see it before it's finished so you can give me ideas. It's become my passion and your site, so your opinions should count right? Here are some of the improvements in my design phase...

1. A dynamic web page that will pick up on all blogcasts posted to the internet. This makes the site a “one stop see all” when it comes to free videos on MSFT products. Not available yet, but soon! That I will pay for!

2. Blogs for anyone who does not have one yet and is interested in MSFT technology... I have 44 different blog theme options to choose from! Yea baby!

3. Forums to discuss technology related to the blogcasts.

4. For those who register, feel free to post your family, business and technical pictures in the gallery (none of that adult stuff Rod! LOL)

The site is STILL under development and not ready to register people for production use (although functional), but feel free to check it out and of course let me know if ya like it or feel I should add something. I will yet everyone know when the final go live date is. In my book, when I finish it, I will post it here, call it a day and see what happens. :)

There are only a few people doing videos like this on a free basis and I think it will still require a bit of time before things really pick up. I would of course really apreciate it if the myITforum members support the site. The forums are not a replacement for the myTforum forums, but a place where people can comment on the videos and ask questions in a single location.

It should be fun! The current site is static without interaction and in my opinion that sucks. The new site is built on Community Server and the next version (2.0) has provisions for video files which can be seen at The Hive. I'm not as fast on some levels at Microsoft and don't have deep pockets for development. Man that sucks!

So, here is is (in development)! let me know what you think! btucker@blogcastrepository.com

THE NEW SITE!   Not all video links work yet, I am showing this for it's future potential. I still need to setup the nav structure as well. What is it with me and dark website colors???

 

 

We ran across an issue the other week where we had 10 - 20 SMS clients per site that were failing to run the new updates because the scan tool had failed. A quick post to the myITforums seems to have paid off. Matt Dewell came up with a great fix that worked on all the failed clients. Here is a copy of the script below. We made it into a batch file, added it as a package and advertised it with SMS.

Let me know if you have questions.

cd %windir%\system32
regsvr32 wuapi.dll /s
regsvr32 wuaueng.dll /s
regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll /s
regsvr32 wucltui.dll /s
regsvr32 wups.dll /s
regsvr32 wups2.dll /s
regsvr32 wuweb.dll /s
net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
rmdir /S /Q %windir%\softwaredistribution
net start wuauserv
net start bits
exit /B 0

Here is the error from the scanswapper.log file.

ERROR: Failed while processing the executable. Cmdline=["C:\WINDOWS\system32\VPCache\009001ED\SmsWusHandler.exe" /Catalog:C:\WINDOWS\system32\VPCache\009001ED\wsusscan.cab /OutputXml:C:\WINDOWS\system32\VPCache\009001ED\Results.xml], CurrentDir=[C:\WINDOWS\system32\VPCache\009001ED], ExitCode=[340]

Sorry I have not been able to post lately, but I started my new job with Intrinsic. I'm in Chicago on the 24th floor and looking out over the southern skyline. The view at night is very cool. The windows are from floor to ceiling and span 25 feet! Not a bad place for one person...

It's been a learning curve being on the road this week. It's strange how different it is being away from your wife and family. It's worth it as I am working with really talented people and the projects are going to be great. The discovery phase is almost complete so the lab gets built next week for the proof of concept. Should be fun.

I ended up getting the HP Pavilion laptop I mentioned the other week. Man is this thing big and heavy, but does the job well so far. Blogging from it now! :)

Noticed the new SMS / MOM website. Geezzzz, I missed everything. I finally got a chance to read the emails on that subject. I have my opinions on the subject, but choose to keep it to myself.

Too funny!!! I ran across Michael Schorr's comments on the SMS email list and I have to say that I like him a lot. I really do have a lot of respect for him, I'm not making a joke! He's killing me! If you remember the issue Chris has with my comments on how training should be free....  FREE FREE FREE... LOL

“How about http://www.blogcastrepository.com/  or www.learnsms.com?   These sites that I mention are all beneficial and I do not recall them destroying the Sys Management community.”

We will have to keep an eye out for Chris Sugdinis's blog! Sounds like some good stuff will be in the pipeline. Welcome Chris!

Well, it's late and I have a client to work for in the morning. Keep the faith folks!

By the way... there's a new developer blogcast on the site. If you're a dev guy, check it out! The dev guys always have great title pages! AND... he's a MVP doing a blogcast and it's free.  LOL I'm killing myself on this tonight. I gotta go to bed....:) If you knew the conversations I have had on this the past few days...

 

 

This is the last week with my client of 2+ years. Nothing beats the feeling of knowing something better is around the corner. I can't wait for the change and I'm still waiting to hear where I'm going. First I was told that I would be in Alabama and now I might be in Chicago for 4 - 6 weeks first and then possibly Alabama. Not knowing is killing me! Well, if I'm in Chicago I know I'll have to look a few people up! Two people come to mind, Dave Jaffe and Michael Schorr as they have been keeping contact for a while now. Both are great people and I look forward to hooking up soon if the client list permits. Hey Mike, need a speaker for the user group if I'm in the area? And Dave, I'm still working on the case study...

I'm thinking about this laptop and I have done the math. Can anyone shed me away from this? The link is just the basics, but mine would have all the good stuff. Roughly $1,873.99... any thoughts? Is there something better???

• Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 630 w/HT Technology, 3.0GHz
• 17.0" WSXGA+ BrightView Wide Viewing (1680x1050)
• 1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM, 533MHz (2x512MB)
• 60 GB 7200 RPM Hard Drive

• DVD+/-RW/R & CD-RW Combo w/Double Layer

• 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) X600
• Earbud Headphones with In-Line Volume Control
• HP Mobile Remote Control

I have compared the laptop to several Dell models and this seems to be the best for price and options. If anyone has an opinion, let me know! Btucker @ blogcastrepository.com

 

Craig had an incredible experience on the highway today. Great work Craig! Ya know, helping people has always been a part of my life and it's a testamony to this community when we have people who go above and beyond to be there for others. Not only helping with technology, but just being a great person in every aspect. I know a lot of people who would have kept driving and nerver stop to help someone like that. Sounds like the Craig's the hero of the day!

I commented on Richard's post the other day and he sent me an email in response. Here's what he sent. As soon as I have a spare moment, I will test it. Thanks Richard!

I attempted to post a response however your blog doesn't allow comments:

The reason you are having this problem you are having is that 72 is not
valid when converted to Hex and then the wrong bit is set (it ends up
being 1001000 with 72 when it should be 101001000 which is 328 because
its a unsigned integer) so the Advertisement window freaks out. Just
glancing but those other values seem to be wrong as well. Two options
for you:

1. Do the type conversion on each property (I pulled the constants from
the SDK for you):

public const UInt32 BIT_RUN_FROM_LOCAL_DISPPOINT                    =
0x00000008;

public const UInt32 BIT_DOWNLOAD_FROM_LOCAL_DISPPOINT       =
0x00000010;

public const UInt32 BIT_DONT_RUN_NO_LOCAL_DISPPOINT             =
0x00000020;

public const UInt32 BIT_DOWNLOAD_FROM_REMOTE_DISPPOINT    = 0x00000040;

public const UInt32 BIT_RUN_FROM_REMOTE_DISPPOINT                =
0x00000080;

2. Run sms.msc /SMS:Nodeinfo=1 and just look at the RemoteClientFlags
value for each different setting on the Advertisement itself.

 

There's a lot of promise for Community Server, but why don't they add more stuff to the base package? I loaded version 1.1 today and when you create a new post to your blog, there's no editing! No hyperlinks, no bold text, nothing! How dumb is that? Ok, you can add in custom stuff, but why post stuff into your blog that's HTML text? Now that's a geek thing!

I mentioned not too long ago that I'm designing a new website to replace The Blogcast Repository. I'm in negotiations with an expert that will bring the site to new levels. Some of the new features are redundant with other sites as it happens sometimes, but there will be some very custom features as well. It's killing me not to divulge the nature of the site and its contents, but you will have to wait a bit longer. I'll tell you this, all blogcasts not uploaded to my site will be dynamically displayed in some sort of  format. Very cool stuff!

I'm putting a site together based on Community Server and there is a lot of promise with the technology. I believe Rod is doing the same upgrade for his site. It's funny, the more you spend time on a project, the more passionate you become. Everyone who reads my posts knows that I believe that knowledge and technology should be free. Well, I'm doing my part in the small effort I show here. I really believe my site will make a difference in the future. I admit, the last 8 months have been slow and a learning curve. I know that pay sites use certain software and I have access to that too (now that I did some research). It's all coming around and those of you who thought things were shutting down can hold onto your hats, because it's just around the corner. I'm thinking January 1, 2006!

If you have been using the ITMU, you have seen that in the product column of Software Updates there is Windows XP family. As of the newest patches this month (at first glance), now we also have Windows XP as a product. OK, which is it going to be? Why have both? Anyone have the answer?

Richard posted this a few months ago and I wanted to point some things out. Matt gave me all the values for this and we implemented value 72 as shown below. Here's the interesting point. When you change the value to 72, it changes the default value in a new advertisement to run from DP and download program from a remote distribution point rather than the default “do not run program“. Well, it's slick to make those modifications, but I ran into a few problems. I could no longer modify ANY advertisements. It would allow me to make changes, but as soon as I go back into the properties of the advertisement the changes are gone. Changing the default value back to 40 fixed all the issues. Has anyone been able to get this to work without these issues?

Here's a breakdown of all options for that RemoteClientFlags value:

Const RunLocal_DoNotRunRemote = 40

Const RunLocal_RunRemote = 136

Const RunLocal_DownloadRemote = 72

Const DownloadLocal_DoNotRunRemote = 48

Const DownloadLocal_DownloadRemote = 80

I completed our upgrade to the ITMU last month and tested to a site with 260 some odd workstations. Out of all those machines, only 4 failed. They failed because the Microsoft Update Scan Tool failed to run on the workstations, not because there was a problem with the updates themselves. I just got finished setting the advertisements to the sites that are being deployed on Monday morning. Roughly 2,000 machines will be upgraded during the night and I can't wait to see the results.

We have removed the MBSA scan on all the workstations and everything is running under the new ITMU scans (except the enterprise scan tool). From everything I have seen so far, the deployment should be a success.

Well, it's time to move on. My project is over and I'm moving to a new firm. I have accepted a position with Intrinsic who is based in Chicago. It seems that I will be joining a government project in the south for the next year on a 750,000 client SMS deployment. I'm being told that this is the largest SMS deployment in the world. It's going to be different being on the road all the time, but I will have to find a balance between being gone and what I do now. I'm sure there will be more info in the near future.

I do have to say that I have been looking at Intrinsic for a while now and the people seem great. Poeple make or break a company and I look forward to working on the project.

Rod posted earlier about Premium memberships at AppDeploy.com for $40. I followed the link and looked at the site a bit and noticed that they had “Nearly two full hours of video are currently available”. $40 bucks? What's wrong with that picture? Two hours of video is nothing and someone wants you to pay for it? Every day I like to look through my StatCounter logs and see who is lurking around. Here is someone who has never been at my site before and spent 3 hours and 45 minutes, FOR FREE! I am seeing more and more people like this in the logs as we have been getting more content. The people who have been making the blogcasts may not be getting paid, but it is a service to the community. 

 I have removed the org name and IP from the list.

Number of Entries: Entry Page Time: Visit Length: Browser OS Resolution

59 October 12th 2005 10:33:46 3 hours 45 mins 22 secs MSIE 6.0 Windows XP 1024x768

Returning Visits: Location: Hostname: Entry Page: Exit Page: Referring URL:

0 Massachusetts, Boston, United States rev5.XXXorg (X.X.X.X) www.blogcastrepository.com/SMS/Blogcasts/Contributor/Btucker/hasherrorbst.htm www.blogcastrepository.com/WINSVR/Contrib/btucker/ris101bst.htm www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22hash does not meet expected%22

 

LOL! I was just IM'n Tim and at the end he said that his laptop was out of juice. I thought those Microsoft guys had laptops with nuclear power!? Hmmm.... will have to investigate.. some things never change I guess. Anyway, does his post mean that Tim's going to write a MOM book?

If you have been following my blog, then you know I love to vacation on Edisto Island, SC. I had mentioned in my last post that it would be fun to share a house for a week with some people. Whether we share a house or a bunch of us all rent our own houses and hang out for a week, that would be great! Seriously, if you are interested in a bunch of us getting together for a week in 2006, let me know!

As I stated when I got home from vacation, we had some great pictures! Feel free to see how Edisto and great people make great smiles! How about a myITforum vacation on the beach??? We could all meet and share a house! I'm serious!!! Let me know if you are interested for next year! I know not everyone would come, but a bunch of us could have some serious fun....

http://blogcastrepository.com/photogallery/edisto_island_2005.htm

Who are you? Maybe Bill is checking up on me..... Out of all the hits from Microsoft (Redmond), this one has the most on my website. Send me an email if you are the user of that computer.

I just got an email from Joseph Gruber who suggested a Compaq R3000 / 4000 laptop based on my previous post. He suggested the AMD processor rather than a Intel Pentium. Anyone have good info on the AMD processor and why it might be better than a Intel? OK, that makes 2 lame people on a Friday night. LOL, any other takers????

I need to buy a really good notebook and I was wondering what people suggest. I have 12 computers in the house and not one laptop. I have been looking at Dell and Compaq (still hate that HP bought them), but the price of the one I would want is around $4,000! I need one with all the beefy stuff so I can do my blogcasts and just about anything when I'm not home.

Any suggestions? Send me an email or IM me.

Rod had posted earlier today that he is moving the website to a new hosting company. I sent him an email asking if the comments will finally work after the move. He replied and said that the comments will be working. Thank god! That's been a really frustrating issue for me. I mean, what's the point of a blog if people can't comment? It's good to see what people have to say about your blog. I can't wait. Sounds like we may have to wait a bit longer for spam control.....