Windows Server 2008 R2 - Print Servers and different architecture drivers

There comes a time where we all have to upgrade and move on away from old things to the new and mostly it is a good thing to do.  One pain in the side though that I am sure many technicians and consultants alike will face is the prospect of upgrading a Windows 2003 server with a Windows Server 2008 R2 version and want to get those lovely x86 printer drivers going.  Well I have news for you, it isn't always easy...

SQL Server - Active Directory Helper service does not start

I rebooted a server today and when it came back up I received the usual "Service Failed to Start..." hoo har that plagues all IT administrators.  Now most of the time it is the Network Load Balancing service or something that isn't in use but Windows will endeavour to start for you.

On this occasion though it was something that looked a bit more serious...

Exchange 2007/2010 - Powershell to obtain Distribution Group Members

The PowerShell is probably one of the best innovations within Exchange in the last two releases.  The only problem is that it does take a lot of getting used to and also you do need to have a little programming knowledge to work out the syntax (language for those not in the know) to make it do what you want.  Like all things Microsoft, it never works how you want it to but for once I managed to get it to do what I want...

Exchange 2003 - OWA stops working when you replace the certificate

Stricly speaking this won't be a guide but more of what to do if it "doesn't work like you think it should" sort of post.  I encountered an issue where Exchange 2003's Front End server stopped working when servicing OWA requests.  The certificate placed on the site was going to expire, a new one had been purchased and processed but when applied it failed.  404 and the joy of IIS and certificates...

Remote Desktop/Terminal Services - Error In The Licensing Protocol

One of the most common errors that I see working with RDS/TS is when a user attempts to connect and they receive the following message:

"The remote computer disconnected the session because of an error in licensing protocol."

Thoroughly frustrating but happens so often when licences either run out. 

Microsoft's solution is to remove the MSLicensing registry key which will resolve the issue if it's just an expired licence.  The problem still happens though in Windows 7 even after you remove that key and it's all down to that effective but stupidly annoying User Account Control (UAC to those in the know).

Microsoft TMG Server - Publishing a website that requires HTTP and HTTPS Traffic

This is the kind of post that might win me some award or it could be just useless twaddle that I find out during the day job that has foxed me for many a moon and someone might, just might, need to know.


TMG is Microsoft's ISA Server 2010 and for those that don't know either of those things, look away now for the rest of the post because you will be asleep by the end of it.


If you have a website that you want to publish both HTTP and HTTPS traffic for you may think this is very very easy and I can do this with no bother at all.  I had this notion when I started out trying to get it to work and we spent 4 years trying to get it to go - OK not 4 years but it's been that long since I looked at this issue and it only came about due to one of my customers requiring it and me not wanting to use just our main firewall.  Security is big these days...

Sims 3 - Freezing every few seconds...

Now I know this is probably not the most technical post to start with but I am quite proud I found the answer to the problem.

My wife, an avid fan of the Sims 3, doesn't do technology and when something doesn't work it takes all of 5 minutes before it is removed from her sight and something else takes it's place.

So when the Sims 3 stopped working as normal I was keen to get it going again as she does like it and I find game issues a real challenge compared some of the more mundane problems I have to solve each day. 

And unto us a blog was born...

To all those visiting my blog for the first time you most likely notice it's full of technical trash and mostly things people won't understand but I hope in writing my various notes on problems I come across during my working day I can help others understand why Microsoft don't make things work the way you think they should!

I will also be posting several odd fixes for things you might come across at home - for example your favourite game doesn't work or your Anti-Virus software clogs up the machine.  Useful things that might just be worth posting about.

All in all I am techy and a geek and proud of it - I was gifted by God to work with these machines and help others to not stress but relax and embrace technology.

Lets rock n roll...