Windows

Computerworld: The deal on the Windows DNS bug

The still unpatched Windows DNS Server bug has been the topic of many a security discussions during the past few days. If you’re running your DNS on a Windows Server (using DNS Server service), this affects you. Computerworld’s Gregg Keizer has a nice write-up about this issue that I just stumbled upon, thanks to Sunbelt […]

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Update on Vista’s Auto-tuning: problem limited to hotels

Ran into Steve Riley (Steve is Microsoft’s senior security strategist in the Security technology unit, and a “hypnotic” speaker with a great sense of humor. His sessions at technical conferences like Microsoft’s TechEd are popular and frequently standing room only… ) at Exchange Connections earlier today. I complained about Vista’s auto-tuning feature and my experience […]

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Windows Vista won’t get newsgroup list from news.microsoft.com

Unsettling as the loss of a laptop is – with plenty of other data, I also lost my “database” of over 7000 posts to Microsoft Exchange public newsgroups :( – it is even more unsettling to use a temporary laptop that’s running a new operating system – Windows Vista. Don’t get me wrong – I […]

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What is the *real* maximum password length?

I’ve for long been an advocate of using long passwords, using entire phrases/sentences instead of a single more complex but short password. Some Windows Server 2003 documentation states the maximum password length is 28 characters (e.g. Enforcing Strong Password Usage Throughout Your Organization says “Although Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 support passwords […]

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Windows Vista RoI: BitLocker drive encryption enough to justify upgrades?

According to analyst Jon Oltsik of Enterprise Strategy Group, Windows Vista’s BitLocker drive encryption system provides enough RoI to justify the upgrade for enterprise customers. PC encryption tools have now become a “must-have” and most enterprises are considering deploying such tools. Standalone drive encryption utilities cost $100-$200 per system in acquisition cost alone. Add to […]

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Installing Windows Server 2003 Admin Tools on Windows Vista

Like many IT folks, if you’re ahead of the pack and now have Windows Vista RTM running on your laptop or workstation, you’re probably wondering about or may already have tried running Windows Server 2003 admin tools (adminpak.msi) and Exchange System Manager on Vista. These admin tools are not officially supported on Vista yet. MVP […]

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Short complex passwords easier to crack than simple long ones

Infoworld columnist Roger Grimes provides some interesting information in his Security Adviser column about (short) complex passwords being easier to crack than longer “non-complex” ones. I’ve always encouraged users to use phrases or short sentences as passwords rather than sticking to the short password lengths imposed by I.T. departments, and Grimes confirms that. Some interesting […]

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HOW TO: Get PowerShell version info

While the command ver (short for version) could get you the version info at a DOS/Windows command prompt, and winver does it in the Windows GUI, if you’re stumbling to find the version of Windows PowerShell installed on your computer, the command (cmdlet is the correct and official PowerShell term) you’re looking for is Get-Host. […]

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Chat with your Windows MediaCenter!

As reported by Engadget.com, you’ll love this concept and way geeky app to remotely tell Windows MediaCenter to record a tv show – just chat with it over MSN Messenger! Stuck in a car with no way to record a tv show? You can now do it over a Windows Mobile phone (signed in to […]

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Add/Remove Windows Components and other time-saving shortcuts

Keyboard/command-line short-cuts that get you to a particular control panel applet or Windows dialog box are usually such great time-savers if you use them enough and (therefore) can remember them. Here’s a list of some great time-saving short-cuts – (some will impress even your IT Pro colleagues… ): The number one time-saver for me is […]

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