For your information!! 

Sincerely,
 
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog:  http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site:  http://www.ceektechnology.com

WinRE, Page files, and GPMC Scripts

via TechNet Blogs by jlosey on 8/29/09

Since this blog is hosted on Technet, it is probably good to talk about technologies from time to time.    So I wanted to mention some things that I’ve come across recently.   While some of these are anything but new pieces of information, sometimes you don’t come across them until well after they’re available on the net.
The first thing I wanted to mention was WinRE, the Windows Recovery Environment.    While it is available to you by booting to a Vista/W2K8/Win7/W2K8R2 DVD, it is also possible to build and customize your own WinRE environment.   If you’ve tried searching for documentation on this, you’ve probably noticed that it seems a bit lean.    A friend pointed me towards one of the best WinRE resources I’ve seen so far on the net:   http://blogs.msdn.com/winre   I particularly like their post on how to make a bootable WinRE partition on the hard drive.   Granted, the post is a couple of years old already, but the steps are still great.
 
Within the e-mail distribution lists for our team, a topic that comes up about every 3-6 months is, “What are the recommendations for page files?”   Here are the resources that we usually pass around for understanding page files and determining the size you need to set them to:

• David Soloman – Understanding and Troubleshooting Memory Problems*
  http://www.microsoft.com/emea/spotlight/sessionh.aspx?videoid=64
  * Requires a Live ID login.
• http://blogs.technet.com/markrussinovich/archive/2008/11/17/3155406.aspx   (Scroll down to "How Big Should I Make the Paging File?")
• http://blogs.technet.com/perfguru/archive/2008/09/24/guidance-on-page-file-size-x64-and-x32-machines-windows-2003-servers.aspx
• How to determine the appropriate page file size for 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP
  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/889654

An important thing to remember about page files is that while Windows may not need to have a page file defined, the applications running on your system may require one.    Domain Controllers require a page file because the algorithm used to determine the memory available to allocate to caching the AD Database expects a page file because it uses the size of the page file as a variable in the calculation.   This is mentioned in the second paragraph in the Summary section of KB 889654.
 
One of the most overlooked capabilities made available when installing the Group Policy Management Console in Windows Server 2003 was the “Scripts” directory located within the installation location.   With Windows Server 2008, installing the GPMC does not install the scripts.   The GPMC scripts are available as a separate download.   You can find them here at download.microsoft.com and searching for “GPMC Sample Scripts”.   I was recently onsite with a customer evaluating their current GPOs and the scripts provided us with excellent information that was invaluable to our work.

For your information!! 

Sincerely,
 
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog:  http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site:  http://www.ceektechnology.com

Apple OS X Snow Leopard – the first 24 hours

via TechNet Blogs by Keith Combs on 8/30/09

On my way to meet the wife for dinner last night, I stopped by the local Apple retail store in Southlake, Texas to pick up a copy of OS X “Snow Leopard”.  The packaging and even the website for the Os proudly claims this version of OS X is “The world’s most advanced operating system. Finely tuned.”
My expectations were high after reading all of the hype over the past few months.  I was also anxious to see if Apple had really delivered a 64bit operating system for my relatively new MacBook Pro.  What a let down.
In-Place Upgrade
Like many people, I popped the DVD into my Mac and kicked off the upgrade.  The setup program informed me it would be about 45 minutes until it was complete.  The upgrade was painless.  All of my applications still worked.  I have a short list of apps on my Mac so I wasn’t too surprised.
I decided at this point to see if the 64 bit OS would do what I really want.  Virtualization.  So I removed the 4GB of memory and replaced it with 8GB of DDR2 PC2-5300 667MHz memory.  It appeared at first that all was well but as it turns out, that would not be the case.
Since I own a copy of VMWare Fusion, I figured I’d see what happens when I allocate a bunch of the memory to a Windows 7 Enterprise x64 virtual machine.  I started off with a crazy allocation, 6GB.  That didn’t work well.  In fact, I started backing down the allocation all the way back to 1GB and still had problems.  This seems familiar.  Time for bed.  Investigation to proceed later the next morning.
64 Bit Kernel Mode
Much to my surprise, my Mac was not running the 64 bit Snow Leopard.  I give Apple a break up to this point because if they had converted from a 32 bit OS to a 64 bit OS via an in-place upgrade, that would have been magic.  But they didn’t so there’s the first strike for the “most advanced” title.
As usual I started digging around the internet via bing.com and google.com to see what I could uncover.  I eventually stumble across http://mygrotto.org/2009/06/boot-64-bit-snow-leopard-kernel.php which does the best job of spelling out some of the tricks to force OS X 10.6 to load the 64 bit kernel.  I had already checked my EFI version and new it was EFI64.  I implemented the nvram boot-args AND the Kernel Flags in the /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist file.
Neither worked.  In fact, holding down the 6 and 4 keys at boot don’t force the 64 bit kernel to load either.  WTF?  Sorry, a little cussin is warranted at this point.  I got tired of messing around with this and figured it might be time to change direction.  So I flattened the box.
Flatten the Box
This particular figure of speech is in common usage among geeks.  In operating system parlance, it means to reinstall the OS after first repartitioning and formatting a hard drive.  It’s a really destructive step and one that “normal” users don’t do very often, if ever.  Most users have no clue how to really backup and restore a machine, so the notion that you are going to wipe a hard drive is a scary thought.  I do it frequently so I am well aware of the implications regardless of the OS.
Most of the instructions on the internet imply that a clean install of OS X 10.6 isn’t possible with the $29 DVD unless you already have 10.5 present on the target disk.  I tested this theory.  Sure seems like the theory is wrong.  I purposely whacked 10.5 with a hard drive wipe, powered off mid stream, wiped again, etc.  I was still able to boot from the Snow Leopard DVD and install.
Where’s my 64 bit kernel?
After the clean install completed, I set out again to force the 64 bit kernel to load.  None of the techniques worked.  Neither did the program at http://www.macdownloads.com/info.php/id/32252/32--or-64-bit-kernel-startup-mode-selector.
The world’s most advanced operating system?  Bull crap.  Here I have a rather expensive MacBook Pro that isn’t even two years old and STILL can’t run Apple’s premier operating system in full 64 bit mode.  By comparison, the Lenovo ThinkPad T61p I am typing this on is six months older and runs 64 bit versions of Linux, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.  In fact, R2 on my recent SSD drive is nothing short of breathtaking.  OS X 10.6 is not the most advanced operating system by my standards and I hold a really high bar.
Some Good News – Exchange mail support
After spending way too much time screwing around with trying to get the 64 bit kernel to load, there were some bright rays of light in my OS X 10.6 journey.  The new Mail program and it’s support for Microsoft Exchange is rather good at first glance.  Setup was easy and the sync process was ultra fast.  The preview pane sucks.  It only displays at the bottom and reminds me of a circa 1996 email program.  It’s threaded discussion view is pretty decent, so there are some aspects I like.  It’s also “free” with the OS.
I installed a number of other applications on Snow Leopard.  I first re-installed Office:Mac 2008.  After that, I headed over to http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.mspx and grabbed Entourage Web Services Edition, Messenger 7 and the latest RDP client.
The Entourage experience was much improved over prior versions I’ve used.  The initial sync was fast compared to the positively glacial speed of prior versions.  I like the Erage UI and like the OS X Mail client, setup was really easy.
Summary
I would hardly call OS X the most advanced operating system in the world.  Sorry, it just isn’t.  The 64 bit stuff should just work and I shouldn’t have to try and hack kernel settings via configuration files and non volatile boot args.  We kick Apples ass in that regard on a much wider array of consumer hardware, at a lower cost.  There is no debate on that.
If someone figures out why my Mac won’t run the kernel in 64 bit mode, let me know.  I’m probably going to take it to the local store and let the “Geniuses” there take a shot at it.  And by the way snarky people, don’t bother sending me a screenshot of your unibody Mac working perfectly.  My MacBook Pro hasn’t burned through it’s first Apple “Cares” agreement so this should not be happening on a Santa Rosa based mac.

• Board to Release Draft of Final Guidelines for Federal Outdoor Sites
• U.S. Signs U.N. Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities
• New Research Examines Effects of Cross Slope on Wheelchair Travel
• GAO Finds Limited Gains in Polling Place Access
• Charles Washington Named Board's Information Technology Specialist
• Web-Based Screen Reader in Development
• Disability.gov Launches Revamped Website 
• National Council on Disability to Host National Summit on Disability Policy

Board to Release Draft of Final Guidelines for Federal Outdoor Sites
The Board will soon release for public review a draft of final guidelines covering access to outdoor sites managed by the Federal government, including national parks and recreation areas.  These guidelines address how to achieve accessibility in outdoor developed areas and take into account challenges and constraints posed by terrain, the degree of development, and other factors.  They specify where compliance is required and provide detailed technical criteria for new or altered trails, beach routes, and picnic and camping facilities.  The guidelines will apply to sites developed or altered by Federal land management agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Army Corps of Engineers, among others. 

The Board is finalizing the guidelines based on public comments it received in response to a proposed version published in 2007.  The final version will include revisions made to clarify various provisions and exceptions.  Conditions that necessitate departures are recognized, including situations where meeting certain provisions would compromise natural features, require prohibited construction methods or materials, or be infeasible due to terrain. 

The Board is releasing a draft of the final guidelines to allow interested parties the opportunity to comment on the revised format.  As initially proposed, the guidelines were organized as a stand-alone document.  The Board has restructured the final version for integration into the Board's existing guidelines for facilities covered by the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), which were issued jointly with guidelines updated under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The ADA and ABA guidelines cover a variety of elements and spaces that are often part of outdoor developed areas, including parking, restrooms, drinking fountains, and recreation facilities.  Integrating the criteria for outdoor sites into the existing guidelines will be beneficial for many users by bringing all relevant information together in one source.  However, to preserve some of the benefits of a stand-alone document, the Board plans to prepare a companion guide on the final rule in cooperation with Federal land management agencies.

The draft final guidelines will be available for review for 60 days and will be posted on the Board's website at www.access-board.gov/outdoor/.  For further information, contact Bill Botten at the Board at outdoor@access-board.gov, (202) 272-0014 (v), or (202) 272-0082 (TTY).  The Board intends to develop similar guidelines for outdoor developed areas controlled by non-Federal entities at a future date.

U.S. Signs U.N. Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities
On July 30th the U.S. signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, a comprehensive global treaty to guarantee equality for people with disabilities.  To date, 141 other nations have signed the Convention with the intention to pursue ratification or have already ratified it.  The purpose of the Convention, as stated in its first article, is to "promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities."  It is estimated that more than 650 million people worldwide, approximately 10% of the population, have some type of disability and that this population is growing due to medical advances and increases in life expectancy. 

According to U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice, the Convention "urges equal protection and equal benefits under the law for all citizens, rejects discrimination in all its forms, and calls for the full participation and inclusion in society of all persons with disabilities."  The treaty establishes global legal standards on disability rights and a framework for international cooperation.  Countries that ratify the Convention are required to implement laws, policies, and other measures to ensure equality and ban discrimination based on disability.  A survey cited by the U.N. indicates that two thirds of countries do not currently have disability rights laws in place.  The Convention specifically calls for the identification and removal of barriers to ensure access to the built environment, outdoor facilities, transportation, the workplace, public services, and information and communication technologies.

"The Convention promotes equality for people with disabilities across the globe," noted Access Board Member Nancy Starnes who was present at a signing ceremony at the U.S. Mission to the U.N.  "It also encourages cooperation and information sharing among nations to help make accessibility a worldwide reality."

President Obama intends to promptly submit the treaty to the Senate for ratification, according to Ambassador Rice.  The Administration also announced the creation of a senior State Department post on disability rights.  The person named to this position will serve as a lead diplomat on disability policy, develop a comprehensive strategy to promote disability rights internationally, and coordinate a process for ratifying the Convention among Federal agencies.  Further information on the treaty is available on the U.N.'s website at www.un.org/disabilities.

New Research Examines Effects of Cross Slope on Wheelchair Travel
Various factors affect the accessibility of outdoor surfaces, among them firmness, stability, smoothness, slope, and weather conditions.  Surface slopes that run perpendicular to the direction of travel, often referred to as the cross slope, have been identified as a key factor in usability according to several human factor studies involving people who use manual wheelchairs.  The Board has initiated further investigation into the impact of cross slope on wheelchair travel through a project undertaken by the Human Engineering Research Laboratory (HERL) at the University of Pittsburgh.  Under this project, investigators reviewed existing research and surveyed people who use wheelchairs to gain insight into this issue, including the interaction of slope, surface, and weather conditions on wheelchair travel.  Based on the information collected, researchers developed a protocol for a follow-on human factors study to be undertaken at HERL facilities with additional support from the Veterans Administration and Paralyzed Veterans of America.

In the Board's preliminary project, researchers found that while studies show that cross slopes make wheelchair travel more difficult, there was little consensus on methods or protocols for measuring these effects.  Further, they determined that the measures used in most studies, such as energy consumption and perceived effort, cannot fully assess the complex effects of cross slope.  Few studies were found that investigated wheelchair propulsion in outdoor environments over a range of surfaces.  Results from the project survey confirmed that terrain features interact in complex ways and that the effects are more pronounced among certain populations.  Findings suggest that older adults, women, and people with progressive conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, or upper extremity impairment are most likely to experience difficulty negotiating cross slopes.  This can be further aggravated by wheelchair design, such as configurations enhancing rearward stability.    

Based on the results of the Board study, the project team developed a protocol to measure the effects of cross slope using a cross sectional group of test subjects.  Testing is currently underway on a range of cross slopes, running slopes, and surface conditions, including those that are smooth, irregular, and slippery.  Devices developed by HERL to measure work, energy, distance-per-stroke, and pushrim forces are being used to capture data.  Results of this research, including the preliminary study, will be posted on the Board's website once published.  For further information, contact Lois Thibault, the Board's Research Coordinator, at thibault@access-board.gov.

GAO Finds Limited Gains in Polling Place Access
A newly released study by the Government Accounting Office (GAO) indicates that more polling places are accessible nationwide, but that challenges remain. On election day last year, GAO surveyed 730 randomly selected polling places in 31 states and 84 counties across the country to assess the accessibility of polling places, including voting systems. GAO compared these findings against those of a similar survey conducted during the 2000 election.  Based on its survey, GAO estimates that 27% of polling places had no access barriers, including at parking, building entrances, or on the route to voting areas.  This represents an increase from 16% as determined by the 2000 study.  Of those polling places with potential access problems, 45% offered curbside voting.

The study indicates that the number of potential barriers per location was down.  Most access issues pertained to parking areas or the path from parking to building entrances.  The greatest degree of improvement occurred at entrances; between 2000 and 2008, the number of polling places with accessible entrances increased from 41% to 75%.  Virtually all polling places were found to have at least one accessible voting machine, as required by the Help America Vote Act of 2002.  However, while these systems were considered accessible to voters with sensory impairments, 29% were found to be inaccessible to voters who use wheelchairs due to their location or configuration.  Further, almost a quarter of accessible voting systems did not offer the same degree of privacy as other systems at the polling place.  The report, "Voters with Disabilities: More Polling Places Had No Potential Impediments than in 2000, but Challenges Remain," is available on GAO's website at www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-685.   The released findings are part of a broader GAO study on voting access to be released in late September.

The Election Assistance Commission, which was established to implement the reforms of the Help America Vote Act, provides resources on voting accessibility on its website at www.eac.gov/voter/accessibility.  In addition, the Department of Justice, which enforces access requirements for polling places under the ADA as well as the Help America Vote Act, offers an accessibility checklist for polling places at www.ada.gov/votingck.htm.

Charles Washington Named Board's Information Technology Specialist
Charles Washington was recently named the Board's new Information Technology Specialist. Washington will oversee the maintenance and upgrade of the Board's IT and communication systems, including its network and computer and phone systems.  These responsibilities were previously outsourced under a seat management contract.  He also will be responsible for ensuring compliance with the Section 508 standards for electronic and information technology and the acquisition and maintenance of assistive technologies.  Washington has over 15 years of experience in the field as an IT specialist, project manager, and network administrator.  He has worked with private firms, Federal clients, and the U.S. Navy.           

Web-Based Screen Reader in Development
A web-based screen reader has been designed to provide access to websites while browsing on any computer or other device equipped with a sound card.  Developed by Jeffrey Bigham, a Ph.D. candidate in computer science at the University of Washington, the new program provides text-to-speech translation as a web-based application without the need to install additional software.  Referred to as WebAnywhere, it is designed to work with all browsers and operating systems.  Users can try out an Alpha release of the WebAnywhere application, an open source project supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation, at http://webanywhere.cs.washington.edu/.

Disability.gov Launches Revamped Website 
The www.disability.gov website (formerly DisabilityInfo.gov) has been revamped to include social media tools and other upgrades to improve information sharing and networking on the site.  Established by the U.S. Department of Labor, the website integrates information on disability policy from 22 Federal agencies.  Other features of the new site include RSS feeds, a Twitter feed, a blog, and easier ways for users to obtain information and answers to questions on a range of disability-related topics. 

National Council on Disability to Host National Summit on Disability Policy
The National Council on Disability (NCD) will hold a national summit July 25 - 27, 2010, in Washington, D.C. to develop recommendations to guide Federal disability policy and programs over the next decade.  The National Summit on Disability Policy will also commemorate the 20th anniversary of the ADA's enactment.  Over 300 leaders and stakeholders will be invited and selected to discuss and present information on a range of topics, including civil rights, employment, education, health care, transportation, housing, telecommunications and technology, international affairs, homeland security, and demographics.  For further information, including application forms and scholarship opportunities to attend the invitation-only event, visit NCD's website at www.neweditions.net/ncd2010/index.html.  

To update or cancel your subscription, visit our Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact support@govdelivery.com.

For all other inquiries, contact the Access Board at news@access-board.gov.

GovDelivery, Inc. sending on behalf of United States Access Board • 1331 F St NW, Suite 1000 • Washington DC 20004 • (800) 872-2253 (v) • (800) 993-2822 (TTY)

Well this is useful and I have forgotten this.   

Sincerely,
 
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog:  http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site:  http://www.ceektechnology.com

Silent (Passive) Office Installation using PowerShell

via MSDN Blogs by willys on 8/28/09

As part of our VSTS Rangers automation exercise, I was confronted with two basic questions:

1. How do I install Microsoft Office silently?
2. How can I install Office, then Project and then Service Pack 2 sequentially using Powershell?

To tackle the first hurdle we digested blogs and TechNet documentation, sifting through the mountain ranges of information and producing two configuration files, one for Office and one for Project. The process for both is fairly similar and simple once you ignore all the noise.
Office 2007 Professional

1. Find Config.xml in the Pro.WW directory and make a copy.
   
2. Edit the file as follows:

   1: - <Configuration Product="Pro">

   2:   <Display Level="Basic" CompletionNotice="no" SuppressModal="no" AcceptEula="yes" /> 

   3:   <USERNAME Value="VSTS Rangers Trial" /> 

   4:   <COMPANYNAME Value="Microsoft" /> 

   5:   </Configuration>

3. Use “basic” for Level, to get a bit of information appearing for the user, i.e. passive, not silent install.
4. Use “no” for SuppressModal, otherwise errors will not show.
5. Execute the following command to passively install Office: setup.exe /config yourconfigfile.config 

Project 2007 Professional Config

1. Find Config.xml in the PrjPro.WW directory and make a copy.
   
2. Edit the file as follows:

   1: - <Configuration Product="PrjPro">

   2:   <Display Level="Basic" CompletionNotice="no" SuppressModal="no" AcceptEula="yes" /> 

   3:   <USERNAME Value="VSTS Rangers Trial" /> 

   4:   <COMPANYNAME Value="Microsoft" /> 

   5:   <PIDKEY Value="" /> 

   6:   </Configuration>

3. Execute the following command to passively install Office: setup.exe /config yourconfigfile.config

Once the above mechanics was figured out, putting it into a PowerShell script was do’able over a cup of coffee.
PowerShell script to automate Office, Project and SP1 installation
The .WaitForExit() method allows us to synchronize the installation.

   1: #<#  

   2: #.SYNOPSIS  

   3: #    This script Installs Office 2007 Professional and Office 2007 Project Professional

   4: #    Assumptions:

   5: #        +                                          << If we are here, we ecpect the config file here as well

   6: #               |

   7: #               +- Products                                << We also expect a Products directory and products within

   8: #                      +- Office 2007 Professional         << we run setup here for office

   9: #                      +- Office 2007 Project Professional << we run setup here for project

  10: #.NOTES  

  11: #    Author     : VSTS Rangers 

  12: #    Requires   : PowerShell V1

  13: #.EXAMPLE  

  14: # .\InstallOffice.ps1

  15: #> 

  16:  

  17: $current_Path  = $pwd.ToString()

  18:  

  19: $office_Setup  = $current_Path + "\Products\Office 2007 Professional\setup.exe"

  20: $office_Config = "/Config " + $current_Path + "\Office2007Professional.config"

  21:  

  22: $project_Setup = $current_Path + "\Products\Office 2007 Project Professional\setup.exe"

  23: $project_Config = "/Config " + $current_Path + "\Office2007ProjectProfessional.config"

  24:  

  25: $sp_Setup      = $current_Path + "\Products\en_2007_microsoft_office_suite_service_pack_2_x86.exe"

  26: $sp_Config     = "/Passive /NoRestart"

  27:  

  28: # -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  29: function InstallOffice2007Professional

  30: {

  31: # write-host $office_Setup

  32: # write-host $office_Config

  33:   $process = [Diagnostics.Process]::Start($office_Setup,$office_Config)

  34:   $process.WaitForExit()

  35: }

  36:  

  37: # -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  38: function InstallProject2007Professional

  39: {

  40: # write-host $project_Setup

  41: # write-host $project_Config

  42:   $process = [Diagnostics.Process]::Start($project_Setup,$project_Config)

  43:   $process.WaitForExit()  

  44: }

  45:  

  46: # -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  47: function InstallSp2

  48: {

  49: # write-host $sp_Setup

  50: # write-host $sp_Config

  51:   $process = [Diagnostics.Process]::Start($sp_Setup,$sp_Config)

  52:   $process.WaitForExit()  

  53: }

  54:  

  55: # -Main--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  56: write-host "Install Office 2007 Professional"

  57: InstallOffice2007Professional

  58: write-host "Install Project 2007 Professional"

  59: InstallProject2007Professional

  60: write-host "Install Office Sp2"

  61: InstallSp2

You can find more automation and PowerShell chatter on Robert’s blog here, where he addresses the “the beautiful syntax and the commandlets” and other great features of PowerShell. We will be including a bunch of PowerShell scripts with the VSTS Rangers Virtualizing VSTS 2010 project and associated guidance.
… at times it takes me longer to get there, but I do get there!
Did I mention (Zayd … listen up…), that I have finally taken the plunge to Windows 7 and am very, very happy. It took me a long time to find the right time, but I am happy with the new operating system both at the work and the home front, where my sons games that caused great drama with Vista, have started working again … causing great excitement amongst the ranks and a wave of intensive gaming :)

For your information!

Sincerely,
 
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog:  http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site:  http://www.ceektechnology.com

Upgrade for you to review and apply as you see fit.   

Sincerely,
 
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog:  http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site:  http://www.ceektechnology.com

Great to know and so I wanted to share.   

Sincerely,
 
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog:  http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site:  http://www.ceektechnology.com

Uninstaller overcomes Office 2007's Error 1310

via Crave: The gadget blog by Dennis O'Reilly on 8/28/09

At or near the top of the list of aggravations for new PC owners is the trial version of a program that came preinstalled on the system refusing to uninstall once the trial period expires. The irritation really peaks when the product in question is from Microsoft.
Before I could install a bought-and-paid-for copy of Outlook 2007 on my laptop, I had to uninstall the trial version of Office Enterprise 2007 that was preinstalled on the machine's hard drive when I bought it several months ago. Very early in the uninstall process, an alert popped up reporting Error 1310 and instructing me to verify that I had access to a certain directory.

An attempt to uninstall the trial version of Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 generated an error message.
(Credit: Microsoft)

I decided to try the uninstall again using the free Revo Uninstaller utility. In addition to cleaning up the Registry entries, files, folders, and other refuse that the program's own uninstaller misses, Revo Uninstaller finds and deletes junk files on your PC and performs other cleanup duties.
... Originally posted at Workers' Edge

Great article for you Mac users looking at upgrading.   

Sincerely,
 
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog:  http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site:  http://www.ceektechnology.com

Installing Snow Leopard: What You Need to Know

via PC World Latest Technology News on 8/28/09

With Snow Leopard, Apple has streamlined and simplified the process of installing Mac OS X.

Well I look forard to seeing this event.  

Hope to see you there.   

Sincerely,
 
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog:  http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site:  http://www.ceektechnology.com

Windows 7, Server 2008 R2 and Exchange 14 Virtual Launch Event Sept 29th

via TechNet Blogs by MJMurphy_TechNet on 8/28/09

Get Ready for The New Efficiency September 29th, 2009
 

Attend the New Efficiency virtual event and see how innovations in Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 and Microsoft Forefront offer familiar, integrated solutions that help you simplify management and compliance and securely connect people to information.

You can be among the first to evaluate these exciting new products. Attend expert-led sessions and keynotes. Find out about special offers, and check out some great demos. Join in when you want, and dive deeper into technical content for desktops, server, communications, and security. 

 As a special offer, on September 29th  9-10.30am please join us for a televised panel discussion  on “The New Efficiency” live from San Francisco.  Join in the conversation during this must-see event and see top technology leaders across industry and Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer, debate the role of IT during this economic reset.

 

 

Visit www.TheNewEfficiency.com to learn more

Oh well for my testing.  

I will have to wait on this.   

Sincerely,
 
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog:  http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site:  http://www.ceektechnology.com

Microsoft Misses Target Date for Office Web Apps Preview

via PC World Latest Technology News on 8/28/09

Microsoft will miss its target date for releasing a technical preview of its Office Web Apps, Web-based versions of its Office apps.