How To Uninstall RDP 6.0

I have been seeing couple of queries in few tech forums for uninstalling Remote Desktop Connection (RDP) 6.0, or how to revert to original version of XP SP2 RDP client (mstsc.exe version 5.1.2600.2180).
RDP 6.0 was released as a patch (KB925876), therefore, by default it doesn't appears as a seperate entry in Add/Remove list. To uninstall it, you'll have to click on the check box of "Show updates" in Add/Remove window, select "Update for Windows XP (KB925876)", and remove it.

Alternatively, you can also browse to the folder C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB925876$\spuninst\ and run spuninst.exe from there, which will uninstall RDP 6.0 client and revert to the older version.

KEYWORD "UNINSTALL"

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How To Disable Credentials Prompt of RDP 6.0

Remote Desktop Connection client 6.0 introduces new authentication features to improve security for Windows Vista and Windows Longhorn Server, which makes it mandatory for the user to enter logon credentials before RDP client can establish connection to the remote server (" Enter your credentials for <server>. These credentials will be used when you connect to the remote computer" ). But if the remote machine is configured to show logon warning message or if the remote system happens to be Windows 2000 or XP, you’ll need to enter the credentials again at remote machine’s logon screen.
T

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remote access service (RAS)

RAS was a service provided by Windows NT which allows most of the services which would be available on a network to be accessed over a modem link. The service includes support for dialup and logon, and then presents the same network interface as the normal network drivers. It is not necessary to run Windows NT on the client - there are client versions for other Windows operating systems.
A feature built into Windows NT that enables users to log into an NT-based LAN using a modem, X.25 connection or WAN link. RAS works with several major network protocols, including TCP/IP, IPX, and NBF.

for example

when the user needs to connect to the lan at the office time to time from remote location the RAS has to configured at the office.the RAS has attached to the modem and a fixed phoneline.once the remote user dials to the phone number of RAS using his dialup connection the RAS accepts the call and validate user credential.if the user is authorised he is allowed to connect to the office lan.
callback
in remote access,the callback option is allow the RAS to called back to the remote user once the account validated.there are

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what are digitally signed drivers

after the difficulty experience with the windows 2000 Microsoft has realized the importance of driver compatibility with windows.the hardware manufactured and then come up with there driver compatible with Microsoft operating systems.and they were tested at Microsoft labs.once a driver found compatible with Microsoft it was added with the CAB file as a digital signature.now when drivers installing into windows its looks for this CAB file.the drivers are proceeded if it founds digital signed,but otherwise there are 3 option of actions as below.

• ignore
• warn
• block

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error codes and there meanings

This section lists the error codes and possible resolutions for the error codes. The error codes are listed in numeric order.

Before you continue, make sure that you have the error code available. You can view the error code in the device Properties dialog box available in Device Manager. You can also resolve many of the errors within Device Manager.

To start troubleshooting, follow these steps:

1. Make sure that Device Manager is open, and that the device that has the problem is selected. You can perform some recommended resolutions through Device Manager.
   1. Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
   2. Select the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.
   3. Double-click the device type that has the problem. For example, if you have problems with your modem, double-click Modems to see the devices in that category.
      
      A list of devices appears. If a device has problems, the device has a red exclamation point next to it. If a device is unknown (usually because of missing drivers), the device has a yellow question mark next to it.
   4. Right-click the device that has the problem, and then click Properties. This opens the device Properties dialog box. You can see the error code in the Device status area of this dialog box.
2. Use the Troubleshooting Wizard, if it is available, to help you diagnose and resolve your problem.
   1. On the device Properties dialog box, click the General tab.
   2. Click Troubleshoot to start the Troubleshooting Wizard. The wizard asks you some simple questions and provides a solution to your problem based on the answers that you provide. If the Troubleshooting Wizard is not available, go to step 3.
   3. Follow the resolution steps provided by the wizard to resolve the problem.
   4. Check the Device status area of the device Properties dialog box to see whether the error is resolved. If the error is resolved, you are finished. Otherwise, go to step 3.
3. If the Troubleshooting Wizard did not help you resolve your problem or was not available, locate your error code in this article.
   
   
4. Follow the recommended resolutions for that error code.
   • Check the Device status area of the device Properties dialog box to see whether the error is resolved. If the error is resolved, you are finished.
   • If the problem still occurs, unfortunately, this article did not resolve your problem. For your next steps, you may want to ask someone for help.
   
   

   Codes 1 through 10

   Review this section if you have received an error code between 1 through 10.
   
   Code 1
   This device is not configured correctly. (Code 1)
   Cause
   
   The device has no drivers installed on your computer, or the drivers are configured incorrectly.
   
   Recommended resolution
   
   Update the driver
   
   You may be prompted to provide the path of the driver. Windows may have the driver built-in, or may still have the driver files installed from the last time that you set up the device. If you are asked for the driver and you do not have it, you can try to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s Web site.
   
   In the device properties dialog box, click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver to start the Hardware Update Wizard. Follow the instructions to update the driver. If updating the driver does not work, see your hardware documentation for more information.

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how to create hardware profile

You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group in order to complete this procedure.

to create hardware profile

• right click my computer
• click properties
• click hardware tab
• click hardware profiles
• Under Available hardware profiles, click Profile 1 (Current), and then click Copy
• rename as you like (eg - power save)
• click ok

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ntfs / security permissions

these security only applicable in NTFS partitions only.it can assign to folder level permissions and file level permissions.it can applied in locally or over the network.

below steps is about how to activate permissions tab in windows xp

• go to the folder option
• click view tab
• scroll to the bottom and find '' use simple file sharing ''
• if it already selected uncheck '' simple file sharing ''
• click apply and ok

now you can see the permission tab in the files and folders.from there you can assign permission as you want.

permissions (from lowest to highest)

• read - open folder and its sub folders,open files inside them
• list folder content - arrange the sub folders and files and traverse in that folder
• read and execute - to execute executable files in that folder (eg - exe,bat)
• write - edit files, create sub folder and files in that folder,paste files to folder copied or moved from another location.
• modify - delete folder and its sub content.
• full control - managing inheritance , take ownership , set permissions.

Note - when user gets permissions of '' write '' he also gets permissions of '' read '' - '' list folder content '' - '' read and execute ''

KEYWORD "ntfs,system info,security tips"

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workgroups (peer-to-peer)

a windows xp professional workgroup is a logical grouping of networked computers that share resources, such as files and printers. a workgroup is also called a peer-to-peer network because all computers in the workgroup can share resources as equals (peers) without a dedicated server.

each computer in the workgroup maintains a local security database, which is a list of user accounts and resource security information for the computer on which it resides.therefor using a local security database decentralizes the administration of user accounts and resource security in a workgroup.


workgroups have decentralized administration and security, the following are true.

• a user must have a user account on each computer to which he or she wants to gain access.
• any changes to user accounts such as changing a users password or adding a new user account, must be made on each computer in the workgroup.if you forget to add new user account to one of the computers in your workgroup, the new user will not be able to log on to that computer and will unable to access resources on it.

a workgroup provides the following advantages

• it does not require inclusion of a domain controller in the configuration to hold centralized security informations.
• it is simple to design and implement. it does not require the extensive planning and administration that a domain require.
• it is a convinient networking environment for a limited number of computers in close proximity. however a workgroup becomes impractical in environments with more than 10 computers.

KEYWORD "system info,pear,workshop"

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domains

a domain is a logical grouping of network computers that share central directory database. a directory database contains user accounts and security informations for the domain.this database known as the directory and is the database portion of active directory service.

in a domain the directory resides on computers that are configured as domain controllers. a domain controller is a server that manages all security related aspects of user and domain interactions, centralizing security and administration.

the steps in the authentication process are as follows

• the user logs on by providing logon information, such as username and password, and windows xp professional forwards this information to the security subsystem of that local computer.
• windows xp professional compares the logon informations with the user informations in the local security database, which resides in the security subsystem of the local computer.
• if the information matches and the user account is valid, windows xp professional creates access token for the user. an access token is the users identification for that local computer. it contains the users security settings, which allow the user to gain access to the appropriate resources on that computer and to perform specific system tasks.

if a user logs on to a domain, windows xp professional contacts an available domain controller in the domain. the domain controller compares the logon informations with the user information that is in the directory for the domain. if the information matches and the user account is valid, the domain controller creates an access token for the user. the user security settings contained in the access token allow the user to gain access to the appropriate resources in the domain.
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the windows security dialog box

the windows security dialog box provides informations such as the user account currently logged on and the domain or computer to which the is logged on. this information is important for users with multiple user accounts, such as a user who has a regular user account as well as a user account with administrative privileges.

you access the windows security dialog box by pressing ctrl+alt+delete if the computer is joined to a domain or the welcome screen is disabled, otherwise the task manager will be activated.

lock computer

allow users to secure the computer without logging off. all programs remain running. users should lock their computers when they leave for a short time. the user who locks the computer can unlock it by pressing ctrl+alt+delete and entering the valid password. an administrator can also unlock a locked computer. this process logs off the current user.

logoff

allows a user log off as the current user and close all running programs, but leaves windows xp professional running.

shutdown

allows a user to close all files, save all operating system data, and prepare the computer so that it can be safely truned off.

change password

allows a user to change his or her user account password. the user must know the current password to create new one. this is the only way users can change their own password.administrators can also change the password.

task manager

provides a list of the programs that are running and a summary of overall cpu and memory usage, as well as a quick view of how each program, program components, or system process is using the cpu and memory resources.users can also use task manager to switch between programs and to stop a program that is not responding.

cancel

closes the windows security dialog box

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logging on locally to the computer

windows xp professional offers two options for login on locally.the welcome screen and the log on to windows dialog box.

the welcome screen

by default windows xp professional uses welcome screen to allow users to log on locally.to log on click the icon for the user account you want to use.if the account requires a password you are prompted to enter it.if the account is not password protected you are logged on to the computer.you can also use ctrl+alt+delete (press twice) at the welcome screen to get the log on to the windows dialog box.this enable you to log on to the administrator account which is not displayed on the welcome screen when other user accounts have been created.

a user can logon locally to either of the following

• a computer that is a member of a workgroup
• a computer that is a member of domain but is not a domain controler

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windows xp professional authentication process

to gain access to a computer running windows xp professional or to any resource on that computer, whether the computer is configured to use the welcome screen or the log on to windows dialog box, you must provide user name and possibly a password.

how windows xp professional authenticates a user depends on whether the user is logging on to domain or logging on locally to a computer.

access token

• provides user identity and security settings
• enable a user to gain access to resources and perform 
•  
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preinstallation tasks

before you start the installation of windows xp professional, complete the following tasks.

• ensure that your hardware meets the requirenments for installing windows xp professional.
• determine whether your hardware is on the hardware compatibility list (HCL)
• decide how you will partition the hard disk on which you will install windows xp professional.
• choose a file system for the installation partition.
• determine whether your computer will join a domain or a workgroup.
• complete a preinstallation checklist
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hardware requirements

you must determine whether your hardware meets or exceeds the minimum requirement for installing and operating windows xp professional.

windows xp professional hardware requirement.

• processor - pentium 233 mhz or equivalent
• memory - 64 MB minimum, 128 MB recommend, 4 GB maximum
• hard disk space - At least 1.5 gigabytes (GB) of available space on the hard disk
• display - Video adapter and monitor with Super VGA (800 x 600)or higher resolution
• other drives - CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive (not required for installing windows xp professional over a network)
• accessories - keyboard and mouse or other pointing device.

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what is hardware compatibility list (HCL)

although the windows xp professional setup wizard automatically checks your hardware and software for potential conflicts.before you install windows xp professional you should verify that your hardware is on the windows xp professional HCL.microsoft provide tested drivers for the listed devices only.using hardware not listed on HCL could cause problems during and after installation.the most version of HCL for released operating systems are on the microsoft website at http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx

note - if your hardware is not in the HCL the hardware manufacturer might be able to provide you with a windows xp professional driver for the component.

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disk partitions

the windows xp professional setup program examine the hard disk to determine its existing configuration.setup then allows you to install windows xp professional on an existing partition or to create a new partition on which to install it.

new partition or existing partition

depending on the hard disk configuration, do one of the following during installation.

• if the hard disk unpartitioned, create and size windows xp professional partition.
• if the hard disk partitioned and contains enough unpartitioned disk space use the unpartitioned space to create windows xp professional partition.
• if the existing partition is large enough, install windows xp professional on that partition.installing on an existing partition overwrites any existing data.
• if the existing partition is not large enough, delete it to provide more unpartitioned disk space for creating the windows xp professional partition.

remaining free hard disk space

although you can use setup to create other partitions, you should create and size only the partition on which you will install windows xp professional.after you install windows xp professional, use the disk management tool to partition any remaining unpartitioned space on the hard disk.

installation partition size

microsoft recommends installing windows xp professional on a 1.5 or larger partition.although windows xp professional requires less disk space for installation, using a larger installation partition provides the flexibility to install windows xp professional updates, operating system tools, programms, user documents or other necessary files in the future.

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file systems using in windows xp

after you create the installation partition, setup prompts you to select the file system with which to format the partition.like microsoft windows NT 4 and microsoft windows 2000 professional, windows xp professional supports the NT file system (NTFS or new technology file system) and file allocation table (FAT). both windows 2000 professional and windows xp professional supports FAT 32.

use NTFS when the partition on which windows xp professional will reside requires any of the following features.

• file and folder level security. NTFS allows you to control access to files and folders.
• disk compression. NTFS compresses file sto store more data on the partition.
• disk quota. NTFS allows you to control disk usage on a per-user basis.
• encryption. NTFS allows you to encrypt file data on the physical hard disk, using the microsoft encrypting file system (EFS)

the version of NTFS in windows xp professional supports remote storage, dynamic volumes, and mounting volumes to folders. windows xp professional, windows 2000, windows 2003, and windows NT are the only operating systems that can access data on a local hard disk formatted with NTFS.

FAT and FAT 32

FAT and FAt 32 offer compatibility with other operating systems. you must format the system partition with either FAT or FAT 32 if you will dual boot windows xp professional and another operating system that requires FAT or FAt 32.

FAT and FAT 32 do not offer many of the features (for example, file level security) that NTFS supports.therefore in most situations you should format the hard disk with NTFS. the only reason to use FAT or FAT 32 is for dual booting with another operating system that does not supports NTFS. if you are setting up a computer for dual booting you need to format only the system partitions as FAt or FAT 32. for example if drive C: is the system partition you could format drive C: as FAt or FAT 32 and format drive D: as NTFS.

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overall view of installing windows xp professional from cd-rom

the installation process for windows xp professional combines the setup program with wizards and informational screens. installing windows xp professional from a cd-rom to a clean hard disk consists of these four stages.
running the setup program

setup prepares the hard disk for the later installation stages and copies the files necessary to run setup wizard.

running the setup wizard

the setup wizard requests setup information about the computer, such as names and passwords.

installing windows xp professional networking components

after gathering informations about the computer the setup wizard prompts you for networking informations and then installs the networking components that allow the computer to communicate with other computers on the network.

completing the installation

setup copies files to the hard disk and configures the computer,the system restarts after installation complete

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understanding the TCP/IP protocol suite

tcp/ip provides communication across networks of computers with various hardware architectures and operating systems.microsoft's implementation of tcp/ip enables enterprise networking and connectivity on computers running windows xp professional

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what is TCP/IP protocol suite

tcp/ip is an industry - standard suite of protocols that enables enterprise networking and connectivity on windows xp professional based computers.adding tcp/ip to a windows xp professional configuration offers the following advantages.

• a routable networking protocol supported by most operating systems.most large networks rely on tcp/ip

• a technology for connecting dissinilar systems.you can use many standard connectivity tools to access and transfer data across dissimilar systems.windows xp professional includes several of these standard tools.

• a robust, scalable, cross-platform client/server framework. tcp/ip supports the microsoft windows sockets (winsock) interface, which is ideal for developing client/server applications for winsock-compliant stacks.

• a method of gaining access to internet resources.

the tcp/ip suite of protocols provides a set of standards for how computers communicate and how networks are interconnected. the tcp/ip suite of protocols maps to a four-layer conceptual model network interface, internet, transport and application.

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local user accounts

local user accounts allow users to log on only to the computer on which the local user account has been created and to access resources on only that computer. when you create a local user account, windows xp professional creates the account only in that computers security database, called the local security database. windows xp professional uses the local security database to authenticate the local user account, which allows the user to log on to that computer. windows xp professional does not replicate local user account information to any other computer

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domain user accounts

domain user accounts allow you to log on to the domain and access resources anywhere on the network. when you log on, you provide your logon information-your user name and password. microsoft windows 2000 server uses this logon information to authenticate your identity and build and access token that contains your user information and security settings. the access token identifies you to the computers in the domain on which you try to access resources. the access token is valid throughtout the logon session.

characteristics of domain user accounts

• provide access to network resources
• provide access token for authentication
• created in active directory of domain controller

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naming conventions

a naming convention is an organizations established standard for identified users in the domain. following a consistent naming convention helps administrators and users remember logon names. it also makes it easier for administrators to locate specific user accounts to add them to groups or perform account administration.

naming convention guidelines

• create unique user logon names - local user account names must be unique on the computer on which you create the local account. user logon names for domain user accounts must be unique to the directory.

• use a maximum of 20 characters -user account names can contain up to 20 uppercase or lowercase characters. the field accepts more than 20 characters, but windows xp professional recognizes only the first 20

• remember that user logon names are not case sensitive - you can use combination of special and alphanumeric characters to establish unique user accounts. user logon names are not case sensitive, but windows xp professional preserves the case for display purposes.

• avoid characters that are not valid -the following characters are not valid: " / \ [ ] : ; | - , + * ? < >

• accommodate employees with duplicate names - if two users have the same name, you could create a user logon name consisting of the first name, the last initial and additional letters from the last name to differentiate the users. for example if two user are named john evans, you could create one user account logon as johne and the other as johnev. you could also number each user logon name-for example, johne 1 and johne 2.

• identify the type of employee - some organizations prefer to identify temporary employees in their user accounts. you could add a T and a dash front of the users logon name (T-johne) or use parenthecs at the end- for example, johne(temp)

• rename the administrator and guest built-in user accounts - you should rename the administrator and guest accounts to provide greater security.

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password requirenments

to protect access to the computer, every user account should have a password. consider the following guidelines for passwords.

• always assign a password to the administrator account to prevent unauthorized access to the account.
• determine whether the administrator or the users will control passwords. you can assign unique passwords to user accounts and prevent users from changing them, or you can allow users to enter their own passwords the first time they log on. in most cases users should control their passwords.
• use passwords that are hard to guess. for example avoid using passwords with an obvious association, such as a family members name.
• passwords can contain up to 128 characters, a minimum length of 8 characters is recommend.
• include both uppercase and lowercase letters (unlike user names, user passwords are case sensitive) numerals and the valid non-alphanumeric characters.

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understanding local groups

a local group is a collection of user accounts on a computer. use local groups to assign permissions to resources residing on the computer on which the local group is created. windows xp professional creates local groups in the local security database.

preparing to use local groups

guidelines for using local groups include the following

• use local groups on computers that do not belong to a domain

you can use local groups only on the computer on which you create them. although local groups are available on member servers and domain computers running windows 2000 server, do not use local groups on computers that are part of a domain. using local groups on domain computers prevents you from centralizing group administration. local groups do not appear in the active directory service, and you must administer them separately for each computers.

• you can assign permissions to local groups to access only the resources on the computer on which you create the local groups.

note - you cannot create local groups on domain controllers because domain controllers cannot have a security database that is independent of the database in active directory.

membership rules for local groups include following

• local groups can contain local user accounts from the computer on which you create the local groups.
• local groups cannot belong to any other group.

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understanding ip addresses

each IP address consists of a network ID and a host ID. the network ID, also known as the network address, identifies the systems that are located on the same physical network. all computers in the same physical network must have the same network ID, and the network ID must be unique to the internetwork. the host ID, also known as the host address, identifies each TCP/IP host within a network.

IP addresses are logical 32-bit numbers that are broken down into four 8 bit fields known as octets. microsoft TCP/IP supports class A, B and C addresses. the class addresses define which bits are used for network ID and which bits are used for the host ID.

Class A

the first network ID is 1.0.0.0 and the last is 126.0.0.0 , this allows for 126 networks and 16,777,214 hosts per network. the class A adress 127.x.x.x is reserved for loopback testing and interprocess communications on the local computer. for class A addresses, the network ID is laways the first octet in the address and the host ID is the last three octets.

Class B

the first network ID is 128.0.0.0 and the last is 191.255.0.0 , this allows for 16,384 networks and 65,534 hosts per network. for class B addresses the network ID is always the first two octets in the address and host ID is the last two octets.

Class C

the first network ID is 192.0.0.0 and the last is 223.255.255.0 , this allows for 2,097,152 networks and 254 hosts per network. for class C addresses, the network ID is always the first three octets in the address and the host ID is the last octet.

options for configuring a static TCP/IP address

IP address - a logical 32-bit address that identifies a TCP/IP host. each network adpter card in a computer running TCP/IP require a unique IP address, such as 192.168.0.108 , each address has two parts: a network ID, which identifies all hosts on the same physical network, and a host ID which identifies a host on the network. in this example the network ID is 192.168.0 and the host ID is 108.

subnet mask - subnets divide a large network into multiple physical networks connected with routers.a subnet mask blocks out part of the IP address so that TCP/IP can distinguish the network ID from the host ID. when TCP/IP hosts try to communicate, the subnet mask determine whether the destination host is on a local or remote network. to communicate on a local network, computers must have the same subnet mask.

default gateway - the intermediate device on a local network that stores network ID,s of other networks in the enterprise or internet. to communicate with a host on another network, configure an IP address for the default gateway. TCP/IP sends packets for remote networks to the default gateway (if no other route is configured) which then forwards the packets to other gateways until the packet is delivered to a gateway connected to specified destination

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using a static IP address

by default client computers, for example those running windows xp professional, windows 2000, windows ME, windows NT, microsoft windows 98, or microsoft windows 95 obtain TCP/IP configuration information automatically from the DHCP service. however even in DHCP enabled environment you should assign a static IP address to selected network computers. for example, the computer running DHCP service cannot be a DHCP client, so it must have a static IP address. if the DHCP service is not available you can also configure TCP/IP to use static IP address. for each network adaptor card that uses TCP/IP in a computer, you can configure an IP address, subnet mask and default gateway

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obtaining an ip address automatically

if a server running the DHCP service is available on the network, it can automatically assign TCP/IP configuration information to the DCHP client, you can configure any clients running windows xp professional, windows 95, and windows 98 to obtain TCP/IP configuration information automatically from the DHCP service. this can simplify administration and ensure correct configuration information.

you can use the DHCP service to provide clients with TCP/IP configuration information automatically. however you must configure a computer as a DHCP client before it can interact with the DHCP service.

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using automatic private ip addressing (APIPA)

the windows xp professional implementation of TCP/IP supports automatic assignment of IP address for simple LAN -based network configurations. this addressing mechanism is an extension of dynamic IP address assignment for LAN adaptors, enabling configuration of IP address without using static IP address assignment or installing the DCHP service. automatic private IP addressing is enabled by default in windows xp professional so that home users and small business users can create a funtioning, single subnet, TCP/IP based network without having to configure the TCP/IP protocol manually or set up a DHCP server.

the process for the automatic private IP addressing feature

• windows xp professional TCP/IP attempts to find a DHCP server on the attached network to obtain a dynamically assigned IP adrress.
• in the absence of a DHCP server during startup (for example, if the server is down for maintanance or repairs) the client cannot obtain an IP address.
• automatic private IP addressing generates an IP address in the form of 169.254.x.y (where x.y is the client,s unique identifier) and a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0

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testing a TCP/IP configuration

after configuring TCP/IP and restarting the computer, you should use ipconfig and ping command prompts tools to test the configuration and connections to other TCP/IP hosts and networks. such testing helps ensure that TCP/IP is functioning properly.

using ipconfig

you use the ipconfig tool to verify the TCP/IP configuration parameters on a host. this helps to determine whether the configuration is initialized or if a duplicate IP address exists. use the ipconfig tool with the /all switch to verify configuration information.

using ping

the ping tool is a diagnose tool that you can use to test TCP/IP configurations and diagnose connection failures. after you have verified the TCP/IP configuration, use the ping tool to determine whether a particular TCP/IP host is available and funtional. to test connectivity use the ping tool with the following syntax in command prompt:

1. first go to the command prompt.
2. then type ipconfig or ipconfig /all and press enter.
   
3. then type ping 127.0.0.1 (loopback address) to check loopback working properly.
4. then use ping ip address of the computer (eg: ping 192.168.0.10) to check NIC (network interface card) working properly.
5. then use ping command to ip address of default gateway (router) to check connectivity to gateway.
6. then use ping address of the remote host (this can be pc in the network or internet) to check network working properly.

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managing printing

printing terminology

printer

a printer is the software interface between the windows 2003 operating system and the device that produces the printed output.windows 2003 calls a printer as a combination of a print queue (or print spooler) plus a driver for the device that produces printed output.

print device

in windows 2003 the term print device (or printing device) refers to the physical device that produces printed output - what is more commenly referred to as a " printer "

auditing and connecting to printers

there are two types of printers you can add

• local printers
• network printers

adding a printer on a remote computer

• start windows explorer (select start - programms - accessories - windows - explorer)
• in the left pane, click the + next to my network places. click the + next to entire network. click the + next to microsoft windows network. click the + next to the domain or workgroup that contains the computer on which you want to add a printer. click the + next tothe computer on which you want to add a printer.highlight the printers folder.
• the contents of the printers folder on the remote computer appear in the right pane. to start the add printer wizard on the remote computer, double click add printer. follow the instruction presented earlier in this chapter to add a printer.

connecting to internet printers

an internet printer is a printer that is published (made available) on a web server for the purpose of making the printer available to client computers on the internet, client computers on your company's intranet or both.

you can access internet printers on a windows 2003 computer at http://server_name /printers

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configuring printer pools

when a printer has a multiple ports (and multiple print devices) assigned to it, this is called a printer pool. users print to a single printer, and the printer load balances its print jobs between the print devices assigned to it.

a printer pool is a useful tool when both of the following criteria met

• all print devices assigned to the printer use the same print device driver. (usually this means that identical print devices are used)
• all print devices assigned to the printer pool are located physically close to each other

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scheduling printers

scheduling printers is a technique you can use to help manage the flow of print jobs on your windows 2003 network. scheduling a printer means assigning the hours a specific print device available for use by a specific printer.

when scheduling a printer the hours of availability apply only to the print device, not to the printer. this means that users can print to the printer at any time during the day. and the printer then spools the jobs to the hard disk. however the print jobs are sent to the print device only during the print device's hours of availability.

so why should you want to schedule a printer? well, suppose that you are the administrator for a small network that has 20 windows computers. the owner of the company recently brought a laser print device for network printing, and doesn't want to spend any more money on print devices. one of the employees occasionally generates a print jobs that is 500 to 600 pages long. this report ties up the one available print device for a long time, frustrating other employees. the large reports are for archival and reference purposes, and are not needed immediately.

you solve the problem by scheduling printers. first you create second printer that prints to the laser print device.the you schedule the new printer so that it only sends print jobs to the print devices during non business hours. you instruct the employee who creates the large print jobs to use the new printer for large print jobs. the result is that the employee can generates large print jobs at any time without inconveniencing other employees. the large print jobs are spooled to the hard disk, and then sent to the print device during non business hours.

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setting printer priorities

another technique you can use to help manage the flow of print jobs on your windows 2003 network is setting printer priorities. when more than one printer sends print jobs to the same print device , setting printer priorities may be useful.

if two printers are configured to use the same print device, and you configure one of these printers to have a higher priority than the other printer.then all print jobs from the higher priority printer will be sent to the print device before any print jobs from the lower priority printer are sent.

the highest printer priority is 99, and the lowest printer priority is 1. all printers have a priority of 1 by default.

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configuring printer permissions

printer permissions are specially allowed or denied to individual users and groups. by default, the print permissions is allowed to the everyone group. user and group printer permission are additive, and typically the least restrictive combination of printer permissions applies.

an exception oto this rule occurs when a user or group is specifically denied a printer permission. if a user is denied a printer permission, or any group the user is a member of is denied printer permission, then the suer is denied that printer permission. a denied permission always overrides a corresponding allowed permission.

printer permissions are set on a printer-by-printer basis. these permissions apply both when the printer is accessed over the network and when the printer is accessed from the local computer.

printer permissions, descriptions and functionality

print - a user with this permission can connect to the printer and send print jobs to the printer. by default the print permissions is assigned to the everyone group.

manage document - a user with this permission can pause, resume, restart and delete print jobs sent to the printer, by default members of the creator owner group are assigned the management documents printer permissions. this enables users who create print jobs to manage their own print jobs.

manage printers - a user with this permission can perform all tasks included in the print permissions. in addition, the user can pause, restart, and share the printer, can change spooler settings, can assign printer permissions (including the manage documents permission) and can change the printer's properties

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changing the location of the spool folder

the spool folder is used by the windows 2003 print spooler service as a temporary storage are for print jobs waiting to be sent to a print device. the default location for the spool folder is
systemroot\system32\spool\printers.

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introducing the backup utility in windows xp

windows xp professional provides backup or restore wizard, which allows you to easily backup data. to access the backup or restore wizard, on the start menu, point to all programs, point to accessories, point to system tools, and then click backup.alternatively on the start menu you can click run and type ntbackup and then click ok. you can use the backup or restore wizard to backup data manually or to shedule unattended backup jobs on a regular basis. you can backup data to a file or to a tape. files can be stored on hard disks, removable disks (such as Iomega Zip and Jaz drives), and recordable compact disks and optical drives.

after open backup and restore wizard page, click next. the backup or restore page allows you to specify whether you want to backup files and settings or restore files and settings.

to successfully backup and restore data on a computer running windows xp professional, you must have appropriate permissions and user rights, as described below.

• all users can backup their own files and folders. they can also backup files for which they have the read, read and execute, modify, or full control permission.
• all users can restore files and folders for which they have the write, modify, or full control permission.
• members of the administrators and backup operators groups can backup and restore all files (regardless of the assigned permissions) by default.members of these groups have the backup files and directories and restore files and directories user rights

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selecting the type of backup operation

the backup utility provides five types of backup operations that define what data is backed up, such as only those files that have changed since the last backup.

some backup types use backup markers also known as archive attributes, which mark file as having changed. when file changes, an attribute is set on the file that indicates that the file has changed since the last backup. when you backup the file, this clears or resets the attributes.

Normal

during a normal backup, all selected files and folders are backed up. a normal backup does not rely on markers to determine which files to backup. during a normal backup any existing marks are cleared and each file is marked as having been backed up. normal backups spped up the restore process because the backup files are the most current and you do not need to restore multiple backup jobs.

Copy

during a copy backup, all selected files and folders are backed up. it neither looks for no clears markers. if you do not want to clear markers and effect other backup types, use a copy backup, for example use a copy backup between a normal and an incremental backup to create an archival snapshot of network data.

Incremental

during incremental backup, only selected files and folders that have a marker are backed up, and then the backup clears markers. because an incremental backup clears markers, if you did two consecutive incremental backups on a file and nothing changed in the file, the file would not be backed up the second time.

Differential

during a differential backup, only selected files and folders that have a marker are backed up, but the backup does not clear markers. because a differential backup does not clear markers, if you did two consecutive differential backups on a file and nothing changed in the file, the entire file would be backed up each time.

Daily

during a daily backup, all selected files and folders that have changed during the day are backed up. this backup neither looks for nor clears markers. if you want to backup all files and folders that change during the day, use daily backup.

System state data

system state data includes various critical operating system files, folders and databases. for all windows 2003 computers, system state data includes the operating system boot files, the registry, and the COM+ class registration database. on a windows 2003 server computer that has certificate services installed, system state data also includes the certificate serivces database.

finally on a windows 2003 server that is a domain controller, system state data also includes the active directory data store and the contents of the SYSVOL folder.

The archive attribute

the archive attribute is a marker that the operating system automatically assigns to all files and folders when they are first installed created. depending on the backup type, backup programs remove the archive attribute from a file or folder to indicate that the file or folder has been backed up. if a file or folder is modified after it is backed up, the operating system reassigns the archive attribute to it.

Using backup to perform a backup

windows 2003 ships with a backup program called backup. backup is a basic tape backup program that gives you full capability to backup and restore a windows 2003 computer, including user data on local and network drives, and system state data on the local computer.

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perform a backup by using the backup wizard

1. select start - programs - accessories - system tools - backup
2. the backup dialog box appears, notice the three buttons in this dialog box: backup wizard, restore wizard, and emergency repair disk. click button next to backup wizard.
3. the backup wizard starts, click next

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scheduling a backup

1. select start - programs - accessories - system tools - backup
2. in the backup dialog box, click schedule jobs tab
3. the schedule jobs tab appears, notice that no jobs appear yet on the schedule. if you have already schedule jobs, you can view them on this schedule. to add a job to the schedule, click add job
4. the backup wizard starts. follow the instructions presented on screen to schedule one or more periodic backups.
5. once you have schedule one or more backups, these jobs appear on the schedule jobs tab, close backup.

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restoring data by using the restore wizard

1. select start - programs - accessories - system tools - backup
2. in the backup dialog box, click the restore wizard button
3. the restore wizard starts, click next
4. in the what to restore screen, select the check boxes next to the drives, files, or folders you want to restore. click next.

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How To Uninstall RDP 6.0

I have been seeing couple of queries in few tech forums for uninstalling Remote Desktop Connection (RDP) 6.0, or how to revert to original version of XP SP2 RDP client (mstsc.exe version 5.1.2600.2180).
RDP 6.0 was released as a patch (KB925876), therefore, by default it doesn't appears as a seperate entry in Add/Remove list. To uninstall it, you'll have to click on the check box of "Show updates" in Add/Remove window, select "Update for Windows XP (KB925876)", and remove it.

Alternatively, you can also browse to the folder C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB925876$\spuninst\ and run spuninst.exe from there, which will uninstall RDP 6.0 client and revert to the older version.

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NETSH / How to reinstall TCP/IP in XP/2003

Admins who manage HP/Compaq Proliant servers would probably agree with me that remotely administering these server using RIB/iLO is a real pain. Few weeks ago, I had to re-do network teaming on one of the remote servers located in different geography using the RIB interface. It was a real pain trying to keep mouse cursor in sync to be able to go through many clicks to make network configuration and re-assign IP/gateway/DNS/WINS addresses. That was when I realized the true potential of NETSH command-line interface and the scripting capabilities it offers on Windows platform.
For the same scenario, I could’ve exported the network configuration using c:\>netsh -c interface dump > c:\netsetting.txt and after re-doing the teaming could’ve imported the same setting from the text file using C:\>netsh -f c:\netsetting.txt
Though we need to be careful not to change the name of any of the network interfaces – HP Network Team #1 should not become HP Network Team #2 after redoing the teaming.
Netsh comes handy not only for exporting/importing network configurations, but it is also capable of making different network settings like assigning IP/mask/gateway/DNS/WINS. Netsh command is also used for resetting TCP/IP stack in Windows XP and 2003 platforms. Unlike Window 2000, TCP/IP is a core component of Windows XP/2003 and cannot be uninstalled/reinstalled; it can only be reset to the state when the operating system was installed, which the following command does
c:\>netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt

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How to Add an Icon to a Windows Desktop

Instructions

1. • 1
     Right-click on the desktop to bring up the context menu for the desktop, point to "New" to bring up the submenu and left-click on "Shortcut."
   • 2
     Enter the complete path and file name of the file you wish to associate with this icon or click the "Browse" button to look for the file name. Select the desired file name and left-click the "Next" button. Program files normally have an extension of ".exe."
   • 3
     Look for Windows programs in the Windows folder and other programs in the Program Files folder.
   • 4
     Type the label that you wish to appear under the icon and left-click the "Finish" button.
   • 5
     Add icons for Internet Explorer, My Computer, My Documents and My Network Places from the "Display Properties" screen. Select "Properties" from the context menu of the desktop. Select the "Desktop" tab and click on the "Customize Desktop" button. Check the desired boxes to make these items appear on the desktop.
   • 6
     Accomplish the previous step by clicking the "Start" button and clicking on "Control Panel." Find the "Display" icon under the "Appearances and Themes" category if you are viewing control panel in category mode. Click it to bring up the "Display Properties" screen.

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Top 10: Anti Virus Software

10- AVG Free
One of the best of the free antivirus programs, AVGFree is designed to be very easy to use, and it is. Some users actually consider it a little too easy to use, however, and prefer something a little more customizable, like, say…
9- Avast! Home Edition
Avast’s website really pushes the Pro edition of this package, but the free home edition is, honestly, all you need. It offers a little more than AVG in the way of options and features. Of course… some say that Avast has a few too many bells and whistles without really being a full security program, and they recommend…
8- Avira AntiVir
Avira AntiVir may very well be the best of the free antivirus programs. It’s easy to use without being too dumbed down, and most importantly, it gets daily updates, if not several updates in a single day, ensuring the most up to date database of known viruses anywhere.
7- Panda
Panda offers a few security programs, and their antivirus is amongst some of the best bargain priced virus software. It gets regular updates and it gets the job done, with user friendliness to boot.
6- Kaspersky Anti-Virus
Kaspersky tends to get great reviews with just one little trifle- It can eat up a lot of memory. However, if you’re virus savvy and know how to reduce exposure, you should be able to keep the scanner from getting too busy, saving your RAM in the process.
5- G-Data Antivirus
G-Data is designed as a no nonsense virus killer. No bells and whistles, no fancy interface, just easy to use, automatic updates, a wide database of known viruses, and great results.
4- McAfee Security Center
Simply put, McAfee might well be the only security software you ever need to buy. It covers spam, viruses, Trojans, popups, you name it, and all in one, easy to use package.
3- Vipre Antivirus and Antispyware
Don’t forget, viruses aren’t all you have to worry about. Vipre isn’t quite a full package, but it does a great job against both viruses and spyware.
2- F Secure Anti Virus
F Secure is great when it comes to two things: User interface, and updates. It gets daily updates, and it’s easy to use, making for a great little virus killer.
1- ESET Nod32
ESET Nod32 is a great combo of firewall and virus scanner. It also defends against spyware, adware, spam, popups, and so on.

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How to Make Windows Start Up Faster

don't know about you, but I love spending the first 10 minutes of every workday watching Windows start up. It's like a Zen thing. If you'd rather get right to work, though, the following tips should help you make Windows start much more quickly.

Lighten the Load

A typical PC loads a lot of programs every time it starts. Each of the icons in your system tray (the area near your clock) represents an auto-start application. And there are probably other programs on your machine that start automatically but don't make their presence known so easily. Each autoloading app slows your boot time--a little or a lot. And because most of them continue to run in the background, they rob you of a little performance.
Before you start eliminating autoloaders, though, make sure you can undo your changes. In Windows XP, Select Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. Select Create a restore point, click Next, call your restore point something like before removing autoloaders, and choose Create. Click Close once you've created the restore point.
In Windows Vista, select Start, Control Panel, System. Under 'Tasks' on the right side of the window, click System Protection. In the System Properties box that comes up, click Create at the bottom of the window.
XP users should now select Start, Run, type msconfig, and press <Enter>. (In Vista, select Start, type msconfig into the Search box, and press <Enter>.) Click the Startup tab, and you'll see a list of all your autoloading programs, each with a check box. Uncheck an item, and it will no longer load at startup.

Choose Your Autoloading Apps

Which applications should you leave checked so that they continue to autoload? First and foremost, you don't want to operate without your antivirus, firewall, and other security programs. Yes, these programs slow your PC's boot-up and shutdown, and they can even cause conflicts, but the cost of not having them running is too high to bear.
For any other program in the list, use your judgment. Don't ask yourself "Is it a good program?" but "Does it need to be on all the time?" For instance, I unchecked Adobe Elements' Photo Downloader, a program that I use whenever I download photos from my camera, because it serves no purpose when I'm not downloading photos. On the other hand, I allow Copernic Desktop Search to autoload because it needs to index my data files continually.
After unchecking the programs that you don't need to autoload at startup, click OK and reboot. Windows will load with a very wordy message box that might look like an error message. Just check Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts (the wording is slightly different in Vista) at the bottom of the dialog box and click OK.

Windows Dusting and Cleaning

If an autoloader diet doesn't sufficiently accelerate your boot-up, try these tweaks:
Clean out the Registry. The larger your Windows Registry, the longer the OS will take to boot. My favorite Registry cleaner is ChemTable's $30 Reg Organizer, which is both a powerful Registry editor and a general Windows maintenance tool. If you don't want to pay to put things in order, try the less-powerful EasyCleaner from ToniArts.
Use fewer fonts. Loading hundreds of system fonts takes time. If you have more than 500 fonts on your PC, remove a few. Sue Fisher's free The Font Thing utility will help you whittle your font selection down to size.

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