Category: Tips

  • Google Apps to Office 365 migration the wrong way

    So if you’re planning on moving from Google Apps to Office 365, don’t perform a PST migration. The result could be that each migrated email has an incorrectly formatted x400 email address and replying to any migrated messages will yield a 550 5.1.11 RESOLVER.ADR.ExRecipNotFound NDR. [the problem] When using Outlook 2016 and Google Apps Sync…

  • Microsoft breaks USB device input with cumulative update KB4074588

    –UPDATE 4/10/18– Microsoft has released the 2018-04 Cumulative Update (KB4093110) and again there are reports ranging from disabled USB input devices to broken start menu issues. Microsoft acknowledges some installation related issues with this patch here, but fails to disclose issues reflecting what users are reporting. –UPDATE 3/6/18– Microsoft has acknowledged issues with the 2018-02 Cumulative Update…

  • Troubleshooting ping general failure aaand it’s Symantec

    Having worked in IT for some years, I’ve developed a special kind of hate for Symantec. I remember Symantec Mail Security for Exchange recursively quarantining all email messages with .ppt (powerpoint) attachments across your datastores, failed tape backups with every Symantec Backup Exec update or Symantec Endpoint Protection Management (SEPM) log files overfilling the OS…

  • Skype for Business 2016 breaks Office 2013

    In this particular case Skype for Business (SfB) 2016 Basic was installed on a system running Windows 7 Pro and MS Office 2013 with all patches up-to-date. Oddly enough, while Skype for Business 2016 was installed the system appeared to be running problem free; the SfB integration in MS Outlook 2013 indicating availability status colors…

  • Skype for Business 2016 on Remote Desktop Server 2016

    I had an interesting request lately. Install Skype for Business (SfB) 2016 Basic on an existing Remote Desktop Services Server (formerly Terminal Services) which already had a volume licensed install of Microsoft Office 2013 Standard. A little background on this particular customer is that they licensed Office 2013 Standard for their users and the RDS server…

  • PPTP VPN: testing whether GRE 47 traffic is allowed

    Some networks block the basic requirements for PPTP VPN connections. Hotels sometimes do this prevent guests from skirting their internet content policies. To establish a PPTP VPN connection, the host network must allow traffic on port 1723 and Generic Route Encapsulation (GRE) 47 traffic. Both requirements must be met by the host network to establish a successful PPTP…

  • Getting ready for single sign-on in a hybrid cloud environment

    I’m seeing a lot of small businesses change change their IT budgets from a CAPEX/ROI model to an OPEX/Subscription model. If you’re one of those businesses enticed by moving chunks of your IT infrastructure to the cloud to simplify your IT budget, then you may want to consider setting up a hybrid cloud environment. One of…

  • GA-990FXA-UD3 firmware issues with overheating

    I’ve got a Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 rev. 4.0 and my system had issues with turning off after resuming up from sleep or hibernate. Initially, I thought it was a problem with my Windows 10 installation because of my windows insider preview build, but after investigating a bit more, it turns out the issue was firmware F3 released 5/28/15. The…

  • Changing your DHCP Scope (to increase IP addressing)

    Say you were conservative when you first created your DHCP scope and now your company has grown past those initial conservative estimates. Now you’re stuck with a DHCP scope you can’t expand. Whether you’re trying to add 50 hosts or thousands, you’re stuck in the same situation. Delete and re-create your DHCP scope. Use netsh…

  • Missing emails in Outlook when using Google Apps Sync

    So your organization uses Google Apps for Work. Great!. If you’re syncing all components of your Google Apps account (email, calendar, contacts, and notes) with Microsoft Outlook though, chances are good you’ll need the Google Apps Sync tool. By default, this tool is configured to only sync 1GB of email from your Google Apps account…