Date: 08/31/07     Keywords: no keywords

Quick question...Do printer fusers have to be disposed of in a particular way, like monitors?

Thanks!

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/63538.html

Date: 08/29/07     Keywords: linux

Is there a common utility for Windows that allows someone to set the blocksize of a drive and format that scsi tape in a particular blocksize? For instance, in Linux I would use:

mt -f /dev/st0 setblk 1024

To set the blocksize of the drive to 1024.

tar -cvf /dev/st0 /etc/hosts -b 2

This would write a file to the tape in the drive and force a 1024 blocksize.

Is there something similar in Windows that does this. Like a command in ntbackup? I'm looking for a solution that would be common to all Windows systems.

Thanks in advance

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/63343.html

Date: 08/21/07     Keywords: asp, sql, web

Hey all-

I've got a really weird SQL issue going on with one of our web servers. SQL is generating an error to the tune of:

Type: Error
Source: SQLSERVERAGENT
Category: Alert Engine
Event ID: 318
Date: 8/21/2007
Time: 10:56:34 AM
User: N/A
Computer: (servername)
Description:
Unable to read local eventlog (reason: The data area passed to a system call is too small).

EventID.Net claims it as a few things, and none of them have really applied here. Is this indicative of a pagefile size issue, or is something more serious happening here? I'm racking my brain here, and these errors are filling up the event log to the point where it's pushing off hypothetically legit errors.

FWIW - Server Specs:

Dell PowerEdge 2850, Quad Processor, 4 gigs of memory, Server 2003, SQL 2000, IIS/ASP.net, Veritas Backup Agent for Servers, tons of HD space, all current Windows Updates (errors were occuring prior to last set of updates/reboot for updates).

Thanks for reading!

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/63230.html

Date: 08/14/07     Keywords: software

Hi folks,

We're currently using Visual Audit X3 for license gathering, and I don't have a lot of experience with other types of software. Is Visual Audit "the bee's knees", or is there better software out there?

(This is for a Windows environment, if you hadn't guessed already)

Thanks

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/62909.html

Date: 08/09/07     Keywords: no keywords

Hello. We have a batch of 57 identical computers running Windows XP with SP2 (1.9Ghz Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM). We're a fairly large television studio using a program called iNews to receive feeds from the AP and various other sources. There are a variety of hotkeys (macros) being used with this program that simply do not work on the DC5700. To complicate things, the problem is intermittent - the program occasionally DOES open up with every hotkey/macro working on it. In addition, the same program (same version, settings, OS, and set of users) running on the older machines these computers replaced handled the program perfectly without any problems.

What we've tried:
-Updating the chipset drivers
-Updating the BIOS

Could something be conflicting with the hotkey functions? Since I never use these hotkeys, I can't think of any reason why something might be interfering with iNews, but of course, that's why I'm asking here. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

~Elliot

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/62482.html

Date: 08/07/07     Keywords: no keywords

I've set up a sub folder in a site that is maintained by a user that is not a member of the parent site. The user does not have access to any other section of the site. The user permission level for the folder is set to Design, but every time I try to upload a file, I receive the Error:Access Denied.

Any clues?

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/62348.html

Date: 08/02/07     Keywords: sql, linux

«Работай там, где ты можешь создать что-то действительно важное...»

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/62196.html

Date: 07/17/07     Keywords: google

Is anyone currently using OpenNMS in their networks? If so, did you have an outside source install it, or did you install yourself? What OS/versions are you running it on?

I've been trying to get OpenNMS to install on Debian Etch for the last few days and have been failing miserably during the actual OpenNMS install. I've downloaded the .deb packages and source tarballs for 1.2.9 and 1.3.5 from sourceforge and haven't been able to get either path to work.

So far, I've been installing postgre, tomcat, and rrdtool through apt-get and that seems to be giving me the majority of my issues. I think I'm going to try building everything from source tomorrow.

Anyone who has installed OpenNMS recently: Can you give any suggestions? I've googled the hell out of this, printed all of the documents from OpenNMS.org. I have three versions of the install document and neither seems to get me through the installation completely.

x-posted

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/61630.html

Date: 06/22/07     Keywords: no keywords

First off, let me say that I'm not a Unix person. I don't really know much about it, and I've never had to learn any kind of administration stuff for it.

Unfortunately, being the only IT person in a company means I get handed a lot of projects I don't necissarily know how to do at first.

I have a SPARC machine that I'm trying to install Solaris 10 on. The reason for this? We already have the hardware (it's rather old) and we don't have to pay for the operating system. Woo! So, we're using it (fortunately, it's not for anything system critical, like our file server. I'm making this the intranet server). Might as well, considering we paid for it.


This used to be the company's old file server machine. Like...at least 3 years ago. Way before I worked here. It ran Solaris 8 without any issues that I know of.

There are RAID drives set up to combine a bunch of them, so that's possibly where an issue is arising, but I know next to nothing about Solaris, and even less about setting up a RAID on it.


I have the Solaris 10 discs (Solaris 10, 11/06 release) sitting in front of me. I can boot to the CD ROM, I can go through the Gui installation procedure without any problem. I told the installer to do a fresh install because I wanted to wipe all the data that used to be on here. Backups were made when this machine went out of production, and frankly, if someone hasn't asked for a piece of data in 3+ years, they're probably not going to ask for it. Hell, most of the staff that was employed when this went out of service isn't working here anymore.

So, fresh install.

I don't have any problems with the installation process (except for some 'omg I don't like this static IP you gave me!' issues, but that's beside the point). I answered all the questions, provided all the information, and I let it go.

I told it not to reboot automatically, so when I came back, it wanted a reboot. It also seemed to go through the install rather quickly. Despite that, I rebooted the machine like it asked. And that's when the trouble started.

The machine rebooted and looked like it was doing everything fine. It'd initialize the memory like it knew what it was doing, pop up one or two more things on the screen, have a siezure and flash tons of stuff up there and reboot again.

I thought maybe I messed something up, so I tried reinstalling. Again. With the same results. I've now installed 2 additional times, trying different things, and I still don't receive any different results.

What I found odd about the install process besides the fact that it seemed to go abnormally fast (I checked on it through 10% complete, I'd have to walk away for something and when I'd come back 10 minutes later it'd be done), was that it never asked me for any of the other 4 CD's.

Perhaps something is messed up with the installation procedure? Either way, I'm about to shoot this freakin thing.

Cross posted a small bit

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/60943.html

Date: 06/21/07     Keywords: no keywords

To all:

What is the norm for these types of packets on your networks? Are these a rarity, or do you see them pretty frequently when running wireshark/ethereal?

x-posted

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/60690.html

Date: 06/18/07     Keywords: no keywords

Hello folks!

Long story short: I work as an I.T. consultant. I'm fed up with my current employer. I've done what I can to improve it and make it a better place to work, but I'm at the end of my rope. The place is bloody toxic and has been since I started a year ago. I'm on the job hunt, probably for something internal again (don't think consulting's right for me... or maybe I've just got a sour taste in my mouth right now :p).

There is a pretty standard non-compete clause in my contract (i.e. I'm not supposed to perform any work while working at Current Employer or up until 12 months afterwards that would be considered competition/a conflict of interest). There's also a bit prohibiting working for clients of [My Current Employer] during that time period. Funny thing is, one client approached me offhand a while ago about whether I'd be interested in working for their business. Truthfully, they're a fun little company, probably fantastic to work for, and I'd definitely be interested.

So um... anyone know how well these clauses hold up under scrutiny/in court? (I'm in Alberta, Canada.) I consider myself a just and moral person, and I have some discomfort with the idea of jumping ship in this manner, but... the ship's rusty and unseaworthy. So. Yeah :)

Thanks for reading!

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/59983.html

Date: 06/13/07     Keywords: no keywords

Hi guys!

wts24h community is starting a series of competitions!
Here is the first competition!

"Open Letter to Bill Gates".

The best short story will be awarded 100$ in PayPal.
The winner will be chosen by the greatest number of votes.
You can post your short stories here for 7 days,
and then voting starts:-)

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/59820.html

Date: 06/07/07     Keywords: virus, spyware

I have a client that has dell p4 Windows XP SP2 server on a static DSL IP that they remote access using windows remote desktop from home on their Sony VAIO Intel Centrino Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and time warner cable high speed. IT has worked for 2 years and it quit working monday. Here is the problem they can no longer remotely access the server from home it will work for any other connection including a twc one but not from home. At home they can remote to test servers I setup at alternate ip addresses  but not to test servers at the work ip or even the work server.

Things I have tried:
1. reset of all equipment on both ends
2. Verification of the correct configurations on the routers
3. Checked the MTU settings on both routers 1492
4. Turned off themes and bitmap caching in remote desktop
5. changed the screen resolution to be 800x600 at 256 bit color on the laptop and in remotoe desktop and made the remote server match
6. turnned of the firewalls on the dell and disable norton 2006 on the laptop and all of its features. nothing.
7. DId the obligatory scans for spyware and viruses using hitman pro for spyware and running all of those tools in paid mode. Scaned for Viruses with AVG, Avast and Antivir
8. checked on MS technet they said I needed to upgrade to the newest version of terminal services. I did it did not help.
9. I changed the MTU on both sides to 1492 since that is the suggest from SBC for PPOE dsl connection prior it was 1500 in both locations
10. I installed tightvnc and they still cannot get home access for the computer it will connect, prompt for a password and freeze after 1/2 of the screen is loaded and die which is better than remote desktop that wont even load the screen

::EDIT:: I just tried putting the server in the dmz on the router still no good. I genuinely believe it has something to do with somehting one of the isp's has changed. Nothing new has been installed on the computers in ages other than windows updates.

I found this article and I have a almost the same problem but I cannot get his results
Remote Desktop
http://www.quest4.org/etc/rda-blackscreen(no_login).htm

I just don't know what else to do I am working the search engines and not really finding much helpful

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated its killing me here

xposted: it_admin

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/59483.html

Date: 06/07/07     Keywords: software, web

I have a Toshiba Satellite P35 laptop in my possession. I just blew the hard drive and threw XP SP2 on it. Everything works fine except for one critical detail - when Windows loads, it does not recognize that the laptop is charging. The P35 has three LED's on the front - a green AC LED that indicates the laptop is plugged in and running off the wall, a green power LED indicating the computer is on, and an amber charging light that indicates the battery is charging (not discharging). When Windows loads, the Charging LED flickers once, and about five seconds later shuts off completely, never to return. The AC light is still on, meaning the motherboard recognizes it's running on AC power, but the charging light is no longer on, and Windows thinks its running on batteries.

I reinstalled Windows, thinking that maybe I jarred the power cord loose during installation, and the same thing occurs. I went to Toshiba's website and downloaded the latest software and drivers. I loaded all of that onto a thumb drive, and booted into Safe Mode thinking I could conserve power - well, not only did it conserve power, the laptop charged quite happily, enabling me to install (mostly) everything.

The only way to charge it again is to shut down, pull out the cord, and plug it back in - it will not charge via normal operation through Windows XP. What could cause XP to go stupid with regards to power consumption like that? Is there a hotfix I should know about? Thank you.

~Elliot

Edit: The plot thickens: In order to install Windows updates, my 1AM crafty thinking reminded me that most modern laptops don't wire the battery into the power circuit, meaning you can run the computer solely on AC power without the battery installed. So, I yanked the battery out, booted it up, and low and behold I'm on essentially unlimited power from the wall. After my updates installed, I dropped the battery back in to see if that fixed the problem... and it didn't. Turning it on without the battery, then plugging it in after it boots to XP appears to work briefly, but Windows forgets it's plugged into the wall and switches to battery power again. If you pull the battery out, the system dies; it's like a kiss of death.

It's almost certainly an ACPI issue, which I've not had much experience with. Any ideas?

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/59246.html

Date: 06/05/07     Keywords: security

More than job promotions and security, study finds

By Network World Staff, Network World, 06/04/07

The needs of existing and prospective female IT workers change over time, and job recruiters and human resources personnel need to recognize that, according to a recent Pennsylvania State University study of 92 women in IT. More...

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/itprofessionals/59083.html

Date: 05/25/07     Keywords: web

I've having discussions with a web designer who doesn't seem to understand revsision control.

I've put the website they are developing into revision control so that chnages made can be tracked, and so they don't need to develop on the live site.

But judging by the emails I'm getting from them they seem to having some trouble with the concept of revision control. I haven't actually asked them to drive the VCS driectly yet , I've been quite happy to commit their changes for them and propagte the chnageset on to the live site.

Is revision control really unusall in this space?

One of my colleges says yes, at that revision control is unique to the Unix development environment and that web and windows developer rarely (read: practically never) use it.

But I still think they should be familiar with what a VCS p=tries to achieve even if there haven't used one.


x-posted to my journal