Contributer Test

Here is a test from a contributer.

Hard Technical Times – Advice #3

If you are Uninstalling SQL 2005, Remember to delete SQL folder from Program Files

Hard Technical Times – Advice #2

If you are working with Microsoft software, Don't delay software configuration after setup if setup can do.

Hard Technical Times – Advice #1

If you are working in a domain based network, join domain first before doing anything.

Hard Technical Times – Microsoft, the Service Pack Company

4 days passed while trying to configure a Windows Server 2008 environment. These days are really very hard, I don't know whey Microsoft changed her strategy which was based on creating Easy to Deploy system !!!

Although they are announcing on their website that such software is easy to deploy, but when you get into real situation, this is really wrong. From the past 4 days, I assure that you can name Microsoft as a Service Pack company. This is sure true, and let's see why is that:
1- My system consists of 4 servers, a domain controller server, internet gate, development server, and a server for backup.
2- the domain controller server will contain Windows 2008, when I installed it I found it Windows Server 2008 With Service Pack1 (1)
3- domain controller setup goes easy, nothing hard.
4- the internet gateway will consist of Windows Server 2008, ISA Server 2006 for protection and internet control.
5- Some hours were wasted until I discovered the FACT that ISA Server 2006 will not work with Windows 2008. the ForeFront is the new generation of ISA.
6- ForeFront requires SQL2005 with Service Pack 2 (2), IIS 7, GMPC with Service Pack 1 (3), Windows Update Service (WSUS) with Service Pack 1 (4), .NET 1.1 with Service Pack 1 (5), .NET 3.0.
7- To install SQL 2005 (which fails in setup), you have first to install .NET 3.5 Service Pack 1 which fixes some issues in Windows.
8- After installing ForeFront, we have to install ForeFront Service Pack 1 in order to work !!!! I didn't reach this step yet.

How Do you Feel !!!! BAD

Posterous, The Great Blog Helper Site

This blog post is really different from other blog posts. It has not been entered as usual. I'm sending this post using my gmail account as if I'm sending an email, but using the Posterous service (www.posterous.com)

Posterous service is a blogging service that enable subscribers to send blog posts using email. The good feature is that it enable the sent post to be auto-directed to a variety of target sites to be published. It can connect to other blogs to post the same post.

for more information about the service, please take a look on this post

 

Virtual Machines

One of the most challenging and interesting concepts appeared in the computer world is the concept of virual machines, or virtualization.

Virtual machine is a software that enable users to create a virtual computer we a set of configuration like certain memory, VGA, hard drives, etc… after setting the configuration, we can use the software to boot the newly created computer.

when booting the new computer, we will get the feel as if we are sitting in front of a real computer, with the black initial screen, bios setup screen, and even error message indicating that there is no hard drive or operating system.

We should next install the operating system, which is done as if we set up normal operating system. after installation, we reach the desktop of the new computer.

the more interesting point is that the new computer (the virtual one) is completely seprate from the original one. which means that it has a different disk contents, different shortcuts on desktop, different installed software, and even different IP on the network. we can configure the new PC to get an IP from the network switch, and hence it will be networked with the orignal PC.

Based on this, we then have two computers, which can implement hundreds of scenarios.

One of the famous scenarios is the client/server where the server can be the virtual machine and the client is the original computer.

Another interested feature, is that after configuring the virutal machine, we can backup the preconfigured virtual machine files on a DVD for later recovery. On recovery, we just restore the files, and open them with the virtual machine software, and in few minutes, we get a fully working and configured machine.

You can take a look on virutal machine software from Microsoft, which is the Microsoft virtual PC 2007 (free) here

If you would like to get some preconfigured machines from microsoft, visit the following page: www.microsoft.com/vhd

SQL Server 2005 and Windows XP Service Pack 3 – The Bad Update

As I’m tunring ON the automatic Windows update, I got a notification of arrival of a new update, it’s the 3rd service pack of Windows XP. At first, I remembered the days of the 1st and 2nd service packs, where they brought some serious changes of Windows XP like addition of Firewall and Security Center.

I took the decision of installing it, but I took a quick look on internet to see what’s new, I found almost nothing new except for some updates. I installed it on my computer, and as I read, no big update to the system.

Few days later, I received SQL Server 2005 CDs which I should install. I’ve already installed Visual Studio 2008 which includes an express edition of SQL 2005. So, I decided to uninstall it and install the new complete edition of SQL 2005.

As I uninstall the express edition, and install the new complete one, the complete SQL 2005 failed to install. I tried again and again, it gives me failure in MSXML6 component.

I found this component installed on my PC, and updated to SP2, so I decided to uninstall it and install SQL again, but I couldn’t uninstall it.

Several hours passed looking on internet for a solution with no success. All what I got from internet is that Windows XP Service Pack 3 puts a protection on the component MSXML 6 and hence no uninsall/update/install for this component.

Finally, I took a decision to uninstall Windows XP Service Pack 3 !! once I did, I installed SQL 2005 and everything goes very well.

Application to Download Google Book

A new application on codeplex website that enable Google Book searchers to download the search items as PDF files.

check it out at: http://www.codeplex.com/GoogleBookDownloader

Do you know ODIR?

Do you know ODIR?

ODIR
is the only FREE tool that removes duplicate things from Microsoft
Outlook. Although it’s relatively slow, and takes some time. I’m really
happy with it since I stayed too long time looking for a tool that
performs that same function.

Check this tool out at: http://www.vaita.com/ODIR.asp