Windows 8 hiberfil.sys large file size removal

I only have a 60GB SSD hard drive running windows 8. I am trying to save disk space and noticed this large file:
hiberfil.sys

I guessed it was to do with hibernating, and is roughly 75% the size of my RAM, which is 8GB, So it is taking up 10% of my hard drive. I found this very helpful article describing this file and it's function which is well worth the short read.

Basically, it has the added benifit of helping Windows boot faster. But I will forfiet that advantage as I only switch my PC on once a day.

Here's how to disable it:

powercfg /h off

Windows 7 connecting to Xserver OS X 10.4 probs

Whenever I try to connect to the smb share on the xserver from a windows 7 computer I am unable to authenticate. But I can from Windows XP and Windows 8!

After a quick look I found this helpful post page, specifically the 'Setspn' command. Digging more into it, there is a link which I think is to this page (outdated links). Do a search on this page for "Setspn" and you'll find it detailed there.

It looks like an authentication issue with Kerberos, where it then looks at using NTLMv2 to authenticate.

To solve the problem looks like you need to change the protocol Windows vista and 7 use back to either Kerberos or NTLMv1. To do this, type from the machine:

1. Click Start.
2. Type secpol.msc in the search box and press Enter.
3. Windows Vista will display a warning message; click Continue.
4. Windows Vista's Local Security Policy console will appear. Highlight Local Policies.
5. Double-click Security Options.
6. Scroll down to the Network Security: LAN Manager Authentication Level policy entry and double-click it.
7. Change the value from the default setting of Send NTLMv2 Response Only to Send LM & NTLM -- Use NTLMv2 Session Security If Negotiated, then click OK. (Figure J).
8. Close the Local Security Policy console.

I have yet to try this. But will do in the near future.

Or follow this:

C:\ setpn -L yourserver

This gets you a list of the service principals assigned to that computer record:

• xgrid/yourserver.example.com
• vpn/yourserver.example.com
• ipp/yourserver.example.com
• xmpp/yourserver.example.com
• cifs/yourserver.example.com
• host/yourserver.example.com
• smtp/yourserver.example.com
• HTTP/yourserver.example.com
• pop/yourserver.example.com
• imap/yourserver.example.com
• ftp/yourserver.example.com
• afpserver/yourserver.example.com

To add the appropriate record:

C:\setpn -A cifs/yourserver yourserver

This gets you:

• cifs/yourserver
• xgrid/yourserver.example.com
• vpn/yourserver.example.com
• ipp/yourserver.example.com
• xmpp/yourserver.example.com
• cifs/yourserver.example.com
• host/yourserver.example.com
• smtp/yourserver.example.com
• HTTP/yourserver.example.com
• pop/yourserver.example.com
• imap/yourserver.example.com
• ftp/yourserver.example.com
• afpserver/yourserver.example.com

No Windows installed in this Computer Suite sign

Thought I'd share this with everyone. Change as you see fit.

No Windows. Windows is not installed in this computer suite

Here's a link to the pdf of it.

Let me know if you use it. Cheers!

Re-imaging Windows 7 on Apple Macs

So, we are now trialing a newer system for deploying Windows 7 on to our Apple Macs. Previously we've used Deploystudio, but as our Apple Server is too old, it is no longer up to the task.

For the rest of the PC's we use the Microsoft Imaging technique (whatever this is), and we're trying it with our macs.

Here's a step by step of what to do with the installer disk:

1. insert disk
2. set the default boot disk to be Windows (assuming Windows was previously installed)
3. reboot and hold ALT
4. select the CD
5. Press ANY KEY
6. log in with own credentials
7. Select task sequence
1. to determine which volume to boot from you need to run DISKPART. Type:
1. SELECT DISK 0
2. LIST VOLUMES
3. SELECT VOLUME (type the volume number)
4. LIST PARTITIONS
8. Select to install BootCamp drivers
9. Put name, domain details in
10. Go!

EBS 4 Agent and Silverlight on OS X 10.6.6

We use EBS and have recently upgraded to version 4 which isn't officially supported for Mac :(. But it does work, although we have intermittent cases when a user gets a white screen.

To fix, you simply need to delete the:
~/Library/Application\ Support/Microsoft/Silverlight

folder. Simple.

I noticed that on 10.7.4 machines the folder is read only.

What to do if your windows computer is running ridiculously slow (only applies to Microsoft Windows)

So, I get a lot of people coming to me with Windows PC's and laptops which are running ridiculously slow. As I'm fixing one this very moment, I thought I'd document what I have found to be the easiest ways to get them running to their original speed (when they were first purchased).

I will run through it in a chronological order.

1. First things first, you need to be able to get the system to a 'usable' state, meaning you can click on stuff and something happens, and also you can install stuff. Here's how I do it in worst case scenarios:
1. Boot up into safe mode (continuously press F8 when the computer is booting up)
2. Enable the "Windows Installer" in safe mode.
1. Heres a link to an article where I describe how to do this.
3. A part from safe mode, you can always:
1. open the task manager and end processes of anything which is taking up the CPU, but this is a little frustrating.
2. delete startup items in the Start > Programs > Startup menu.
3. Go to  Start > Run -> msconfig and click "disable startups" described here
4. If you're still having problems, run hijackthis
1. It's a very good program and helps you delete entries in Windows linked with Malicious Programs. Here's the home page
2. When you run it you can make a text file. Paste this text file on the home page and it'll analyse it and tell you which things you'll want to remove.
3. Tick the right boxes and bingo.
2. Install and run a free anti-virus.
1. At the moment the top runners for free anti-virus are AVG and AntiVir
2. I have found that  in the past a lot of anti-virus programs are the things that actually slow your machine down. This is one of the reasons AVG and AntiVir have such good ratings.
3. Install and run a free anti-malware application
1. At the moment the top runner is MalwareBytes
4. Install and run TuneUp Utilities 30 day free trial, currently on version 2012.
1. You get a free 30 day trial, but I've found you really only need a 1 hour trial to fix all the problems. Luckily it doesn't "unfix" the problems once it has expired.
2. The main part to run is "one-click-maintanance"
1. It runs through your system and tells you how many things it can 'fix'.
2. Click the fix button
3. Keep running this program until it does not fix anything anymore.

If these basic steps aren't going to fix it, you're best option is to re-install Windows a-fresh and make a nice new start. Possibly consider installing the operating system it came with to begin with? Or even think about another operating system (i.e. not windows). Ubuntu, OS X?

At the end of the day, your computer will at best run at the speed it was running when you first bought it. If you upgrade the operating system you will notice a slow down.

Also, programs which run at startup are going to slow your machine down. I only have 3 running on my startup; DropBox, Carbonite and MAMP. I suggest you really think about how you want to use your computer. It's all about compromise. 

Any suggestions are welcome, especially if it's easier than this list of 'things to do'.

Windows Vista Laptop dwmredir.dll error on login

A staff member brought their laptop in. Upon booting it up it auto logs in but before it can load the desktop or anything it comes up with the error:


"C:\Windows\system32\dwmredir.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support.


Found this microsoft tech forum which suggests:

1. restore to just before this happened - unfortunately there is no restore points!!
2. try a clean boot
1. goto -> run -> msconfig
2. disable startups
3. disable non microsoft startups
4. try and rule out which one is causing it
3. tryed these to no avail. Still no desktop

Found this forum which says to run some error checking thing called "System File Checker". From command line type:

sfc /scannow

............

I've just found this post under "drafts". Looks like I didn't finish the post. From what I remember, I think I booted in Safe Mode, turned on the installation service (see previous post), installed Tune Up Utilities and ran "One Stop Maintenance". I think this is how I fixed it.


Simple.

Lending Library Database Template Current Lending Issues

Well, I do believe that I have a previous post describing my want of a booking out system, and having found the "Lending Library Template", posted here. I've started testing.

One problem found was that if you viewed a persons details (Contact Details form) and clicked on "Current Lending" tab, it would list ALL off the items being lent out to EVERYONE. This of course wasn't the intended design I can imagine, and so is a slight fault.

After doing a few google searches I found two people with the same problem, and the second of which was lucky enough to get talking to an expert. He found the problem to be with the table in the tab. It simply needed "Link Master Fields" to have "ID" and "Link Child Fields" to have "Checked Out To" in the properties.

Change "Linked Masters Fields" to ID and "Linked Child Fields" to Checked out to

This worked a treat. Thank you HiTechCoach

Office 2008 and 2011 cannot save or create this file

Upon updating the operating system to OS X 10.6.6, I've found that saving office documents throws up a lot of error messages. It has to be noted that this is only happening for staff logging in through Active Directory. These are the error messages that are coming up:

Word cannot save or create this file. The disk may be full or write-protected.

Word cannot save this document due to a naming or permissions error

The "Word cannot save or create this file" error appeared only for staff saving docx files on an old Server 2000 share.

It is my understanding that the other error ("Word cannot save this document") is cause when saving a .doc file when the .TemporaryItems folder stored in the root directory of the home drive either isn't there or does not have the right permissions. I found this forum which talked a little of the problem

After some searching around I found this very informative webpage on saving issues with Word and other Office applications.

With help from the ICT Technicians we've deduced it is a problem with the staff having home drives on a Windows Server 2000 share, as the students do not have this problem with their home drives on a Windows Server 2003 share.

We hence tried moving a home directory to a Windows Server 2008 share. This fixed the problem of saving .docx files, but we had the .doc error "Word cannot save this document due to a naming or permissions error". I'm assuming this is caused by the .TemporaryItems folder issues, but this needs testing.

Another thing to test was the operating system, as it is suggested that the problem is caused by Apple. It did appear to work very well on OS X 10.6.8, Office 2008 on a Windows Server 2008 share.

We did test this quite extensively, even trying the new Office 2011, which still showed up with error messages.

We now have a few options:

1. Move staff home folders to a Windows Server 2003/2008 share
2. Change the OS X active directory login settings to "Force Local Home", and get a script which automounts their home as a networked volume on login.

The first option is out of my hands but I have started the ball rolling. The second option would mean the users would have to change their habbits, and change always comes with friction. My prefered option is No.1.

Microsoft Office 2008 console errors

I've recently been trying to image a new iMac 27". So I've had to install a great many Applications and tested them out. I had a few problems with Adobe InDesign so on looking in the console log I found a lot of reference to Microsoft!

Microsoft Word[35252]: CGBitmapContextGetData: invalid context

Anyway, I did a search and found this which basically says that Microsoft has not done a good job in porting office over to mac, and hence has a lot of misc console messages.

Staff Photos - Use Access to change file names

I've got a nice little Access Database which holds a table of staff members, and another linking the staff to a photo file location. I then use a query to find members of a specific department with a photo and make a tiled report i.e. a staff board with names and job titles.

I've recently been asked to make the staff photos available for everyone, but the problem is they would not want to use the database in its present state (it doesn't look too pretty) and all the photos are still sorted in the folders corresponding to the photo-shoot date and still have their original file name. The question has come up - Can I get Access to rename the photos to say the staff name?

Well, I've done a bit of research (a google search) and it looks like to use access I'd have to do a bit of programming!! But there is this ingenious solution. Basically:

1. Export a excel file of staff name and picture file location
2. open excel and format it so that you get each row to say "ren \Photoshoot1\DSC00342.jpg \ArtAndDesign\StephenBleach.jpg"
3. Then you can make a *.BAT file with a whole list of these commands and "bobs your uncle" you have renamed all the files and it'll only have taken about 30 mins. 

You can even adapt it to put them in directories according to Department! Genius!

But, rather then doing all this, I'd rather the college had a better system (i.e. not me) of gathering and sorting staff photos using some centralised system which everyone can take advantage of.