Sektormedia: Aaron's Brain

Terminal Services Junkies

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How To: Disable Windows' "Use the Web Service" Prompt on Unknown Files

Whenever Windows XP or Vista run across a file type the system doesn't recognize (regardless of whether you do or not), the user is prompted with either selecting a program to open it or to "Use the Web service to find the correct program"—which has yet to work even once, at least for me. The How-To Geek shows how to disable this prompt and head straight to the program selector, using a quick registry hack.
Thanks Lifehacker!

How To: Disable Windows' "Use the Web Service" Prompt on Unknown Files.

MOSS End User Training

The good news, a great new MOSS end user training tool is on the horizon. The bad news, it's on the horizon. The MOSS team should have certainly learned from the core Office team that these types of tools should be out before the product.
Having these types of training tools certainly makes the decision to buy an expensive product that much easier. It's hard to roll out an entire new architecture and have the manpower to train the troops. Having self training tools is crucial. So far it's just a help tab with camtasia videos, links to the MS site, and our own FAQ's. MS MOSS TEAM, HEEEEELPPP!

Enable Mysite Breadcrumbs

The more you learn about Sharepoint the more you understand you don't know. Want your users to be able to nav back to your portal more easily? Thanks to Marc for pointing out the breadcrumb option for Mysite Portal connections. Much easier than editing the master template.

By default, a SharePoint 2007 (MOSS) My Site page does not contain a link back to the portal it serves.  This leaves users confused about how to get back to the main portal other than using the Back button in their browsers.

There is a simple fix for this.  From the My Site page, choose Site Actions/Site Settings.  Under Site Collection Administration click on Portal Site Connection.  Click on the radio button next to Connect to portal site and enter the URL and name for the portal site.  (Example: http://server/portal/ and Portal Name).  Click OK to save.  (See this link at Microsoft Support for how to accomplish this programmatically.)

Now, every user will see the portal name (in the example above, Portal Name) in the breadcrumbs on the top left of the My Site page.  Problem solved.

MOSS Crypto Issue. HELP!

I keep getting a crypto error on the Shared Server Search, every 1 minute. I've stopped and recreated these to no help. In my mind it seems to be failing because it can't encrypt with a self signed cert? Any thoughts? Anyone seen this?

Application Server Administration job failed for service instance Microsoft.Office.Server.Search.Administration.SearchAdminSharedWebServiceInstance (33dacb47-30e5-41a8-8e9e-2c4a4941a895).

Reason: The handle is invalid.


Techinal Support Details:
System.Security.Cryptography.CryptographicException: The handle is invalid.

   at System.Security.Cryptography.Utils.CreateProvHandle(CspParameters parameters, Boolean randomKeyContainer)
  at System.Security.Cryptography.Utils.GetKeyPairHelper(CspAlgorithmType keyType, CspParameters parameters, Boolean randomKeyContainer, Int32 dwKeySize, SafeProvHandle& safeProvHandle, SafeKeyHandle& safeKeyHandle)
   at System.Security.Cryptography.RSACryptoServiceProvider.GetKeyPair()
  at System.Security.Cryptography.RSACryptoServiceProvider..ctor(Int32 dwKeySize, CspParameters parameters, Boolean useDefaultKeySize)
   at System.Security.Cryptography.RSACryptoServiceProvider..ctor(CspParameters parameters)
  at Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities.CertificateManager.CreateSelfSignedSslCertificate(CspParameters parameters, X500DistinguishedName name, DateTime expiresAfter)
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPProvisioningAssistant.ProvisionIisWebSite(String serverComment, String[] serverBindings, String[] secureBindings, AuthenticationMethods authenticationMethods, String[] authenticationProviders, String path, AccessFlags accessFlags, String applicationName, String applicationPoolId, String[] scriptMaps, String sslCertificateSubjectName)
   at Microsoft.SharePoint.Administration.SPMetabaseManager.ProvisionIisWebSite(String serverComment, String[] serverBindings, String[] secureBindings, Int32 authenticationMethods, String[] authenticationProviders, String path, Int32 accessFlags, String applicationName, String applicationPoolId, String[] scriptMaps, String sslCertificateSubjectName)
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.Administration.SharedWebServiceInstance.Synchronize()
  at Microsoft.Office.Server.Administration.ApplicationServerJob.ProvisionLocalSharedServiceInstances(Boolean isAdministrationServiceJob)

Popfly

Popfly, in my opinion, is Microsoft's first real offering that is actually innovative and not following the crowd. The ideas are much more Web2.0 (I hate that term), rather than following what others are doing. It seems actually genuine and not an afterthought that they've squeezed into a product. Based on their new Silverlight technology it allows power users to mashup different technology in a very cool and new way. I still think that one of the things holding MS back from being more accepted is their annoying insistence of requiring a passport account for EVERYTHING! They have a ton of great content and products but it's all gated behind passport. Very annoying, even when I already have a passport account. Check it out, it's very very cool.

TechEd 2007 Bag Goodies

CIMG1590.JPG
Originally uploaded by Sektormedia.

This is the inside of the bag. The hat was for being an alumni, 9 years I believe.

TechEd 2007 Bag

CIMG1586.JPG
Originally uploaded by Sektormedia.

Can't Find Report Builder in RS?

Yep, neither could I. Bizarre, or so I thought. I had upgraded to SQL 2005 RS from RS 2000 and never thought about the fact that I couldn't see Report Builder until someone asked for it. I searched and searched but couldn't find ANY info. Finally BoL to the rescue! It's always the last place I look, geez. It's gotten so much better it should be the first, but I'm just set in my ways I suppose.

You simply follow the simple steps after the jump to fix the problem. Add a group and edit a few roles and you're good to go.

How to install and configure a Virtual Private Network server in Windows Server 2003

Need to install a VPN server on your Serve 2003 box? I had to help someone today and wanted to give them the step-by-step setup so I dug it up. Here is the information on How to install and configure a Virtual Private Network server in Windows Server 2003.