Very interesting flash demo on how wireless hackers access your data and the tools they use:
(Thanks to Liz for the link)
Ali's Knowledge Base
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How can I lock the UDP port that Microsoft Exchange Server uses to notify Microsoft Outlook clients that new mail has arrived?
The “New mail” notification that Exchange uses operates over a dynamically assigned UDP port that the Outlook client selects when it first connects to the Exchange server. If you need to lock down this port to enable notification through a firewall, you need to make a client-side registry change (this setting is supported only in Outlook 2003).
To do so, create the new DWORD value HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftOffice11.0OutlookRPCFixedUDPPort and set it to the port that the client will listen on for mail notifications.
Windows update gives a 80246005 error
To fix this error, try:
Click start-run type services.msc then press enter
Look for the Automatic Updates Service, right click it and choose to stop
Click start->run type %windir%SoftwareDistribution then press enter
Open the DataStorage folder and delete its contents.
Click start->run type services.msc
right click the Automatic Update Service and choose to start
Now try running the Updates again.
Error “Automation server can’t create object” while changing the User Account properties
When you try to change the User Account properties via the User Accounts Control Panel, you may receive this error:
Automation server can’t create object
This is due to the missing registry key given below:
HKCRCLSID{66e4e4fb-f385-4dd0-8d74-a2efd1bc6178}
This problem usually happens if you un-register the file shimgvw.dll (as an attempt to turn Off the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer)
RESOLUTION
Click Start, Run and type REGSVR32 SHIMGVW.DLL
How can I hide the drop-down list of domains that appears on the logon screen of Windows XP and later machines?
To remove the domain drop-down list from the logon screen and force users to use their full user principal name (UPN), perform these steps:
1. Start the registry editor (regedit.exe).
2. Navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionWinlogon registry subkey.
3. From the Edit menu, select New, DWORD value.
4. Enter a name of NoDomainUI and press Enter.
5. Double-click the new value and set it to 1. Click OK.
6. Reboot the machine.
The logon screen will no longer show a drop-down list for domains, and users will need to enter the full UPN to log on. For example, the user of an account called Ali in domain alibutt.com will enter the logon name ali@alibutt.com
Can you recover deleted items from a Microsoft Exchange Server public folder?
Yes, the same “Recover deleted items” option that’s available for a user mailbox is available for a public folder. However, unlike a mailbox, when you delete an item from a public folder, the item doesn’t go to a “Deleted items” folder. Instead, it’s simply hidden (by setting the PR_DELETED_ON property) and isn’t actually deleted until the “Deleted item retention” period on the public folder store has elapsed. You set the “Deleted item retention” option on public folders by selecting the public folder store in Exchange System Manager (ESM) and selecting Properties from the File menu. Set the “Keep deleted items for (days)” value to the number of days you want to save the contents of the “Deleted items” folder. Remember that if the public folder has replicas, you need to set the recovery time on each public store on each server. To recover an item, you must have Editor permissions on the folder (i.e., full Read, Write, and Delete permissions). Select the public folder from which the item was deleted and select “Recovery Deleted Items” from the Tools menu of the Microsoft Office Outlook client.
What’s Windows XP N?
As part of the European Union (EU) and Microsoft antitrust settlement, Microsoft had to create versions of Windows XP Professional Edition and Windows XP Home Edition that don’t include Windows Media Player (WMP). These versions are called XP Professional Edition N and XP Home Edition N and are available only in Europe.
How can I send an email message from within a VBScript script?
If you have Microsoft IIS with SMTP installed on a server, you can use the following code to send a basic email message from within a script:
Set objMessage = CreateObject(“CDO.Message”)
objMessage.Subject = “Subject”
objMessage.Sender = “ali@alibutt.com”
objMessage.To = “you@yourself.com”
objMessage.TextBody = “test mail”
objMessage.Send
When you run OneNote 2003 on a Terminal Server client, the colors for menus and tabs are made of colored dots and crosshatches?
The subject appearance, often called pixilated, occurs if the client display is set for 256 colors (8-bit), because OneNote 2003 is optimized for a 16-bit color depth, or greater.
NOTE: OneNote 2003 menus and tabs use gradients to shade one color into another, and gradients cannot be displayed at an 8-bit color depth.
To workaround this issue, increase the color resolution of the Terminal Server client:
1. Open the Remote Desktop Connection item from Start / All Programs / Accessories / Communications.
2. Type the computer name or IP address of the Terminal Server into Computer.
3. Press Options to expand the connection window.
4. Select the Display tab.
5. Select a color resolution of 16-bit or higher.
6. Press Connect and log on to the Terminal Server session.
Moving the Flag Status Column in Outlook 2003’s Mail Folder View
The new follow-up flags for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 messages appear on the right side of a mail folder view, instead of on the left side with the other icons, such as the icon for attachments. Is there a way to move the Flag Status column to the left side of the mail folder view?
As you’ve probably noticed, the Flag Status column is a special column with its own functionality. If you right-click it, you don’t see the typical context menu with the Open, Print, Reply, and other commands but rather a menu containing the six flag colors and commands for Flag Complete, Add Reminder, Clear Flag, and Set Default Flag. Another special characteristic of the Flag Status column is that you can’t drag the column heading right or left to reposition it in the view.
It is possible to relocate the Flag Status column, but you’ll lose the context menu with its flag commands. That menu is available only when the Flag Status column appears in its special position on the right.
To reposition the Flag Status column, you need to remove it from the view first, then restore it in the desired position. To remove the Flag Status column, choose View, Arrange By, Current View, Customize Current View, then click Fields. In the Fields dialog box, select Flag Status, then click Remove. Click OK once to return to the Customize View dialog box. To restore the column in its new location, click Fields again. In the Fields dialog box, drag Flag Status from the Available Fields list into the Show these fields in this order list, positioning it as you want it to appear in the view.