Outlook PST Conversion Utility and more

Looking for a free PST Conversion Utility? Look no further. WinPST has a free PST converter called WinPST Ansi PST to Unicode Converter. With this utility you can convert an Outlook 2003 PST-file to Outlook 97-2000 PST-file and vice versa.
The best thing about the program: Its FREE!

WinPST offers also some other usefull utilities at some modest fees.
One is called WinPST Outlook Duplicate Remover and only cost about $19.95.

They also have a program called WinPST Share Outlook. This program allows you to create a Public folder and share Outlook PST among other users/colleges without using e.g. Exchange.
Prices range from 3 users $70, 5 users $110, and on (about $20/user) according to the Time Limited deal on their website (17/12/2010).

Handy Telecom relates links

Firmware and configuration programs for KPN (Business) ADSL modems:
http://www.kpnserviceweb.com

Tele2 VDSL modem hack (Comtrend):
http://tele2.gebruikers.eu/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=1987
http://gathering.tweakers.net/forum/list_messages/1369551/14



Recover Tele2 ADSL Davolink DV-201/DV-2020 configuration (username/password included!):
http://tele2.gebruikers.eu/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=919

Compare CPUs speed

In the past knowing if one CPU was faster than another was easy. You just had to look at the MHz. More was better. And Mr. AMD supplied it's processornames with e.g. 1500+ so you could reasonably compare AMD with Intel CPUs. Nowadays Intel and AMD all use cryptic semi-numerical names for their CPU and a bigger number does not automatically means faster! So what if you wan't to know if a Core2Duo 2.0 MHz is faster than a i3 1.2 MHz? The dudes at Notebookcheck.net have made a CPU-benchmarklist so you could compare some different CPU's. The faster CPU's are at the top, the slowest are at the bottom. The above benchmarklist shows that a Core2Due to be about 25% faster than the i3 CPU !

Does this phone work in.....

How often do you wonder if a peticular phone will work in some country?
Now you can just lookup the band of the phone e.g. 850/1900 and go to GSM World :

1. Search the country you want your phone to work
2. lookup the phone company
3. check if your phone's band is the same as the phone company

That's it folks....

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!

Needing a way to restore your taskbar to the the default settings?
Have a look at Taskbar Repair Tool Plus! to fix it.

When your at ;-) Look for the other Windows XP info/tweaks and goody found at: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

Repair the Windows SBS 2008 Console

When running Windows 2008 or SBS 2008 Server, the console may pop-up with a message that is has stopped running. This seems to be related to installing SQL Server, installing som MS Updates or installing Internet Explorer 7 or 8.

I fixed this by just repairing the console and do a reboot when asked.
Check this link (Technet) for the precise repair instructions.
Please follow the index at the left to read other interesting info.

In short, do a repair of: Windows Small Business Server 2008.
You may need the original Windows CD/DVD (I just ignored it, and that worked out for me ;-))

Attachment size in exchange 2003

1. Open ESM ( Exchange System Manager ) > Expand Global Settings > Right click Message Delivery then click Properties.
2. Click on Defaults TAB , set your Message size limit then click OK to accept changes .

CallerID Blocking

CallerIDBlock allows you to selectively decide for which phone numbers CallerID (your phone number) is sent and for which it is suppressed. This little utility is especially useful, since the standard phone CallerIDfeature is limited to only 3 rather restrictive options: No CallerID,
CallerID for contacts only, and CallerID for all.

Lets face it, in the real world you need to have the flexibility to decide whether to send your
CallerID for every phone number individually or not.

With CallerIDBlock you can add phone numbers manually, by importing your contacts automatically, or whenever you dial a new number. Imported contact numbers do not block CallerID (by default), whereas newly dialed numbers automatically block CallerID.


Explanation from Microsoft how CallerID works on Windows Mobile.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/help/v6-0/set-up-caller-ID-touch.aspx

CallerID Managing Application for Windows Mobile (Shareware $10.00)
http://mobiletimes.site50.net/html/calleridblock_pr1.html

Download Link App: http://calleridblock.googlecode.com/files/CallerIDBlock100d.ZIP

How to DELETE Windows Local & Domain Cached Credentials

To delete locally cached credentials you could type the following command in the 'Run' prompt:

CONTROL USERPASSWORDS2 or rundll32.exe keymgr.dll,KRShowKeyMgr

(The user may have to be a local administrator to remove the caches password. This is not conclusive yet.)

Not many of us would have come across the interfaces which get launched after executing the above mentioned commands. Browse to Advanced>Manage Passwords, and you'll see all the credentials which are locally cached. You could Add/Delete them, bear in mind that you need to run this command as an Administrator.

Now, coming to an interesting part which I recently came across; where do we look out for user credentials cached at the domain level??
If you launch Windows registry with SYSTEM level privilege and browse to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SECURITY\CACHE", you will find a total of 10 entries starting from NL$1 to NL$10. These binary entries contain users cached credentials at the domain level.

By default Windows allows a total of 10 credentials to be cached and if all 10 entries are full, any new credential to be cached will be overwritten by the Value Date in the oldest NL$ entry.
Also, to know how many free entries are left, simply count the number of entries whose binary value data is full of '0'.

For those who wish to know how to gracefully clear the domain cached credentials, this cannot be achieved by deleting these entries.
If you delete the NL$ entries, Windows will never cache any users credentials in the future.
Simply edit the "Value Data" in each NL$ entry and replace the data with '0' (ZERO). This will clear all the existing cached credentials.

A key thing to note over here is:
Windows Registry with SYSTEM level privilege cannot be launched by simply executing REGEDIT.EXE from the RUN prompt. You will need to launch it as follows:

at xx:xx /interactive "regedit.exe"

Where XX:XX is the time in the FUTURE when you would want to launch the registry. Suppose if the system time on your Server/Desktop shows 23:50 then you could type
at 23:51 /interactive "regedit.exe
This would launch the registry with SYSTEM level privilege when your server/desktop clocks 23:51.

Again, you will succeed to launch this only if you are logged onto the system as an Administrator.
This works with Windows XP/2000/2003 and may also work with 2008 but I have not tried it there.

Network Password Recovery

Location Network Password
Windows Network Passwords (XP/Vista/2003): When you connect to the file system of another computer on your network (something like \\MyComp\MyFolder), Windows allows you to save the password. If you choose to save the password, the encrypted password is stored in a credential file.

The credential file is stored in the following locations:

• Windows XP/2003: [Windows Profile]\Application Data\Microsoft\Credentials\[User SID]\Credentials and [Windows Profile]\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Credentials\[User SID]\Credentials
• Windows Vista: [Windows Profile]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\[Random ID] and [Windows Profile]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\[Random ID]
  

Where the network passwords are stored?
Older versions of Windows (Windows 95,98 and ME) stored the network passwords in pwl files located under the main Windows folder.
Starting from Windows XP, the network passwords are encrypted inside the Credentials file, located under Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Microsoft\Credentials\. Some passwords may also be stored in the Credentials file under Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Credentials\.
In addition to the passwords of network shares, Windows XP also stores the passwords of .NET Passport (MSN Messenger) in the same Credentials files

(Info from Nirsoft)

Create ISO from CD/DVD or File/Folders

You have some files in a folder and would like to make an .iso from them? Do not dispear anymore: file2iso is here.
Want to create an .iso file from a CD or DVD, use LCISOCreator, you can find it at LucerSoft.
I'll throw in a bonus, hoe to use both programs can be found at this link.

Snap Any Window to Half the Screen Size in Windows 7

Nowadays everyone have one of them widescreen computermonitors.
Mine is about 24 inch and sometimes I jsut want to put 2 windows next to each other to compare some data.

I you are using Windows 7 then this is very easy:
Activate a program/window and use Windows-key + left/right-cursor key.
Windows-key with cursor-up brings the windows backt of full (max. size) and cursor-down makes the windows a floating-windows.

Beware ;-) : This a Windows 7 only feature.

Error when starting Office: sku011.cab could not be found

If you get the above error when starting Office for the first time (repair due to new profile),
then fire-up your regedit.

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> Software->Microsoft -> Office -> 11.0 -> Delivery -> {91E30409-6000-11D3-8CFE-0150048383C9} and change the value of CDCache to 0 (zero).

A website dedicated to this error can be found here.

Aanmaken SQL Query met belangrijke SMS gegevens!

Om zelf de query te maken ga als volgt te werk:

1. Login op de SMS-server
2. Ga naar [Start] --> Program Files --> Microsoft SQL Server
3. Start Query Analyzer op
4. Vul in als SQL Server: (local)
5. Kies (connect using): Windows Authentication en klik op: [OK]
6. Vul in het nieuwe query scherm (lijkt op een notepad scherm) het volgende (doe COPY & PASTE van hieronder):

select v_package.PackageID,

v_package.Name,

v_CollectionRuleDirect.RuleName as 'AD Group',

v_package.PkgSourcePath,

v_Advertisement.AdvertisementName,

v_Advertisement.ProgramName,

v_Collection.Name

from v_package

left outer join v_Advertisement on v_package.PackageID = v_Advertisement.PackageID

left outer join v_Collection on v_Advertisement.CollectionID = v_Collection.CollectionID

left outer join v_CollectionRuleDirect on v_Collection.CollectionID = v_CollectionRuleDirect.CollectionID

left outer join v_CollectionRuleQuery on v_Collection.CollectionID = v_CollectionRuleQuery.CollectionID

order by v_package.Manufacturer, v_package.Name

7. Zoek in de Toolbar, de gele ton met erachter: master en verander dit in: SMS_XXX
(SMS_XXX = je SMS-site. Hiermee geef je aan, op welke dbase je de query gaat uitvoeren!)
8. Klik nu in de toolbaar op de groene driehoek, om de query uit te voeren!
9. Klik in het resultaat-scherm, op de cel tussen [1] en [PackageID]. Hiermee selecteer je alle rijen en kolommen.
10. Klik nu rechtermuisknop in het resultaatvenster en selecteer Save As.
11. Vul bv. c:\temp\MijnSMSQuery als naam in. (niet allemaal de zelfde naam gebruiken ;-))
Kies als type: Export Files (*.CSV)
Kies File format: ANSI
Kies Colomn delimiter: Comma Seperated (CSV)
Klik op: [Save]
12. Open het bestand nu met Microsoft Excel.
13. Selecteer kolom A, door op de "A" te klikken.
14. Ga naar in het Excel menu naar menu: Data --> Tekst naar kolommen…
(menu: Data --> Text to Columns)
15. Zorg dat de radiobutton: (o) Gescheiden (of: Delimited) geselecteerd staat en klik op [volgende]/[next]
16. Kies als scheidingsteken, allen: [v]Komma (of: [v]Comma) en klik op [Voltooien]/[Finish]
17. Selecteer de hele Excelsheet door me de muis tussen "rij A" en "kolom 1" te klikken.
18. Ga naar menu: Opmaak --> Kolom en kies: AutoAanPassen aan selectie
(menu: Format --> Row en kies: Autofit)
17. Indien niet aanwezig, voeg helemaal boven in de sheet een lege rij via menu:
Invoegen --> Rijen (/Insert --> Row:

PackageID PackageName AD Group PackageSourcePath AdvertisementName AdvertisedPackageProgram CollectionName

en vul het bovenstaande op regel 1 (copy & paste van hieronder).
18. Selekteer de hele rij 1, door op "1" te klikken,
ga naar menu: Data --> Filter --> AutoFilter
19. Sla het Excelsheet met Save As... op
(vergeet niet om het als een .XLS-bestand op te slaan)

Some nice lockdown tools I found

I was looking for a tool to block MSN Messenger, these are the links I encountered with my search:

The guys at Smart-X really have some great tools, like AppLocker (prevent start of ececutables), Folder Permission Reporting, New/Duplicate SIDs (on your network), Disable Group Policy (GPO Killer), Terminal Server Monitor, GPHideDrive , a free Run As Administrator and lots of other progs.

LockDown (CTRL-Alt-Del) for non domain comuters. From Peter Souza at Zinious.com
This chap also made New System Installs to install bulk programs on new installed PCs.

Anfibia Soft has to diamond products: Deskman (totally secure, lockdown your desktop - $ 39) and Reactor (A Webbased Server Monitoring System - $199 - $999). Also Checkout Watchman!

At Horizon Data Sys, I found two nice lockdown programs.
Executable Lockdown block prohibits the executation of blacklisted executables ($24.95 ?? or $39.00). For only $0.95 extra they have Desktop Security RX ($39.95), it's the bg brother of E.Lockdown like, drive, USB restrictions. They do have other software goodies, so check it out!

Microsoft Private Folder 1.0 creates a password secured folder. This is intended if you want to secure your data if other people use your PC (non-enterprise solution, acordding to MS!).

Tricerat has some nice products for TS and Citrix, to lockdown, print and manage virtuals.
Some key products: Simplify Lockdown, SimplifySuite, SimplifyDesktop, SimplifyPrinting etc.

SentryPC enables you to control, restrict and monitor access and usage of your PC
This site has 100+ other security related soft- and hardware.


Xentrik.net seems like a Softpedia, you can search for all kind of need pay and free software.
Server Mask, mask that you are using IIS. Plax Network Suite v3.4 is an easy to use collection of network tools, like block ping, turn off/on firewall, block all internet, portscan and more...
Self Service Password Reset enables end-users to securely reset their own Active Directory passwords from the intranet. AmplusNet Messenger Blocker is a free application designed to block access to messaging programs MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger.

Encryption Software @ Xentrik
http://www.xentrik.net/software/all/utilities/security___encryption.html


AmplusNet Messenger Blocker 1.0 (freeware)
http://www.amplusnet.com/messengerblocker/free-blocker.htm


Gili Exe Lock 1.5
http://www.xentrik.net/software/gili_exe_lock-image.html

Exe Wrapper 2.172
http://www.xentrik.net/software/exe_wrapper.html

LockAnEXE 1.21
http://www.xentrik.net/software/lockanexe.html

BDLLScan 1.0.1 by Marco Pontello is a simple tool that list all DLL referenced by an executable or a library file. I can see it's use when repackaging an application and you need to know which DLLs it depends on.

BoxedApp Packer 2.0
http://www.xentrik.net/software/boxedapp_packer-image.html

Disable Acrobat Reader Update and more

If you want the tweak feature with Acrobat Reader, you're supposed to use the InstallShield Tuner 7.0 for Adobe Acrobat or InstallShield Tuner for Acrobat 8 if your using Acrobat Reader 8 instead of version 7.

However you could also just dig into the MSI to disable the update feature.
Some extra Adobe Reader repacking info can also be found at Appdeploy.

If you want to an easy way to download the Adobe packages like Reader, Flashplayer, Shockwave then go the the Adobe FTP-site. Reader downloads can be found at this folder.

You need to unpack the .exe to get the setup.ini the Wizard is asking when saving the transform-file or .MSI. Adobe Reader only comes as a .exe with the medior versions 7.x, 8.x, 9.x etc. Unpacking the .exe with the -nos_ne parameter will give you the .MSI and the .ini in the %temp%\Adobe folder, so don't download the standalone .MSI, otherwise you have to create your own .MST with Orca or Wise. I could not find the .exe for Adobe Reader v8.2 so I extracted the setup.ini from the Adobe Reader 8.1 executable.

Extracting Java Runtime MSI

I have gone crazy looking for the Java 6 Runtime Environment Update 20 MSI-file.
The official Java-MSI-page stated that the MSI could be found during the install at:

C:\Documents and Settings\\Local Settings\Application Data\Sun\Java\ jre1.6.0_XX\jre1.6.0_XX.msi

However this proved to be the WRONG place, it should have been:

C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Sun\Java\jre1.6.0_XX

As you can see, you have to lose the "Local Settings" from the path. See this website.

P.s. XX is de update version of the JRE.

Remote Control / Access tools

Sometime ago Logmein.com scaled down the features of the Free version and introduced Logmein Central ($300/year) . Ever since there are people looking for a Logmein alternative.

I have found some links to these alternative, so enjoy ;-)

1. MyIvo remote access
   
2. Skyfex Remote Assistant
   
3. Teamviewer (free for non-commercial use)
   
4. MyGreenPC (last time I checked, didn't work wit non-english Windows)
5. A comprehensive list of Remote Access Tools and Desktop Share programs
6. Zolved RA tool and community
   
7. Yuuguu (3 free clients, 100 connection min/month)
8. IMPCRemote ($29/yr/PC or $299/yr for All PC's)
9. IMPCRemote "free" gateway/repeater (port 5901/5500) implementation
   
10. RemotePC (paid subscriptions, nice prices)
11. CrossLoop ($50/5 PCs or $100 unlimited PCs)
12. Lan on Internet (a solution to RDP through firewalls)
    
13. NeoRemote (a VPN services like Hamachi)
    

Error editing Office files on a Windows SharePoint Server

If you get the error "'Edit Document' requires a Windows SharePoint Services-compatible application" then you're missing some Office extension to edit Office files directly from the sharepoint. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833714

Just go to Add/Remove Software and add the component Windows SharePoint Services Support to Office 2003/2007. Voor Dutch Users: Office Hulpprogramma's >> Ondersteuning voor Windows Sharepoint Services.

Utility site

This site has some nice utilities listed like regdacl, PCI info tool, in general tools to get info and some handy repackage tools.

http://www.leinss.com/techfiles.html

Troubleshooting DNS, MX and your Internet IP

Ever wanted to know more about troubleshooting DNS, then this Microsoft site is gonna help you alot. following Microsoft URL give you a lot of info on DNS (on Windows systems)

If you want to check your MX records then go to this URL: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998082(EXCHG.65).aspx

Nslookups, whois, ping etc. can be done at Network Tools.

When I want to now from which IP a PC is surfing the internet I always go to: http://www.mywanip.com/

Hide user accounts from the Windows XP

Sometimes when you install computers for friends and foe, you wanna make an adminaccount so you are able to login no matter what they do with the machine...

You also want to make it hidden, so the XP/Vista welcomescreen won't say: "Admin", next to "Joe", "Cassandra" and son "Mike".... also making it hidden keeps you from explaning over and over again to less computer savy people why you did it and why it's is showing.

To hide a useraccount, fire up regedit and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList

Under this key create a new DWORD value – the name must match the user's name exactly, and the value must be 0 or 1 (decimal format)

0 – Hides the user just from the welcome screen

1 – The user is shown

Fortunaly the guys at IntelliAdmin made a tool with a GUI so you won't have to dig into the registry anymore to hide a local useraccount. You can dowload it from here or go read the original article at: http://www.intelliadmin.com/index.php/2006/09/hide-user-accounts-from-the-windows-xp-welcome-screen/

Measure your networkspeed

Sometimes you want to test your network's throughput, this tool does the trick.
Please go to http://linhost.info/2010/02/iperf-on-windows/ (examples and screenshots) to download the program and check it out.
Thanks Ferdinand to point me to this url.

Camtasia alternative

If your looking for an Camtasia alternative, look no further, use: Camstudio.
It's a fair opensource Camtasia alternative.
You can download it at http://camstudio.org/