OWA-problem-loging-in-reason=0

OWA users received the following message in their address bar and a blank browser page. OWA worked fine before this started occurring. OWA was using forms based login and the work around to allow users to login again was to change from forms based login to standard windows authentication logon. Although hey achieve the same purpose, the users had become used to the forms based login and it was admittedly a nicer interface to use. The users got in the browser address bar:
https://mail.[exserver].gr/owa/auth/logon.aspx?url=https://mail.[exserver].gr/owa/&reason=0

This message would come up for OWA users connecting to an Exchange 2007 server. The solution to this problem was to uninstall microsoft exchange 2007 SP1 update rollup pack 6. uninstalling update rollup 6 solved the problem for the OWA forms based logon but but by uninstalling the rollup, the transport server was removed.

That's right, the transport server role was on this same exchange server and it was completely removed, not disabled or set to automatic startup but removed. This was a tough situation but something had to be done as there was no email going in or out of the email server. One choice was to re-install the update rollup 6 but that may have brought me back to the same problem. I decided to remove update rollup 5.

See, the problem here originated when a in-house guy who does a lot of the desktop work and some server work had some trouble with a blackberry server and decided to install all kinds of updates to the exchange server. The updates were windows updates and they were exchange updates. After updating the heck out of the server the OWA forms based login had been broken. The suggestion was to remove windows updates that were applied and that could resolve the problem.

The problem sure enough was caused by updates being installed while the IIS service was not running. The windows updates were removed and re-installed as prescribed but that did not solve the problem. It was a while before I was able to address this OWA logon problem again and now the time had come. remembering manipulating the windows updates I decided with a little confirmation from forums that the next approach would be to remove exchange updates.

I saw that update rollup 3,4,5,6 were installed and of course started with removing update rollup 6 in effort to make the browser stop hanging with blank page when logging into OWA using HTTPS. At the end of the URL in the address bar was a clue for searching, /owa/&reason=0.

http://remotesupportdesktop.blogspot.com/2009/04/owa-problem-loging-in-reason0.html

Removing 6 solved the OWA logon problem but removed the hub transport service from the exchange server. I then decided instead of re-installing rollup 6, to remove 5. After removing rollup 5, the hub transport service was back and several other exchange services that were removed with update rollup 6.

Registry location and keys for Outlook 2003/2007 Profile

ExtractNow - A Utility for Extracting RAR files.

ExtractNow - A Utility for Extracting RAR files

I'd like to get the word out about this little software find. It's known by many I'm sure but I believe that information about this little program that can save lots of time and aggravation when it comes time to deal with a RAR archive needs to spread. For those of you who don't know, RAR archives are very much like zip files. Everyone is probably more familiar with zip files and for good reason, as zip files are more widely used in the the common computer space. There are rar files and I'm sure many of you have encountered them when downloading a software program or mp3 files or whatever. The most common thing to do to extract them is to download WinRAR, install it and then deal with the original problem that you were trying to take care of - almost an hour later. Although the compression algorithm in WinRAR far exceeds that of Zip files, zip has become the defacto standard. with Microsoft incorporating into windows explorer right on the desktop and the common computer folk needing nearly no experience to create or extract the files with the zip files, it's become very common and simple to handle zips. RAR files similarly are compressed files and being that rar compression technology isn't incorporated into the windows explorer shell, needs a program to work. The common thing to do at this point and I've done this many times is to download d install WinRAR and then decompress the files and then get on with what it was you were trying to originally accomplish with the archived files and directories. This to me is annoying as once I download and install the software to extract the current archive, I don't use WinRAR again for a while. If I need to compress something I just zip it using explorer. Yet WinRAR is installed and often becomes a nuisance it the installation changes file associations, bloats the registry a bit, alters the explorer context menu with about 4 or more items listed. There is an alternative to programs like fatter programs like WinRAR. I found a nice little program called ExtractNow from extractnow.com. The download is only one megabyte (1MB) and it installs in seconds - for real. Check the file association for RAR files and that's it. it enables you to drag RAR files right into it's windows for extraction or just use the open file menu - quick easy and simple to use. I have to mention that the drag and drop didn't exactly work 100 percent on Vista but I'm sure it will.

Exctract rar files with ExtractNow - http://extractnow.com/

Need to extract .rar compressed files but want the extra bells and wistles of winRAR? Information and user opinion for using ExtractNow to Extract rar files without WinRAR can be found at this personal site.

Computer Desktop and Server Management

Computer Desktop and Server Management

Kaseya may have it's roots as a remote control program and indeed they still have this feature in their software application, but it's a whole lot more than remote control. Kaseya offers a complete solution for you to offer your customers a managed solution for their desktops and servers. But it doesn't stop there, their software can also monitor any device that has SMTP protocol enabled on it. One of the better differences that exist with this software package over others that just monitor your devices is that on desktops and servers their is an agent that's pushed out and installed in a silent manner. It's a very small program and once installed updates the server that you host on its own. The connections from the client network to your hosted server is outbound so their are no firewall configurations required on the customer side. Of course on your side to enable the agent to communicate with your server, rules have to be be created to allow for the data to pass from the Internet side to your network and server. 

Kaseya Options

 The installed agent also has an option for the end user to submit a trouble ticket and the trouble tickets can be managed and monitored by a help desk staff. Depending on the number of users there will make a difference on the number of people you would need to track those tickets and provide support. they offer in addition to monitoring and providing support through a ticket system, the option to perform backups of selected desktops and servers. Built into their software is Acronis imaging software which is one of the best applications for imaging available. I've used Acronis Disk director independently of Kaseya's software it works wonders. I had to resize a live server's partition and used Acronis disk director version ten and it did the re-partitioning flawlessly. See blog post on Acronis at these two sites, http://pctechgo.blogspot.com/ and at http://pctechnow.blogspot.com/.

Features:

Kaseya can automate and manage remotely the following IT services:

• PC Remote Control/Remote Support
• Patch Management
• Kaseya Computer Audit and Discovery
• Remote Desktop Management
• LAN and Windows Monitoring
• Help Desk and Trouble Ticketing
• Software Deployment & Systems Management
• Network Policy Management
• Backup and Disaster Recovery
• Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware Detection
• Cross Platform Support (PC and MAC)
• User State Management
• Power Management

The cost of the software can be quickly recovered once enough clients are added to your base. The fact that you can provide NOC type services is one of the great advantages that a company can offer to another is supporting their data and network infrastructure is one of the services you or your company provide. Blog home: Information Technology Support - Adventure (Rated PG)

Are all desktops the same?

They are not the same in my humble opinion. Although many of the technologies they implement are the same simply because many of them are standards based and in demand by consumers, their implementations vary. The support absolutely varies and I find that HO, especially in the sever category has an edge on all the others especially Dell.

Dell has slipped from my favor many years ago. Before the slip, I believed their support was one of the reasons to buy a Dell. When I was asked what new desktop computer should I get by someone, my reply was spontaneously "Dell". Now, that has been tainted as dell had tainted their support. They believed somehow that people would not notice the big shift and degradation of their support. They are trying to build it back up and are doing an OK job but it's going to take years to fix the problem. Outsourced support has hurt them, no doubt.

So during that dark era for me with Dell, HP was the desktop of choice. HP made and still makes a reliable compacted system with various level systems to suite business, home users, casual users, novelists, etc.

Since the time of this post (now 2022), Dell and HP are still manufacturing desktops and laptops. Gateway is not a thing anymore and IBM has gone to services after a nice run with Lenovo for laptops. I had one , still do, and it ran and still operated perfectly. Upgraded to Windows 10 just fine and getting more life out of it. It's not my main computer but used mostly as a table top computer for quick web searches or playing videos. 

For computer remote support software see http://www.4remotesupport.com/ , Provide PC remote support affordably with web based PC remote support software.

Supporting Technology with Technology.

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