Blog

Here is how you can remove a corrupted message from a user’s mailbox using Microsoft Exchange Server MAPI Editor (MfcMapi): [more]

1. Obtain MFCMapi from Microsoft’s website.
   http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/9/f/49f2ce91-72c5-45f5-9849-401cd9b86d67/mfcmapi_bin.exe
2. Run the downloaded file and extract the files to an appropriate location.
3. Run MFCMapi.exe
4. Click Session -> Logon and Display Store Table.
5. Select the appropriate profile (usually “Outlook”) and click OK.
6. Select MDB -> Get Mailbox Table…
7. Type the appropriate server name for the exchange server and click OK.
8. Double click on the mailbox you’d like to manage.
9. Expand the Root Container -> Top of Information Store
10. Double click the mailbox folder where the corrupted message is contained.
11. Find the corrupted message in the list.
12. Right click the message -> Delete Message
13. Choose Permanent delete passing DELETE_HARD_DELETE (unrecoverable) as Deletion Style and click OK.

With new models of HP printers we've noticed problems with AS400's printing directly to tray 1.  If the printer will be used as an AS400 printer, make the following changes to allow for platform print being sent to tray 1.

1. From the printer's web interface, select the settings tab
2. Browse to the following Menu: Configure Device -> System Setup -> Tray Behavior
3. Set Use Requested Tray to First (default is Exclusively). This will allow print coming to tray one to be redirected to the next available tray without user interaction.

Recently at a branch office of one of our customers, we needed to find where the fax line terminated in the wire closet so we could install a LAN Modem.  We contacted one of the technichians for the company who installed the phone system.  The technician did not know where the line terminated but said a quick way to find out was to unplug the phone line from the device, so that it will continue to ring, dial the number, and then use your finger to bridge each connection on the punchdown panel.  The one that “jumps up and bites you” is the line you are looking for.  A less manly (but slightly safer) way to do this is to use a screwdriver instead of your finger and listen for the call to sound like it connected as you check each line on the punchdown panel. 

Be careful that if you are setting up a new router to use SSH, not all of them come with pre-generated RSA keys.  If you set the input on the router to use SSH and do not have an RSA Key generated, then you will be unable to connect to the router unless you can physically console in.  We had a router returned to us from Cisco that had basic IP feature set that did not have SSH capability.  When we loaded the advanced IP feature set IOS, it did not create an RSA key for us.

When adding portchannels to a switch configuration that span more than one stacked switch, it is advisable to upgrade to the latest IOS version.  The most current is:  12.2(25)SEE3

This feature is a very robust way of aggregating links between switch ports on the same subnet.  This configuration not only allows for port redundancy, but switch redundancy, as well.

When configuring an HP JetDirect device, a common practice is to hook up the device and let it pull a DHCP address so it can be initially configured. Be aware that if you are using a DHCP scope with vendor specific scope options defined (either global or at the scope level), it will most likely cause your JetDirect device to configure its TCP/IP settings incorrectly. There is a bug in the JetDirect software that sets an incorrect subnet mask for the device which makes it inaccessible. Vendor specific options are not that common, however, any organization that has APC PDUs is likely to have one set because APC PDUs will not pull a DHCP address unless a vendor specific DHCP option “cookie” is set on DHCP option 43. To get the JetDirect device to work correctly, you must remove the vendor specific option, reboot the device, and then put the option back.

Many times we end up scanning documents that customers send to us in response to our Audit Information Request.  The scanned documents are much more useful when they have been OCR-ed (Optical Character Reader) because then it is possible to search for words and terminology.  The OCR process is one more step in Acrobat and so when we run out of time, the documents do not get OCR-ed.

Adobe provides batch processing in many of its applications.  I found it in Acrobat Professional (in the title menu under Advanced).  You can define actions, in this case to OCR all the pdfs found in a folder (you specify).  Not only will it perform the action, but then you can define where it saves the new files and if you want it to rename the files (like “OriginalFileName-OCR”) attaching “-OCR.”

There are several pre-defined batches as well as the options to build your own.  Automating redundant tasks will save you time.

Recently as one or our Security and Compliance Consultants prepared to leave the office for an information security audit engagement he discovered that his VPN connection in Network Connections had disappeared and the on the Set-up Connection Wizard, the VPN options was “grayed-out.”  He received the following error:

"Cannot load the Remote Access Connection Manager Service.  Error 711: A Configuration error on this computer is preventing the connection. For further assistance, click More Info or search Help and Support Center for this error number."

He did not have time to follow up before I left the office, but performed some research later and found that the Remote Access Connection Manager required that the Telephony service be running.  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330163 [more]

At a previous time he had disabled the Telephony service (in the spirit of doing away with unneeded services) because he never used laptop modem or any telephone type processes.  Once he enabled the Telephony service his original VPN connection reappeared and the Create New Connection wizard began working.

Microsoft has just released a patch to correct a critical vulnerability in Windows systems. The vulnerability applies to current versions of Windows and the update should be applied as soon as possible. Of course, systems not protected by a corporate firewall and/or up-to-date antivirus software are at highest risk. Compromised websites can infect unpatched computers. At least one known worm has been detected which exploits this vulnerability.

This patch can be applied via normal Microsoft update procedures you may already have in place. [more]

For manual application or more information, please visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS07-017.mspx

This is one more example of why it is important to apply all critical updates to systems on a timely basis.

For help applying this critical security update to your Microsoft Windows based systems, please contact us.