Archive for June, 2010

antivirus on VMware fusion and windows xp

Friday, June 25th, 2010

The mcafee antivirus that comes as a trial for vmware fusion makes the virtual machine run much slower.   I don’t recommend using it.   Currently using TrendMicro antivirus and the computer runs much faster.

Trinity Rescue Kit

Friday, June 18th, 2010

Has

Mountallfs - scans and mounts all local storage

fileserver - quick samba startup

winpass - reset any user password

regedit - linux based registry editor

clonexp - create image of ntfs partition

ntfsundeleteall - undelete

Interesting method at windows password override

Friday, June 18th, 2010

. Place your Windows XP CD in your cd-rom and start your computer (it’s assumed here that your XP CD is bootable – as it should be - and that you have your bios set to boot from CD)

2. Keep your eye on the screen messages for booting to your cd Typically, it will be “Press any key to boot from cd”

3. Once you get in, the first screen will indicate that Setup is inspecting your system and loading files.

4. When you get to the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to Setup Windows now

5. The Licensing Agreement comes next - Press F8 to accept it.

6. The next screen is the Setup screen which gives you the option to do a Repair.

It should read something like “If one of the following Windows XP installations is damaged, Setup can try to repair it”

Use the up and down arrow keys to select your XP installation (if you only have one, it should already be selected) and press R to begin the Repair process.

7. Let the Repair run. Setup will now check your disks and then start copying files which can take several minutes.

8. Shortly after the Copying Files stage, you will be required to reboot. (this will happen automatically – you will see a progress bar stating “Your computer will reboot in 15 seconds”

9. During the reboot, do not make the mistake of “pressing any key” to boot from the CD again! Setup will resume automatically with the standard billboard screens and you will notice Installing Windows is highlighted.

10. Keep your eye on the lower left hand side of the screen and when you see the Installing Devices progress bar, press SHIFT + F10. This is the security hole! A command console will now open up giving you the potential for wide access to your system.

11. At the prompt, type NUSRMGR.CPL and press Enter. Voila! You have just gained graphical access to your User Accounts in the Control Panel.

12. Now simply pick the account you need to change and remove or change your password as you prefer. If you want to log on without having to enter your new password, you can type control userpasswords2 at the prompt and choose to log on without being asked for password. After you’ve made your changes close the windows, exit the command box and continue on with the Repair (have your Product key handy).

13. Once the Repair is done, you will be able to log on with your new password (or without a password if you chose not to use one or if you chose not to be asked for a password). Your programs and personalized settings should remain intact.

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Also one that I’ve tried that works:   http://pogostick.net/~pnh/ntpasswd/

Offline NT password and registry editor

Colorado

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

http://www.estesparkcabins.com/

http://www.sunnysideknoll.com/index.html

http://castlemountainlodge.com/      might be the best bet

http://www.workshire.com    cabin#9

http://www.estes-park.com/evergreens/

http://www.nickysresort.com

server notes

Sunday, June 13th, 2010

250.149250.2250.6

active directory account lockout

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

good article:

http://www.windowsecurity.com/articles/Implementing-Troubleshooting-Account-Lockout.html

Most websites refer to using the ldap command :

However, this I believe is incorrect…  as the lockouttime value is always greater than one even after the lockout time has expired.  Only after a user has attempted to log on after the lockout time will  it be reset to zero.   Refer to this microsoft link and the notes:  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms676843(VS.85).aspx

You’ll need to write code to deal with the values lockouttime and lockoutduration and current time.

Super easy way is to use powershell and install the free cmdlet from Quest software called ActiveRoles Management Shell for Active Directory.   The use the powershell to give the command:

get-qaduser -locked

which will just list through all users that are currently locked.

Note:   powershell requires that .net 2 and above be installed.

bogus classifications

Monday, June 7th, 2010

In the essay “The Analytical Language of John Wilkins” (El idioma analítico de John Wilkins), published in 1942, Jorge Luis Borges writes: [1][2]

“These ambiguities, redundancies, and deficiencies recall those attributed by Dr. Franz Kuhn to a certain Chinese encyclopedia called the Heavenly Emporium of Benevolent Knowledge. In its distant pages it is written that animals are divided into (a) those that belong to the emperor; (b) embalmed ones; (c) those that are trained; (d) suckling pigs; (e) mermaids; (f) fabulous ones; (g) stray dogs; (h) those that are included in this classification; (i) those that tremble as if they were mad; (j) innumerable ones; (k) those drawn with a very fine camel’s-hair brush; (l) etcetera; (m) those that have just broken the flower vase; (n) those that at a distance resemble flies.”[3]