Hyper-V and backups

I am spending a lot of time learning Hyper-V and how to perform backups of the configurations and the virtual disks. With no GUI interface on the servers hosting the virtual machines, it is a lot of learning, and fun.

Back to Work after almost 8 months off

Wow. It has been a while since I had to troubleshoot, but it came all back to me. 


Here's the bottom line. Their IT/Network support used to be HBGeeks and there was an issue where the company is in dire straights now so no support or documentation. I get to figure out what is going on and make it better.


It is a SBS2003 as the controller for their dot local domain. A Netgear NAS is on the network with one share called backup. Three folders for servers, virtual, and workstations with folders underneath.


Windows backup is backing up the data and the information store (exchange) to this NAS, overwriting the older backup.


I ran into a bug in installing the check-point client onto a Win7 64 new pc. Awaiting feedback from the important client to help me continue.


Router WAN IP config is not correct in my eyes. I need to see what they ordered as a lot of "funny" port forwarding is going on.


I think I will like it here :-)

Geekness for 6/23/11

Remotely configuring a DSL modem and verifying a SonicWall VPN. This is a replacement modem for one that failed. It is a lot of fun talking a user through the settings on a modem only using a PDF to be my aid.

It looks like the SonicWall is not functioning. I configured the modem to be on the subnet that the SW was on so the POS systems would work. I just have to attack the SW tomorrow to insure that the VPN will be active.

Geekness for 6-20-11

New client. He has 2 old terminal servers, 2003, and wants to make a redundant system. I resized some partitions for him on one and set up a backup to a 500GB external drive on another PC.

What I have been up to.

Since April I ave been unemployed so not much has been going on. I did 2 interviews for Soft-Train Inc. and did not get the instructor job. My resume is still there for a consultant position.


To keep me and the wife fed and housed, I have been doing a lot of work for Western Bagel Baking Corporation, doing remote access Symantec Suite admin, pc troubleshooting over the phone with the client at the keyboard. 


That was fun, none of the drivers came up when he P&P'd (Poisoned & Plowed) he computer. I remoted into his fileserver and then put them in a location where he could grab them with a thumb drive, sneaker-net. This is after I had him open up and look on the MB to get me the manuf and model#. Fun stuff.


I just recently swapped the corporate SonicWall with a newer model and made sure all 8 VPN's to their different retail outlets were active. I had him plug in the new SonicWall right out of the box. I added a second IP on the server to 192.168.168.2 then opened a browser to 192.168.168.168. Once in I was able to set the IP to one on their Van Nuys subnet and get it all set up.

Geekness for 5/15/11

Yet another computer, laptop, for my neighbors. Poisoned and plowed and re-installed XP

Geekness for Cinco de Mayo

Got to transfer files from an XP machine to a WIN 7 machine. All went well except the client could not find the installation disk for his invoicing software. made a backup of the data though fro when they find it.

Geekness for 4-10-11

Installed Symantec Endpoint Protection server for WBBC. Also tweaked the WSUS so the updates would get pushed out of.

Geekness for 3/27/11

Neighbor built a PC. One hard drive not being recoginized. Installed XP and updates.

Geekness for 3/25/11

Couldn't find keychain access manager on a MAC. User will call MAC

Network adapter on one VM disappeared. Strange but I re-installed it all all is well

Geekness for 3/24/11

One of the 90V Shoretel switches in ANA is not doing it's thing. No voice mail fro0 some users. Lantellengce is looking into it remotely.

Found bad CF card in 90V switch. Voice mails lost...bummer. Found out all of ANA lost their voice mail.

Geekness for 3/22/11

PC done and gone.

Must move PC in MPA then WinTerm later on

Troubleshooting Pasadena connection. Covad says they were going to reboot the AP last night. Have ping enabled on SW for testing.

Geekness for 3/16/11

Researched how to install a SSL certificate onto MAC OS.

Stll working on trainer's Sharon's Vista Ultimate. Thought I was done until SP1 got installed. Now more updates.

Geekness for 3/10/11

User stuck opening Crystal Ease two times in one session. Killed prg.exe processes.

Assited remotely setting up a printer and POS system in CM.

Office trainer brought in her PC. Buy this antivirus software trojan was on it. Searched and destroyed!

Geekness for 3/9/11

Restored a roaming profile.

Shipped register stuff to LV, re-stocked toner, replaced a keyboard that had H2O spilled on it.

Troubleshot MFP in BP. Dispatching Varitek

90V ShoreTel switch in LB lost communication for a couple of minutes.

Geekness for 3/8/11

Changed display size on a POS.

Turned on data connection on a cell phone to get email.

Changed a ticket printer to different paper.

Ordered new inverters and battery chargers for rolling carts.

Chaning printer settings in LF and adding a new one..ho boy!

Geekness for 3/7/11

I had to remove a Trojan from BSH laptop, Win 7. It was in a hidden folder c:\programdata\a1172a or something like that. I found out the path from MSCONFIG and the service that starts. I renamed the in-use file CRAP and after restart, all ok.

Rolled back the system to an earlier restore point, 30 days. Used Norton removal tool to get rid of all Norton and installed Symantec.

Windows update, Chrome and Picasa, and LOGMEIN.

Geekness for 3/3/11

Come into work and one POS system on the counter is dead. Upstairs I get a call that the phones in BP don't work. Notified the POS repair people and now waiting on them.

The V-90 ShoreTel switch in BP was not communicating per the call director. Due to the fact that there are some strange goings on with that switch from day 1 of the install, it is time to replace it.

The problem of protocol driver errors appers to be going away as I am sending replacement Wyse Winterms to the yard. Boss agrees w/me that the installation of the new ESX servers along with the addition of another VLAN might be the cause of the problem.

Hardwoods is complaining that the Zebra printer is not printing labels. Oh well time to venture downstairs. Printer ok, print queue on AIX not running. Started the queue and all is well. 1 star for me.

The Los Al v-90 ShoreTel switch just bounced by itself. What is going on with this ShoreTel equipment???

Configuring a new MFP for CM by setting up folders for scanning, etc. It would help if I could get access to it but I can not ping it even though it is supposed to be set up. Ah ha...it got plugged back in. All scanning folders set up and tested.

Geekness for 3/3/11

Nothing special going on today. DeWalt is having a road show today at work and they have the neatest inspection camera and super power tools. I know not geeky, but cool!

MFP in AP had a problem pulling from the input try. Cleaned the rollers.

Geekness for 3/2/11

Same protocol driver errors. I will call Brian later on today and find out what he thinks.

Now the Xen desktops are reporting drops.

I had a user put a RJ11 into a RJ45 jack...oh boy...what a dummy. He found the correct CAT 6 cable and now all is working...amazing!

Geekness for 3/1/11

Still dropping in Corona but got Brian from Z on the case.

Tried removing Shoretel phone, still protocol driver errors. Sending different winterm to try tomorrow

Geekness for 2/28/11

New ESX servers and VmWare VCENTER installed at Corona. Could be what is causing the protocol driver errors from presentation server clients at that yard. Currently connecting to corvcenter but installing client support files on my XP pc.

Still dropping and I see nothing out of the ordinary.

LA SCA printer needed paper...lol. CORCASH pc had cert errors going to c-desktop

Geekness for 2/25/11

Got to pack up the new POS systems to get loaded up with the software. Manual Labor...oh joy!

WB VPN to encino is back up. I should be replacing the SonicWall in Van Nuys today if MW gets it in.

Set up printer in Pasadena on print server. Had to have GM reboot SonicWall to get VPN.

Set up a user...whooo hooo. Had to change the winterm he will be loggin into from terminal emulation to Citrix desktop

BP call handling is messed up. I may need to reboot the Shoretel V90 switch.

Well MW from WB called ne and I spent a half hour talking him through setting up that darn Sonic Wall

Geekness for 2/24/11

Had to reboot the Shoretel TDM switch as that was affecting outgoing and fax calls.

SonicWall in Encino is not playing well with Van Nuys' SonicWall. Currently updating the firmware on E TZ-100

Geekness for 2/23/11

Yesterday all the DID's for incoming to Anaheim were gone from the Shoretel Call Director. All calls were routed through the main #, no fun.

All the MX records for email are now correct with both ports reporting fine.

Now Shoretel routes outgoing calls to the ANA auto attendant. Rebooted both V90 switches.

Geekness for 2/22/11

Restored a profile for my screen saver problem. Found out it was a leftover from the thin client ss.

The Exception Violation was due to a Shoretel Call Manager add-in. Removed and re-installed and all ok.

Darn MW from WB, he is really something. I got the logs from thier main SW coming to me so I can see what is going on with data drops.

Geekness for 2/21/11

One user is complaining that his screen saver comes on too soon. SS is disabled in GP. Maybe rebuild his profile.

Zebra printer in hardwoods not printing.

Geekness for 2/20/11

Mags is happy w/laptop. She likes Picasa that I put on for her. I am happy.


Adding names to face recognize results

Geekness for 2/19/11

Restored laptop with 9 dvd's of pics and 3 dvd's of iTunes.

Geekness for 2/18/11

Still fighting the exception error on the one server, not fun at all. I may have to call Z to have them take a look at it.

A couple of yards have bad CAT5 cables coming out of the ShoreTel phone to the WinTerm. No biggie, put new cables in the intercompany mailbag.

Called Z and they are looking at my server problem.

Batteries for BP cart arrived.


Home now and starting to work on M's laptop. Poison & Plow!

Geekness for 2/17/11

New server got authorized.

Still fighting exception error.

People assume www when you tell them a URL, no www needed sometimes.

Dead day here at Geek  central. overheard conversation about iPhones and Verizon. Maybe an upgrade is in the future?

Geekness for 2/16/11

It appers that the WB Sonic Wall issue has finally settled down. A power problem Sunday at SC caused things to drop and the store pulled the trigger too soon but all is well now. I told MW to get a UPS for the store.

Still fighting the exception error on one presentation server. Only happens when starting Outlook 2003.

Whoo Hooo. New task. Build a Windows 2008 R2 server. 4 GB ram, 40GB hard drive, 2 cpu's. All in the virtual world. And put SQL 2008 R2 on the box.

I got all Margaret's pictures on DVD's, 6 of them with 3 iTunes backup.

Geekness for 2/15/11

Added a tray to contractor sales ticket printer for pink paper.

Still troubleshooting error on citrix with Outlook.

Must be printer day as I added yet another try to Sales B and configured both sales counter printers for the new forms & pink.

Looked at HP4350 in GWD rx. The pinch rollers need to be replace on the large drawer. I hope I have enough of the correct ones.

Geekness for 2/14/11

MTA stack was not running on front end exchange this am. It is now.

Burning new XP CD for Margaret's laptop tonight.

Still problems with Vicki's Outlook.

Geekness for 2-13-11

I installed Picasa 3 on my laptop and now when I transfer a file using Bluetooth to the PC, it gets updated automatically to the web, nice.

Geekness for 2-12-11

I finally broke down and installed Logmein on WB Studio City PC. I finally got connected to the Sonic Wall there and now I have the VPN to go.

Geekness for 2-11-11

No being a geek today. Stayed home and letting my stomach settle.

I di do one remote thing, sending the Cor job alert to BP.

Geekness for 2/10/11

I have to repair Office 2003 on one of the production Citrix Presentation Servers today, oh joy.

Well the same problem is happening on another server. Exception EAccessViolation in module ntdll.dll at 0001A360. Crwap!

Things that didn't work so far:
1. Repair from add/remove
2. Remove Outlook componet from Office, reboot, then reinstall.

Currently removed Office, reboot, reinstalled Office, and now currently downloading 108MB SP3 for MSO2K3.

That didn't work. Time to visit Experts Exchange and see if there is a solution there.

Well that is on hold. Had to change the way a printer in Corona pulls sales tickets.

Geekness for 2/9/11

I tried to find an email for a user that was supposed to be in the SPAM filter. No luck searching the FROM field to even find it coming in, weird as I saw the Email from Spammy.

Now there is a problem with one of the NetApps and all the servers have been moved to main room as there is still a VLAn issue with the bunker. Tom is here of course.

So far everything seems to be running fine with the exception of CTX11 with one users Outlook. Giving an exception error. I disabled logins on the server and will reboot once Art logs off.

The network printers still are having minor issues. Usually it is the MFP4345 that needs the remote reboot from HP Web Jetadmin, but now the LA credit manger P3005 needs a kick evewry now and then. Funny, it was the Corona credit manager who was having problems with printing, but that was push the button Kate.

Whooo Hooo...speed tests from new line just for Internet!

Oh boy. The batteries for the rolling cart in BP are dying. New bateries have been ordered and they are a B-word to replace!

Geekness for 2/8/11

I got a new 16GB thumb drive for < $20, >$20 after shipping. I put my 2 4GB on it last night and now copying the network My Doc folder from the Net App to the drive...cool.

It is a Maxell drive I got from rtevo.com. They sent out 8gb to a lot of customers, including me, but made it all OK within a couple of days. I am just waiting on the RMA so I can return the unopened 8gb.

This drive does have locking software to require a password, but I am not going to mess with that.

Today at work we had a small problem with the SonicWall email security appliance due to the fact that Tom form Zumasys installed a new SonicWall firewall in and made DNS changes to point our mail to the MPLS circuit and off of the XO. Some firewall rules was re-directing the email to the back-end server and that was bypassing the spam filtering. A lot of emails from users wondering what was up was flooding my inbox. The second port just got shut off and now things are good.

At least the Inet speed is at 5M down and 3M up and it should double real soon.

I had to tweak the Intranet site today and made it so that the people in MPA can update their own Vendor of the Week pages. I will only have to update the overlay page once a year now.

Now that was fun! Tom the consultant was plugging in the additonal Internet connection in the bunker. Well that is when the help desk phone started to ring off the hook! For soem reason when he plugged it in, it affected 6 ESX servers here in the main computer room and people were being disconnected from Citrix. I tried to call his cell and ended up walking over there just as he was coming beck to the venor office which is 30 feet from my desk. He turned around and unplugged the cable and my phone started to get emails again. For some reason this line that he plugs in has some other info on it and it knocks out communication. Well he is busy creating a VLAN on the switch and he will call me before he plugs it in the second time while I monitor the network.