TE Gadgets

I have decided to start a new blog for the REALLY interesting gadgets that I come across... After adding that Microsoft table entry I relized I really didn't like it being in this blog and that I had a few other things I would like to throw out there... So...

Check it out at www.tegadgets.com

Something I have been waiting for is here! Well Kindda

So I really don't want to get in the habit of posting about news or random products but this is something that I have been interested in for many years... Table Top computing... The ability to touch and interact with content, move it, shape it, and interact with it naturally... Check out this Cnet news link to see a GREAT video of Microsofts new table top computing device. It's not exactly ready for your living room, but this is just the begining to that end...

http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9723647-1.html

Software Virtualization

Some of the coolest software of all time... Ok imagine being able to turn on and off software at will... I'm talking about turning off dll's files registry settings EVERYTHING... In fact when you turn it off the computer doesn't even know it exists... Software virtualization! There are so many uses for this in buisness and home...

Playing with SysPrep

So I decided that it was time to start playing with SysPrep... Yes I know that many of you out there have been using SysPrep for some time, but I have been putting it off because, well... I had my way of doing things and that worked just fine Thank You (Basically, Just lazy)...

So the first thing I came across was this site... Microsoft's official how-to for SysPrep...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577

Hmm... I guess there is a special version for Windows XP Sp2...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/838080

SysPrep Download for XP Sp2
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=3e90dc91-ac56-4665-949b-beda3080e0f6&displaylang=en

Another good explanation and how-to from Microsoft...
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/introduction.mspx

And so I'm not outdated here is a how-to for Windows Vista
http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/library/88f80cb7-d44f-47f7-a10d-e23dd53bc3fa1033.mspx?mfr=true

Thats it for now... I'll add later...

Fun with virtualization and OEM installs!

VMWare:

We use all dell hardware at our plant... We have a corporate license and corporate keys for all windows software BUT when we get new Dells in we just add the software that's needed and send them out the door...

So what we have is a Dell box with an OEM copy of windows running on it... When We virtualize the box it changes the Original Equipment Manufacturer ID to VMWare triggering windows to say "Hey I'm not on the correct hardware for this OEM license so you better register me!"

Well thats the answer to why the problem happens and here are two solutions to what you might do to fix the problem...

Update: ESX Server 3.0.2 has a bug and does not correctly work with SMBIOS.reflectHost, 3.0.2 Update 1 fixes that bug.

First try adding this field into your Virtual Machines config file (VMX File):

SMBIOS.reflectHost = TRUE

That will set the OEM ID from VMWare to what it cloned...


Second you can try to run a fix install of windows XP but this will only work if you have another Windows XP key laying around that is not an OEM Key... Also you must use a NON oem install CD of Windows XP so that it will work with the non OEM key.

I hope this helps you and anyone else having this problem! I looked high and low and pieced this together from an article and forum post... Here are the links to those for further reading...

http://www.vmware.com/support/esx21/doc/esx21admin_uuid_vms.html
http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=54376&tstart=0

Lock down Windows XP

I came across a utility from Microsoft today that is supposed to help you lock down public access computers... It's free and looks pretty robust...

Check it out here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sharedaccess/default.mspx

Note:  Microsoft has removed all files and references to this utility.  I was able to find it on Cnet though
http://download.cnet.com/Windows-SteadyState/3000-18512_4-11127965.html

Linux Cheat Sheets

If you are lost when you get to the command line in linux check out these two sites for a great list of commands...

http://www.pixelbeat.org/cmdline.html

http://www.tutorial5.com/content/view/42/44/