Liquidware Profile Unity - vhd Compacting

names were blocked out of the image - they are not needed. Image is an example of the output. 

Both .vhd and .vhdx  are Microsoft virtual hardrive file extensions. 

Liquidware compact tool works wonders on user .vhdx profile disk files. 

In the example above we can see that the tool run a defrag on the disk. Then proceeds to compact the disk by removing white space. Whitespace will vary by user. Whitespace is space that was used by files  and then the files were deleted. The files took up space causing the virtual disk to expand but when removed, the disk remained expanded. Thin provisioned disks will do this, it is normal behavior. What the compact tool does is shrink the disk back down by removing the whitespace created by file deletions.   

Virtual Disk WhiteSpace

A virtual disk will be thin provisioned and start very small, maybe several megs to a couple of hundred. this occurs not only with Microsoft's virtual disk format of vhd and vhdx but also with virtual disks, .vmdk files,  created for vmware virtual machines. 

Sample Compacting Tool command line

the command line used for the compacting tool output shown in the screen cap is shown below. There is a configuration file that can be updated to change the location such as where the backup file is placed and the working directory. In the example, those options were provided during run time, when the command was run. 

LwL.ProfileUnity.Client.CompactVHD.exe /VHDFile \\servername\Profiles\username\ProfileDisk\username_ProfileDisk.vhdx  /WorkDir e:\CompactWorkDir\ /AcceptEULA

 

Backup to Cloud using Veeam 

Creating Blob Storage, Veeam Backup and Azure Storage Blob

File and Folder Compression

Blue Arrows on Folders and Files

Outlook Keeps Prompting for Logon Credentials Office 365

Outlook Keeps Asking for Password Credentials

When Outlook is configured for Office 365, the type of authentication is Anonymous Authentication. 

For all of you that have been configuring Outlook know that this is not a normal option for Outlook authentication against an Exchange server.  We normally have, as shown below, many more options. 

Anonymous Authentication is not listed or available as an Option in Outlook 

The anonymous option is present in Outlook 2013 but Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2007 do not normally have this option listed. windows 7 is normally not a problem but since there are still many Windows XP installation out there that we need to still support, this can be an issue. 

Outlook Keeps Prompting for Credentials 

So the problem you may encounter with some XP desktop systems that still need to be supported is that Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2010 will not have this option by default. You may find on forums a repeated suggestion to update the operating system. This is not always a good option as it might break another application installed already or you have already updated but still do not have the Anonymous Authentication option in Outlook. This Outlook issue can be resolved by IT departments remotely. Software applications that give IT departments remote access to computers through the web enables faster assistance because online desktop support software creates connections to the desktop. Software for online support is designed for faster access to user desktop computers to resolve issues.  

I had a customer with XP SP3, Outlook 2007 which I upgraded to Outlook 2010 and applied SP1 but still no Anonymous Authentication in Outlook. I did not run anymore updates. Instead I found and ran the following Hotfix from Microsoft (I ran the 32bit version) : 

KB Article Number(s): 2791026 Language: All (Global) Platform: i386 Location: (hotfixv4.microsoft.com/.../462115_intl_i386_zip.exe) 

KB Article Number(s): 2791026 Language: All (Global) Platform: x64 Location: (hotfixv4.microsoft.com/.../462116_intl_x64_zip.exe) 

After running this fix, Outlook would not start until the system was rebooted. Once the system came back up, the Anonymous Authentication option was available in Outlook 2010 . 

Here is another information post regarding Outlook prompting repeatedly for user credentials. 

Shockwave Error #10

Resolve Shockwave error 10

There is little to no information on how to resolve Shockwave error 10. This error also includes a statement about files missing. (" Shockwave Error: 10. One or more Shockwave files are missing ") Un-installing and re-installing the IE plug-in doesn't help either. The method found to fix the problem was to copy files needed. In this case they were on the same computer. In your case, you may have to get them from another system. The files are located in two directories. The two directories are located in the windows system32 folder in shockwave directories under macromed (or macromedia) and adobe. One of these two directories are missing the files needed.

The first step is to run an uninstall of the shockwave player using control panel add/remove programs. for Vista and Windows 7, it's program and features. reboot if the uninstaller says to. Go to c:\windows\system32\adobe\shockwave and also open another explorer window and go to c:\windows\system32\macromed. Copy the files from the directory that has more files to the directory which has fewer. If there are not files in either, get them from another computer running the latest shockwave player add-on.

Once the files have been populated into the directory

Once the files have been populated into the directory or directories, go to a site or THE site which you have tried to use and discovered shockwave isn't working. Don't use adobe shockwave installation site to test. In the case that I experienced this problem, the shockwave site worked but the actual site I was trying to use didn't. the site that uses the shockwave plyer will detect the player is not installed and give you the prompt to install the component. follow the short procedure to install the plug-in. If the message window has an option to trust the publisher, then check the box to always trust the publisher. Refresh the page if needed or even close the current browser window and reload the page you're trying to view that has a shockwave component in it.
 
   

Web Based Remote Support Software

Supporting flash is fairly easy. Most often the user is prompted to install the software when they connect to a web site online that has flash content. For some web based plugin and software desktop add-ons remote support can be built into the solution for remote downloading and installation. If the web site script and software developer built into the web site's pages the proper software code to check if the remote user has the web based plug-in installed then the remote user gets prompted to install. This is one of the better developments in software detection and in particular web based software detection. The remote user is prompted to download and install the flash player web browser plugin add-on and more often than not the user chooses to install it. Once installed on the remote computer either by the automated download or by using web based remote support software, the plugin remotely accesses the server and checks for software updates periodically. Flash then prompts the user requesting confirmation before downloading and installing the update to the software browser plugin online. With the remote user's consent, the software is installed from the remote server and updated.

Computer Support - Adventure (Rated PG): Supporting tech-nol-o-gy. Yep, that's a computer alright. - Powered By Bloglines

Support computer software, applications and networks hardware

Computer Support - Adventure (Rated PG): Supporting tech-nol-o-gy. Yep, that's a computer alright. - Powered By Bloglines I saw the post on hardware reviews, they're not bad. They're not fluffed up with an angle to sell and computer or network hardware or having been sponsored by anyone to say good or bad things on particular hardware or software computer devices or applications. It seems that person is really a technician or engineer that supports the computer software, applications and networks hardware (and other computer desktop hardware - can't leave out the printing wows that everyone has gone through). It really seems that person really works in the tech field and is posting for real stuff from a regular technician's or hardware and software integrator perspective. A site that has some honest reviews of software and hardware is http://www.bloglines.com/blog/puppet/ . The writer isn't a tech writer, you'll realize that right after the first reading but does have a flair and natural ability to write. That is important because as the reviews or computer desktop and server hardware is written about, the author isn't trying to play to any audience, isn't getting paid by anyone to write about their computer or network products, the author is just writing about the things they have experienced while working and applying computer desktop, server, backup and network technologies. 

Backup and network technologies

 Other opinionated article and site regarding computer and networking technologies can be found that may have an opinion about computer and software and other such topics but if you notice they'll be commercial sites with commercial adds about computer desktop or server and networking hardware and software on the pages and more often the writers are paid to write about some product. So you want an opinion from someone who was paid to provide it? Does that make sense? The writers on article sites or promotion (PR) sites often promote sites or products have a vested interest in what they are writing they've been often paid to say good things and in many cases to even just talk about the product. Another site that's not a paid opinion site. The author hasn't been paid to say things about the product (at least not from what I can tell - the site doesn't seem commercialized) http://remotesupport.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!4332AD0A933BC068!166.entry http://remotesupport.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!4332AD0A933BC068!166.entry For software that will enable remote desktop support and online server remote support through the web - Desktop Remote Support Software

Remote Desktop Screen-Share

Remote Support Software

I found this a site that provides an online remote support solution: Wait...before you click away. I know everyone knows the name brands of remote support software that provide you with computer remote access over the web, but this one although it doesn't have an IT household name does the job like the others. In fact, it let let's technical support and IT pros provide remote assistance software for their end-users on the cheap. No, it's not just another executable with an IP address compiled into it for downloading. 

Dynamic Remote Support System

They have a bit more dynamic on-demand remote support system that let's you make changes to your own configuration if you need to. So let's say you get one of the other brands of computer remote control packages for remote tech support software with screen-sharing that works over the web that has a static configuration and then you change ISP providers. Your out of luck. Sure you could have Dynamic DNS setup and that's good to but that's another piece of software running on your system and other id to maintain and another point of failure. Yes, point of failure. If you switch from cable, let's say, to DSL or visa versa, you have to get a new program. One can argue that you do not because of DDNS, but what if you want to provide online computer remote support software from another network. Use 4remotesupport for remote desktop access support to resolve the issue at https://www.4RemoteSupport.com .  Now you have to get that same service running on the other network and the next and the next. Their system, although it works just fine with DDNS, it doesn't need it. When you sign-up for an account you get a login to their site, not unfamiliar as many site have this, and a user page. 

Configurable Networks Settings

On that user page you configure your networks settings. That's right, for many of you who have looked into software like this it's the same information you provide to the other site that have a static remote support solution. But the big difference here is that you don't wait for your pc remote support executable to be changed and of course to get charged again. It's on the fly. Change you config and instantly the same customer that you had provided on-demand pc remote support for just a while ago from another network now is connecting to the new network. You may be thinking that you need to have all your users go to their site to get remote assistance over the web from you. No, not at all. They have an executable program too that you get at no additional cost and it's dynamic too. Pretty Cool!! I'm going to work with it some more and post back with more information.

New computer roll out at busy medical practice.

OK. Some updates of what's been going on.
I'll start with my long project - adventure is more like it. I've been rolling out new computers for a customer in Manhattan. They bought 32 new Dell systems that all needed to be setup on the domain and have the office software configured. Doesn't sound bad right? Well, it's a very busy medical practice and the computers are in all areas of the office including check-in check-out, the exam rooms the doctors' desktop PC systems. At the same time I'm handling their day-to-day computer troubles. Which include the regular daily type of support issues that goes on inside just about every modern office in the world. I can't log in whines, and MS Exchange issues, slowness issues on some of the desktops, integrating medical equipment like EKG tester thingies. They have a company that supports their medical software but I've been their so much I'v been taking care of the problems for them. They have PCAnywhere and 4RemoteSupport installed on most systems for on-demand pc remote control and are able to push it out to the new systems.

Web Based Desktop Remote Support

I walked into a situation where their even virus management console was not working and I could not even push out or manually install the agent software . I though this was problem with the new dell systems since they came pre-installed with a version of mcafee security center software already. I manually removed that version and tried to add the practices version but would always get an error. The antivirus software loaded but the agent would not. I'm happy to say however that I got the console working again and was able to push out the agent software to each of the desktops. I was expecting a long drawn out support session over the phone. But as it turns out the server needed a reboot. I rebooted the system early in the morning remotely so no one would even know it happened. I was taking a chance however since it could have not come up. It worked out, the server started and the software management console worked.

Remote PC Control on the Web

The software for remote pc control through the web software they use came in handy already since I needed their assistance to get the first exam room's software working properly. It was the first time I had to setup the software from scratch. I tried working with the config from the old computer and did great but the thing I didn't know was I had to have another piece of medical software running, Logician by GE (general Electric), on first use for it to complete the config.

Remote desktop control

I was so close but I'm glad I called and saved time. The remote IT support tech, Tony, just remote in to one of the servers. He was using some other online on demand computer remote control software for remotely accessing the server over the Internet then 4RemoteSupport.com for web based remote desktop control of the workstation. No IT tech support department of technical support company can be nearly as affective with web based software for online remote desktop support.

Remote Computer Control

I like the software they use for web based computer remote control but I'm kind of favoring using PC Anywhere on all the desktops software for web based pc remote support on the web software of choice on the computers in the office. I could connect over the Internet using Microsoft Terminal Server then remotely access the computer systems on the LAN. For most internal networking local support especially of servers, Microsoft RDP is mots useful and available nearly all the time. With Microsoft Server 2003 and higher, it is installed by default. As long as it has been enabled in computer properties, it will be available. There is also the full blow terminal server but that requires licensing so it is not easily deployed to all server automatically. RDP or RDC on servers is a very license free version for servers that is great for administration.

Online Remote Support Software

There's no required server hardware to buy and maintain, no special virtual machines:

No modifications are required to be performed on the customer's or end-user's gateway router or firewall. You only have to make a small modification on your own local Internet gateway. Once your online remote support software to remote desktop control support account is activated successfully, just setup a simple TCP port forward on your Internet gateway router to the desktop you will be providing support from. That is usually your desktop but in the case of multiple technicians this can be setup for other computers on the local network. If you have multiple people providing tech-support within your office and you have several service accounts, then just use a different port number for each tech-support person. The numbers can sequential or picked ad-hoc. You could have two, three, or more remote support techs and each of which can provide separate web based desktop remote support through the web , even to multiple simultaneous end-users concurrently. 

Web Based Remote Support Software

Dynamic 4RemoteSupport.com Remote Support Solution
There is no extra charge for configuration changes or software support. If your network conditions change, such as an ISP change, public IP address change, or your office location changes, you can easily modify to your web based software for remote support configuration to accommodate the new networking environment. We don't sell executable packaged with your IP address and port number. We designed our service to be adaptive to your remote pc support needs by permitting dynamic web based software changes and updates as required.

It's easy to see and setup your web based software for online desktop support account settings for computer remote control over the web that includes access on the LAN, on the web, and private WAN using the same account. Screenshots and other images can be found on the screenshots page. See a sample user account profile & 4RemoteSupport.com remote support configuration page screen shot. Similar to Microsoft RDC, administrators and tech-support will have full keyboard and mouse access to the system and along with that, full file system access to local drives and network shares. Anything accessible on the local area network will be accessible through the remote access. One main difference with Microsoft RDC is the user is able to see what is occurring on their desktop.

The user whom your trying to provide online remote pc support just enters a support code in the login field that's positioned right on our main homepage at https://www.4remotesupport.com for remote support and then clicks connect. We use a customized version of open source virtual network computing (VNC) that gets downloaded to the target computer and connects to your desktop viewer. Instantly you have real time access to the web based remote desktop and can view the entire screen on yours for web based remote control. VNC for many years has been and still is a reliable for 4remotesupport.com software for on-demand pc remote control software utility.
See your end-user's experience when they login for remote desktop support from you or other tech-support people.

Desktop Remote Support

Integrating medical equipment like EKG

OK. Some updates of what's been going on.

I'll start with my long project - adventure is more like it. I've been rolling out new computers for a customer in Manhattan. I'll be working on-site for this customer to start. They bought 32 new Dell systems that all needed to be setup on the domain and have the office software configured. Doesn't sound bad right? Well, it's a very busy medical practice and the computers are in all areas of the office including check-in check-out, the exam rooms the doctors' desktop PC systems. At the same time I'm handling their day-to-day troubles. Which include the regular I can't log in whines, and MS Exchange issues, slowness issues on some of the desktops, integrating medical equipment like EKG tester thingies. They have a company that supports their medical software but I've been their so much I've been taking care of the problems for them. They have VNC installed on most systems for on-demand PC remote control and are able to push it out to the new systems.

Remote PC Control

The remote PC control software they use came in handy already since I needed their assistance to get the first exam room's software working properly. It was the first time I had to setup the software from scratch. I tried working with the configuration from the old computer and did great but the thing I didn't know was I had to have another piece of medical software running, Logician by GE (General Electric) Health Care, on first use for it to complete the configuration.

Remote desktop control

I was so close but I'm glad I called and saved time. The remote support tech, Tony, just remoted in to one of the servers. He was using some other online on demand computer remote control software by 4remotesupport to access the desktop the server over the Internet then Other software such as VNC for local remote desktop control of the workstation.

Remote Computer Control

I like the software they use for computer remote control but I'm kind of favoring using Symantec PCAnywhere on all the desktops for my on demand pc remote support software of choice on the computers in the office. I could connect over the Internet using Microsoft Terminal Server then using 4RemoteSupport's online desktop support software to remotely access the desktop systems on the LAN. RDP for remote desktop control is such a useful tool. MS did such a great job with that protocol and the technology. The way it's implemented now on servers is even better. Windows 2003 server now has RDP capabilities just like XP pro does. Which brings be to the next point, RDP on the desktop for remote control has been such a useful tool for so many people. They are able to access their system from virtually anywhere. For administrator this is such a useful tool. I now I use Microsoft's RDP protocol daily and I mean daily, as do many other folks in the tech support industry. If not for my own computers it's a remote computer at a customer's office.

Remote Support Software

RDP used as remote support software is at times impractical. Software for remote support over the web is bets if design in a manner that doesn't require modifications to networking devices at the far end. For situation where the remote computers are only on a few networks then setting up the required configuration to access those remote computers is reasonable. If the networks are many or increase steadily and are not networks that are within the support tech's control, then online desktop support software that can work around or through those limitations is more efficient for remote access and control support.

Online Desktop Support Software

So MS RDP is not useful over the Internet as online PC remote support software. Because if the environment that support staff is to access is dynamic or being not controlled by the same staff. it is difficult to make the adjustments in the remote networking equipment for on-demand remote support. This leads to the need for more robust and dynamic on-demand online desktop support software. The type which is designed to overcome the barriers that are inherent in the networks all across the world. That inherent feature is to protect and block access to computers behind the device. Particularly is the device is the edge to the Internet. Such software designed to pass through the remote equipment and provide access to the remote computers on the web has a pre-configured component that must communicate first to another pre-defined server or device that will then give it instructions or redirect the data stream or firstly the request for remote access to another system. the other system will have software running ready to accept the request and stream form the remote desktop. This solution is a common one in that there are multiple, actually many, vendors providing applications for online support of desktops. They overcome the obstacles that are in the way of RDP from fulfilling the role of online PC remote support software.

PC remote support software

PC remote support software gives technicians the ability via software, to get to computer desktop or server problems faster to provide help and assistance to remote computer users. The computer users could be employees of the same company, clients that the support organization does work for as in service calls and bill for it, or family and friends. PC remote support software allows technical support staff to not only connect through the Internet but also connect through the local area LAN or private WAN network. Of course there are some services and applications for remote support that allow connecting through one network type versus the other. Other PC remote support software.
can do both but were designed for one or the other so one method for providing support to remote computer users will work better that the other.

Online solutions for providing remote support have generally grown out of LAN based applications for remote controlling computers that were connected tot he same network as the support staff. As the Internet grew in strength, use and popularity, especially in the area of a distributed work force, the need to provide remote support and PC remote support software grew from the need to reach these computers and users no matter where they might be working permanently or temporarily.

PC remote support

Undoubtedly there are hundreds of ways for a person to connect to a remote network and a remote PC. For PC remote support, one of the requiring items within the application's feature set is the ability to request or even require a remote desktop users consent for remote access and control. This is a differentiating factor between the bad programs like those implemented by hackers and desktop hijackers and the like and those who are legitimately trying to get remote access of a computer to provide pc remote support services.