Tag Archives: windows

Windows: Disable machine account password change

April 9, 2013 Michael Albert Leave a comment

Hi,

for test purposes it could be necessary to backup a computer by an image tool, i.e. Acronis TrueImage, and after the test is completed or in situations of a failure reset the computer back to it’s initial state by restoring the image.

In domain environments this could be a problem, because each computer which is member of a Windows Active Directory Domain is negotiating a password with the domain and this password is changed after 7 Days. If your Image is older the domain member ship is broken and you have to rejoin.

The password change is initiated by the client and this behaviour could be prevented by setting a registry value. Set this value, make an image afterwards and you will be able to restore the image as often you want or need without to leave the domain.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Netlogon\Parameters]
"DisablePasswordChange"=dword:00000001

Set it by command line
reg ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Netlogon\Parameters /v DisablePasswordChange /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Have a nice day

Michael

Windows knowhow

Windows Update and Windows Search do not work

March 12, 2013 Michael Albert Leave a comment

Hi,

a good friend of mine came to me last week because some services of Windows Vista on his notebook did not run as expect. In detail:

Windows Search service starts but terminates
- EventID 7034: The Windows Search service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 4 time(s).
  Windows search terminates after start
- EventID 7024: The Windows Search service terminated with service-specific error 2147749155 (0x80040D23)
- EventID 1006: The Windows Search Service has failed to create the new search index. Internal error <4, 0x8004117f
- EventID 9000: The Windows Search Service cannot open the Jet property store.
Windows Update service starts, but do not work, some errors are logged in C:\Windows\WindowsUpdate.log
- 45c DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000247
- 45c AU FATAL: Failed to get session from datastore, error = 0xC8000247
- 45c AU FATAL: Failed to Unserialize from data store, error = 0xC8000247
No Windows Update File could installed by double clicking a msu File.
Cryptocraphic service do not run as expected:
- Signature for Windows builtin programs cannot be verified, for example mmc.exe. Error Message:
  “Do you want the following program to allow changes to this computer?“
  
  UAC Message: builtin executables could not verified.
- Cause: The folder c:\windows\system32\catroot2 is empty or/and some errors are logged in file C:\Windows\System32\catroot2\dberr.txt:
  CatalogDB: 21:39:37 28.02.2013: JetInit Corruption
  CatalogDB: 21:39:37 28.02.2013: catdbsvc.cpp at line #747 encountered JET error -583
  CatalogDB: 21:39:37 28.02.2013: catdbsvc.cpp at line #961 encountered JET error -583
  CatalogDB: 21:39:37 28.02.2013: catdbsvc.cpp at line #6636 encountered JET error -583
- EventID 257: The following information was included with the event: -583 the message resource is present but the message is not found in the string/message table

It seems that all services which uses the Window Jet Database engine are affected.

Solution

Continue reading Windows Update and Windows Search do not work →

Windows knowhow

Windows: Disable or enable assigning of a drive letter when plugin a removeable device

March 12, 2013 Michael Albert Leave a comment

Hi,

the default setting in Windows Vista, 7 or 8 is to assign a drive letter when you plugin a removable device. But sometimes you want to prevent Windows from doing that, for example security reasons.

You can control this behaviour with the mountvol command. The following command line disable the automatical assignment.

mountvol /N

to enable the auto assignment again execute
mountvol /E

Michael

Windows knowhow

Windows 7 & Getting drivers for obsulete printers

March 4, 2013 Michael Albert Leave a comment

Hello,

yesterday a customer had the problem that he wants an old printer, a HP LaserJet 5M, to get running on 15 Windows 7 clients. Unfortunately Windows has no driver on board and the manufactorer didn’t provider anyone.

Solution:

For many old printers you can install a driver via Windows Update. Go to the Control Panel, Device & printers and add a new printer

Continue reading →

Windows knowhow

Windows: Changing the power plan or a single value in a sheme

March 1, 2013 Michael Albert Leave a comment

This posts descripes how to change the power plan in Windows or a single option in a sheme from the Windows command line.

First of all start a cmd command shell with administrator rights.

To get a list of all available shemes run

c:\> powercfg /L

Existing Power Schemes (* Active) ----------------------------------- Power Scheme GUID: 381b4222-f694-41f0-9685-ff5bb260df2e (Balanced) * Power Scheme GUID: 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c (High performance) Power Scheme GUID: a1841308-3541-4fab-bc81-f71556f20b4a (Power saver)

The most options to powercfg at the command line must be specified with the GUID. To set the “High performance” plan active determine the sheme GUID and execute

c:\> powercfg /S 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c

Query again und you see the other plan is active

c:\> powercfg /L Existing Power Schemes (* Active) ----------------------------------- Power Scheme GUID: 381b4222-f694-41f0-9685-ff5bb260df2e (Balanced) Power Scheme GUID: 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c (High performance) * Power Scheme GUID: a1841308-3541-4fab-bc81-f71556f20b4a (Power saver)

Let us supose we only want to modify a single option or value. For example, disable the “Allow hybrid sleep” value in sheme “Power Saver” and with AC power active. Then, you first have to query all of the content of a sheme, because we need the GUID as parameter for powercfg. The output is a long list of options, I redirect them in a temporary file, because in the file it is easier to search for the necessary GUIDs.
Continue reading Windows: Changing the power plan or a single value in a sheme →

Michls Tech Blog

Tag Archives: windows

Windows: Disable machine account password change

Windows Update and Windows Search do not work

Solution

Windows: Disable or enable assigning of a drive letter when plugin a removeable device

Windows 7 & Getting drivers for obsulete printers

Solution:

Windows: Changing the power plan or a single value in a sheme

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