Joseph Hinkle at MyITForum.com

I had a VP ask me for this the other day. Windows XP does what equates to "true" sorting. It would sort 1, 6, 12, 24 in that order, rather than the classic 1, 12, 24, 6. The resgitry key below changes that sort order.

"You can finally fix this feature for Windows XP SP1 or greater by creating the following registry key:

(For all users)
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer]
NoStrCmpLogical = DWORD: 1

(Per user)
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
NoStrCmpLogical = DWORD: 1
"

(Via WinGuides.)

I went to a Blackberry server admin course today. If you support Blackberries in an admin role and are not all that knowledgeable about the inner workings of the server, you owe it to yourself to go. One important thing I never noticed was the Resource kit. There are lots of pretty good tools, with some being excellent. Check it out below.

BlackBerry: "The BlackBerry Enterprise Server Resource Kit includes tools to assist IT Departments in the administration and management of the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution. These tools are: BESUserAdmin - Allows administrators to perform user and device administration from the command line. NoResponseCheck.exe - Analyses the logs for threads reporting as nonresponsive to differentiate between nonresponsive and slow threads. MessageFlow.exe - Tracks the flow of mail from the mail server through the BlackBerry Enterprise Server to the BlackBerry Wireless Handheld%u2122 and provides statistics in a .csv file. AvailIndex.exe - Analyses log files and produces a snapshot report of user activity for a certain time in a .csv file. HistoricalStats.exe - Checks usage patterns and %u201Chealth%u201D of individual users and provides statistics on a per day, per user basis. OutOfCoverage.exe - Checks for users who have not sent/received in a specified period of time. Pending.exe - Tracks messages pending delivery in the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. DelayedNotifications.exe - Allows administrators to detect when the Blackberry Enterprise Server is no longer receiving notifications for new email in a timely fashion. MapiCdoErrors.exe - Allows administrators to scan the logs for common mapi/cdo errors and custom events they wish to choose."

(Via .)

I had an interesting problem with an Update Rollup 1 machine today.  After the update had been applied, the user could not save documents from any Office 2000 application to a floppy disk.  Unpublished article 904368 addresses this issue.  If you are experiencing this issue, you can contact Microsoft support and ask for the hotfix for that article number.

On a side note, the tech told me that the most common problem was with older Compaq machines blue screening after the update.  The errors are driver related, so make sure you test your older machines before installing the update.

Google Ads in My Blog: "If you are interested in doing this on your own web site/blog, go to http://www.google.com/adsense and register your site.  After you get registered just copy and past the HTML code that Google provides at the bottom of your blog post."

(Via myITForum Blogs.)

Apple Matters: "Switching between Mac and Windows this drives me nuts. I have to consciously think ‘command-C or control-C?’ It shouldn’t have to be that way. And if you’re running RDC or VPC and copying and pasting between OS X and Windows!! Sheesh!"

(Via AppleMatters.)

Microsoft Makes Longhorn Performance Promises: "Amy Stephan, a senior product manager with the Windows client unit, outlined some of the various Longhorn 'fundamentals,' including systems management and deployment features, which Microsoft is readying. Stephan told conference attendees that Longhorn will: launch applications 15 percent faster than Windows XP does
boot PCs 50 percent faster than they boot currently and will allow PCs to resume from standby in two seconds
allow users to patch systems with 50 percent fewer reboots required
reduce the number of system images required by 50 percent
enable companies to migrate users 75 percent faster than they can with existing versions of Windows."

(Via Anandtech.)

Isn't that nice? I would love the speed increases if they turn out to be real. I'm always a bit skeptical when these things a announced this far ahead of launch though.

iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 Battery Exchange Program: "The recalled batteries include those with model numbers A1061, A1078, and A1079 and serial numbers that begin with HQ441 through HQ507 and 3X446 through 3X510. To view the model and serial numbers labeled on the bottom of the battery, you must remove the battery from the computer. The battery serial number is printed in black or dark grey lettering beneath a barcode. See photos below. Please use the chart below to identify the battery model and serial numbers that apply to your iBook or PowerBook."

(Via .)

"Don’t EVER switch cell phone providers and try to keep your number.  I switched to Cingular (from Nextel), found out they are horrible with coverage, sent the phone back waiting for a credit on the phone (they gave a 30–day eval) — and I’m still waiting.  I simply can’t move to another cell provider until Cingular decides it’s OK for me to do so.  This whole ‘keep your number’ thing isn’t what you think it is.  The cell companies have found a loop-hole and they are utilizing it completely."

(Via myITForum Blogs.)

Better yet, try this strategy if you can afford to. I'll use Rod's case as an example, just because it is convenient. Leave your Nextel account and phone active. Get a Cingular phone and do a week or two as a trial, then, if you're happy with the coverage and service, port your number. A little known part of the process is that you can port your number when you want. It doesn't have to be done when you start your trial with the new company. Its a trial, so don't hitch your wagon until you know what you're getting into!

I've been fighting with a new desktop model with a little bit. The big change is that the new model is an Athlon64-based system. I went through my normal process of determining what drivers I needed, loading them, and updating the image, then the unthinkable happened. I got a BSOD!

The particular BSOD was a STOP 0x0000007E, which I had gotten before. The last time I got it, it was a driver problem, so I started there. After I deleted all of my newly acquired drivers, I started with the Serial ATA controller. That wasn't the cause of the error, so I started looking deeper.

As it turns out, one of the scenarios that is not supported by sysprep is creating an image for use on systems with processors from different manufacturers. The list of all such scenarios is here.

But wait! There is hope! Article 888372 details the fix for the issue, which is essentially modifying the start-up state for the INTELPPM service. I was able to successfully boot our image, which was created on a Pentium4-based system, on an Athlon64 system. I have not tested that image on another Intel-based system. I'll post a follow-up as soon as I have.

"Speaking to Japanese economic website Toyo Keizai, he stated that Sony’s aim for PS3 is ‘for consumers to think to themselves 'I will work more hours to buy one'. We want people to feel that they want it, irrespective of anything else.'"

(Via Gizmodo.)

"'He told me that he understood my pain. He told me that if there is anything -- anything -- anything he can do, to not be afraid to call him. It really lightened me a bit,' Rose told the newspaper."

(Via MacMinute.)

This is one of the classiest things any company's CEO can do. I commend him for stepping forward when most companies and execs would hide behind a statement or PR person. This story is one of the sadddest things I've read in a long time. I can only hope that some good comes from it.

"If you’ve not had a chance to check out SMSView, yet — it’s all the rage for SMS."

(Via myITForum Blogs.)

SMSView is an awesome tool. I've been using it for a month or two. I think the new version fixes most of my issues, though it is a bit slow if you're connecting to a client that is not local. All in all, its a great product at a great price, free.

"Is Steve the right person to carry on the movie tradition?"

(Via myITForum Blogs.)