Excellent blog article from Garth Jones on Forum/Mialing list etiquette, well worth a read.

 http://smsug.ca/blogs/garth_jones/archive/2009/06/01/forum-mailing-list-newsgroup-etiquette.aspx

 Here is a blog that contains links to all the Microsoft Blogs out there, all categorized into products & technologies.. 

http://blogs.technet.com/blogms/pages/directory-of-microsoft-team-blogs.aspx

We now have blogs to tell us about blogs, blogs here, blogs there, old McDonald had a blog, ee-eye, ee-eye oh

I recently joined the world of Twitter, you can see all updates in 1 place, nice and easy to view. You can follow me with @rickym61.

Having a Windows Mobile Smart-phone, running WM 6 Standard, I wanted to keep in touch with all the updates on the go, I started with just using the standard Twitter mobile page, but this wasn't feature rich enough for me, so went searching for an application I could use on my windows mobile, I stumbled across Twikini, so I gave it a go, I was pleased with the features it has, its been updated twice with new features, i'm sure it wont be the last time, you can download it from here http://www.trinketsoftware.com/Twikini 

Main Features

• FAST! Unlike other Twitter apps for Windows® Mobile, Twikini is written entirely in native C++ code for maximum performance and the fastest load time possible.
• Simple, uncluttered, and customizable user interface. Choose from a variety of themes for the best reading experience.
• Post tweets using a full screen editor. Optionally, set your location (either manually, using GPS coordinates, or geocoding) along with your status updates.
• Send and receive Direct Messages.
• Twitpic integration to post photos with your status updates. Select existing photos or click new ones from your device's camera. When reading tweets, view Twitpics inline (without having to open a separate browser). (Screenshot)
• Read status updates just like browsing a web page. Quickly reply, retweet, favorite, or email other people's tweets. 
• Windows Media Player integration. Automatically tweet the song and artist you're listening to. See a realtime feed of other people using it on Twitter.
• URL shortening services including Bit.ly, TinyURL and Digg.
• Single download that is compatible with all Windows® Mobile devices - both touch and non-touch.
• And lots more...

This link was posted on the SMS dicussion list, so adding it to my blog so I can easily find it if needed and also hopefully helps others.

 http://rexcrisostomo.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-to-repair-wmi.html

 Also wmidiag.vbs is soon to be updated, watch this space, no eta obviously

 New blog over on the ConfigMgr site on "Troubleshooting common problems with site assignment"

http://blogs.technet.com/configurationmgr/archive/2009/05/19/troubleshooting-common-problems-with-site-assignment.aspx

Five new Configuration Manager Knowledge Base articles for the week ending 05/16/2009

KB969530 - The Ccmexec.exe process may consume almost 100 percent of CPU resources on System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 clients

KB968718 - You cannot customize the ramdisk TFTP block size on a System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 site server that has the Pre-Boot Execution Environment (PXE) service point role

KB969341 - Delta merge may fail on System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 1-based branch distribution points

KB970170 - You encounter problems after you apply hotfix 955229 on System Center Configuration Manager 2007 site servers

KB969113 - Operating system deployment fails in a System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 environment if you deploy a different operating system to a client within one hour of a previous deployment

http://blogs.technet.com/configurationmgr/archive/2009/05/18/five-new-configuration-manager-knowledge-base-articles-for-the-week-ending-05-16-2009.aspx

Handy quick sql command guide from Marcus Oh on finding tables/views, again keeping here so I can find it if ever needed.

 http://marcusoh.blogspot.com/2009/05/listing-all-views-or-tables-of-database.html

At MMS 2009, during "SQL Performance Tips for SMS and ConfigMgr Reporting Gurus" session by Brian Mason and Steve Thompson, this neat tool was featured and bought to the worlds attention (or those that never knew about it).

This tool will even make John Nelson aka #2 happy so he doesnt have to see any ugly formatted SQL code (I will update the exact quote from Brian Mason shortly, lol)

SQL Pretty Printer is available from here @ wangz.net current cost is $39.95 with a 15 day money back guarantee, also see here to see if you qualify for a free licence

SQL Pretty Printer is a tool that will help you beautify your SQL code. Using hotkey functionality, SQL Pretty Printer can reformat SQL statements for a wide variety of database tools such as Microsoft Query Analyzer, SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), TOAD and PL/SQL Developer, development environments such as Visual Studio 2003/2005 and Eclipse, and popular editors such as UltraEditor and EditPlus.

In addition to beautifying SQL code, SQL Pretty Printer can translate SQL code into C#, Java, PHP, DELPHI and other program languages.

SQL Pretty Printer also includes command line functionality, with the ability to format single files, single directories and multiple directories.

One thing to note is: This Add-In works in SQL Server Management Studio(SSMS), with .NET2.0 installed. It doesn't work for EE edition of SSMS

You can also try an online demo version of this tool here

SQL code before being beautified

SQL code after being beautified

Roger Zander has released v2 of his famous Client Center tool, if you don't know what it is, I highly recommend it, you can get it from here.

Here is a tweak which will let you run PSExec from the custom command tool instead of just a standard command prompt.

Download PSExec from Windows Sysinternals copy PSExec.exe to install location (default is) “C:\Program Files\SCCM Tools\SCCM Client Center”

Edit SMSCliCtrV2.exe.config

Change the following values:

From

To

Recently stumbled across these add-ons for your favourite browsers, Firefox, IE6 only... makes browsing a lot more fun and easier.

Cooliris | Discover More 

CoolPreviews by Cooliris, Inc.

Here is an add-on to Ron's Web Remote Tools page, to check the last time a Collection was updated, this works for both SMS & SCCM. This will pop up an hta and present the Collection ID, Collection Name & Time Last Updated of all your collections.

Edit machrest.asp (take a back up, always better to be on the safe side) add the following around line 80ish or at the end of your other buttons, <input style='WIDTH: 180px' type='button' value='Date of SMS Collections' name='Btn735' ID='Button735'>

Add the following sub near the bottom, before </script>

' Collection last updated?
Sub Btn735_OnClick
compname = trim(document.frmMain.txtValue.value)
Set WShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
strSMSServerName = "ServerName"
strDMSourceFldr = "\\" & strSMSServerName & "\Remote$\"
strcmdending = "\\ServerName\Remote$\lastcollection.hta" & chr(34) & " -c: -h: -m:" & chr(34) & compname & chr(34) & " -a:1"
        wShell.run chr(34) & strDMLocalFldr & strcmdEnding,1,vbFalse
End Sub
' gtk ends Collection last updated?

Copy lastcollection.hta to your Remote$ share.

Edit lastcollection.hta lines 62-64 with your values.

<p><h3 align = left><font color='Orange'>The Server name is: SERVERNAME, and the Site code is: XXX</font></h3><div></div>
Site Server Name: <Input Type = "Text" Name = "SqlServer" value="SERVERNAME">
Site Code: <Input Type = "Text" Name = "Database" value="XXX">

Credit goes to MeenEnta (aka George K) for sharing the add-ons, see forum post here.

Here is an add-on to Ron's Web Remote Tools page to check the a PC’s ConfigMgr Client Health state using Greg Ramsey’s ConfigMgr Client Trouble-shooter, more details about this available here

Edit machrest.asp (take a back up, always better to be on the safe side) add the following around line 80ish or at the end of your other buttons, <input style='WIDTH: 180px' type='button' value='ConfigMgr Client Troubleshooter' name='Btn760' ID='Button760'>

Add the following sub near the bottom, before </script>

' ConfigMgr Client Troubleshooter!

Sub Btn760_OnClick
compname = trim(document.frmMain.txtValue.value)
Set WShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
strSMSServerName = "ServerName"
strDMSourceFldr = "\\" & strSMSServerName & "\Remote$\"
strcmdending = "\\ServerName\Remote$\SCCMunHealthyClientTroubleShooter.hta & chr(34) & " -c: -h: -m:" & chr(34) & compname & chr(34) & " -a:1"
        wShell.run chr(34) & strDMLocalFldr & strcmdEnding,1,vbfalse
End Sub
' gtk ends Client Troubleshooter!

Copy SCCMunHealthyClientTroubleShooter.hta to your Remote$ share.

Copy pskill.exe & psservice to your %windir% directory. latest pstools available from Windows Sysinternals

Edit SCCMunHealthyClientTroubleShooter.hta lines 21-25 with your values.

Const intMinDiskSpace = 2  '2 gb
Const strCCMSetupSource = "\\MYSCCMServer\sccmclient"  'path to ccmsetup.exe  - ccmsetup.exe will be copied to the local system for install.
Const strCCMSetupArgs = "SMSSLP=mySLP FSP=myFSP" ' add appropriate server names
Const strClientVersion = "4.00.5931.0001"
Const strDefaultAdvertID = "LAB20083"  'enter default advertID for re-running mandatory assignments

Credit goes to MeenEnta (aka George K) for sharing the addons, see forum post here, Greg Ramsey for his Trouble-shooter Client.

Here is an add-on to Ron's Web Remote Tools page to check the a PC’s SMS Client Health state using Greg Ramsey’s SMS 2003 Client Troubleshooter, more details about this available here

Edit machrest.asp (take a back up, always better to be on the safe side) add the following around line 80ish or at the end of your other buttons, <input style='WIDTH: 180px' type='button' value='Client Troubleshooter' name='Btn747' ID='Button747'>

Add the following sub near the bottom, before </script>

' Client Troubleshooter!
Sub Btn747_OnClick
compname = trim(document.frmMain.txtValue.value)
Set WShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
strSMSServerName = "ServerName"
strDMSourceFldr = "\\" & strSMSServerName & "\Remote$\"
strcmdending = "\\ServerName\Remote$\unhealthyClientTroubleShooter.hta" & chr(34) & " -c: -h: -m:" & chr(34) & compname & chr(34) & " -a:1"
        wShell.run chr(34) & strDMLocalFldr & strcmdEnding,1,vbfalse
End Sub
' gtk ends Client Troubleshooter!

Copy unhealthyClientTroubleShooter.hta to your Remote$ share.

Copy folder Systinternals (includes pskill.exe & psservice) to your Remote$ share. Latest pstools available from Windows Sysinternals

Edit unhealthyClientTroubleShooter.hta lines 23-26 with your values.

Const strCCMSetupSource = "\\ServerName\SMSClient\i386\"  'this location contains ccmsetup.exe and client.msi
Const strCCMSetupArgs = "SMSSITECODE=AUTO DISABLECACHEOPT=TRUE SMSCACHESIZE=1500"
Const strClientVersion = "2.50.4253.3000" ' update this version to you corporate standard version
Const strDefaultAdvertID = "XXXXXXX"  'enter the default advert to run with 'rerun advertisement'

Credit goes to MeenEnta (aka George K) for sharing the addons, see forum post here, Greg Ramsey for his Troubleshooter Client.

Here is an add-on to Ron's Web Remote Tools page to find the PC’s uptime since its last boot up on a given machine, it will prompt you for the machine name, then open up notepad and display similar to “\\PCNAME has been up for: 0 day(s), 2 hour(s), 9 minute(s), 1 second(s)”

Edit machrest.asp (take a back up, always better to be on the safe side) add the following around line 80ish or at the end of your other buttons, <input style='WIDTH: 180px' type='button' value='PC uptime since last boot' name='Btn745' ID='Button745'>

Add the following sub near the bottom, before </script>

' upTime since last boot!
Sub Btn745_OnClick
compname = trim(document.frmMain.txtValue.value)
Set WShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
strSMSServerName = "ServerName"
strDMSourceFldr = "\\" & strSMSServerName & "\Remote$"
strcmdending = "\\ServerName\Remote$\uptime.bat" & chr(34) & " -c: -h: -m:" & chr(34) & compname & chr(34) & " -a:1"
        wShell.run chr(34) & strDMLocalFldr & strcmdEnding,1,vbFalse
End Sub
' gtk ends upTime since last boot!

Copy uptime.bat (edit and add your server details) & uptime.exe to your Remote$ share.

Credit goes to MeenEnta (aka George K) for sharing the addons, see forum post here