Random Tech/IT Thread

[Renegade7]

7 minutes ago, skinsmarydu said:

OK, you lost me. 

I'll go all out and say that my anti-virus doesn't even like this site.  I trust you, so maybe PM me back so we don't take up valuable space with my skeptical questions, haha

[tshile]

2 minutes ago, skinsmarydu said:

Oh, I did months ago when the zero-dates came out, I ain't totally stupid (OK, hubby's the smart one when it comes to things like this), but I want to be able to get the games...HTTR

oh i completely misunderstood. now i see.

if the games are in flash then you don't have any choice

most stuff is moving to HTML5 which basically means your browser will support the content without any additional plug-ins. it's a slow march though.

google chrome won't even allow you to install the flash player and mozilla firefox is going in that direction.

it's dying a slow death

[Renegade7]

@skinsmarydu  I've seen this thread get cluttered for close to page in a half just on fixing windows updates, its all good : )

In upper right hand-corner of your browser where you see 3 lines, that's a menu that should have preferences and add-ons,click on add-ons.  Click on "get add-ons" on the page it takes you to, and put "no-script" in the search box.  I have to temporarily allow for certain things, or allow permanently for extremeskins.

Edited November 18, 2016 by Renegade7

[Renegade7]

Quote feature here is a GD bug now.

[skinsmarydu]

2 minutes ago, Renegade7 said:

@skinsmarydu  I've seen this thread get cluttered for close to page in a half just on fixing windows updates, its all good : )

 

Thanks, lol...hubby found a go-round for those, thank whoever...I had one that took two whole ****in' days, unreal...but we've got the "don't send me 10" blockade goin' on too

Just tryin' to stay safe, ykwim...

[PokerPacker]

1 hour ago, tshile said:

oh i completely misunderstood. now i see.

if the games are in flash then you don't have any choice

most stuff is moving to HTML5 which basically means your browser will support the content without any additional plug-ins. it's a slow march though.

google chrome won't even allow you to install the flash player and mozilla firefox is going in that direction.

it's dying a slow death

flash plugins?

 

[zCommander]

On 11/1/2016 at 4:58 PM, Renegade7 said:

For those working in a Windows Domain environment, what kind of inventory management software have you worked with and liked?  I've been working with and tweeking powershell scripts because we don't have anything like that, but manager wants something more dynamic and presentable (aka GUI friendly).  Been looking at the following today:

 

Been testing out Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit and this one (need to be able to find OSX machines, plan is to have all of ours joined to domain, only a couple right now): 

http://www.network-inventory-advisor.com/

Have you tried Spiceworks?

If anyone has any issues with updates (Windows 7 now can take days after a new install). Just use WSUS. Link: http://download.wsusoffline.net/

Edited November 19, 2016 by zskins

[PokerPacker]

Back when I still used windows, I remember finding a site called "windiz update" or something like that for to do updates.  I don't remember why I used it; it's been too long.

[zCommander]

17 hours ago, PokerPacker said:

Back when I still used windows, I remember finding a site called "windiz update" or something like that for to do updates.  I don't remember why I used it; it's been too long.

You are probably thinking of windowsupdates.microsoft.com. Don't think there was a standalone site. Offline updates is the only other thing us IT guys used. We wouldn't be caught doing updates from a non-Microsoft website(s)....Well, unless you wanted to stand in the unemployment line..lol

[PokerPacker]

4 minutes ago, zskins said:

You are probably thinking of windowsupdates.microsoft.com. Don't think there was a standalone site. Offline updates is the only other thing us IT guys used. We wouldn't be caught doing updates from a non-Microsoft website(s)....Well, unless you wanted to stand in the unemployment line..lol

No, it was windizupdate.

https://lifehacker.com/5099600/windizupdate-lets-you-update-windows-through-firefox

[zCommander]

5 minutes ago, PokerPacker said:

No, it was windizupdate.

https://lifehacker.com/5099600/windizupdate-lets-you-update-windows-through-firefox

Didn't know about this Firefox plugin. But basically WindizUpdate is a Firefox plugin which mimics the official Windows Update application for people who didn't like IE. So it was still using Microsoft servers to pull the updates. It just allowed more control over the updates. So did MS updates if you didn't click on Express Update button but pressed Customize instead. With Win 10 you have even less control over the updates. I do miss the old update website though. 

I also hate Apple's updates as well. You have to have an Apple account to do the updates. This makes it tough for us IT guys working on a client computer. I don't like to use my Apple ID on someone else computer. These companies are stupid and want to make it easy for the regular user but forget about the techs that might be doing the work for them!

Edited November 19, 2016 by zskins

[PokerPacker]

6 minutes ago, zskins said:

Didn't know about this Firefox plugin. But basically WindizUpdate is a Firefox plugin which mimics the official Windows Update application for people who didn't like IE. So it was still using Microsoft servers to pull the updates. It just allowed more control over the updates. So did MS updates if you didn't click on Express Update button but pressed Customize instead. With Win 10 you have even less control over the updates. I do miss the old update website though. 

I don't recall having it as a plugin, but it WAS nearly a decade ago (man, where did the time go?).  I definitely recall using the windizupdate site and having checkboxes next to each item if I wanted to update through it.  Maybe the plugin was needed for the site to work.  Anyways, that was a thing I did.  I don't remember how/if this relates to anything that was being discussed anymore.  Plus windiz apparently doesn't work anymore, so I guess it'd be moot, anyways.

Also, to hell with Windows and their update policies.  I was dual-booting my laptop with Windows and I recall specifically setting it to NOT do ANY automatic updates.  And then one day I needed to quickly boot into it for something and the ****er updated on me.  I was between classes at the time the update decided it was gonna go through.  45 minutes later, still updating, I had to go to class, so I just left the laptop in the computer lab to keep updating against my will.  Came back from class hours later and the thing was STILL updating.  Microsoft, you are the devil.

Edited November 19, 2016 by PokerPacker

[Renegade7]

20 hours ago, zskins said:

Have you tried Spiceworks?

If anyone has any issues with updates (Windows 7 now can take days after a new install). Just use WSUS. Link: http://download.wsusoffline.net/

I'll look into that free inventory tool as well, thanks.

Windows 10 has gone too far with forcing people into updates.  They also got rid of wuapp.exe, which was a good friend of mine.  I officially like 7 over 10, and Cortana didn't help (if I asked you kindly to just leave me the **** alone, can you do that?)

[PokerPacker]

32 minutes ago, Renegade7 said:

I'll look into that free inventory tool as well, thanks.

Windows 10 has gone too far with forcing people into updates.  They also got rid of wuapp.exe, which was a good friend of mine.  I officially like 7 over 10, and Cortana didn't help (if I asked you kindly to just leave me the **** alone, can you do that?)

Is Cortana the new Clippy?

[Renegade7]

13 minutes ago, PokerPacker said:

Is Cortana the new Clippy?

Nah, Clippy was power rangers putties kinda corny.  Cortana is borderline adware.

Edited November 20, 2016 by Renegade7

[PokerPacker]

25 minutes ago, Renegade7 said:

Nah, Clippy was power rangers putties kinda corny.  Cortana is borderline adware.

Yuck.

[SoulSkin]

I have to study for the Windows 10 cert (not my choice). I hate having to exert all that effort for a desktop cert. 70-697 is no cakewalk. Seems like it's as much of a test on the whole Microsoft ecosystem with Azure, Intune, etc. as it is windows 10. At first I thought it was gonna be something I could read the MS book and breeze through. Now realizing it's actually gonna take real effort. Boo.I don't hate Windows 10 as much as most, but I'm not thrilled about having to support it.

To disable Cortana on W10 home, there's a regedit. For Pro and Enterprise, use local or domain Group Policy. http://www.howtogeek.com/265027/how-to-disable-cortana-in-windows-10/

[Renegade7]

10 minutes ago, SoulSkin said:

I have to study for the Windows 10 cert (not my choice). I hate having to exert all that effort for a desktop cert. 70-697 is no cakewalk. Seems like it's as much of a test on the whole Microsoft ecosystem with Azure, Intune, etc. as it is windows 10. At first I thought it was gonna be something I could read the MS book and breeze through. Now realizing it's actually gonna take real effort. Boo.I don't hate Windows 10 as much as most, but I'm not thrilled about having to support it.

To disable Cortana on W10 home, there's a regedit. For Pro and Enterprise, use local or domain Group Policy. http://www.howtogeek.com/265027/how-to-disable-cortana-in-windows-10/

Is that a company policy thing, or you manager just came up with that?  I almost had to get one of the desktop certs our customer service team was going after, but got to point manager saw I already knew enough and I got the Database Fundamentals MTA instead.

[SoulSkin]

15 minutes ago, Renegade7 said:

Is that a company policy thing, or you manager just came up with that?  I almost had to get one of the desktop certs our customer service team was going after, but got to point manager saw I already knew enough and I got the Database Fundamentals MTA instead.

I work for a very small shop, meaning me and my boss. We do small biz support for around 50 clients. Boss man wants me to get it because that's where the business is headed for the people we support. We're transitioning most of them from Small Business Server networks. Honestly, I've been lazy on certs over the years. Getting back into the groove. It'll be good practice, and something to have. Probably gonna do the other Windows 10 test now that it's out there, and just get that underwhelming MCSA. From there, I think I'll probably jump into Server 2016.

Edited November 20, 2016 by SoulSkin

[zCommander]

4 hours ago, SoulSkin said:

I work for a very small shop, meaning me and my boss. We do small biz support for around 50 clients. Boss man wants me to get it because that's where the business is headed for the people we support. We're transitioning most of them from Small Business Server networks. Honestly, I've been lazy on certs over the years. Getting back into the groove. It'll be good practice, and something to have. Probably gonna do the other Windows 10 test now that it's out there, and just get that underwhelming MCSA. From there, I think I'll probably jump into Server 2016.

Long time ago MS screwed up on the whole MCSE thing back with server NT 4.0. I was two exams away when they said there were not going to honor MCSE title and you would have to take the new certs for Windows 2000 when it comes out. I said hell no and just took the Windows XP exam to be MS Certified Pro. I am self taught. I own my own business. There are two of us also but we do a lot of VM in the labs to test the new stuff MS puts out. We are also MS Partners so we get to download the software and use the software as well. It keeps us busy but I still love doing the hardware stuff like pulling network cables and rebuilding servers and setting up all the hardware.

[SoulSkin]

8 hours ago, zskins said:

Long time ago MS screwed up on the whole MCSE thing back with server NT 4.0. I was two exams away when they said there were not going to honor MCSE title and you would have to take the new certs for Windows 2000 when it comes out. I said hell no and just took the Windows XP exam to be MS Certified Pro. I am self taught. I own my own business. There are two of us also but we do a lot of VM in the labs to test the new stuff MS puts out. We are also MS Partners so we get to download the software and use the software as well. It keeps us busy but I still love doing the hardware stuff like pulling network cables and rebuilding servers and setting up all the hardware.

Are you my boss? I'm kidding, but there's a lot of similarities there. Similar story for me with the certs too, but with Server 2003. I was two exams into that before they retired it. That's when I quit worrying about them. 

Being a MS partner is great for the software! We've been a partner since I started where I'm at. My very first task was to organize years worth of MSDN install discs, back when they sent those out monthly. The support you get is also really good if you need it. It saved our ass a few months ago dealing with a journal wrap on a DC. It was a long and painful process, but two MS techs were able to get it worked out over two days. As of now, we get 10 free cases a year, but rarely have needed it. I think we've used it twice, maybe three times, over the years for things we couldn't quite work through. The times we've needed it though, it was really nice to have. Saved a lot of pain and money for us, and the customers that we needed it for.

Edited November 20, 2016 by SoulSkin

[steve09ru]

any tips on bring out out the best hd picture quality on a tv?  

[Barney B]

6 hours ago, steve09ru said:

any tips on bring out out the best hd picture quality on a tv?  

 

OK. First, I've never seen an improvement from expensive cables, except over a long distance, where a cheap cable might get you no picture at all.

Second, tweak the menus. I once was in a 'Big Electronics Store' where they had set up a cheap TV next to a high dollar TV, and the cheap one looked terrible in comparison. Know why? They had gone into the menus on the cheap TV and turned down the brightness, contrast, etc., in order to upsell the gullible. Once I adjusted the picture properly, you could hardly tell the difference. 

So experiment. I like the contrast at 100% and brightness set pretty high, and the individual colors on the high side of medium - of course this depends on the individual TV, and I always aim to get flesh tones correct - if Trump's face is the proper shade of orange, then the rest of the colors will also be good.

Some TVs will have a separate control labeled "sharpness" or similar, and the higher that goes, the better it looks to me. Some TVs also have a feature called Dynamic Brightness, which adjusts brightness by measuring the light in the room - this feature usually works best when it's turned off.

The settings are pretty self-explanatory, but if you're not sure of what you're doing, you can always just take a smartphone pic of each menu setting before you start adjusting, so if you mess up, you have a reference to retreat to. 

It might take some time, but it's worth it.

[SoulSkin]

On 11/19/2016 at 3:58 PM, zskins said:

You are probably thinking of windowsupdates.microsoft.com. Don't think there was a standalone site. Offline updates is the only other thing us IT guys used. We wouldn't be caught doing updates from a non-Microsoft website(s)....Well, unless you wanted to stand in the unemployment line..lol

 

Remembered this discussion, because we deal with it a lot still. I just found a quick way to get Windows 7 to get updates without having to wait hours upon hours for it to finally detect them. You have to set Windows Update to never check for updates, reboot, then install KB3020369. After that, install KB3172605. These are the links for the 64 bit installers: KB3020369 and KB3172605 . Reboot again after installing both (in order). Re-enable Automatic Updates and check for updates. Just did this and was able to get updates checked for and installing in about 10-15 minutes.

Edited December 9, 2016 by SoulSkin

[PokerPacker]

On 11/20/2016 at 0:19 PM, steve09ru said:

any tips on bring out out the best hd picture quality on a tv?  

Use a good picture source.

 

Back when I was in Virginia and still on Cox Cable, there were horribly noticeable (to me, at least) compression artifacts.  Then I moved away and went on antenna.  The picture on the over-the-air HD channels is so much better than the picture I had gotten on cable as they don't use lossy compression to save bandwidth for antenna broadcast.

 

tl;dr: using an antenna for Network stations and whatever else may be floating in the air by you may get you better HD picture than cable.