Messages

426

Post New Requests Here / Re: Recursively replace characters in all file and folder names Sharepoint restrict

« on: July 07, 2014, 02:00 AM »

Has anyone here used BTSYNC for a multi-user Massive file sync program?  I have used it for some rime and overall I would have to say it does a perfect job.  Bu I am only using it on 4 or 5 systems to keep all my files available where ever and on whatever system  I happen to be using.

I tested it on the whole 50,000 file directory and while not the Fastest, it was not bad and Free to boot

I was thinking through the logic on the program and wondered what would happen if two different people made different modifications to the same file and then BTsync got ahold of them both.

What would be best would be to have both modifications show up as a (1) and a (2) modified version  I guess 2nd best would be first one in to be the change made BUT a notice would be sent to the other person for that person to add their modification as well if needed..
BT SYNC is an interesting solution for people who need to all share the same files but I am not sure how well it works with multiple users/editors.

Another thing I wondered was if there is a file that exists in 10 put of 15 users' SYNC folder and if all users are sharing the same Secret will it propagate to the other users any faster that if there were only 5 users who had it and had to upload to maybe 10 who did not?  Does it get to the others faster if more people are send parts?

With so may Small files it seemed t me the best way to make sure everyone had instant access to everything was to set aside a small 20 GB partition ad just let BY sync keep all their local partitions up to date.

But that is too ay so there has to be something wrong with that idea   Though I have been Impressed so far with BT Sync for my own needs.

427

Post New Requests Here / Re: Recursively replace characters in all file and folder names Sharepoint restrict

« on: July 06, 2014, 11:40 PM »

This is too much thinking for a Sunday night.  It was just my "Luck?" that I happened to test the dir example with what may be the ONLY character that can be stated as >>   *#*.*"  <<<  and NOT get either ran error or nothing at all.     . 
Of course can't search for "&" that way and probably half the others I need to fix.

And "Ren"      Not Gonna Happen!

I suppose it IS going to require some kind of script but the RR.exe (which is hosted on GitHub with the "recursive" option "/r" won't fly.  Or wouldn't for me.  Maybe I cant stack the "/p" (for pretend) option wit /r but
there are few enough files I don't mind being asked if it is OK on every one rather than risk a massive rename that fouls up the entire database   

Hopefully someone has gotten more rest this 4th weekend and has a clearer focus than I do

428

Post New Requests Here / Recursively replace characters in all file and folder names Sharepoint restrict

« on: July 06, 2014, 11:00 PM »

I have a need for a quick and easy way to scan all file and folder NAMES within a directory to replace all instances on one character with another.  There are several possibilities, all of them are on the "invalid for use"   by  SharePoint" list.  
The reason for this being doing after the fact is that the collection of files and folders was created before we were using SharePoint and this problem kind of hit me by surprise.   Only when I had repeated failures of a number of files did I check to see the problem.  There are over 50,000 files and one of the "invalid characters" is "#" which appears in over a hundred filenames alone.   If I had checked beforehand, we might not have moved everything to the Office 365 Setup but hindsight being 20/20 doesn't help now.        
Searching for solutions brought up several possibilities, one of which is linked below.  RR.exe at nicj.net (is already compiled) but I don't think it is recursive.

I was wondering if anyone else had ever run into this problem and maybe already has a solution.  If I have to run a script for each character to be replaced, then that is what I will have to do.  Since these filenames are already listed in the database software, I have to try to standardize my replacements so that when a Search looks for a file with a "#" in the name, I have to have a preset replacement list to provide people.
Instead of "&" the filename will have the entire word "and" and so on.  "#" I was going to replace with "-"  but any suggestions appreciated.  SharePoint has a list of maybe 20 characters that can never be used and most never would be.  
But some..... "?"   ????     OR   <<<<  (for that matter "<" or ">"     )   None of these can be used and if they were I have to replace them with something or the files will not Sync.


          This is the best I have found and I don't think it is recursive.

NOTE!  The "Duh" factor just set in  !  Still not a complete solution and I am playing with the other "normal" ways but "dir *#*.*" when run from the top directory level does return valid instances of the improper files so I suppose "ren" might work as well?

 

429

Finished Programs / Re: DONE: Easy Script to move all loose files in a folder into it's alphabetic subfolder

« on: July 03, 2014, 04:26 PM »

talk about fast service.!!
I had thought that one through but as you noticed it was kind of late.  I was going to try something like that but was unsure about the commandline to count in from start of name to get the characer needed to file by.
I am sure your solution is more elegant
i can check for space and just have to not go any further if space is present but none of them have a "space" ,  or ".", or other weird character.  If they do, it can STAY lost!
My only issue will be with the ones with a number
Any numbers get filed in the A folders but there are not many

This is a prelude to serious attempts to getting this whole resource cloud-hosted for better off-site access.
Which I THINK is not going to work so  well from my recent trials.  Unless MS removes the 20K limit on number of files per instance, i have to use another provider.
We have more than enough space on the Business OneDrive (which is WHY >>>Thank God <<<  )  No more issues with Outlook not "sending fast enough"

Fast now!  But they are wishing they had not gotten what they WISHED for!

Thanks 4WD (even on vacation you came thru!)

430

Finished Programs / Re: DONE: Easy Script to move all loose files in a folder into it's alphabetic subfolder

« on: July 03, 2014, 02:44 AM »

This is more like an addendum.  The reason for al this mess is the people not paying attention in the first place.  Wish there as a rule I could enforce on a folder that would not allow any files (OR additional folders for that matter) to be added at the top level.  This would force the users to put them in the alphabetic sub-directories they belong in so I would not have to clean up after them.
While "wishing" the next thing would be a way to PREVENT certain people with "sticky fingers" from accidentally dragging one or more of the subdirectories down to the next level inside another subdirectory making something like "M through R" seem to disappear.  When they grab the whole group and drag it into the "S" directory or ?? any one of the others.  Next person in doesn't see M or N or O so they make NEW ones.  That covers up the error just enough that it doesn't get noticed until it has become a real problem

431

Post New Requests Here / Re: Idea - Whats in my fridge?

« on: July 03, 2014, 01:35 AM »

Not sure if anyone has suggested it yet but wouldn't this be a perfect app for a smartphone?
Scan the bar codes with the cell to load the items into the sheet then just add the date of purchase (could even add the date of expiration,  
Cellphones can now print to most printers so a weekly rescan could update the sheet.
Personally I'm looking for the day my "Smart-fridge "can TELL me it is a "bad idea" to eat that out-of-date by 3 months Yoplait Yogurt.

( never see tose tiny numbers till after the first mouthful when it is too late!
I have seen an egg tray for any fridge that already does that based on scans of he insides of the eggs.  Might save a quick trip to the Er. 

432

Finished Programs / DONE: Easy Script to move all loose files in a folder into it's alphabetic subfolder

« on: July 03, 2014, 01:19 AM »

This is needed due to total sloppiness by some users.  In a directory resource for a database, many of the folders contain nothing but the letters A - Z as alphabetized sub-folders.
Files put in folders of this type are SUPPOSED to be put inside the correct Alphabetic subfolder like a filing cabinet.  But... They often are not.
Over a period of a few weeks, I can have as many as 100 loose files that the DB that LOOKS for them under the alphabetic sub-folder they belong in.
"Alexander, John.pdf" should have gone in the "A" subdirectory inside the parent folder but instead he shows up outside the sub-folder in the parent.  This usually occurs in large groups.  I have yet to figure out which of the people loading this cannot read the alphabet but someone can't!

The next person to use the DB software, it brings up a "no record found" because the DB software is looking under A or B or C subfolders

So far, I have been moving these by hand to the correct subdirectories when they start to pile up in each parent folder but there must be some way automatically scan these loose files and move all of them into the correct  sub-folder based on the first letter of their last name. (usual format last name, first name).

Thanks if you have an easy to run script! It should process all loose files in a directory moving them into the correct subdirectory based on the first letter in the filename  Note:  0 - 9 are considered to be under A as there are so few

ALSO note:  I have been trying scripts from another site worded like this>

• 
  $ mkdir -p output/{A..Z}; for i in tstdir/*; do export FILE=$(basename "$i");  LTR=$(echo" ${FILE:0:1}" | tr [a-z] [A-Z]); mv "$i" "output/$LTR/$FILE" ; done
  
                                                                                   <or>
  $ mkdir -p output/{A..Z}
  $ for i in tstdir/*; do
      FILE=$(basename "$i") 
      LTR=$(echo "${FILE:0:1}" | tr [a-z] [A-Z])
      mv "$i" "output/$LTR/$FILE"
    done
  
  

But not getting there. And as I mention next, the ultimate would be to make the directory "self-adjusting" to prevent anyone from even being able to put a file out loose in it to start with.

433

Post New Requests Here / Set the default save for a webpage to mht format.

« on: July 03, 2014, 01:04 AM »

This one I had thought would be the Big Kahuna for my "always wanting to have to all" file download info.  I had been playing around with the file save on a webpage to be able to read through some of the scripts when it dawned on me that the Mht format was an Excellent and compact way to save... Everything!  It saves ALL the links, all the data, all the related hyper links and just about everything a researcher could ask for when sifting through all the diamonds in the rough trying to find a solution to a problem.
When I go on these "scavenger hunts" I usually get in a "Don't stop till you drop" fluing from hyperlinmk to hyperlink in a cvhase to find the "Ultimate Solutition'
This inevitably results in downloading at least 40 different apps, scripts, programs, you name it.  I have asked many timed for a way to link all these interesting downloads in some way that I could find them when needed as the original Search inevitably morphs into totally different questions that had nothing to do with my original need but they ALL look like something one day I would like to know more about.
I guess I am a Knowledge Junkie   I should go "On The Wagon" and limit my drinks from the well of Internet Knowledge to one or two per week but..
AThere is so m,uch out there.
Anyway, the problem at hand was HOW would I EVER find out what I was thinking at the time much less find my way back to where I downloaded a file named "XD12objldv2.3a.exe" or some other weird acronym but at the time, the info on the page was enough to make me SURE I was going to need that info to create HG Wells Time Machine or some other.

Anyway, Lo and Behold, the simple .mht" web-archive file was a Gift from the Gods.  It had EVERYTHING including the references that got me there and the text that caught my eyte.  Imaginer my dismay to finf out that Default "Save As" for a Webpage was some clunky multi file/folder setup until i accidentally saved one as an "mht".
WHOA!
NOW I had a way to0 not only get everything I wanted but it the default name for the webpage mht file was descriptive enough to be used as a search tool.
A directory full of these mht files would be an invaluable resource and could be sorted by fate or contents of the filename. They contrain the actual working hyperlinks to re download any files I did not take time to get the first go-round

Now, i only needed way to :
1: make the mht format the DEfault format for Save As.  Yes, I know I can create a Save as Mht Button for the browser (IE anyway) and i did. Wehen i can remember to use it.  Old habits die hard.  Save as was the only way I had till then.
2:  find a way to gert it all.  Be able to search "textually" within the mht without having to open each one.
3:  create some kind of special Searchable MHt reference database (that was the reason for the read the words inside without having to open)
The end result of a search would give me all the knowledge I had gleaned from previous "rampages" where the only thing I wanted was a way to be able to get back to anything i saw that looked to be interesting or likely to be needed one day. 
And preferably keep them all in a single folder by default.  Like Favorites for MHT files.

And being paranoid, i probably would be downloading at least one or more of the resources on the pages I found so a way to link those downloads back to the mht file I created from the site where i got them would be very handy.

zI figured i better ask fore the Starts so I might at least get the Moon,    Anybody have any ideas?  First step is figure out WHY SOMETIMES IE and other browser will do a site in mht and then keep using mht until for an unknown reason it shift back to html.  Seconfd step is find a way to put the downloads from that mht-file into a folder by the name of the file.

All of this could go under "Scavenger Hunt" 
i can see how to create the folder by the name of the mht.  I can see how to get the mht into that folder.  I can even see how to get any DL's from that "mht" to be stored in the same folder so the Downloads and the page itself are all indexed into folders named by the words that were of interest.
I just don't see an easy way to script this al out , I would have to do each one manually.
And what;s the fun in that?

This might be a little bit over the top for a Coding Snack.  But thanks

434

Post New Requests Here / Re: Quick script to change the recovery options of a Windows Service

« on: July 03, 2014, 12:30 AM »

SJ, I don't know how you made it work.   On every instance of the = it followed the rtule staed in first reply.  the = had to have a space afterward.  Also using 8.1 so I don't know what the difference is.

435

Post New Requests Here / Re: Quick script to change the recovery options of a Windows Service

« on: July 03, 2014, 12:28 AM »

4Wd hit the nail on the head.  (As usual 4WD always hits something   )

Anyways, thanks for the replies.  I had somebody point out the importance of spaces "Always after = never before" or some such.  Truly it is.
The part about the admin was driving me nuts trying to figure out how to give admin priv to a bat file until I hit my OWN head and remembered "DUH"
Right Click > Run as Admin.  Works every time (or for this it did anyway)
Thanks to all for the input
Not to be wasting time or space but I got another good question but I'll close this and post it separate.

436

Post New Requests Here / Quick script to change the recovery options of a Windows Service

« on: June 30, 2014, 04:55 PM »

Need to change the recovery options on a windows service (for an added software) from the default "take no action" to "restart service" on at least "first and second occurrence" and probably on "all subsequent" as well.
The timing is not critical as the defaults from the GUI when used in control panel work fine but this is for some people who are not here and should not be allowed to even know that control panel exists. 
I almost got there with SC stated as :
          "sc failure xxxxx actions=restart/60000/restart/60000// reset=120" but not quite. Windows error-ed "invalid option" but it should work with xxxxx being the service name.

This format also may not set the subsequent failure option to restart as well which is the layout I have tested and found to work best.  I am not familiar with using SC and have never configured anything with it before.  I also saw some other more complex comands but I only need to set these three options on only this one service.
Thanks

437

General Software Discussion / Re: Problem:1 cable modem 150/20 mbps & 1 fiber line 5/5mbps how to distribute best

« on: May 26, 2014, 09:16 PM »

 
As usual. after a whole week of asking every board I could fine (most of whom wont even bother to reply to an IM )
Almost everything I need is right here at "home"  DC.!

OK. I can't fight COX.  Like fighting a pig.  You cant win and just get dirty.  The fact I am old enough to be his father and been doing this since before he could walk makes NO difference.
I agree.  IDIOT.
BUT
unfortunately he speaks the idiocy of our ISP.  What was really FUNNY  was seeing the look n the techs face the first time he connected his test set and ran a speed test on the fiber.    PEGGED the meter 5 times.   

Started blathering something about some "speed boost" technology that "sometimes' gives false readings!
  LMAO. 

He turns away fast after the 5th run and calls office.  45 minutes later we are smoothing along at 5gbps.  No more 150 fiber for us.  Glad I made plenty of screen shots to prove it was there to start with. 
But in all honesty. the company was NOT paying for it so... we should not have ever had it anyway. Sure was nice

But their BS about the managed and unmanaged switches was just too much to handle and he refused to back down.
Said the fact I could plug my GB router in to their Modem and the "idiot light" stayed green proved it.
Plug in a switch.  ANY switch. any port. did not matter.  Dropped off to 5gbps.

Plug same switches into router and even cascading them did not slow down a whit.
So.
What to do?  If I buy my OWN CABLE MODEM.  (Which we can do) ..  Any recommendations of which one easiest to bridge?  The officer manager has decided I "don't know a thing about networking" and he is falling down to please the COX tech (because the COX rep is his golfing buddy).  So I am voited an >>>Idiot!<<<

I REALLY need that speed split up before the router.  The Web Servers are Web-Service Servers and need the 150 if we can get it.
The office router also Needs to 150 to provide enough BW for the users to live by the "Cloud" .  They need CLOUD so they can access from anywhere.  Until they blocked port 445 I used to map them back to the office server with ZERO problems for years now.
Some (those not on COX like ME    still do get full speed mapping.  But COX has this area pretty sewed up.
IF anyone (Stoic and 40hz you guys seem to have a similar setup
But mine is done for cheapskates who wont put up the bux for the good stuff.. It STILL SHOULD get better than 5mbps though)  AND  it always DID until they went to 150.  at 50 we got 5.  At 100 we got 5  At 150 we still got 5.

At least they are consistent.  BUT.  Slap in a router.  ANY router it seems and off she goes. 

I'm sort of OK with that IF... there was a way to pass through the static IP's to the end-points.  Each of those little web-service boxes has its own small router (just for use as a simple firewall) .
They are not the problem either. 
IF>> I go to the COX modem> Office router  >  Other router on DHCP (or static in the 192.168.xxx.xxx band) with the final server on a single static ip at 10.0.50.100 with port 80 and a few others forwarded to it.

I think that looks right. Anyway. I can get the full 150 (or close).
but it is worthless as a webserver.  They gave me 6 static IPS to use with the Cable Service.
Then started blathering about me not having a managed switch so it would not work.
I can't argue that if I use a single GB router. it DOES pass through.  Nor that no matter how many switches I run it thrugh after that router I still get 150.

But I don't see a way to get 5 website servers on the 0other side of it  unless  split off before the first router.
This is the way I have done it for years and never had a single problem till now.

I know this is all Cheap consumer grade stuff but a $200+ GB switch should be able to handle the input fro a single cable modem shouldn't it?

438

General Software Discussion / Re: Problem:1 cable modem 150/20 mbps & 1 fiber line 5/5mbps how to distribute best

« on: May 22, 2014, 02:29 AM »

WOW!  Looks like I opened a can of worms.  Here is as much detail as I have this time of night because right in the MIDDLE of all this... God Help us...
they decided to jump on that Godaddy /Microsoft combo hosted 365 exchange  !!:(
I can say this .  IF???>>> they ever get ther bugs worked out,  This is one amazing commo package.  I am not a "frills tech".  I only care a bout reliability and speed.

I can give you some Honest triple checked times that border on the impossible.

You can open Your email app on computer.  Send a TEXT as a email to a cellphone in another state.  Have the other party one the phone when you do this.
If possible, have the volume set to high so both partied can hear the "ding" on each others phones.

As soon as you hit send.  and I mean as SOON AS, like maybe 2 seconds.  the party receiving the email in their cell phone as TEXT even (ie: sent to their phone number.txt.att.net (if using at&t) or similar for others.  Total time from you hit send to they get test.  3 seconds!  Maybe 5 if a bad time of day.  we have never seen more then 5 seconds.

Same test email to email.  Same results.  Same test phone to phone, same results.  This is the FASTEST linking I have ever seen and if someone out there knows how they do it I sure would like to find out.  In theory... sure,  Speed of light and all that,  But in FACT there is no straight path and the routing and overhead make this totally impossible.

It would make a great magic trick in Vegas!

WE tested against normal simple IM phone to phone and this beat it by a fair amount.

I still have not figured out the Go Daddy+ Microsoft Partnership it was the most out of the blue link I could imagine.

Anyway.  The Router layout was explained to me like this:

The COX modem supplies a full duplex signal which cannot be handled by "ANY" modern unmanaged switch.  He said the switch would only allow the single sided connection which would drop the speed to 100Mbit.  Those were HIS terms exactly.
He suggested i try a "better switch/  Fortunately, I already had.  Not just one but several.
ASUS, DLINK, CISCO, NETGEAR, and a few White label that are ALL marked as gigabit "self-managed" leaving any one port to be input with the rest as out put.

Not only did NOT of them work, they ALL has the exact same symptom.  The GREEN h-speed connect on the COX modem would ALWAYS be orange reflecting (to him at least0 that it was out "bad switches"
I have used ALL of these on mhy Mediacom Modem and never had one what forced the modem into a low speed state.
He the replaced whatever we had with a Motorola Surfboard and it was no different.

Right now, i order to give the office the speed it needs, I have the min office router running direct off the modem
I can then daisy-chain ALL the switches if i want to.  I tried out of modem to #1,oput of #1 to #2, then to #3, then to #4, THGEN finally to a system.,  Speed test:  139down+20 up.  Even with 15 other system plugged into various ports.

These are all 16 port switches.  the one at the END was feeding the one i ran the test on.

So.. i am baffled.  I have had a similar setup running for years on bonded T1's but I admit we were always getting the BENEFIT from wide open Intranet,  this moving of our largest database to the cloud is what is doing all this.  When I hosted the database in out office, NO problems (of course) since all equipment rated GB speeds.

We wont be getting GB on any kind of cloud connect but...
The REASON for the CLOUD is another post I had a while back about port 445.  This is blocked by the ISP's for outbound from their user on HOME internet service,  NOT blocked on Business service,  The reason id listed as being done to protect the uneducated masses from various "worms".  Apparently they don't care if businesses are protracted or not and besides it is OUTBOUND they block anyway,  Sounds backward to me.

But:  no port 445 both ways, no drive mapping,  SAMBA requires it.  Server 2008 (both R1 and R2) as well as any newer Ines all need that port to be open to map.  If I could map the drives direct for users outside the building,  we never had a problem. in all the years we ran it.  IF the users PAY for Business they are unblocked and they can map from home just as before.

I have researched everywhere I know to find an alternative but.. No luck  VPN's wont help because the blocking is done in the users home cable modem.  They can connect perfect with the VPN and even run the SQL database program (which is on a higher port).  If I could somehow squeeze in access to allow a mapped drive on another port, we would be fine.

Only alternative is CLOUD, cloud requires ALL use it (office and home) or else i have to keep literally hundreds of files per hour in syncing two way in a 50,000 file folder,  THAT is why we need all that bandwidth.

I am wide open to any suggestions and have tried some suggested by others but nothing holds a candle to direct mapped drives on a vpn.  WEBDAV wont do it, the ZCLOUD services are one more complexity and one more app to fail.

I will keep my eye on this thread and hope someone has found a loophole to get past this port block.

439

General Software Discussion / Problem:1 cable modem 150/20 mbps & 1 fiber line 5/5mbps how to distribute best

« on: May 21, 2014, 02:35 AM »

Situation is a stated.  We have those two separate sources.  The fiber is where they threw us off.  New install, new building.  we are first fiber user. They put in a  24 port capable switch at their demarcation point,  We were the ONLY users.  Somebody forgot to cap the ports.
We got 5mbps for our phone system and .... well it looks like ALL the rest for our Fiber switch. This was a regular off-label 8 port unmanaged gigabit switch and all5 systems connected to it shows 100+ on multiple tests at multiple times of day.  needless to say, we had NO bandwidth issues

Until recently,  The problem was that I have always used OPEN DNS or GOOGLE DNS as they are always MANY times faster than COX's DNS (They are our provider)

A week ago we started getting all kinds of DNS issues.  somewhere back up the line cox DNS link had blown out a ram module and after than our dns ran to nothing. 

<< ADDED:  We have also been informed that NO MORE Freedom of DNS.  EVERY system MUST USE ONY COX DNS!! No OpenDNS  No Google even though they are MUCH faster!

No options!!.  If I try ANYTHING but the COX DNS it  I get windows error saying unable to contact dns server.  I was told it was a "security thing" but I have not heard from anywhere as to what this is or why

WHen they came in to check, they found the "error" and capped us back to 5gbps.  Unfortunately by them we ha offloaded a bunch of our files to cloud access.

20 workstations using cloud storage instead of a local server was convenient and worked fine at 120/120mbps+ but not so good at 5mbps.
The upgrade to fiver to PAY for 120 was MEGAbux,  But we could get 150/20 CABLE and did.

However:  the same feed into the same switch ended up at 5gbps on the systems after running through the same switches that had been running fine on the fiber.
Cable tech blames the switch and shows me where it drops off after the first Gigabit switch as though it was only a 100MBIT switch.  He says it is due to it being an "Unmanaged" switch.

Even though it worked fine on Fiber,  Wont work right on cable.
However.  If I run the cable into a gigabit Router with combined gigabit switch.  each output feed DOES get full 150.  If I add switches after router, it STAYS at 150.

The problem is, I have to provide this input to systems which normally pulled from the switch after the cable modem so I could have the static IP's for each system.

If I run them through router, I am confused about the ability to have separate IPS on each device,  These are small webservers and must have static IP plus have
required ports passed through to be a webserver.

I will try to draw up a ma and upload it but I am still a bit fuzzy on how I can get full bandwidth through a router but drop to 5mbps through a switch.

Any Info on this appreciated.  I need to know the best way to split up the output from a cable modem so hat all devices show close to max as possible.
What combination and what layout would do that.

Next part is  one of the static GOES to the office router which feeds maybe 30 workstations.

in my original setup, ALL showed almost full speed in every speed test .  Now all show 5mbps.

Is anyone out there well schooled enough in this to tell me if I am getting a load of bs?
And if not, how can I fix?






 

440

General Software Discussion / Re: Create a profiles for users on a Workgroup and disable Homegroup options & wifi

« on: May 21, 2014, 01:58 AM »

Thanks guys, these are all great ideas.  I like the one about the DOMAIN as I have fought for that right for years  Ii is amazing how CHEAP  companies  who make several mil$ per year can be!!  Would you believe my only option to provide remote support for the employees was the FRE  HOME ONLY TeamViewer?

Thank GOD TeamV put the "boot" on 'em the past few todays and BANNED them    RIGHT when they needed it most,  I have a great laugh over that as I have pushed for years to get this done,  I ask then if they would work very long of very hard for FREE???

They still would not say yes and resorted to AMMYY  I got fed up and just used the company credit card and bought a license for TV! 
That is also the reason they have Spyware and Malware and viruses.
NONE of the employees know anything.  They are had Outdated AV software (IF they have anything at all.

On  more pressing issue;  We have had some recent changes in our Internet provided and I need to shift gears again.
This is a more interesting topic that brings up some issues that I find are not so ay to get answers to.
So while this is still an ongoing issue that threw another wrench into the mx and I feel it better to start another thread but I am not through with this one either.
It is also network related though so any who can offer suggestions.

See:  Best way to maintain high speed Internet through multiple switches in this same forum
Thanks and I am going to try all of the above answers,

441

Living Room / Free Software Requirements

« on: May 13, 2014, 03:06 AM »

Don't take this the wrong way as i am 100% in favor of paying for any software used on a regular basis.  I would not work at MY job for Free and don't think others should either.

I have noticed an unusual trend in almost every program that offers a free trial period.  They all ask for your name and your email address.  Of you don't give it, they wont let you have a copy.  They don't even seem to care if it is your real name.  And only the few that send confirmation emails care if it is a your real email.  AVAST and Malwarebytes have even begun to do  like GOOGLE and almost FORCE you to read the "fine print" which they make very large but still let you skip through ad no one ever reads it.
The gist seems to be that they are telling you that they will be collecting certain data from your system for their usage (NEVER to be shared) to "help make a better program".
This is all OK with me and in most cases I end up buying the program anyway but it seems that every trial program i have ever dealt with has started this exact same procedure in only the past few months.  Has anyone else notice this?

Was this a government regulation thing or...Somethign else.

442

General Software Discussion / Create a profiles for users on a Workgroup and disable Homegroup options & wifi

« on: May 13, 2014, 01:47 AM »

Sorry this is long but i have never seen anything like this before.

The solution would be pretty simple on a Domain but not so easy on a Work-group.  The situation is this:

It is an office environment where 20 users all connect to the work-group with laptops that run Windows 7, Windows 8 and windows 8.1.    I need a way to configure a network profile that, when chosen,  would connect each system to prefigured settings that would have their static IP, sub-net, gateway and DNS  for their IPV4 on the Hardwired connections locked in.  In addition I need to completely disable all WiFi capability ( reason further down )   This would be akin to a WORK profile on a Domain.  Having this would allow for them to change to a Home Profile when leaving and open up their WiFi for use outside the office

As the 2nd part, I would like a simple (Hah!) way to disable all HOME-GROUP options and capability and if possible permanently remove all capability for creating or joining one.  These are all office systems which the users DO take home but they do not belong to them so disabling Home-groups should not be an issue.

WHY I want to do this: during a Recent network problems, I found today that one person had resorted to using her laptop's WiFi to connect to her I-phone Hot-spot to get on the Internet.    As it was explained to me, she had also allowed some of her friends to also use her hot-spot.  I do not have all the details as they do not seem to be eager to discuss the issue but one of the people she gave permission to is about 150 ft away from, her desk.  I have seen (and used) the WiFi hot-spots that are built into a smartphone and I have yet to find one that would carry over 15 ft.  Much less 100 ft!

After investigating I found that all of the users who did manage to connect are on the same network switch.  That switch connects over 20 people and printers to a line coming from the Office router.  In this case, the input to the router had been cut so there was no Internet but apparently the connection through the Switch enabled this one person to in some way use the switch in a "back-flow" manner with her Iphone providing Input to allow these other people 100+feet away to be able to piggy-back onto her I-phone.  Most switches are now "smart" such that any port can be the "input" so the switch just took what it was given and distributed it

To make matters worse, when I started shutting them all down to try to reconnect the router into the network, several of the systems popped up messages saying that it I rebooted it would break their connection to the >>HOME-GROUP<< they were in!

This <<Home-group>> turned out to belong to yet another user who did not know she was connected to anyone through anything.  Much less providing a Full Home-group connection to share ...??? i don't even know what.  That mystery I am still trying to resolve.  This same procedure also happened on two others systems and they were connected to even more Home-groups owned by people who also did not know they were connected to anyone by anything.  No one remembers anything about any kind of questions about permissions or passwords

I have never seen this type of behavior before but I must find a way to put an end to it!

My Preference would be deleting all Home-Group capability on all systems!  No one uses it and most people honestly did not even know what it was.  But the possibility for serious problems provided by people being interconnected "in the  background" as it were, looks to me like an open invitation to all kinds of bad things.  

Since this is a Work-group and not a domain, I have no control over what, if any, security software each person uses or doesn't use.  Viruses and Malware would have a field day in a setup like that where many systems are already on a "hidden in plain site" sub-group which neither the users nor the owners of had any idea they were connected to.  They have no use for ir but Something! obviously did.

It could have been this way for months  When they go home, most just shut down Windows and leave.  I cannot believe it has been like this for very long or I would have seen it at least once.  I found a total of 4 separate systems that were broadcasting invitations to join their Home-group.  Yet I have never seen an "invitation" to join anything and no one else says they have either.  

None of these people are very Tech-Savvy and none of them even knew what I meant or the risks involved.  None of them even knew (or would admit to) having said YES to any kind of connection but I have seen what a Home-group Invite looks like and it is innocuous enough that i doubt anyone would say NO if invited even though they have NO idea what it is.

I have found a multitude of methods for disabling various parts of the Home-group thing but no single solution.  Some of them involve changes in the Registry that involve elevating the permissions to the SHELL group so that a change can be made at all.  It is EASY to turn off WORK-groups so why is it so hard to disable HOME-groups?

Sorry this was so long, I should have made it two questions but I have been at this all day and I have a bad feeling that if i don't find a solution soon, the problems are going to get worse.  I have run multiple Malware and AV scans and actually did turn up several PUPs on one system but those are not the kind of thing I would send up a lot of red-flags over although they should not have ANY.  Malwarebytes found and removed those very easily.  If they are all back again tomorrow  THEN I get worried!

In closing.  The first and foremost I need is the Profile utility  I have found a few on Source-Forge and I a trying to see if any can be configured from what I need.

I could do part of it with a script (disable all WiFi) and that would leave only the hard-wired NIC to deal with.  Is there a net-use command to disable WiFi>?  and re-enable it afterward?

Please excuse typos and other.  It is late and I am totally distraught.


Thanks for anyone who took the time to read this.  

443

Living Room / Add option to save picture as for image size and type

« on: May 07, 2014, 05:23 AM »

I would like a way to be able to use the right click, save picture as option to do a couple of things that Outlook doesn't offer.  (maybe Chrome does?  I would be willing to change to Chrome but I cannot also learn Firefox AND Chrome so either IE or Chrome would be nice)

The first is to either have the option to save as .png or at least offer it as an option instead of jpg or other format.

The second is to be able to choose either the original size and aspect or one of 2 custom sizes to save in.  Either 742x350(p) or  650x100 (p).  No others and these never vary so without the "keep current aspect ratios" option set

All saves should go to the "images" folder I am currently working in to keep from having to search for it afterward.

The purpose of all this is a simple one page layout on a website.   I can start in the images folder, Google search for the images I need and, when I find them, save them in the only two formats I can use.  My normal procedure is to find image, hit "save picture as", search for the folder I want it in (the Save always starts out anywhere but where I want to be).  I have to save it in whatever format it was loaded in (usually jpg).  Next open the mage with Paint, change the size to one of the two pixel settings remembering to uncheck the option to keep current aspect ratio, and finally save it as a PNG making sure  it saves in the images folder I am working in and not another images folder I was in earlier.  Paint also seems to prefer to save in either the folder it was last used in or some other location.  I often have to search for the image I just saved if not careful.

I find it easier to gather several possibilities, then see how each looks when used.  Some stretching is OK as long as it does not look ridiculous or lower the displayed resolution to the point it is blurry.

I used to have a small program (NOT Photoshop) it was a free utility like paint that could resize an image without loss of perspective in an intelligent way.  But I have lost the name and there are hundreds with far to many features when I only need the one capability.  This utility could double an images size and in some way never lose any clarity, I suppose by interpolating the correct pixels to use to fill in the spaces created when enlarging.  Photoshop can do that but it is far to much to use for this one feature.

I could probably create a custom right click add-on to do much of this but I hope some web-designer out there already knows the quick and easy way.  I only have to do this with two images per site and by the time I get the thing done I cant get interested in looking for a better way for next time because there is always something else that needs doing
 

444

Living Room / How to use a Hyperlink in place of a document on a website

« on: May 06, 2014, 04:20 PM »

I am not even sure this can be done the way I need it to work.
First.  We have a CLOUD drive full of documents.  a LOT of them.
Second We have a website (actually several)  where some of these documents are posted for "subscribers" to view.  They have to have a username/password to get into the site their site.
Third.  Currently, the procedure has been to get the documents (pdf's usually) from the server that holds them and upload them to the website server in the folder they need to be in.

This has worked perfect now for 2 years.  The problem is that recent changes in the access provided by many ISP's has made it impossible for many of the employees to "work from home".

I am not smart enough to explain WHY or HOW the ISP's do it.  I do know that it involves blocking port 445 to the Home Internet Users.  And in such a way that having a VPN does no good.
I have had several people tell me that this can't be done but I can prove that it is 100% possible and actually results in the Users not having access (via mapped drive anyway) to the Office servers when the users are on their home Internet.  hey can connect a VPN with no problem and until recently that VPN WOULD allow mapping of a network drive.
But however they do it, it is the result of some kind of block on port 445 that cannot be bypassed using a VPN.

I CAN create a "network Place" and I am looking at a way to use that.  In the meantime, we went to CLOUD storage which works , sort of, but VERY SLOW because they might need to upload 30 files at a time in an hour or less.  Some may be large files.  I have clocked the actual download time from the cloud at 775kbps TOPS.   Once they get the file they have to Upload it to the Website server.  And where that once was almost instantaneous it is now horribly slow.  All of the employees are still trying to upload stuff to the webserver that is actually still in the Queue from the CLOUD drive to even get to their system.  They think it is already there just because they can see the name.  No one looks at the files size to notice it is "0" and growing by the minute.  so they try to upload a file that is currently still downloading.  30 of them all at once.  Just won't happen

Anyway.  It occurred to me that there might be a much more efficient solution if I knew how to make it work.
The employees would post a LINK to the file which resides on the CLOUD drive instead of uploading a full copy of the  actual file itself.

IF there is a way to do this.

I am sure there are probably a 100 other issues I have not considered but if this could be done it would sure make things faster and easier.  Upload the documents only once to the Cloud Servers.
Then post a LINK to each one as needed in a folder on another website.  Visitors who had access would click the link to view the file which is actually what they do now.  Only at this time, the file they click on resides on the webserver itself, not a remote cloud drive.  So they click on a pdf that is located on in a CACHE folder on the webserver.  I need to use a LINK  to a location on another CLOUD drive  IF  that can be done. 

And for security sake, it would need to be a non-retraceable link.  In other words, the people viewing it would not know it was a link back to another Source.

There are probably many other ways to accomplish this, one of which is to copy the entire 15GB of documents onto each employees laptops and keep it synced to the CLOUD drive.
the issues only arise when they are loading the websites.    The ones who use the SLOW  CLOUD access to get the files into the database to start with are fine as they may have 1 fle every 10 minutes or so to upload.

It is the ones who try to download 30 and then upload them to the webservers at the same time.  They were used to the speed of a direct mapped drive which was a LOT faster.

OK  Long post.  Any ideas appreciated.  This is probably something done everyday by people who know how.  I just don't know HOW?

445

Living Room / Re: send PNG by email but inserted into email instead of as an attachment

« on: May 06, 2014, 03:54 PM »

thanks to all..
I am having some trouble finding the PSR and wondered if it was a Windows 8 thing? 
I am gonna go down screaming to hang on to Windows 7 as long as I can  
(I almost hear myself Screaming already)!

I think the initial comment may have been a good point in the right direction.   The screenshot program I am using just does not have the capacity to save INSIDE an email.
I can choose save and SEND but it goes as an attachment.
I can probably also try the paste option as it does save to Clipboard too.

I am already knee deep in the next "How do I do this".  That is why I have to keep notes on everything I learn.  everyday brings a new challenge.
I might post this in a separate question as it is complicated to explain, though very simple for me to envision.  And I have no idea how to "say" it so....
Thanks to all for the answers here.  I am going to try the other screen capture programs and HOPE that I can run PSR on Win7!!

446

Living Room / What is the shortest way to accomplish the following?

« on: April 24, 2014, 06:18 PM »

Script to input a name and use it to create a folder with that name then copy the contents of another folder into the newly created one.
Can this be done in a one line script?  I think I am trying too hard.

447

General Software Discussion / Re: Create Local & Cloud copy of the same files on multiple computers & stay synced

« on: April 24, 2014, 05:48 PM »

http://customer.comc...st-of-blocked-ports/
for 40hz and company,  Yes, they can and do.  And I was busy proving it years ago before they stared publishing the fact on their website.  I would love to think my persistent pestering actually caused them to "fess up".    Not that it did any good but at least now I have Proof I can point to instead of people telling me I am a looney case and the problem is I don't know how to create a vpn.

I tried every possible trick, every possible mixture of protocols, every port forward or port "backward" or Ports AHOY!.

Nothing worked.  If they were using certain ISP's they had no ability to map to a folder.
On other ISP's the same exact procedure worked like a charm.  What got really weird was when SOME of the Cellular routers began to do the same thing.
Not all and not necessarily "by the provider"  it was a software thing,
They could be working one day, get a softare update on their cellular router (MiFi or whatever your favorite name for them) and AFTER that update, No Mapping.  Nothing else is affected and the ONLY way you can prove anything is to run Port Test software on the USERS's system.  It is blocked from them OUT not me IN so I can't even see the block.  And none of them was enough of a tech to have such software not know how to use it.

I finally had the "light-bulb" moment and connected to a system at their home as a remote user and ran the software for them from their end.  Sure enough, Port 445 TCP was dead as a doornail!

But on MY end it looks like they should have NO problem and the VPN will connect perfectly.

What is really "Evil" about this is their "Claim of Security" holds no water when you think about the fact that if you PAY for a business connection suddenly they don't CARE if you get "infected"?  I guess they only want to protect "Home Users"  ??   And apparently only for the USER getting OUT, Not from the "threat" getting IN. 

This same policy is now used by almost every large ISP.  I know of only a few who still let all traffic flow freely and I bet it is only a matter of time before they start the same racket.  All about  $$.

448

General Software Discussion / Re: Need a way to modify a Subject Line in Outlook Email using Scripts or Rules

« on: April 17, 2014, 12:02 AM »

Oh well. 'No Joy in Mudville tonight.  The mighty Casey has Struck Out'

I know it can be done.  The Ipswitch techs say they don't see why it could NOT be done  BUT of course they have NO idea how. There is nothing in the Mail-Admin toolbox for doing something like that.   I can ADD all kinds of stuff to their headers based on what markers I choose,  BUT,  I cannot find a single way to even so much as EMPTY the subject.  That would be preferable to leaving the SPAM.
Eventually one of them will finally send me a ONE PERSON email so I can analyze the header but until they do, Nothing I can do.


And of course, it will be MY fault that they took so long to do it.  The IT guys worst enemy is himself.  Being really good at what you do can get you in more trouble than being a slacker.  If you are a lousy Admin, they get used to that and don't expect anything.  But.. if you happen to be good at it, you better PRAY you can STAY good forever.  User Errors are not accepted excuses.

I wonder is there is a way to truncate any subject line by 10 characters if those 10 are "***SPAM***"OR
Add 10 delete characters to the front of the line to suck those 10 characters into oblivion.

If there was some common denominator to those that are marked, but nothing we can find and several techs spent a few hours scratching heads.
Some email from SOME users Some times gets hit.  Other email from same users does not.

I cant believe there is no way to create a rule to delete the entire subject line.  I CAN create a rule that checks for the ***SPAM*** and "run a Script" if found but apparently no one knows what the script would have to say to even just empty the subject line if it cannot be surgical, use an AXE.  In cases like this Nothing is better than something if the something still says spam.
A little Human Help would be nice but for the Life of me I don't understand why I cannot get them to simply take 10 seconds to delete the offending phrase before forwarding it to 15 other people like they think it will magically go away on it's on.

It might get put BACK but if it does then I at least have a clue.

Right now the ONLY clue I have is that whatever it is, it happens AFTER the first reply.  The first reply says "***SPAM***" RE: subject....
after than, it is RE:"***SPAM***" Subject.  So the FIRST time it happens it is done by something after it leaves their Outlook.

On subsequent forwards.  the RE: (reply) part is in FRONT of the "***SPAM***"

   "Sigh"

449

General Software Discussion / Re: Need a way to modify a Subject Line in Outlook Email using Scripts or Rules

« on: April 14, 2014, 09:57 PM »

Oh,  OUTLOOK 2010/2013 using POP/SMTP and or IMAP.  As they ALL have two or three cellphones that have the exact same email accounts.
Plus IPADS and BLACKBERRIES!

450

General Software Discussion / Re: Need a way to modify a Subject Line in Outlook Email using Scripts or Rules

« on: April 14, 2014, 09:55 PM »

IPSWITCH is a major email company.  We have Hosted mail.   I have direct access to all the terms that can be used as well as when they can be sued.
Nothing has any **'s in it
"Suspected Spam" is as bad is it gets.  Other than that, we have tried disabling every single check.  So much so, that I am concerned that it too much.

The people affected are the Owners (of course)  not anyone else.  At least not as far as I know.  They send me email that has been forwarded to almost everyone an d in each forward.  NO ONE even bothers to change the subject,  (DUH)
So of course, the word appears in every one,  Then they send ME the multi forwarded SPAM email.
All I can see in  the header is the last person who sent it.
I have had IPSWITCH run a check too.  We all need the same thing.\ONE single email that started out clean and ended up at the next person dirty
If I could get that forwa4rded as an attachment I could put an end to the mystery but... TRY as I might, they seem to WANT to NOT understand!

SO.. I am going to for now kill the problem.  hey are all out of town, I cannot speak to them personally and even if I did, they STILL won't understand.