ECS Computer Solutions, Christchurch

After a colleague of mine installed WDS at a client site they found that certain laptops and desktop PCs would not be able to pick up the images that have been captured.

The problem lies in the HAL Type of the PC that was captured and then WDS finds the HAL type for the PC asking for an image and if one doesn’t match then you will most probably get the error: “There are no images available”

My scenario was that we had a generic image built and working for Single CPU and MultiCPU PCs but only the Multiple / Newer PCs could see the image in WDS - that is because the HAL type was “Advanced Configuration and power interface (ACPI) PC” but these older PCs were being recognised as Uniprocessor HAL Types.

The solution: Get the image onto the Older PC type (via Ghost or Clonezilla etc) login to the system. Download DevCon and extract into C:\Windows or any other %PATH% variable you like.
Then run:
devcon sethwid @ROOT\ACPI_HAL\0000 := +acpiapic_up !acpiapic_mp
devcon update c:\windows\inf\hal.inf acpiapic_up

Reboot and Login two times then Sysprep and capture again!

Hopefully your good to go!

Reference: http://www.ngohq.com/processors/11891-how-to-update-the-hal-without-reinstalling-windows.html

Keywords: WDS, Force HALs, Force HAL, Windows Deployment Services, WDS, ACPI Multiprocessor PC, acpiapic_up, acpiapic_mp, No Images after Capture, Change HAL Type

I came across a Windows 7 Skins for KDE - It looked really….exact but the install script was crap it installed a new user and was only Kubuntu based and was pretty brutal at overwriting stuff so I (more…)

Hooray! I did it!
I have managed to boot my bootable usb pendrive (BackTrack 3) under QEMU within Windows XP.

For those of you who want the magic one liner here you are:

qemu.exe -L . -m 512 -std-vga -hda \\\\.\\PhysicalDrive2 -soundhw all -localtime -M pc -kernel ../../boot/vmlinuz -initrd ../../boot/initrd.gz -append "root=/dev/ram0 rw initrd=../../boot/initrd.gz ramdisk_size=6666 vga=0x317"

• This gives you TextMode with 512 MB Ram and Mouse Support!!
• You will need to change PhysicalDrive2 to what ever drive number your USB key is. (Hint look under the DiskManagment snap-in)
• You require administrative rights also
• My Qemu directory lives under USBDriveLetter\BT3\QEMU FYI
• QEMU Version Win32 PreCompiled 0.9.1

Hopefully this saves you a few hours

Part of works server migration has meant that we are working on a new Terminal Server. I liked the old one better because:

• It had a run command
• I could view the system drives
• I could type H: in the address bar and it worked!
• It had command prompt access!
• No firefox installed (Hardened IE installed! OMG WTF!)

And the list goes on….. What I find mose stupid is a work for an IT company and they lock the shit down which make us less productive!!

(more…)

I had a job come through today from a client. “The CEOs VPN doesn’t work some of the time” So anyway after swearing and what not, I go onsite to get the low down. It appears that when the CEO is roaming around with his Telecom 3G Aircard the VPN doesn’t work some of the time. He gets “Error 800 Unable to establish the VPN connection”. After further prodding I ask, how often does it not work, “Just occasionally” he replied. If you ask me to trouble shoot the issue I’ll tell you to get bent because if it works 95% of the time and occasionally doesn’t work then what does that tell you……..Its the bloody wireless carriers problem!! Jesus!

Anyway I turned on VPN connection logging for XP by typing: Netsh ras set tracing * enabled

And went back to work. Just another day in IT Support Hell!

I received this email from a client today who was quoted for Microsoft Office 2007 License (With downgrade rights to Office 2003, which is what he wanted)

Both Julie and I have experienced 2007 Microsoft and do not like it because it introduces Vista which is a retrograde step.

What are you talking about?? haha muppets are everywhere - please shoot me