Creating a PST in Outlook 2010

The Credit of the this post goes to: The Sean Blog

Here is the step-by-step guide to create a PST file in Outlook 2010. It’s pretty much the same as in Outlook 2007.

In the top left of Outlook, click on “File”.

Click on the Account Settings drop down, and then click “Account Settings…”

In the window that pops up, click the second tab “Data Files”

Click on the “Add…” icon, and then give your PST file a name (they call it “Outlook Data File, which makes much more sense to end users), choose where it goes, and then hit “OK”.  By default in Windows 7, it goes into your My Documents folder into a folder called “Outlook Files”.

I’m not sure what Outlook 2010 does on earlier versions of Windows, but Outlook 2007 and earlier defaulted to C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook.  I know that because I used to have a job upgrading PC’s in a large enterprise to Windows XP, and I had to manually move over the PST files that people forgot to back up.  That path is burned into my brain :)

Close the Account Settings window, and you will be back to the main Outlook window.  Your new PST (Outlook Data File) will be over on the left, and you can create new folders and drag mail into them (or setup rules).

Source of the post: The Sean Blog

Uninstalling Officescan from Computer

Problem: For those who have installed TrendMicro Officescan on their computer, they know uninstalling Officescan requires a password.

Solution: To uninstall the Officescan client without the need for a password follow this procedure...

1) Login to the pc with an account that has administrator privileges to the PC

2) Click on Start -> Run and type regedit and press Enter

3) In the tree on the left click the + next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to open the tree

4) Open the following branches SOFTWARE -> TrendMicro -> PC-cillinNTCorp –> CurrentVersion -> Misc.

5) In the right window click on the text that says "Allow Uninstall"

6) Replace the Value data: which is set to 0 with 1 and click OK

7) Open the Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs and select TrendMircro Officescan Client from the list.

8) Click Uninstall and the software should be removed without requiring a password.

10 Reasons Why you should begin phasing out Exchange public folders

I have read this article this morning from http://www.blogs.techrepublic.com.com and I found it very interesting as I am also a Public Folder’s user.

Although many organizations make use of Exchange Server’s public folders feature, the time may be right to start phasing it out. The following is a list of possible reasons why you should get started now.

1. Microsoft says they’re going away

Since before the release of Exchange 2007, Microsoft has been telling us that public folders will eventually be discontinued. This hasn’t happened just yet though. Public folders are alive and well in Exchange 2010. Even so, public folders probably won’t be supported in the next version of Exchange.

2. Public folder stores can be resource intensive (full text indexing)

Public folders can rob your Exchange Server of memory, disk, and CPU resources. By offloading your public folder data, you may be able to improve your Exchange server’s performance.

3. Public folders are not designed for archiving data

Many public folder stores are misused. According to Microsoft, public folders are not designed for archiving data. If you use public folders to archive Exchange data, you would be better off using a journaling mailbox instead.

4. Public folders are not designed for document sharing and collaboration

Microsoft also says public folders are not designed for document sharing and collaboration, yet that is exactly what many organizations use them for. Microsoft Office SharePoint Server is much better equipped for collaboration tasks and for document sharing than public folders have ever been.

5. Public folder data can be difficult to restore

In Exchange 2007, Microsoft introduced the recovery storage group feature as a way of making it a whole lot easier to perform granular restorations of mailbox data. Although public folders are a part of the information store, just like mailbox databases, they can’t be restored using recovery storage groups. This means that if you ever have to restore a public folder, you may be in for a headache.

6. Public folders are finally optional

Prior to the release of Exchange 2010, public folders were used for storing free/busy data, and they were also used for OAB (offline address book) downloads. In Exchange 2010, however, public folders finally became an optional feature. As long as all of your clients are running Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2010, you can get rid of your public folder store.

7. The concept of public folders is dated (long filenames, indexing)

At one time, there was a good reason for using public folders. Back in the days of Exchange Server 4, not many organizations were using long file names yet, and server indexing was still primitive. Public folders provided organizations with a great way of describing their data in granular detail and indexing it. Today, though, there are better tools for the job.

8. Public folders have been deemphasized

In Exchange Server 2007, Microsoft decided to deemphasize public folders. They’re still fully supported, but no new features were introduced. Public folders are also supported in Exchange 2010, but once again, there aren’t any new features. Essentially, this means that public folders are a stagnant feature because they have changed very little since Exchange 2003.

9. The management tools leave a lot to be desired

When Microsoft initially released Exchange Server 2007, you had only two options for managing public folders. One option was to manage public folders from the command line, using EMS commands. The other option was to keep an Exchange 2003 server on your network and use the Exchange System Manager for public folder management. SP1 for Exchange 2007 contains GUI-based public folder management tools, as does Exchange Server 2010. Even so, the tools aren’t anything to write home about.

10. Public folder data tends to collect dust

Several years back, I worked for a large organization that had an absolutely massive public folder hierarchy. The problem was that most of the public folder data had been in place since the days of Exchange 4. None of the current employees had a clue what the public folders had actually been used for, but nobody wanted to take responsibility for deleting them. My point is that you may have unimportant public folder data that’s just taking up space. What better time to prune the archives?

Adobe FlashPlayer fails to install

Many people have been experiencing issue with installing FlashPlayer on IE7/IE8. The issue is that the download manger gets to 100% then says “Error: Failed to Register”. After closing the download manager and trying to download the installer, the second error message appears: “Failed to install”

Below is the workaround (solution) provided by Flash_fix.  

This solution works for Windows XP:
1. Uninstalll (clean) the Flash files from your computer. Click here to the see the instructions How to uninstall the Adobe Flash Player plug-in and ActiveX control 
2. Reboot your computer.

You must have administrator privileges to successfully complete these following instructions.

Warning: these steps modify your registry entries.
4. Download the SubInACL tool from the Microsoft Download Center:
5. Download SubInACL.msi to a folder of your choice.
6. Download the reset_fp10.zip file.
7. Extract the reset_fp10.cmd. Important: Be sure that both the subinacl.exe and reset_fp10.cmd files are in the same location (folder)
8. Double-click reset_fp10.cmd.
9. This will open a command window and execute the SubInACL tool.
10. Do not use the machine while SubInACL is running.
11. When it is finished you will see "Press any key to continue".
12. Install the Flash Player from .

Top Tips for Internet Safety at Work

Wonderful article from Microsoft.

1. Defend your computer
   

Keep all software current (including your Web browser) with automatic updates and install all security updates that your IT department recommends. Use antivirus, antispam, and antispyware software and activate your firewall.

1. Think before you share sensitive information

Look for signs that a Web page is safe, before you enter sensitive personal or business data–a Web address with https (“s” for secure) and a closed padlock ( ) beside it. Never give sensitive info in response to an e-mail or instant message(IM) request.

1. Think before you click

Pause before you open attachments or click links in e-mail or IM even if you know the sender; they could be phony. Confirm with the sender that the message is real or visit the official Web site by typing the address yourself. Be wary of clicking links or buttons in pop-up windows.

1. Use strong passwords
   

Lock your online accounts, computer, phone, and other devices with passwords at least eight characters (longer is better), and include upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. Keep passwords and PINs secret. Don’t disclose them to coworkers or businesses (like an Internet café operator), or be tricked into giving them away. Don’t use the same password everywhere.

1. Protect yourself from e-mail scams
   

Look out for alarmist messages, misspellings and grammatical errors, deals that sound too good to be true, requests for sensitive info like account numbers, and other signs of a scam. Turn on a fi lter that warns you of suspicious Web sites.

1. Protect your data on the go
   

When you use public Wi-Fi, choose the most secure option, even if you have to pay for it. It could include password-protection and encryption. Confirm the exact spelling of the wireless network you’re connecting to. Beware of clever (slightly misspelled) fakes.
Encrypt the data on your laptop (or USB fl ash drive) in case you lose it or it’s stolen. Guard your laptop, smartphone, and PDA as carefully as your wallet.

Create strong passwords

I found this article on Microsoft Online Safety and wanted to share it with those who are interested in this topic.

Strong passwords are important protections to help you have safer online transactions.

Keys to password strength: length and complexity

An ideal password is long and has letters, punctuation, symbols, and numbers.

• Whenever possible, use at least 14 characters or more.
• The greater the variety of characters in your password, the better.
• Use the entire keyboard, not just the letters and characters you use or see most often.

Create a strong password you can remember

There are many ways to create a long, complex password. Here is one way that may make remembering it easier:

What to do Suggestion Example Start with a sentence or two (about 10 words total). Think of something meaningful to you. Long and complex passwords are safest. I keep mine secret. (10 words) Turn your sentences into a row of letters. Use the first letter of each word. lacpasikms (10 characters) Add complexity. Make only the letters in the first half of the alphabet uppercase. lACpAsIKMs (10 characters) Add length with numbers. Put two numbers that are meaningful to you between the two sentences. lACpAs56IKMs (12 characters) Add length with punctuation. Put a punctuation mark at the beginning. ?lACpAs56IKMs (13 characters) Add length with symbols. Put a symbol at the end. ?lACpAs56IKMs" (14 characters)

Test your password with a password checker

A password checker evaluates your password's strength automatically. Try our secure password checker.

Protect your passwords from prying eyes

• The easiest way to "remember" passwords is to write them down.
  It is okay to write passwords down, but keep them secure. See 5 tips to keep your passwords secret.

Common password pitfalls to avoid

Cyber criminals use sophisticated tools that can rapidly decipher passwords.

Avoid creating passwords using:

• Dictionary words in any language.
  Words in all languages are vulnerable.
• Words spelled backwards, common misspellings, and abbreviations.
  Words in all languages are vulnerable.
• Sequences or repeated characters.
  Examples: 12345678, 222222, abcdefg, or adjacent letters on your keyboard (qwerty).
• Personal information.
  Your name, birthday, driver's license, passport number, or similar information.

5 Tips to help keep your Passwords Secret

Form Microsoft Online Safety:

Treat your passwords with as much care as you treat the information that they protect.

Use strong passwords to log on to your computer and to any site where you enter your credit card number, or any financial or personal information—including social networking sites.

1. Never provide your password over e-mail or in response to an e-mail request.
   • Internet "phishing" scams use fraudulent e-mail messages to entice you to reveal your user names and passwords, steal your identity, and more. Learn more about phishing scams and how to deal with online fraud.
2. Do not type passwords on computers that you do not control
   • Computers such as those in Internet cafes, computer labs, kiosk systems, conferences, and airport lounges should be considered unsafe for any personal use other than anonymous Internet browsing.
   • Cyber criminals can purchase keystroke logging devices which gather information typed on a computer, including passwords.
3. Don't reveal passwords to others
   • Keep your passwords hidden from friends or family members (especially children) who could pass them on to other, less trustworthy individuals.
4. Protect any recorded passwords
   • Don't store passwords on a file in your computer, because criminals will look there first.
   • Keep your record of the passwords you use in a safe, secure place.
5. Use more than one password
   • Use different passwords for different Web sites and services.

PS Tools

For Systems Administrators and IT Helpdesks, PSTools are great utilities they can make use of to locally or remotely manage their systems (desktops and servers).

Here are tools included in the PsTools suite, which are downloadable as a package. The PsTools suite can be downloaded Here (PSTOOLS Suite)

(Note: Click on each tool to see how it is used)

• PsExec - execute processes remotely
• PsFile - shows files opened remotely
• PsGetSid - display the SID of a computer or a user
• PsInfo - list information about a system
• PsKill - kill processes by name or process ID
• PsList - list detailed information about processes
• PsLoggedOn - see who's logged on locally and via resource sharing (full source is included)
• PsLogList - dump event log records
• PsPasswd - changes account passwords
• PsService - view and control services
• PsShutdown - shuts down and optionally reboots a computer
• PsSuspend - suspends processes
• PsUptime - shows you how long a system has been running since its last reboot (PsUptime's functionality has been incorporated into PsInfo)

The PsTools download package includes an HTML help file with complete usage information for all the tools.

Switching User in Mac OS X

In Mac OS X, there feature called Fast User Switching allows you to simultaneously log into two or more OS X accounts on one computer, and switch quickly between them. Unlike Windows Vista or Windows 7, this feature is not turned on by default on Mac OS X.

Here are the steps enable Fast User Switching:

1. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences... .
2. In System Preferences, from the View menu, select Accounts
3. If the padlock in the bottom left-hand corner of the window is closed, click it and authenticate with an administrator account.
4. On the bottom left side of the window, click Login Options.
5. On the right side of the window, check Show fast user switching menu as: (Mac OS X 10.6) or Enable fast user switching (Mac OS X 10.5 and earlier). If a sheet then drops down, click OK. Choose Name, Short name, or Icon to determine how the user switching icon appears in the menu bar.
6. To log into a different account, click the fast user switching icon in the menu bar, and from the pull-down menu that appears, select the account you wish to log into.
7. When prompted, provide the password for the account. It may take a moment for the login process to complete. After this, the screen will rotate and the other account will become dominant.

The drawback of this feature is that each user logged into a system eats up memory and the more applications open for each user, the more likely the system will swap stuff into virtual memory and system performance will suffer.