Posts by Jou (Mxyzptlk)

'I'm telling you, I haven't got an iPad!' – Sent from my iPad

Re: Elected Members

> They were briefed on the GDPR/ Privacy and data security risks but we were overridden

The only important thing to do here: Paper, and them signed.

Re: On helpdesk calls

> I've made enough dumb mistakes over the years that I no longer quite trust my good opinion of myself.

Upvote for that.

Re: you never have to print the emai? For rather loose values of 'never'.

Two solutions:

1. Export your mailbox two or three times a year to your local storage.

2. Move your mail to a local storage. If you have Outlook and know how to use the archiving function in a sensible way, i.e. you set it to "move everything older than this date into Archive 2019.pst", and it works quite well. The default archiving settings are total trash though. Other mail clients have similar functions.

As for 2, I had the joy to force-migrate a customer away from an too weird Linux to Windows/Exchange in 2014, 200 MB Mailquota was one of the reasons. No irony, that Linux setup was an unstable Christmas tree, though not due to Linux, but rather how that Admin set it up. I had quite a few users which worked around that 200 MB Mailquota by moving their mail to local folders, and some had about 20 years of mail, i.e. > 15 GB in their Thunderbird local storage. Migrating that stuff back to where it gets backed up took quite some time.

Only the CEO and some others in high positions got 1 GB quota, which wasn't enough too - and one of the reasons why they were sick of it and their Admin. Including missing ActiveSync and a few other issues.

AMD is now following More's Law: More chips, more money, more pressure on Intel, more competition in the x86 space

Re: Again seems history repeating itself

Well, Nested Virtualization with Windows 10 on AMD requires currently an Insider-Dev-Channel build, and you need to create the "-Version 9.3" machine with powershell. Until June (build 19640) it did not work at all. It will probably enter the mainstream with 21H1 build.

See "AMD nested virtualization?" at Github

Quite annoying if you have to use your old and slow Ivy Bridge CPU just for that...

Other than that I am quite happy with my Ryzen 3900x CPU, though my previous Ryzen 2700x was a bit dissapointing since I expected more.

What evil lurks within the data centre, and why is it DDoS-ing the ever-loving pants off us?

Re: SMTP ddos

Would you have complained that loud if he'd written "this UK dude" or "this US dude"? Probably not.

His choice of words might be clumsy, but it was the truth. And nobody would have complained about "this UK dude", because by PC-Principal, you have to reflect your intolerance onto others thinking they would be even more as offended as you are, without actually knowing what they think.

Re: Update (mis)-scheduling

I meet that type of "scheduled scan, high priority, every file, and every packed file nested-endless unpacked and scanned" from time to time. I usually convince them quickly to change that to a reasonable setting, since I count the hours of people not being able to work, and multiply it with the number of working people to show how expensive such a little setting can be.

Not that I take into account that all those people are actually working, not only those who complain, thus ignoring those who don't even notice a difference. A type of employee every company has.

If you can read this, your Windows 10 2004 PC really is connected to the internet no matter what the OS claims

Re: Error

Well, when you don't post what you already tried the first rule is always the most basic stuff. "Is the mouse plugged in" ..... "unplug mouse and plug it back in" ..... "you're welcome, have a nice day!".

Re: Error

Upgrade to 20.04 in a cooperate environment which enforces proxy. Result: apt is no problem, well documented. But in the middle of the upgrade it will complain "cannot connect snap", and if you choose "skip" it will complain "lxd still running, cannot skip". The only option is to abort right in the middle of the upgrade. kill lxd and snap the brutal way since it cannot be removed the normal way in this state. Reproducible sh*t. The next machine: Stop and remove lxd and snapd with apt with all dependencies before upgrading, all fine.

Thanks ubuntu-store fail...

Don't come with "Linux has no problem", that OS is as bad as M$, just a different kind of bad.

Re: Error

You could try the windows update troubleshooter, available if your settings panel. If it still fails, come back and complain again.

Easy workaround:

new .CMD file on Desktop.

ping www.google.de

ping 8.8.8.8

ping www.google.de

ping 8.8.8.8

Forces the OS to do a ping two different destinations and two name lookups (don't mix with nslokoup which bypass OS name lookup), and then it usually gets it and says "oh, I have internet!".

Microsoft tells AMD-powered Insiders they're unblocked in new Windows 10 Dev Channel build: 'Oh no we're not!'

Fixed, they say on this blog

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2020/07/22/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-20175/

Get via uupdump

I updated yesterday via https://uupdump.ml/ to 20175.1000, AMD 3900X. Though I am only on Insider since nested virtualization works with AMD since 19640, and to my surprise no problems at all. Currently it looks like nested with AMD will be in the 21H1 build, thanks COVID19... When I see the version numbers 20H2 will be 19042, a cowardly mini step from 19041 like they did from 1903 to 1909, again thanks COVID19.

Cisco restores evidence of its funniest FAIL – ethernet cable presses switch's reset button

Re: Who designs such cables?

You don't run 240v with 16 amps across those cables. No extra space needed.

That doesn't mean that there were too many cases in the past when 240v did run over the ground shielding of that cables though, causes funny effects. Usually an electrician failed to do the phases in the server room correct, or within the house at all.

Oh sure, we'll just make a tiny little change in every source file without letting anyone know. What could go wrong?

That is the theory, until you come across a case where it does not apply. Welcome to the real world.

Your University did the right thing. Trying to put the blame on a single person for such a trivial "exploit" doesn't help, and others will do the same.

"Ever got The Call only to discover that somebody else was doing something silly?"

That's part of the job. Getting blamed for shit others do too. You need some experience in how to handle the blame part, I usually avoid finger pointing.

Cool IT support drones never look at explosions: Time to resolution for misbehaving mouse? Three seconds

Re: Which server was it?

Another method: If you have actual servers they all have ILO/iRMC/Whatever, and with such a large number a central management for that. Turn on the blue light for the affected server, and if that doesn't work any more turn it on for all servers. That is OS independent. Your Ansible method is nice if you have the environment, but it shows the lack in a lot of other important things, like the labeling you mentioned.

I hope you did following, in writing: "I just saved the company X admins guessing and trying for two or more hours each by investing one minute, therefore saving the company Y hours of working people. Not taking into account other costs saved by speeding up the processs." you can guess the rest. Advertise your efficiency, and don't forget the recommendations on what to do to avoid future confusion.

There are too many admins out there with no will to optimize and simplify, rather clocking in hours no matter how stupidly.

Re: Switching on the "monitor stand"

> What happened to horizontal computer cases?

Veeery simple: How often do you need to insert your boot floppy disk in drive A:, and your program + data disk in drive B: nowadays?

Today: You simply don't need to put in disks or even CDs on a daily base. Only when you reinstall the machine, which most do via USB thumb or from the network.

That is MY story!

I literally had that several times! Luckily the optical mice got better and many even work fine on glass nowadays

Oh what a cute little animation... OH MY GOD. (Not acceptable, even in the '80s)

Re: Adult floppies...

2018: Still alive! https://www.gog.com/game/leisure_suit_larry_wet_dreams_dont_dry

Re: All of these tales and comments...

That is how you do up to a specific company size where you apply basic share permissions as well (i.e. admin yes, the user group of that subsidiary yes, others no).

To me he sounds like the NTFS permissions were f-ed up as well since he could enter them all and write on them.

Would Peter Gathercole please enlighten us upon that detail whether he tested creating files?

Barclays Bank appeared to be using the Wayback Machine as a 'CDN' for some Javascript

> Barclays, British Gas, BT. The latter was the worst as it took weeks to find a browser that would allow me to verify a change in the billing email address.

Hammer in in marble. Three copies of course. That might make them listen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterix_and_the_Normans#Other_themes

Finally, a wafer-thin server... Only a tiny little thin one. Oh all right. Just the one...

This is why I don't take the UPS "remaining time" or "Battery percentage left" into consideration.

The rule is rather: If you are on UPS for two minutes, and you have no diesel kicking in after two minutes, start the shutdown sequence.

Only if there is a very good plan in writing and the equipment in question is REALLY 24/7 I go for other options.

PC printer problems and enraged execs: When the answer to 'Hand over that floppy disk' is 'No'

Re: No drivers.

You need two information from someone knowing more (yes, that would be me):

The HP LaserJet 4 and later HP LaserJet 5 were removed form the internal driver list. Two solutions: Choose the next best alike printer, like Laserjet 4000 or 4050 which is still PCL5 and just rename it to "LaserJet 4". Second best method: Get the HP Universal PCL driver, which is a bit annoying since it throws popups when a toner gets low or when a page was printed, but it works.

Re: "The IT manager turned up clutching a clipboard"

I am in the IT, and I do use clipboards from time to time. Writing with a pen is faster. Compare: Turning on the laptop, tell the person "wait, I have to boot up". If you brought it along already running: Search for a table to put it on, be ready, and then tell "OK, what is the issue?" and try to type fast enough.

Re: Ah IT 'managers'

> This is why I don't support family........

You've got the wrong family! Get one which values your knowledge.

'One rule for me, another for them' is all well and good until it sinks the entire company's ability to receive emails

Tha doesn't quite fit...

>In 2002 I built a system--far from my first--with 2GB of ECC RAM. It also had dual

> Opteron-240 processors and 3 WD 36GB 10K RPM SATA-I Raptor HDDs.

> The memory alone cost $500.

That must have been mid 2003. Opteron 240 introduced April 2003 and available shortly after that. WD Raptors were available in 2003.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Opteron_microprocessors#Opteron_200-series_%22SledgeHammer%22_%28130_nm%29

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Digital_Raptor#EL36

> The OS on it was SuSE 9.2 because that was the only Linux distro available that

> was a full 64-bit system.

That part does not make sense and urged me to reply... With 2 GB RAM you don't actually need a 64 Bit OS, it actually wastes more RAM. Was there a specific need for an 64 Bit OS other than the customer needed to compensate his short d*?

In 2006 it would have been different, AMD added virtualization to the CPU, which only 64 Bit OS can really use: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Opteron_microprocessors#Opteron_1200-series_%22Santa_Ana%22_%2890_nm%29

Could have been NT 4.0

Windows NT 4.0 can handle 2 GB of RAM. With latest service pack even 4 GB of RAM. During the last breaths of NT 4.0 a reinstall required a reduction to 2 GB of RAM, then Service Pack 6.0a, and then you could have the full 4 GB again. The number of user machines with 2 GB during the NT 4.0 time was considerable thin, but they existed!

Since Windows 95 and NT 4.0 look so alike and are just one year apart it could simply have been a blunder in story telling.

If Daddy doesn't want me to touch the buttons, why did they make them so colourful?

Re: When HP engineers were actually engineers!

> "what does this do?"

Turn without any emotion on your face "cost you 7000 €".

(Or whatever currency you had back in that time)

So you really didn't touch the settings at all, huh? Well, this print-out from my secret backup says otherwise

Re: "the concept of saving face"

I'm from Germany and just checked on the map: What is the challenge to commute between Durham and Barnard Castle? The way is not straight, but looks pretty normal. Can you light me up?

They should test in Germany from "Löchgau" to "Gschwend, Ostalbkreis" which is pretty much village-hopping with a lot of "turn left" and "turn right", annoying to drive.

Re: It went wrong all by itself

Those Squareial antennas are fine. But the way they work make them limited to a very small frequency range, so they are fixed to this one satellite you have to receive. A dish works with all ranges. and you just swap the LNB. But the real reason for them not to sell very well is the price, dishes are a lot cheaper.

Record-breaking Aussie boffins send 44.2 terabits a second screaming down 75km of fiber from single chip

Re: Disgusted

No, it is bad reality to leave large parts of the country in the communication stone age of less than 6000...

Re: Only part of the problem

Oh, but it is far.

They will remodulate every 40 km, usually a lot less. Even the sea cables remodulate at less than 40 km (I remember each 10 km, but I'm not sure).

Check that table on German wikipedia https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichtwellenleiter#Kategorien_f%C3%BCr_Multimodefasern

The English wikipedia article is, sadly, not as detailed as the German, compare if you want https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_fiber .

Das reboot: That's the only thing to do when the screenshot, er, freezes

Re: Security Risks

> oh crap, when did I become an old person?

Life automatically makes you that way after you were kicked a few times in the balls for nothing.

Re: Teardropping?

https://insecure.org/sploits/linux.fragmentation.teardrop.html

Affected Windows and Linux. I stopped lucasarts.com a few times that way... But I was young...

Re: Is it too picky of me?

> To suggest that it should be "der Reboot"

No, "Das reBOOT", a pun on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_Boot

Re: User education

> One of her USB devices now doesn't like the port it's plugged into & causing the laptop to hang at the BIOS splash screen

There is a BIOS setting for that. Either it is enough to change the boot sequence, or you have to disable USB boot at all. IMHO something you should do on the next real visit. I hope you have Autohotkey/Teamviewer/Whatever installed as service.

Re: Yes, Daily, or even hourly!

That is the only way to send a blue screen, isn't it?

Or the BIOS startup message complaining about something preventing boot...

Re: Seriously though...

MSPAINT LIVES!

I use rounded red rectangles to highlight what should be clicked. If the order is important I add numbers.

Why does Snipping Tool and its newer compagnion "cut and <whatever it is in english>" not have a simple "draw line" "draw rectagle" and "add text" ? Another needed extra: Draw an arrow.

Re: Funny that

> Or the old ctrl+alt+arrow keys to rotate the screen...

Doesn't work any more since Intel remove that functionality a while ago.

Use iRotate if you need it.

Re: Funny that

> Remap mouse buttons to different functions (requires custom mouse application)

Autohotkey. I use it to replace the "forward backward" buttons with "PageUp PageDown".

'We're changing shift, and no one can log on!' It was at this moment our hero knew server-lugging chap had screwed up

Re: Labels people, and read them!

> you split the damn scope, like the best practices state.

Show the best practice document that curses. And you never had the situation where a client changes it's IP every minute because it constantly jumped between the two DHCP servers which were active at the same time but serving different parts of the same scope (as you describe BTW).

And how do you prevent two to be active at the same time with NT 4.0? Oh, yes, scripting!

And of course I know that 2012 R2 does support HA DHCP (without clustering), we use it all the time since it exists.

And screaming about labeling TO ME SINCE YOUR REPLY TO MY COMMENT WITHOUT KNOWING WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO you haven't seen my label style. Labeling servers is not enough, label LAN cables, label electric cords (Server name and UPS it runs to, on both ends), label holes on a patch with a special function (VLAN for development for example)...

Honestly: If you reply only reply to what someone wrote and don't assume a whole lot of other nonsense which is not written there out of your false prejudice.

Re: Labels people, and read them!

Those ververs got their rack-mount to the left and right. There is enough space for a label. Stop whining...

Re: Labels people, and read them!

You don't just do "two DHCP Server", you run them in High-Availability fashion.

Though NT 4.0 Server cannot do that out of the box, but it can be scripted - yes even on NT 4.0.

This space is intentionally left blank

Re: bcc ffs

Now get ready: How many employees of the company you work for know that bcc exists and how it works? Get out of your "I am the default normal" box.

Re: 52,000 is not that many

One Tic Tac weights close to 0,5 gram, hardly a heavyweight. Now take 52000 of them as the all fall on you at once. What, you cannot eat 52000 Tic Tac a Minute? You need to fix yourself!

You've never played tower defense games, obviously.

Behold: The ghastly, preening, lesser-spotted Incredible Bullsh*tting Customer

Re: Beware enterprising users...

> reporting your predecessor for rude comments

Oh when I see such thing I tell the customer "Oh, that's from my predecessor who got fired...". Doesn't have to be true though, but quite often it is.

Re: Fake BT Call

> "Can you check my computer, just in case"

Actually the customer did the right thing. If the customer knows not to be an expert an extra confirmation from an expert is needed. In your case it was only the scam call, but it could have been a scam message on the screen, or the computer already being hacked and THEN the call to fix it and so on.

You might do the same if someone says "your car is strange, XXX is broken. Should I check and repair it?", and you bring it to the auto-shop you trust instead.

Re: When customer descriptions go high and right...

You got lucky! You got a customer who understood what you meant!

A bull* customer would have gone rage.

Oh, that interpretation, I would have used a different wording then. But only the TO could answer that...