Daniel Petri

Configure Auto-Windows Update Can I configure my network servers and workstations to auto-update themselves with a pre-defined schedule? Yes you can. SP3 for W2K and SP1 for XP provide that feature. Windows Server 2003 comes out-of-the-box with this feature. Method #1: Manually You can always manually configure any SP1 (for XP) or SP3 (for W2K)…

If you want your DNS server to be integrated into a larger DNS environment such as the Internet, you will need to configure forwarding on your server. To configure DNS forwarding: Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click DNS to start the DNS Management Console. Right click the DNS Server…

How do I configure my Exchange 2000/2003 server to accept e-mails for domains other than my own?Exchange 2000/2003 will only accept e-mail traffic for the e-mail domain that is identical to the name of your Active Directory domain. However sometimes we would like to allow our Exchange server to also receive e-mail for domains other…

How can I configure an IIS computer to be a Smart Host for my Exchange Server? It may be necessary to configure a Windows 2000 server to relay or act as a smart host for security reasons, such as in a perimeter network scenario (also known as DMZ, demilitarized zone, and screened subnet) when you…

Microsoft Exchange Intelligent Message Filter is a product developed by Microsoft to help companies reduce the amount of unsolicited commercial e-mail (UCE), or spam, received by users. You can read more about IMF on the  page. How it works? When an external user sends e-mail messages to an Exchange server with Intelligent Message Filter enabled,…

How to install and configure Instant Messaging on Exchange 2000? Step #1: Installing the IM service If you didn’t do so already, you must first install the IM service on the E2K server. Do so by running the E2K setup. When you get to the “Component Selection” page make sure you see a “V” on…

Neither Windows 2000 nor Windows (yuck) ME has the ability to create a simple, basic, DOS- based boot floppy (a “startup disk”). In Windows XP however, the floppy format option in My Computer an offer to “Create MS-DOS Startup Disk” is present. If you try to boot your computer with this floppy you will be…

You can turn scripts into redistributable executable files with existing software in Windows Vista and Windows XP.  Windows Vista and Windows XP both have a rarely used tool known as IExpress.  The tool allows you to wrap an executable file around your scripts so that you can distribute any script as an .exe rather than…

How can I create Local users in Windows XP? How can I open the Local Users applet (from Control Panel) in Windows XP? To control local users and some of their settings from a Windows XP Pro machine you can use the LUSRMGR.MSC MMC Snap-in (run lusrmgr.msc from the Run command).  Alternatively, you can use…

Windows Vista automatically assigns shortcuts to the quick launch toolbar. You can quickly create shortcuts to shutdown, restart, and lock the screen, and add them to the quick launch toolbar to have instant access to them. For example, the first shortcut in your quick launch toolbar is automatically assigned to WINDOWS + 1, and the…

How can I create the Setup Boot floppies for Windows XP Pro/Home? Windows XP Setup boot disks are available only by download from Microsoft. The Setup boot disks are available so that you can run Setup on computers that do not support a bootable CD-ROM.  If your computer does support booting from a CD-ROM, or…

How can I easily perform management operations in AD from a customized Taskpad? As your AD infrastructure grows, and the number of objects within it constantly changes, you might find that managing the growing number of users, groups and computers is becoming more than a headache. Fortunately for us, one of Active Directory’s best features…