Tweaks and Repairs

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Page Five ...back it up before you break it!

...select an «Item number» to view a topic, «Title number» to return.
«Item 121» How To Configure Your Computer For Infrared Communication
«Item 122» Schedule A Program To Start Automatically
«Item 123» Reinstalling Audio Codecs Or Media Control Devices
«Item 124» EventID.NET
«Item 125» How To Configure Windows 2000 With ASP Web Pages
«Item 126» CHKNTFS.EXE: What You Can Use It For
«Item 127» Syntax For IPCONFIG.EXE
«Item 128» Client for Microsoft Networks Functions When Unbound from Network Adapter
«Item 129» Direct Hosting of SMB Over TCP/IP
«Item 130» TCP/IP Maximum Retransmission Timeout
«Item 131» Disable the NTFS Tracking Of Broken Shortcut Links
«Item 132» SP2 Removes Registry Information For Previously Applied Fixes
«Item 133» Error After Removing A Network Adapter
«Item 134» Cannot Install Or Run Some Programs With Standard User Account
«Item 135» How To Set Up Windows 2000 As An FTP Server
«Item 136» FreeWare Utility «» Active Ports
«Item 137» Use MSConfig In Windows 2000
«Item 138» How to Disable/Enable EFS on a Stand-Alone Computer
«Item 139» Installation/Removal of a Previous Program Was Not Completed
«Item 140» Install and Configure a Virtual Private Network Server

«121» How To Configure Your Computer For Infrared Communication

Note that you need to use this procedure only if Windows 2000 did not install an infrared device automatically when you turned on your computer. To add a new infrared device:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Hardware.
2. In the Welcome to the Add/Remove Hardware Wizard page, click Next. On the Choose a Hardware Task page, click Add/Troubleshoot a device, and then click Next.
3. In the Devices box, click Add a new device, and then click Next.
4. On the Find New Hardware page, click No, I want to select the hardware from a list, and then click Next.
5. In the Hardware types box, click Infrared devices, and then click Next.
6. In the Manufacturers box, click the name of the device's manufacturer. In the Infrared Device box, click the appropriate infrared device that best matches your hardware.
7. If you have an installation disk for the infrared device, click Have Disk, click Next, and then follow any additional instructions to install the device.

Viewing Infrared Device Properties

There must be an infrared device installed in your computer to use this procedure. The settings in the infrared device's properties are set automatically when you install a device, and do not typically need to be changed. To view an infrared device's properties:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Wireless Link.
2. On the Hardware tab, click the infrared device for which you want to view properties, and then click Properties.

Configuring a Serial Port for Infrared Communication

Your computer must support an infrared mode for a serial port. Use this procedure to install an IrDA transceiver that is provided by the computer manufacturer. To configure a serial port for infrared communication:

1. Start the BIOS configuration utility for your computer. Note that the method for starting the BIOS configuration utility varies from one computer to another. For many computers, you can start the BIOS configuration utility by pressing a function key that is indicated during the computer startup process. Some computers require that you start by using special configuration disks.
2. Under the peripheral or serial port configuration section, change the mode to IrDA or Infrared.

Troubleshooting

Installing an IrDA transceiver disables the serial port. You should not attach a serial IrDA transceiver to a serial port. [Article ID: Q302011]

«122» Schedule A Program To Start Automatically

The Microsoft Knowledge Base Article ID: Q300160 describes how to schedule a program to automatically start at a pre-determined interval. To schedule the task:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then click double-click Scheduled Tasks.
2. Double-click Add Scheduled Task, and then click Next.
3. A list of programs that are available on your computer are displayed. If the program you want to schedule is in this list, click it, and then click Next. If the program you want to run is not in this list, click Browse to locate the program, click the program, and then click Open.
4. When you receive a suggested name for the task, you can either accept the default name or type another name. Click the interval you want to use for this task (daily, weekly, monthly, one time only, and so on). Click Next.
5. If you chose to schedule the task daily, weekly, monthly, or one time only, you receive a time or date option. Choose the date or dates, time or times you want to schedule the task for, and then click Next.
6. Type the user name and password. Make sure that the user name is in the domain\user format domain\user where domain is your NetBIOS domain name and user is the user account you want to schedule the task under. Click Next.
7. Click Finish to schedule the task, and then verify that the task appears in the Scheduled Tasks window.

Troubleshooting

» By default, Task Scheduler logs on as the Local System account. In some cases, this account may not have the appropriate permissions to perform the scheduled task. ecause of this, you must specify an account in the Scheduled Task Wizard. erify that the account you specify in the wizard has sufficient rights to perform the task you are scheduling by logging on as that user and running the task manually.

» You can also schedule tasks by using the AT command. Both methods can be used to automatically schedule tasks. However, neither program is aware of the list of the other's list of scheduled programs. For example, if you schedule a batch file to run every day at midnight in the Scheduled Task Wizard and also with the AT command, the command runs twice.

» If you chose to schedule the task for any interval other than "one time only", the task continues to run indefinitely. You must manually delete the task to keep it from running again.

» The Schedule Task Wizard does not verify the password you type for the user account that the process will run as. Make sure that you type the correct password.

«123» Reinstalling Audio Codecs Or Media Control Devices

Removing multimedia codecs (for example, media control devices, audio codecs, and so on) can be useful for troubleshooting multimedia issues. After you remove these devices/codecs and restart the computer, Windows 2000 only reinstalls the Microsoft PCM converter. All of the other devices/codecs are not automatically reinstalled. This behavior occurs because you can only reinstall multimedia codecs using the Add/Remove Hardware wizard.

To reinstall multimedia codecs in Windows 2000, use the following steps:

1. Restart your computer in Safe Mode:

a. Restart the computer.
b. Press F8 for advanced startup options.
c. Choose Safe Mode and press ENTER.

2. Right-click the My Computer icon and choose Manage.
3. Click Device Manager.
4. Click the (+) next to Sound, video and game controllers.
5. Right-click Audio Codecs and choose Uninstall.
6. Click Ok to confirm device removal. This may take several minutes.
7. Close the Computer Management window and restart your computer.
8. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel.
9. Open Add/Remove Hardware.
10. Click Next and then choose Add/Troubleshoot a device and click Next.
11. Choose Add a new device, and then click Next.
12. Choose Yes, search for new hardware, and then click next.
13. The Audio Codecs should be listed. Click Next, and then click Finish.

Microsoft states that this behavior is by design.

To remove audio codecs or media control devices, use the following steps:

1. Right-click My Computer, and then click Manage.
2. In the left pane of the Computer Management dialog box, click Device Manager.
3. Click the plus sign (+) next to Sound, video and game controllers.
4. Right-click Audio Codecs or Media Control Devices, and then click Properties.
5. On the Properties tab, click to highlight the item you want to remove, and then click Remove.

[ For additional information see: Q254354 ]

«124» EventID.NET

A valuable resource can be found at EventID. "The Event ID database contains 1131 event IDs and 193 event sources provided by 310 contributors, 134 submitted event(s) pending validation. EventID.Net has been initiated by Altair Technologies Ltd in February 2001 and since then, there were 320587 queries performed against the database."

"The access to EventID.Net information is free of charge as long as it is accessed through authorized channels. Currently the authorized ways to access it are our 'Search' page and MoniLog report links."

«125» How To Configure Windows 2000 With ASP Web Pages

The Microsoft Knowledge Base Article ID: Q301305 describes step-by-step how to enable ASP Web pages on a Windows 2000-based computer. For ASP Web pages to work in the Windows 2000 environment, ensure that the Windows operating system, programs, and components are installed, the Internet Information Services (IIS) and Web settings are checked, and that the ASP functionality has been tested correctly.

«126» CHKNTFS.EXE: What You Can Use It For

The Chkntfs.exe utility has been developed by Microsoft and is available in Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 2 and later versions of Windows. It is designed to disable the automatic running of Chkdsk on specific volumes, when Windows restarts from an improper shutdown. Chkntfs can also be used to unschedule a Chkdsk if Chkdsk /f was used to schedule a Chkdsk on an active volume on the next system restart.

[ For additional information see: Q160963 ]

«127» Syntax For IPCONFIG.EXE

Ipconfig.exe is a command-line tool you can use to renew and release leases obtained from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, and to display your IP settings.

The syntax for Ipconfig.exe is:

Parameter Description

/? Display this help message
/all Display full configuration information
/release Release the IP address for the specified adapter
/renew Renew the IP address for the specified adapter
/flushdns Purge the DNS resolver cache
/registerdns Refresh all DHCP leases and re-register DNS names
/displaydns Display the contents of the DNS resolver cache

[Article ID: Q223413]

«128» Client for Microsoft Networks Functions When Unbound from Network Adapter

When the Client for Microsoft Networks is unbound in a given network adapter's properties, the computer may still be able to connect to shared resources on other Windows 2000-based computer. However, the client will be unable to gain access to resources on other operating systems such as Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft 98, or Microsoft NT.

Unbinding the Client for Microsoft Networks does not disable direct hosting of Server Message Blocks (SMB) over TCP/IP in Windows 2000. When the Client for Microsoft Networks is unbound in the network adapter's properties, only NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) is disabled. Although earlier Microsoft operating systems are dependent on NetBT, Windows 2000 is not. The NetBT_Tcpip interface, used for the NetBIOS over TCP/IP transport, is bound on a per-adapter basis and can be unbound from a particular adapter. The NetbiosSmb device, used for direct-hosted SMB traffic, is global and cannot be unbound from a particular network adapter.

Microsoft states that this behavior is by design. See KB Article ID: Q253959.

For additional information about direct hosting of SMB traffic see Item 129 below.

«129» Direct Hosting of SMB Over TCP/IP

Windows supports file and printer sharing traffic by using the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol directly hosted on TCP. This differs from earlier operating systems, in which SMB traffic requires the NetBIOS over TCP (NBT) protocol to work on a TCP/IP transport. Removing the NetBIOS transport has several advantages, including:

» Simplifying the transport of SMB traffic.
» Removing WINS and NetBIOS broadcast as a means of name resolution.
» Standardizing name resolution on DNS for file and printer sharing.

If both the direct hosted and NBT interfaces are enabled, both methods are tried at the same time and the first to respond is used. This allows Windows to function properly with operating systems that do not support direct hosting of SMB traffic.

NetBIOS over TCP traditionally uses the following ports:

nbname 137/UDP
nbname 137/TCP
nbdatagram 138/UDP
nbsession 139/TCP

Direct hosted "NetBIOS-less" SMB traffic uses port 445 (TCP and UDP). In this situation, a four-byte header precedes the SMB traffic. The first byte of this header is always 0x00, and the next three bytes are the length of the remaining data.

You can use the following steps to disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP, forcing all SMB traffic to be direct hosted. Take care in implementing this setting because it causes the Windows-based computer to be unable to communicate with earlier operating systems using SMB traffic:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Network and Dial-up Connection.
2. Right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Properties.
3. Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click Properties.
4. Click Advanced.
5. Click the WINS tab, and then click Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP.

You can also disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP by using a DHCP server with Microsoft vendor-specific option code 1, ("Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP"). Setting this option to a value of 2 disables NBT. For more information about using this method, refer to the DHCP Server Help file in Windows.

To determine if NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on a Windows-based computer, issue a net config redirector or net config server command at a command prompt. The output shows bindings for the NetbiosSmb device (which is the "NetBIOS-less" transport) and for the NetBT_Tcpip device (which is the NetBIOS over TCP transport). For example, the following sample output shows both the direct hosted and the NBT transport bound to the adapter:

Workstation active on
NetbiosSmb (000000000000)
NetBT_Tcpip_{610E2A3A-16C7-4E66-A11D-A483A5468C10} (02004C4F4F50)
NetBT_Tcpip_{CAF8956D-99FB-46E3-B04B-D4BB1AE93982} (009027CED4C2)

NetBT_Tcpip is bound to each adapter individually; an instance of NetBT_Tcpip is shown for each network adapter that it is bound to. NetbiosSmb is a global device, and is not bound on a per-adapter basis. This means that direct-hosted SMB's cannot be disabled in Windows without disabling File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks completely. [Article ID: Q204279]

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«130» TCP/IP Maximum Retransmission Timeout

TCP starts a retransmission timer when each outbound segment is handed down to IP. If no acknowledgment has been received for the data in a given segment before the timer expires, then the segment is retransmitted, up to the "TcpMaxDataRetransmissions" times. The default value for this parameter is 5.

The retransmission timer is initialized to three seconds when a TCP connection is established; however, it is adjusted on the fly to match the characteristics of the connection using Smoothed Round Trip Time (SRTT) calculations as described in RFC793. The timer for a given segment is doubled after each retransmission of that segment. Using this algorithm, TCP tunes itself to the normal delay of a connection. TCP connections over high-delay links will take much longer to time out than those over low- delay links.

By default, after the retransmission timer hits 240 seconds, it uses that value for retransmission of any segment that needs to be retransmitted. This can be a cause of long delays for a client to time out on a slow link.

Windows provides a mechanism to control the initial retransmit time, and then the retransmit time is self-tuning. To change the initial retransmit time, modify the following values in the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters

Value Name: TcpMaxDataRetransmissions
Data Type: REG_DWORD - Number
Valid Range: 0 - 0xFFFFFFFF
Default: 5

Description: This parameter controls the number of times TCP retransmits an individual data segment (non connect segment) before aborting the connection. The retransmission timeout is doubled with each successive retransmission on a connection. It is reset when responses resume. The base timeout value is dynamically determined by the measured round-trip time on the connection.

Value Name: InitialRtt
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Valid Range: 0-65535 (decimal)
Default: 0xBB8 (3000 decimal)

Description: This parameter controls the initial retransmission timeout used by TCP on each new connection. It applies to the connection request (SYN) and to the first data segment(s) sent on each connection. For example, the value data 5000 decimal sets the initial retransmit time to five seconds.

For additional information about retransmit time, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q232512 TCP/IP may Retransmit Packets Prematurely

Q223450 TCP Initial Retransmission Timer Adjustment Added to Windows NT

[Article ID: Q170359]

«131» Disable the NTFS Tracking Of Broken Shortcut Links

If you disable a shortcut, the NTFS File System in Windows XP and Windows 2000 automatically attempts to locate the shortcut destination by searching all paths that are associated with the shortcut. To prevent this behavior from occurring, make the following changes in the registry:

1. Start the Registry Editor (Regedit.exe).
2. Navigate to the following key:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

3. On the Edit menu, click New, and then click DWORD value.
4. Type NoResolveTrack for the Value name, and then press ENTER.
5. Double-click the new value, and then set it to 1.
6. Click OK.
7. Quit the Registry Editor.

[Article ID: Q299780]

«132» SP2 Removes Registry Information For Previously Applied Fixes

After you apply Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 (SP2), previously installed hotfixes may no longer appear in the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel. The hotfixes are still installed, but you lose the ability to uninstall them.

When you apply a hotfix, the SERVICE_PACK_NUMBER entry from the included Hotfix.inf file is written to the registry. This registry information is used as the definitive list of hotfixes that are installed on the computer and is used by the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel for manual removal of the hotfixes. Many previously released Windows 2000 hotfixes set the SERVICE_PACK_NUMBER value to 2. The Windows 2000 SP2 Update.exe installer removes the registry information for hotfixes in which the service pack number is less than or equal to the currently installed service pack. Therefore, when you install SP2, the installer removes the registry entries for these hotfixes.

No action is required because the hotfixes are still installed on the computer. Although the registry entries for these fixes are removed, previously installed hotfixes are still listed in the Service Pack "uninstall" file area. To view this list:

1. Locate the Spuninst.inf file in the %SystemRoot%\$NtServicePackUninstall$\Spuninst folder.
2. Open the file and find the [Reg.Restore.Keys] section.
3. Find the entries that look like this (where Qnnnnnn is the Microsoft Knowledge Base article number of the installed hotfix):

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Hotfix\Qnnnnnn,,reg00001

The Microsoft Knowledge Base article number in the key is a hotfix that was installed prior to installing SP2.
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in some hotfixes released before Windows 2000 SP2.
Microsoft began creating post-SP2 hotfixes during the testing phase of SP2. After SP2 testing began, new hotfixes could not be added to SP2 without reinitializing the test. Therefore, it is possible to have a hotfix that is released before the release of SP2 that was not included in SP2.

[ For additional information see: Q300039 ]

«133» Error After Removing A Network Adapter

When you use Control Panel|Network .... to remove a network adapter, residual entries in the registry may cause the following error message:

Component configuration option value missing in registry

The System event log may contain:

Event ID: 7000
Description: A device attached to the system is not functioning.

To fix the problem:

1. Use Regedit to navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\<Adapter>

if present, and delete the key.
2. Navigate to:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NWLinkIPX\NetConfig

if present, and delete any sub-key that pertains to the removed adapter.
3. Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\<Adapter or Manufacturer>

if present, and delete any sub-key that pertains to the removed adapter.
4. Navigate to:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\NetworkCards

and delete any <number> sub-keys pertaining to the removed adapter.
5. Exit Regedit and restart your computer.

«134» Cannot Install Or Run Some Programs With Standard User Account

Because of the higher security in Windows 2000 and Windows XP, you may not be able to install or run some programs with the standard User account.

By default, Windows does not let a standard user or guest account run programs that access the Registry. The program's manufacturer is responsible for issuing the appropriate workaround or patch to allow the program to function properly. These programs may work properly if you use a Power User account or an account with higher privileges.

«135» How To Set Up Windows 2000 As An FTP Server

The Microsoft Knowledge Base Article ID: Q300662 provides a step-by-step guide for setting up a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server in a Windows 2000 environment for anonymous access.

«136» FreeWare Utility «» Active Ports

"Active Ports - easy to use tool for Windows NT/2000/XP that enables you to monitor all open TCP/IP and UDP ports on the local computer. Active Ports maps ports to the owning application so you can watch which process has opened which port. It also displays a local and remote IP address for each connection and allows you to close any port. Active Ports can help you to detect trojans and other malicious programs."

[ Active Ports can be obtained here: http://www.protect-me.com/ ]

«137» Use MSConfig In Windows 2000

Microsoft did NOT include MSConfig in Windows 2000. Microsoft did, however, include MSConfig in Windows XP.

You can run MSConfig in Windows 2000 by using the Windows XP version. Copy the following XP files to a folder in your path:

%SystemRoot%\PCHEALTH\HELPCTR\Binaries\msconfig.exe

%SystemRoot%\Help\msconfig.chm

«138» How to Disable/Enable EFS on a Stand-Alone Computer

The MS Knowledge Base Article ID Q243035 describes how to disable and enable the Encrypting File System (EFS) on Windows 2000-based computers that are not members of a Windows 2000-based domain. EFS is designed to work only when a recovery agent is available before a file can be encrypted. By default, the local Administrator account is used as the designated recovery agent for stand-alone Windows 2000-based computers.

NOTE: You must repeat the steps to disable EFS if you install or reinstall Windows 2000 on a computer.

WARNING: Microsoft strongly recommends that you decrypt any encrypted files on your computer before following this procedure. If you do not first decrypt the files, you are unable to recover them after performing this procedure. If you do not first back up the recovery agent's certificate (using the following steps), you must reinstall Windows 2000 if you want to re-enable EFS in the future.

To Back Up the Recovery Agent's Certificate

1. Log on to your computer using the local Administrator account.
NOTE: You must use the built-in Administrator account, not just an account with administrator privileges.
2. Click Start, click Run, type secpol.msc, and then click OK.
3. Click the plus sign (+) next to Public Key Policies to expand it.
4. Click the Encrypted Data Recovery Agents category.
5. In the right pane, a certificate that is issued to "Administrator" with an intended purpose of "file recovery" is displayed. Right-click this item, and then click All tasks > export.
6. Click Next.
7. Make sure that the No, do not export the private key option is selected, and then click Next.
8. In the Export File Format box, make sure that the DER Encoded Binary X.509 (.CER) option is selected.
9. Click Next.
10. When you are prompted to save the certificate to a file, back up the file to a disk or removable media device, and then store the backup in a location where physical security of the backup is ensured. Type an appropriate file name, and then click Next.
11. When the Completing the Certificate Export Wizard dialog box is displayed, verify the options that you selected, and then click Finish.
12. When The export was successful dialog box is displayed, click OK.

To Disable EFS

To Enable EFS After Disabling It

1. Log on to your computer using the local Administrator account.
NOTE: You must use the built-in Administrator account, not just an account with administrator privileges. If you did not previously back up the certificate using the steps in this article, you must reinstall Windows 2000 to re-enable EFS.
2. Click Start, click Run, type secpol.msc, and then click OK.
3. Click the plus sign (+) next to Public Key Policies to expand it.
4. Right-click the Encrypted Data Recovery Agents category, and then click Add.
5. In the Welcome to the Add Recovery Agent Wizard dialog box, click Next.
6. Click Browse Folders.
7. In the Open dialog box, locate and click the certificate you previously exported, and then click Open.
NOTE: At this point the certificate is imported, but is displayed as "USER_UNKNOWN" for the user. The Certificates value displays "OU= EFS File Encryption..."
8. Click Next, and then click Finish. When you receive the "The certificate cannot be validated" message, click OK to continue. Note that the Administrator account is now the recovery agent. EFS is now re-enabled on your computer.

«139» Installation/Removal of a Previous Program Was Not Completed

When you are installing a program that uses the InstallShield Wizard, you may receive an error message similar to one of the following:

The installation/removal of a previous program was not completed. Setup must restart your computer before proceeding with Installation. After windows has been restarted, please run setup again to complete installation.
~ or ~
A previous program installation was never completed. You need to restart your computer to complete that installation before running Internet Explorer Setup. Setup will now close.

If you restart the computer as suggested and then try to install the program again, you receive the same error message.

This behavior can occur if there are pending file rename or delete operations.

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type Regedit, and then click OK.
3. In Registry Editor, expand the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager

4. Click Export Registry File on the Registry menu.
5. In the File name box, type Session Manager Key, and then click Save.
6. In the right pane of the Registry Editor window, right-click PendingFileRenameOperations and then on the shortcut menu that appears, click Delete.
7. On the Confirm Value Delete message that appears, click Yes.
8. Click Exit on the Registry menu.
9. Restart the computer. [Article ID: Q310335]

«140» Install and Configure a Virtual Private Network Server

A virtual private network (VPN), allows you to connect components a network, via another network, such as the Internet. You can make your Windows 2000 Server-based computer a remote-access server so that other users can connect to it by using VPN, and then access shared files on your local drives or on your network. Virtual private networks accomplish this by "tunneling" through the Internet or another public network in a manner that provides the same security and features as a private network. With a VPN, connections across the public network can transfer data using the routing infrastructure of the Internet, but to the user it appears as though the data were being sent over a dedicated private link.

The MS Knowledge Base Article ID: Q308208 describes how to install virtual private networking (VPN) and how to create a new VPN connection in Windows 2000.

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~ Includes previous work and rights from Ted Quantrill's Tip Quarry ~

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