As described in Part 1 of this series, Windows 7 has built-in optimizations for Solid State Disks (SSDs). To this purpose, Windows 7 will check random reads speeds of your disks, to determine whether the system is equipped with such a disk. These optimizations include disabling defragmentation on the SSD, and, when the disk is … Continue reading "Windows 7 and SSDs, Part 2 (Tweaking the box)"
Month: September 2010
Windows 7/2008 Kerberos Default Encryption and Windows 2003/2000
With the latest o/s release Microsoft modified the default encryption method from RC4 to AES when first attempt to commenicate with a Ticket Granting Ticket Service Request. As long as the client whether it be Windows 7 or Windows 2008, communicates with a Windows 2008 R2 Domain Controller (DC) everything is all good. However if the client … Continue reading "Windows 7/2008 Kerberos Default Encryption and Windows 2003/2000"
Windows 7 and SSDs, Part 1 (To clone Windows or reinstall?)
I’ve seen a couple of people stuffing their Windows 7 laptops with Solid State Disks (SSDs). I upgraded my Windows 7 demo laptop with an Intel X25-M G2 SSD (80GB) and this much improved performance, especially for virtualization purposes. A traditional Hard Disk Drive’s internals are platters. A read/write head on a boom looms over … Continue reading "Windows 7 and SSDs, Part 1 (To clone Windows or reinstall?)"
Invalid service type: RpcSs when running DCDIAG
After recently bringing up a RODC in my default site, all my 2003 RWDC's in all my sites flipped to a single process which is not a good thing for DC's. I can't be absolutely certain this was the cause but the errors occured on the same day of the RODC promotion. The erorr in … Continue reading "Invalid service type: RpcSs when running DCDIAG"
RODC – Password Replication Policy and Password Cache Management
With the advent of Read Only Domain Controllers (RODC) remote offices no longer have to present a risk for your Active Directory (AD) enterprise secrets. RODC's by default do not cache ANY user or computer passwords. This can present a problem if there is a loss of connectivity between the remote site's RODC and a Read … Continue reading "RODC – Password Replication Policy and Password Cache Management"
Better known as MCITP
It’s been quiet on this blog these last few months. I feel I still have many interesting stuff to share with you, but I decided to put that on hold and focus on some other areas. My certifications really needed attention, since my latest Microsoft certification dated back to 2001.
Active Directory Time Sync (broken by default)
Active Directory relies on accurate time for a number of reasons. One of this reasons is Kerberos authentication, which by nature can only cope with a difference in time (time skew) of five minutes between the Kerberos server and client. Now, don’t get me wrong. I think the time skew limitation and the overall Kerberos … Continue reading "Active Directory Time Sync (broken by default)"