Change windows vista default program association via registry

Posted on March 5th, 2009 in Microsoft, Vista by Gil Kreslavsky

Windows Vista allows users to change and set default program association for most sort of file extension via Control Panel’s “Set Associations” and “Set Default Programs” under “Default Programs” link.

default-programs assotiation

However, there is no option  to reset or restore file extension association  back to original settings as in   freshly installed Windows Vista OS.

List of programs out there under “Set Default Programs” link, such as Internet Explorer,  Outlook, Calender, Windows Mail, Windows Media Player, winamp, winzip and Windows Photo Gallery have defined their own default file extensions, types and protocols.
And, user can clearly set the program as the default program to use to open all file sorts and protocols it can open.
Even so, it may not be the default file association such a configured in Windows Vista originally.

Unless user remembers and knows the original file association and change the default program for the kind of file type accordingly using the graphical user interface (GUI) in Control Panel, else here’s another workaround to restore and reset the file association to the default Windows Vista version of file association.

  1. Click Start Menu, and when that happens type regedit in the Start Search and press ENTER.
  2. Navigate to the following registry branch: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\FileExts\[ext] Replace the [exe] with the actual file extension that you want to restore . If you unsure, coup browse through all the sub-key under FileExts.
  3. Delete the sub-key named UserChoice.
  4. Exit from Registry Editor.

Terminal Server 2008 Sounds and Beeps on errors

Posted on December 25th, 2008 in Microsoft, Server 2008 by Gil Kreslavsky

Disable sound in RDP not working in Windows Terminal Services

OK, the same bug was in Windows 2003sp1 terminal server, MS fixed it in SP 2.
The problem is that even after you disable sound redirection via GPO you still got beeps on error messages.

I found a way to fix it.

  • Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
  • Locate and edit  the following registry subkey:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server
  • On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
  • Type DisableBeep, and then press ENTER.
  • Right-click DisableBeep, and then click Modify.
  • In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK
  • Quit Registry Editor.
  • Click Start, click Run, type services.msc and hit enter button.
  • Locate Terminal Services service and press restart (That will drop all users connected to TS server)
  • Reconnect to terminal server

Note You can disable the MessageBeep function by changing the value to 1 to enable back change to 0.

Troubleshooting the “Outlook prompts for password” issue

Posted on August 21st, 2008 in Excahnge 2003, Excahnge 2007, Outlook 2002 XP, Outlook 2003, Outlook 2007 by Gil Kreslavsky

Every time you open Outlook 2007 you are prompted to enter your domain credentials ,even though you know you have saved it?

To solve it try that one:
Open the following path:
In Vista C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft
Once open you will see numerous folders including a “protect” folder.
Delete the “protect” folder
When you have deleted the protect folder, restart Outlook.
You will be requested to enter your password again, but it will be the last time.

If problem exist When working RPC over HTTPs

If you are working RPC over https you are using or basic, or NTLM authentication
you need to be sure you are working NTLM.
Now in order to ensure that outlook not uses any cached password we need to do the following.
Go to Control Panel>User Acounts
Press on Advanced Tab button
Click on Manage Passwords button
Review stored passwords , and if you see IP address of your mail server you should delete it.

Now we need to patch te registry

  1. Click Start|Run
  2. Type regedit and press enter
  3. Go to HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\
  4. Find lmcompatibilitylevel DWORD parameter
  5. Double-click on it and change its value to 3

If “Remember my password” doesn’t work and you keep getting prompted:

  1. Close your Outlook
  2. Go to Start… Run and type control userpasswords2 and press OK c) click on the Advanced tab and press ‘Manage Passwords’
  3. Find the entry for your mail server and click ‘Properties’
  4. Erase the Server name and type in ‘S1′ or whatever the simple name of your global catalog server is (without the quotes)
  5. leave the password blank and click OK
  6. Start Outlook, enter your password and check off ‘Remember my password’ one last time. It should not prompt again.

When you start Microsoft Outlook 2000/2002, you may receive following error messages:

Your logon information was incorrect.
Check your username and domain, then type your password again.
The logon credentials supplied were incorrect.
Make sure your username and domain are correct, then type your password again.
CAUSE
This behavior occurs because registry may be missing one or more values in the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Rpc\ClientProtocols
The following values are the core required values for Windows XP or Windows 2000:
Name Type Data
(Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
ncacn_http REG_SZ Rpcrt4.dll
ncacn_ip_tcp REG_SZ Rpcrt4.dll
ncacn_np REG_SZ Rpcrt4.dll
ncacn_nb_tcp REG_SZ Rpcrt4.dll
ncadg_ip_udp REG_SZ Rpcrt4.dll

The following values are the core required values for Windows 98:
Name Type Data
(Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
ncacn_np REG_SZ Rpcltc1.dll
ncalrpc REG_SZ
ncadg_ip_udp REG_SZ Rpcltc3.dll
ncacn_http REG_SZ Rpcltccm.dll

The following values are the core required values for Windows NT 4.0:
Name Type Data
(Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
ncacn_np REG_SZ Rpcltc1.dll
ncalrpc REG_SZ
ncadg_ip_udp REG_SZ RpcLtCcm.dll
ncadg_ip_udp REG_SZ RpcLtCcm.dll
ncacn_nb_tcp REG_SZ RpcLtCcm.dll
ncacn_http REG_SZ RpcLtCcm.dll
Following the system’s protocol binding order, you receive a prompt for credentials on each missing value until a value that matches the next protocol in the binding order is reached.
RESOLUTION
Use one of the following methods to resolve this behavior.
Method 1
Import a valid registry key from a computer that is working correctly. To do this:
1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
2. Locate and then click the following key in the registry:
KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Rpc\ClientProtocols
3. Click the ClientProtocols key.
4. On the File menu, click Export.
5. Save the file with a .reg or a .txt extension in the event you need to send the file by using Outlook. You must save and rename the attachment to a .reg extension to import the key.
6. Quit Registry Editor.
7. Rename the file that you just exported from a .txt file extension to a .reg extension, and then copy it to a folder on your computer.
8. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
9. Locate and then click the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Rpc\ClientProtocols
10. Select the ClientProtocols folder, click File, and then click Import.
11. Select the .reg file that you saved, and then click Open.
12. Quit Registry Editor.
13. Quit and then restart Outlook 2002.
Method 2
Use Registry Editor to manually create the missing values. To do this:
1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
2. Locate and then click the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Rpc\ClientProtocols
3. Click Edit, click New, and then click String Value.
4. Edit the new string value with the name and data information that is in the table in the “Cause” section of this article.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each missing value.
6. Quit Registry Editor.
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Outlook 2002 (Outlook XP)
Microsoft Outlook 2000
Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server
Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5

Outlook status shows disconnected.

Posted on June 25th, 2008 in Excahnge 2003, Microsoft, Other, Outlook 2002 XP, Outlook 2003 by Gil Kreslavsky

On errors:

Mapi session “/o=COMPANY/ou=Europe/cn=Recipients/cn=User1? exceeded the maximum of 32 objects of type “session”.

Task “Microsoft Exchange Server” reported error (0×80040115): “The
connection to the Microsoft Exchange Server is unavailable. Outlook must be
online or connected to complete this action.”

Task ‘Microsoft Exchange Server’ reported error (0×8004011d): ‘The server is
not available. Contact your administrator if this condition persists.’

Don’t waste your time on profile recreation … It doesn’t help!!!

Things to check .

1.      Ping to exchange server by short name and FQDN

a. If no ping check connectivity and name resolution.

b. Consider adding exchange name/ip to hosts file

2.      Go to file and check if “Work Offline” is not checked

a. If it is uncheck it.

3.      If you have check point client try to

a. Disable security policy

b. Stop Vpn client

c. Remove checkpoint secure remote “v” on local area connection properties ( do it only for testing – remember if you remove the “v” user will be not able to dial VPN.

4.      Run Outlook.exe with rpcdiag switch “outlook.exe /rpcdiag” see where is hanging

5.      On exchange system manger open user related mailbox store in logons section check if user exceeded maximum of 32 connections to the store.

a. If do : To solve this problem for this user, download the sysinternals tool called TCPView and run it on your Exchange server. You will see a whole bunch of connections. Work out the IP address of user, and then using TCP view terminate all sessions to that IP address.

b. Other option is to mount / unmount store – not recommended

6.      In order to Increase default 32 MAPI connections limit do the following things

a. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.

Locate and then click the following registry sub key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeIS\ParametersSystem

If the Maximum Allowed Sessions Per User entry does not exist, do the following:

On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.

Type Maximum Allowed Sessions Per User as the entry name, and then press ENTER.

Right-click the Maximum Allowed Sessions Per User entry, and then click Modify

Click decimal, type the value that you want to set in the Value data box, and then click OK.

Exit Registry Editor.

Click Start, click Run, type services.msc in the Open box, and then click OK.

Click the MSExchange Information Store service, and then click Restart Service.

Didn’t solve the problem ? Read Related Microsoft solutions

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/842022

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/830836

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/840835

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821188

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821188

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=898060

Configure BlackBerry Enterprise Server to work with LDAP instead MAPI

Posted on June 18th, 2008 in BES Server, Black Berry by Gil Kreslavsky

Reasons to do do the update.

If you receive errors

  1. Unable to initialize the MAPI using profile BlackBerry Server Management! Please contact your BlackBerry administrator.
  2. Unable to initialize the RIMDatabase class
  3. Unable to save configuration settings or statistics

If you are moving mailboxes across information stores and you don’t want to reboot server or restart services.

And if you are using multiple domains

Procedure

The LDAPDomain , LDAPSearch , LDAPport , LDApssl , LDAPALPSearch registry entries are used to configure the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) for the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. These registry entries allow the BlackBerry Enterprise Server to use LDAP instead of the default Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) for specific functions.


LDAPDomain

The LDAPDomain entry configures the BlackBerry Enterprise Server to use a specific domain when performing LDAP searches.

Note: In an environment with multiple domains, the LDAPDomain key is required.

  1. Open the Registry Editor by clicking Start > Run . Type regedit and click OK .
  2. Go to the following path in the registry:
    • For BlackBerry Enterprise Server software version 4.0 and laterHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Research In Motion\BlackBerry Enterprise Server\Agents
    • For BlackBerry Enterprise Server software versions 3.5 and 3.6HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Research In Motion\BlackBerry Enterprise Server\Servers\
  3. Create a new String Value called LDAPDomain and change the entry in the Value data field to the Global Catalog and Port that the BlackBerry Enterprise Server will use. If the BlackBerry Enterprise Server must connect to multiple Global Catalogs for name resolution, specify all of them in this value with their fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) as follows:: : :

Example : dc01.domain.com:389
<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:”Cambria Math”; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:”"; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} span.paracode {mso-style-name:paracode; mso-style-unhide:no;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>

  1. Press ENTER .
  2. If you are not configuring other entries, close the Registry Editor.

LDAPSearch

The LDAPSearch entry is used for address resolution only.

  1. Go to the following path in the registry:
    • For BlackBerry Enterprise Server software version 4.0 and laterHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Research In Motion\BlackBerry Enterprise Server\Agents
    • For BlackBerry Enterprise Server software versions 3.5 and 3.6HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Research In Motion\BlackBerry Enterprise Server\Servers\
  2. Create a new DWORD Value called LDAPSearch and change the entry in the Value data field to 1 .
  3. Select the Hexadecimal option and press ENTER .
  4. If you are not configuring other entries, close the Registry Editor.

LDAPport

The LDAPport entry configures the BlackBerry Enterprise Server to use a specific LDAP port for searches.

  1. Go to the following path in the registry:
    • For BlackBerry Enterprise Server software version 4.0 and laterHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Research In Motion\BlackBerry Enterprise Server\Agents
    • For BlackBerry Enterprise Server software versions 3.5 and 3.6HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Research In Motion\BlackBerry Enterprise Server\Servers\
  2. Create a new DWORD Value called LDAPport and change the entry in the Value data field to the specific LDAP port that will be used.
  3. Press ENTER .
  4. If you are not configuring other entries, close the Registry Editor.

LDAPssl

The LDAPssl entry enables the use of LDAP over Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for searches or lookups.

  1. Go to the following path in the registry:
    • For BlackBerry Enterprise Server software version 4.0 and laterGo to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Research In Motion\BlackBerry Enterprise Server\Agents
    • BlackBerry Enterprise Server software versions 3.5 and 3.6Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Research In Motion\BlackBerry Enterprise Server\Servers\
  2. Create a new DWORD Value called LDAPssl and change the entry in the Value data field to 1 .
  3. Select the Hexadecimal option and press ENTER .
  4. If you are not configuring other entries, close the Registry Editor.

LDAPALPSearch

The LDAPALPSearch entry is used for address lookups from the BlackBerry smartphone.

Note: This entry only applies to BlackBerry Enterprise Server software version 4.1.

  1. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Research In Motion\BlackBerry Enterprise Server\Agents .
  2. Create a new DWORD Value called LDAPALPSearch and change the entry in the Value data field to 1 .
  3. Select the Hexadecimal option and press ENTER .
  4. Close the Registry Editor.

Outlook Hyperlink Opening problem

Posted on December 20th, 2007 in Microsoft, Other, Outlook 2002 XP, Outlook 2003, Outlook 2007, Windows XP by Gil Kreslavsky

“The operation has been canceled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your system administrator.”

They are few solutions:

Reset Web settings

  1. Start Internet Explorer
  2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options .
  3. Click the Programs tab , and then click the Reset Web Settings button.
  4. Under Internet programs, verify that the correct e-mail program is selected
  5. Click to select the Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default browser check box.
  6. Click Apply, and then click OK.



Export the registry key from another computer

  1. Click Start, and then click Run
  2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK
  3. Locate the following registry key: HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open\command
  4. Click the command folder.
  5. On the File or Registry menu (depending on your operating system), click Export
  6. Note the location of where the file will be saved. The registry file can be saved directly to the hard drive or floppy disk.
  7. Type a unique file name, and then click Save
  8. Quit the Registry Editor

Here is the Reg File

Other Possible Solutions

  1. Follow the instruction on the following KB articles:
    You receive an error message when you click a hyperlink in Outlook
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310049/en-us
  2. This issue may occur if there is a Group Policy object (GPO) that restricts what
    programs you can run. Programs can be restricted if either of the following
    policies in the domain organizational unit group policy or a local computer group
    policy have been applied:
    o Do not run specified Windows applications.
    o Run only the allowed Windows applications.
  3. In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\htmlfile\shell\open\command change
    “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE” -nohome to
    “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe” –nohome
    (and viseversa)
  4. Delete the DWORD value named DisallowRun. (or remove IEXPLORE.EXE) – To do so: Locate and then click the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
  5. to narrow the policy causing the issue to be:
    User Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Internet Explorer \ Browser menus\
    Disable Open in New Window Menu option — set this to DISABLE if it enable
  6. Disable the following Group Policy:
    User Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Internet Explorer \ Browser menusFile menu: Disable New Menu option
    File menu: Disable Open Menu option
    File menu: Disable closing the browser and Explorer Windows