https://jimguckin.com/ Security leadership and practitioner writing from Jim Guckin. https://jimguckin.com/2026/07/21/you-vibe-coded-your-way-into-a-security-nightmare/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/07/21/you-vibe-coded-your-way-into-a-security-nightmare/ Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT I was sitting in a conversation recently at a meeting with another company's executives ... the kind of meeting where someone mentions something almost offhand, like it's obvious, and you're left quietly trying to decide if you heard that right. The thing they said, essentially, was this: they were replacing their CRM ... an enterprise-grade system holding all of their customer information, purpose-built, tested, with a vendor behind it ... with something they had vibe coded. https://jimguckin.com/2026/06/24/security-awareness-training-that-doesnt-embarrass-anyone/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/06/24/security-awareness-training-that-doesnt-embarrass-anyone/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Can I tell you about a phishing simulation I ran early in my career that I am not particularly proud of (I wasn’t perfect, nor am I now). We had just rolled out a new security awareness training program. The vendor was enthusiastic, the platform had dashboards and the dashboards had charts. The charts went … https://jimguckin.com/2026/05/14/why-ai-driven-exploitation-changes-everything/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/05/14/why-ai-driven-exploitation-changes-everything/ Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT I’ve been doing this long enough to remember when a zero-day was something whispered about in conference hallways (I know I’m old). A rare, expensive, almost mythological artifact, the kind of thing nation-states hoarded, and intelligence agencies paid seven figures to acquire. The barrier to weaponizing a zero-day used to be something…you needed time, expertise, … https://jimguckin.com/2026/04/29/what-zero-trust-actually-requires-that-nobody-wants-to-talk-about/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/04/29/what-zero-trust-actually-requires-that-nobody-wants-to-talk-about/ Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Am I the only one who has experienced this…usually after a board meeting or a vendor briefing, where someone announces that the company is going to implement zero trust. The room nods, a working group gets formed, budget line appears and within a few weeks, the initiative is underway… with everyone quietly assuming that what … https://jimguckin.com/2026/03/19/when-security-architecture-depends-on-tribal-knowledge/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/03/19/when-security-architecture-depends-on-tribal-knowledge/ Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT There is a moment in almost every organization when someone says a phrase that sounds reassuring on the surface but I hope should make security leaders just a little uncomfortable: “Don’t worry, Mike knows how that works.” (no real Mike’s are used in today’s example). Mike I’m sure is a great guy, he’s been with … https://jimguckin.com/2026/03/12/the-security-implications-of-over-automation/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/03/12/the-security-implications-of-over-automation/ Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT Not long ago I was in a conversation with a few other security leaders about automation. It started the way these conversations often do, someone mentioned how much faster their team was able to respond to alerts since implementing automated workflows. Another person talked about automatically isolating compromised endpoints upon alerts and someone else described … https://jimguckin.com/2026/03/04/the-silent-risk-of-inconsistent-time-synchronization/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/03/04/the-silent-risk-of-inconsistent-time-synchronization/ Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT If you’ve been in any level of incident response, there is a moment in the conversation when someone asks a deceptively simple question: “When did this start?” It sounds like a straightforward request…after all, security teams collect logs, alerts, and telemetry from systems across the organization. We have dashboards, SIEMs and sometimes monitoring platforms that … https://jimguckin.com/2026/02/25/the-hidden-risk-in-identity-lifecycle-gaps/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/02/25/the-hidden-risk-in-identity-lifecycle-gaps/ Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT There is a moment in almost every security program where someone confidently says, “We have a solid joiner, mover, leaver process.” It usually comes up in audits, board discussions, or when someone is explaining how identity is clearly under control. On paper, it looks great. New employees get access based on role. Transfers trigger updates. … https://jimguckin.com/2026/02/18/why-traditional-access-reviews-fail/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/02/18/why-traditional-access-reviews-fail/ Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT There is a moment (or every quarter) in almost every organization where access reviews are sent out, inboxes fill up, and managers everywhere collectively sigh. We’ve all seen the email: “Please review and certify user access for your team.” I’ve run the program…and I still sighed when I got it. On paper it sounds simple, … https://jimguckin.com/2026/02/11/incident-response-without-situational-awareness-is-theater/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/02/11/incident-response-without-situational-awareness-is-theater/ Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT I recently had a discussion with a few colleagues about incident response. It started the way these conversations often do, with someone asking what “good” incident response really looks like and some of the incidents that I’ve worked on. That question sounds simple, but it is not. Before long, we were debating playbooks, tabletop exercises, … https://jimguckin.com/2026/02/04/standing-in-the-background-of-the-incident/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/02/04/standing-in-the-background-of-the-incident/ Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT I just got back from a trip to Disney World where my daughter was competing in cheer, and somewhere between the crowds, the rides, and the constant hum of people moving with purpose, I realized something odd. I was in the background of a lot of other people’s vacation photos. Not intentionally, It’s not in … https://jimguckin.com/2026/01/28/learning-that-mistakes-might-be-the-best-career-move-you-never-planned-i-hope/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/01/28/learning-that-mistakes-might-be-the-best-career-move-you-never-planned-i-hope/ Wed, 28 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT I announced two weeks ago, that I in the job market after a short tenure at a company. I learned that there is a sentence that feels heavier than it should. “I’m back on the job market.” It lands with a thud, even when no one else reacts. It immediately invites a flood of questions. … https://jimguckin.com/2026/01/21/shadow-access-the-security-risk-you-dont-see-until-its-sitting-in-the-boardroom-with-you/ https://jimguckin.com/2026/01/21/shadow-access-the-security-risk-you-dont-see-until-its-sitting-in-the-boardroom-with-you/ Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT After 20 plus years in technology and security, I’ve learned something important…well learned a lot of important things…but this is the one I’m writing about The biggest risks that we have that we aren’t aware of rarely come crashing through the front door, they slip in quietly because they already have access and no one … https://jimguckin.com/2025/07/23/common-mistakes-new-infosec-leaders-make-and-how-to-dodge-them-like-a-pro/ https://jimguckin.com/2025/07/23/common-mistakes-new-infosec-leaders-make-and-how-to-dodge-them-like-a-pro/ Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT I had lunch last week with a friend who just landed their first-ever leadership role in InfoSec and not just any role, a leadership role. They’d been promoted from lead security engineer to head of security, at a company that’s never had a separate formal InfoSec leader before. The company had grown, and security had … https://jimguckin.com/2025/01/21/securing-beyond-the-standard-building-a-culture-of-lasting-security/ https://jimguckin.com/2025/01/21/securing-beyond-the-standard-building-a-culture-of-lasting-security/ Tue, 21 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT AI Generated https://jimguckin.com/2024/08/14/mastering-the-art-of-communicating-your-security-success/ https://jimguckin.com/2024/08/14/mastering-the-art-of-communicating-your-security-success/ Wed, 14 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT While there is great value in the work that security professionals do every day, but communicating that success is key to helping build knowledge about what and how your program is doing. However, demonstrating the effectiveness of your cyber security measures to stakeholders—be they executives, employees, or clients—can be challenging. Here’s some thoughts on effectively … https://jimguckin.com/2024/08/07/helping-your-users-stay-safe-online-helps-to-keep-the-office-from-catching-fire/ https://jimguckin.com/2024/08/07/helping-your-users-stay-safe-online-helps-to-keep-the-office-from-catching-fire/ Wed, 07 Aug 2024 00:00:00 GMT I have rarely seen any Cyber Security Awareness Training at any company, explaining how I can take care of my assets, how I can avoid falling for scams or other things to help my browsing online. Now for me, that’s not a problem, I’ve been in IT and Information Security my whole life, and I’m cautious when I’m online at home or work, but I want to talk about why I would like that to change. Why training employees to be more suspicious online, can and will help them to be better at work. https://jimguckin.com/2024/07/31/what-makes-a-good-leader/ https://jimguckin.com/2024/07/31/what-makes-a-good-leader/ Wed, 31 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT Yesterday in the office, I got to have a great conversation with some of my colleagues. It started around the Crowdstrike incident and then somehow morphed into my leadership philosophy (I don’t remember how), but thought it would be good to share some of what I think makes a good leader (and I try to … https://jimguckin.com/2023/01/16/back-to-work-security-thoughts-to-have/ https://jimguckin.com/2023/01/16/back-to-work-security-thoughts-to-have/ Mon, 16 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT In fact, with so many people returning to the office and potentially accessing sensitive information on your organization’s network, it’s more important than ever to ensure that proper security measures are in place. Either fully remote or fully in-the-office work can be thought of as a “fortress” approach to security, with the primary point of access being through the employee’s personal or organizational computer. https://jimguckin.com/2023/01/06/be-yourself-to-get-that-job/ https://jimguckin.com/2023/01/06/be-yourself-to-get-that-job/ Fri, 06 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT One of the pieces of advice that I’ve given to those looking for an information security job, has been to be yourself and stand out, but what does that mean? Well, let me start with a story of my first date with my wife and how I try to embody that thought. When I first … https://jimguckin.com/2023/01/02/keep-learning/ https://jimguckin.com/2023/01/02/keep-learning/ Mon, 02 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT With this being the first work day of a new year, most people start thinking about how to better themselves. https://jimguckin.com/2022/12/20/how-to-protect-yourself-from-email-scams/ https://jimguckin.com/2022/12/20/how-to-protect-yourself-from-email-scams/ Tue, 20 Dec 2022 00:00:00 GMT What to look for (or what I look at), to avoid an email scam during this holiday season…or really any season. https://jimguckin.com/2022/01/17/qa-monday-what-is-cvss/ https://jimguckin.com/2022/01/17/qa-monday-what-is-cvss/ Mon, 17 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT Question: I am a recent graduate, who just got a job working in IT at a company. During a meeting today, someone mentioned a CVSS score on a system that needed to be patched. I was afraid to ask during the meeting, but what is CVSS? Kenneth M. PonceWashington DC Answer: Before I get to … https://jimguckin.com/2022/01/12/rise-of-the-biso-and-what-it-says-about-it-security/ https://jimguckin.com/2022/01/12/rise-of-the-biso-and-what-it-says-about-it-security/ Wed, 12 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT I have to admit, until very recently, I have never heard of a BISO (Business Information Security Officer), and the first time I came across this title, I was a little confused. I at first thought that it had something to do with physical security or maybe keeping business’ financially secure…and I was wrong. If … https://jimguckin.com/2022/01/10/qa-monday-to-anti-virus-or-not-to-anti-virus-that-is-the-question/ https://jimguckin.com/2022/01/10/qa-monday-to-anti-virus-or-not-to-anti-virus-that-is-the-question/ Mon, 10 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT Question: I will be in the process of renewing my AntiVirus software at the end of this month, I’m currently using Norton, should I stay with them or should I go to another software company for my AntiVirus? Marcela NowickiCanyonville, OR Answer: I love this question, for the fact that no matter how I answer … https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/29/leaders-fix-processes-not-blame-employees/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/29/leaders-fix-processes-not-blame-employees/ Fri, 29 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT I’ve talked several times about learning the lessons from every leader that I’ve ever had, good or bad. I was recently talking with a mentee, and they had an issue at their work and their boss berated the entire staff for making a mistake that brought a system down. From the description of the incident, … https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/20/mentor-your-staff/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/20/mentor-your-staff/ Wed, 20 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT I think an often overlooked part of leadership for many people on every level, is mentorship. In my career, I’ve had no mentors, indirect mentors, and only one real mentor. Yet from every boss that I have ever had, I have learned something from them, sometimes positively, other times not so much. Yet, I do … https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/13/auditing-standard-a-starting-line-not-a-finish-line/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/13/auditing-standard-a-starting-line-not-a-finish-line/ Wed, 13 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT In one of the many groups I belong to, someone had asked how much do standards really help a company. My answer, as much as I wanted to be, wasn’t straight-forward. I uttered a, “It depends…” I went on to explain the same thing I will here, the nuances of my thoughts. https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/08/multi-factor-authentication-considerations/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/08/multi-factor-authentication-considerations/ Fri, 08 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT It still is somewhat shocking to me that most businesses still aren’t taking Multi Factor Authentication seriously, and don’t mandate it for the employees and like I mentioned the other day for executives. Yet, I see articles like this one from Yubico that shows that people are making the effort in increasing spending by 75%. … https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/06/protect-the-executives/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/06/protect-the-executives/ Wed, 06 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT For years, I’ve advocated spending extra attention to accounts on a network that once compromised, can cause devastation to the environment. Depending on what industry your work in, these are Executives, VIPs, Politicians, or even the C-Suite, whatever you call them, these are accounts, you may not have considered dangerous, but they can be. The … https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/04/qa-monday-is-it-security-nothing-but-paperwork/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/04/qa-monday-is-it-security-nothing-but-paperwork/ Mon, 04 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT In my current company, I just switched over from the server operations side to the security side of the business. While I have only been in this position for about two weeks so far, I’ve been doing more meetings and paperwork than I have other work. Is security nothing but paperwork? https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/01/leading-remotely-making-better-leaders/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/10/01/leading-remotely-making-better-leaders/ Fri, 01 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT Most businesses are switching to either a remote or hybrid model to help employees in these pandemic times, and employees are loving the freedom in which it brings. I’ve seen more than a couple managers struggle with this change https://jimguckin.com/2021/09/29/project-communication-between-non-techie-stakeholders-and-techies/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/09/29/project-communication-between-non-techie-stakeholders-and-techies/ Wed, 29 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT In all the different jobs that I’ve had over my career, I’ve had a mix of technical and non-technical managers on projects. Most of the time, the non-technical managers just leave the technical stuff to the technical ones in the project, but sometimes I don’t believe that’s the best for a project, because each of … https://jimguckin.com/2021/09/24/how-to-improve-your-enterprise-e-mail-security/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/09/24/how-to-improve-your-enterprise-e-mail-security/ Fri, 24 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT One of the things that I’ve noticed during my time is that phishing emails, ebb and flow like the waves of the ocean. It seems like nothing significant for a few weeks, then the flood gates open and a bunch all come in a short period of time. The security, mail and support teams get … https://jimguckin.com/2021/09/22/designing-and-implementing-a-document-control-number-system/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/09/22/designing-and-implementing-a-document-control-number-system/ Wed, 22 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT While most mature organizations already have a well documented process for creating, approval and numbering of documents, not all do. So what do you do, when you come across one, where you a making the process. The first question, you might come across is why, do you need these documents? Those policies and procedures for … https://jimguckin.com/2021/07/14/dont-be-afraid-to-fail/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/07/14/dont-be-afraid-to-fail/ Wed, 14 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT In the years that I have been an IT manager, there’s honestly something that most people who work for me need to learn, and even some of my former colleges and bosses need to learn to accept. Don’t be afraid to fail or let your employees make mistakes. https://jimguckin.com/2021/07/07/it-mentality-hire-a-problem-solver/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/07/07/it-mentality-hire-a-problem-solver/ Wed, 07 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT I have seen many variations of the same tweet over the years, and when I was younger, I’m sure I would of posted the same thing thinking I was cleaver. Only as I matured more, did my perception change on what this tweet really means. Younger me, was like I work in technology, which is … https://jimguckin.com/2021/06/30/implementing-zero-trust/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/06/30/implementing-zero-trust/ Wed, 30 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT After answering the question from Monday I kept thinking of how the best way to start programs from scratch. One method I usually recommend is a Zero Trust security model. Now the thing I run into when talking about this, is that people think it’s an all or nothing approach, and most have many issues … https://jimguckin.com/2021/06/28/qanda-monday-starting-a-cyber-security-program/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/06/28/qanda-monday-starting-a-cyber-security-program/ Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT Question: I work for a small company and my boss recently tasked me to start to strengthen our defenses against a cyber attack, but I’m not a security expert, whats the best way to plan this out before I get started? https://jimguckin.com/2021/06/11/information-security-core-knowledge/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/06/11/information-security-core-knowledge/ Fri, 11 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT Every so often, I get asked by someone who wants to get into the InfoSec field, what is at the core of knowledge that is needed. Now I know a lot of people have a lot of different answers to this question, but I think there are some things that are important, that are easier to attain. https://jimguckin.com/2021/06/09/how-to-rethink-your-backup-strategy/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/06/09/how-to-rethink-your-backup-strategy/ Wed, 09 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT One of the things that were drilled into my head when I was starting out in my IT career was the backup philosophy of 3-2-1. https://jimguckin.com/2021/06/07/qa-monday-defense-against-ransomware/ https://jimguckin.com/2021/06/07/qa-monday-defense-against-ransomware/ Mon, 07 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT There has been a lot in the news about ransomware, what can I do to protect myself? https://jimguckin.com/2016/05/23/qa-monday-remove-url-from-auto-complete-in-chrome/ https://jimguckin.com/2016/05/23/qa-monday-remove-url-from-auto-complete-in-chrome/ Mon, 23 May 2016 00:00:00 GMT Question: I have an incorrect website address that appears in my autocomplete list every time I start typing and I always accidentally click on it. I tried clearing my history and it’s still there, can you help me? Alice L. LoweryOrmond Beach, FL Answer: You need to open chrome and start typing the incorrect URL until the … https://jimguckin.com/2015/05/20/looking-for-a-candidate-hire-a-learner/ https://jimguckin.com/2015/05/20/looking-for-a-candidate-hire-a-learner/ Wed, 20 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT My number one advice, is to hire people who are willing and constantly wanting to learn, as apposed to someone who is set in their ways. In my opinion IT people generally fall into one of two categories: Niche fillers and Learners. https://jimguckin.com/2014/10/13/qa-monday-security-question-safety/ https://jimguckin.com/2014/10/13/qa-monday-security-question-safety/ Mon, 13 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT Question: With all the talk about making a password secure, I noticed that someone with enough knowledge of me would be able to reset my password using the security questions. These questions are similar across almost every site that I visit and a friend or determined enough hacker could easily guess the answers, any idea on … https://jimguckin.com/2014/10/10/computer-download-saftey/ https://jimguckin.com/2014/10/10/computer-download-saftey/ Fri, 10 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT Technology has made strives to make the internet as cross platform as possible, meaning regardless if it a Windows, Apple or Mobile device most sites work across all these platforms with minimal or no downloads. Yet, we still can’t get completely away from the downloads, whether it is games or specialized applications for watching videos … https://jimguckin.com/2014/10/01/2014-national-cyber-security-awareness-month/ https://jimguckin.com/2014/10/01/2014-national-cyber-security-awareness-month/ Wed, 01 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT I’ve been a fan of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month for a little while now. This year marks the 11th annual year of the month long event. If you are not aware this month is designed to educate the public about cyber security issues and things you can do to … https://jimguckin.com/2014/08/04/qa-monday-how-dhcp-works-2/ https://jimguckin.com/2014/08/04/qa-monday-how-dhcp-works-2/ Mon, 04 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT Question: Please don’t laugh at me, but I’ve wondered how my computer gets an IP address from my router? Renee Newcomb Ferndale, WA Answer: I love questions like these, every computer, tablet, phone or laptop gets an IP address when connected to the internet, but rarely do we think of the process that takes place. … https://jimguckin.com/2014/04/14/qa-monday-data-center-teirs/ https://jimguckin.com/2014/04/14/qa-monday-data-center-teirs/ Mon, 14 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMT Question: I am a small business owner looking to go with a cloud provider for our IT services. Each of the vendors mentions their data center level, and I’ve tried doing research to figure out what these levels mean, but I can’t find anything describing them in plain English, can you help? Vickie Downs Watertown, … https://jimguckin.com/2014/03/17/qa-monday-requested-session-access-is-denied/ https://jimguckin.com/2014/03/17/qa-monday-requested-session-access-is-denied/ Mon, 17 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT Question: I have a user who is trying to connect to a RDS host (2008 R2 ), They are getting the error message “requested session access is denied”. I checked and made sure the user is member of the local remote desktop user group and they have the permission “Allow logon via Remote desktop services” is … https://jimguckin.com/2014/03/10/qa-monday-making-a-new-employee-feel-at-home/ https://jimguckin.com/2014/03/10/qa-monday-making-a-new-employee-feel-at-home/ Mon, 10 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT Question: I recently started a new position at a company and one of the first major responsibilities of this position was hiring two new helpdesk analysts. I made it through the interview and selection processes, but I want to make them feel as welcomed and at home as possible. Do you have any advice? https://jimguckin.com/2014/03/03/qa-monday-removing-the-windows-old-directory/ https://jimguckin.com/2014/03/03/qa-monday-removing-the-windows-old-directory/ Mon, 03 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT Question: I was having some issue with my computer, so I went to reinstall the Windows 7 , onto my computer. After the installation was complete, I noticed I have a C:\windows.old that takes up a large amount on my computer. I’ve tried highlighting and hitting delete, but it’s not letting me remove it. Jeanne … https://jimguckin.com/2014/02/24/qa-monday-how-to-create-a-windows-defender-right-click-context-menu/ https://jimguckin.com/2014/02/24/qa-monday-how-to-create-a-windows-defender-right-click-context-menu/ Mon, 24 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT How can I make a right click option to scan a file with windows defender? https://jimguckin.com/2013/10/09/simple-tips-to-a-secure-password/ https://jimguckin.com/2013/10/09/simple-tips-to-a-secure-password/ Wed, 09 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT For many of us out there creating a secure password isn’t always easy, it’s hard to memorize one of those complex passwords (i.e. @<6v’)T[~5). I want to give you some good tips (and things to avoid) in order to make your password more secure. The most common thing people do, and I was once guilty … https://jimguckin.com/2013/10/01/national-cyber-security-awareness-month-10th-year/ https://jimguckin.com/2013/10/01/national-cyber-security-awareness-month-10th-year/ Tue, 01 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT October marks the 10th Annual Cyber Security Awareness Month. This month is set aside as an opportunity to engage both public and private sector companies and more importantly the general public to create a safe, secure, and resilient cyber environment. https://jimguckin.com/2013/08/14/how-to-elevate-rsat-shortcuts/ https://jimguckin.com/2013/08/14/how-to-elevate-rsat-shortcuts/ Wed, 14 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT Companies out there, should not have their IT staff account with Administrator access for everyday work. Yet IT staff generally will complain (I’m guilty of it) when they need do some administrative work. Now to make an administrators work easier (while following best practices) you give the IT staff user accounts and use another account … https://jimguckin.com/2013/08/12/qa-monday-64-bit-print-driver-on-32-bit-system/ https://jimguckin.com/2013/08/12/qa-monday-64-bit-print-driver-on-32-bit-system/ Mon, 12 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT Is it not possible to install an x64 version of a printer driver on a x86 server? https://jimguckin.com/2013/03/25/qa-monday-lzma-file/ https://jimguckin.com/2013/03/25/qa-monday-lzma-file/ Mon, 25 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Question: I received a file from a coworker that has a LZMA file type with a large sum of data, and I don’t know how to open it. Please help! Kevin Knight South Dakota Answer: LZMA is a compressed file, something like the ZIP compression that most of us are generally familiar with. It’s used as a way to group … https://jimguckin.com/2013/01/09/importance-of-security-awareness/ https://jimguckin.com/2013/01/09/importance-of-security-awareness/ Wed, 09 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT Whether you know it or not, companies spends millions of dollars trying to make their network safe from hackers. Billions of dollars and a lot of lost time are the cost that companies have to share when their systems are breached. The problem becomes that most companies only address half of the solution, you can pour … https://jimguckin.com/2013/01/07/qa-monday-check-mac-ad-authentication/ https://jimguckin.com/2013/01/07/qa-monday-check-mac-ad-authentication/ Mon, 07 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT Question: I work for a School District with a very small tech department. As we are in an educational environment, we are running a mixed environment with Mac’s and PC’s authenticating to a Windows 2003 AD servers, 9 total servers total spread out throughout 8 sites. I have been running into problems with a few Mac’s in … https://jimguckin.com/2012/07/30/qa-monday-windows-8-install-on-vmware-issues/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/07/30/qa-monday-windows-8-install-on-vmware-issues/ Mon, 30 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT Question: I just downloaded the Windows 8 Release Preview ISO from Microsoft’s website, and when I went to load the ISO into VMWare, I get the following message: “Windows cannot read the <Productkey> setting from the unattended answer file” I am not using an answer file, so I am not sure what is causing this. … https://jimguckin.com/2012/05/07/qa-monday-dell-poweredge-2970-install-problems/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/05/07/qa-monday-dell-poweredge-2970-install-problems/ Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT Question: I have a Dell PowerEdge 2970 server, and I’m trying to install Windows Server 2008 R2 with the Dell CD that came in the package. It boots off the CD and loads the install GUI, and then stops before installing everything asking for drivers. I tried putting the RAID array drivers on a USB … https://jimguckin.com/2012/05/04/disaster-recovery-starting-a-simple-dr-plan/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/05/04/disaster-recovery-starting-a-simple-dr-plan/ Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT I’m starting a new series on Disaster Recovery that will hopefully run on Fridays for a bit. Not many companies will even think that they need a plan like this, until a disaster hits and then it’s too late. In this installment I’ll start you on the thought process and how to go about writing … https://jimguckin.com/2012/04/23/how-to-get-honest-feedback/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/04/23/how-to-get-honest-feedback/ Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Question: I am the manager of several large technology products for my company, and I feel like I’m just not getting honest feedback from the people involved with the project. While the projects seem to be going well, I would appreciate it if I could get honest feedback and make sure the projects are a success, any suggestions? … https://jimguckin.com/2012/04/18/5-cool-registry-changes-only-in-the-registry/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/04/18/5-cool-registry-changes-only-in-the-registry/ Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT With almost any discussion we have about the registry, I always want to stress the same message. Messing with the registry can cause you system to become unstable or not work. Please make sure you backup the registry prior to making changes. Now with that out of the way, I wanted to show you some … https://jimguckin.com/2012/04/11/5-signs-it-isnt-the-career-for-you/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/04/11/5-signs-it-isnt-the-career-for-you/ Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT We’ve all met the IT guy who we are pretty sure isn’t cut out for the job. I know people have asked me, if they are right for IT and it is something people need to think about prior to spending the money and time to get into the field. Lucky for you, I wanted … https://jimguckin.com/2012/04/09/qa-monday-how-often-should-i-update-my-linux-servers/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/04/09/qa-monday-how-often-should-i-update-my-linux-servers/ Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT Question: I have recently become responsible for more servers at my current job, some of these servers are of the RedHat and Debian flavor of linux, and I was wondering what is the recommended period of time between checking for updates on these servers? Catina P. Martin Mira Loma, CA Answer: To be honest, it all depends on how … https://jimguckin.com/2012/03/26/qa-monday-hiberfil-sys-and-deleting-it/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/03/26/qa-monday-hiberfil-sys-and-deleting-it/ Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Question: Jim, While doing some spring cleaning on my computer, I’ve come across a file in C: drive called hiberfil.sys file. When I try to delete the file it wont let me, how do I get rid of hiberfil.sys? Craig Ridgeway Kenosha, WI Answer: The first thing we need to discuss, is what exactly is that … https://jimguckin.com/2012/03/12/qa-monday-determine-what-domain-controller-you-authenticated-to/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/03/12/qa-monday-determine-what-domain-controller-you-authenticated-to/ Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Question: We have many domain controllers in our environment and while working through troubleshooting, I was wondering if there was a way to find out which domain controller logged the user into the network while sitting at the users PC. The problem ended up not being related, but the question stuck with me, is there a way … https://jimguckin.com/2012/03/08/software-update-ios-5-1-software-update/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/03/08/software-update-ios-5-1-software-update/ Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Apple released its new version of the iOS software yesterday. This update contains improvements and bug fixes, including: for more information please visit Apple’s Support site: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1504 https://jimguckin.com/2012/03/07/5-ways-to-limit-your-dns-issues/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/03/07/5-ways-to-limit-your-dns-issues/ Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT One of the things most overlook on a network when things are going well, but when they aren’t, are one of the most pain in the butt things imaginable is DNS for a network. When you start messing with DNS, you’ll find there are many ways things can go wrong or become endlessly complicated. … https://jimguckin.com/2012/03/05/qa-monday-mapping-admin-c-share-on-windows-7/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/03/05/qa-monday-mapping-admin-c-share-on-windows-7/ Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT Question: On my Windows XP machines I am able to use \\hostname\C$ to map to the C drive on that computer, but when I try it with my new Windows 7 machines, I can’t get it to map. Answer: This isn’t just a Windows 7 issue, this issue also occurred on Windows Vista machines as well. This … https://jimguckin.com/2012/02/29/please-dont-daisy-chain-switches/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/02/29/please-dont-daisy-chain-switches/ Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT There are many times that I would walk into a business to help troubleshoot a problem, to find that someone didn’t take the proper time to do something right, and instead took the easy way. Usually this come in the form of switches (or even worse hubs) that are daisy chained together one after another…and … https://jimguckin.com/2012/02/27/qa-monday-iis-7-5-error-401-3/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/02/27/qa-monday-iis-7-5-error-401-3/ Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Question: I’m trying to test my ASP.Net website and I keep getting this error: HTTP Error 401.3 – Unauthorized You do not have permission to view this directory or page because of the access control list (ACL) configuration or encryption settings for this resource on the Web server. I tested the site both from the … https://jimguckin.com/2012/02/24/upgrade-backtrack-5-r1-to-the-new-r2/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/02/24/upgrade-backtrack-5-r1-to-the-new-r2/ Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT If you are anything like me, you hate to wait for things and here’s a time you can get the information before the release. BackTrack R2 will be released on March 1st 2012, but there are directions to make all the upgrades today, all you need to do is follow the directions below, and you’ll … https://jimguckin.com/2012/02/20/qa-monday-windows-7-hide-accounts-from-welcome-menu/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/02/20/qa-monday-windows-7-hide-accounts-from-welcome-menu/ Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Question: We are deploying Windows 7 machines to users that are not the domain, and I want to add some accounts for administration to the machine, but I only want the users to be give the option of seeing the one account they are going to use. Is there any way to hide the other … https://jimguckin.com/2012/02/08/sysprep-a-windows-7-upgraded-machine/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/02/08/sysprep-a-windows-7-upgraded-machine/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT When working in any kind of company, I love imaging computers. When there is a problem with a machine you can quickly blow down the company image and get the computer or laptop back to the user as quickly as possible. Recently when working on a Windows 7 image that I had inherited from a … https://jimguckin.com/2012/02/06/qa-monday-enable-and-disable-proxy-via-scripts/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/02/06/qa-monday-enable-and-disable-proxy-via-scripts/ Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT Question: I use my laptop both inside and outside of my company’s network. It is a company issued laptop and when I am in the office, I am suppose to use their proxy server, when I am out on the road, I’m suppose to use the local connection, which does not have a proxy. Currently … https://jimguckin.com/2012/01/25/average-mailbox-size-using-exchange-powershell/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/01/25/average-mailbox-size-using-exchange-powershell/ Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT PowerShell is now becoming more and more prevalent in Microsoft’s Exchange and Server software. This scripting language is becoming a must know for Administrators and knowing this scripting can help get all kinds of useful information. When I was an administrator for an Exchange system, it helped me to monitor the mailbox(s) and databases for their … https://jimguckin.com/2012/01/19/were-back-from-blackout/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/01/19/were-back-from-blackout/ Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT First, I would like to apologize to anyone who found the blackout of this site inconvenient. We blacked out our site in solidarity with 75,000+ sites who joined together, in the largest online protest (to date), to try to let congress know to stop the SOPA and PIPA bills from passing. These bills would kill the internet … https://jimguckin.com/2012/01/11/change-ie-bookmarks-location/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/01/11/change-ie-bookmarks-location/ Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Recently in my job, I was looking for a way to keep as much data on the server as possible and making the Windows boxes hold as little data as possible in case of a crash. While I already redirect the “My Documents” drive to the server (note only if you trust your users do this). We … https://jimguckin.com/2012/01/09/qa-monday-it-education/ https://jimguckin.com/2012/01/09/qa-monday-it-education/ Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT Question: Jim, For someone looking to segue into IT, what is the most direct educational route to take- tech school, university, or career diploma program? In general, what do you recommend for a good IT foundation? Tony DiPaciner Philadelphia, Pa Answer: Like most questions in IT, there is a lot of debate for the … https://jimguckin.com/2011/12/14/mobile-apps-vs-mobile-web/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/12/14/mobile-apps-vs-mobile-web/ Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT I’ve been asked many times where I think the future in the smart phone market is, either applications or site designed for mobile web? Now I think it’s funny that since I am in the IT field, I should know (or at least have thought on) the mobile market. But since I try to answer … https://jimguckin.com/2011/12/12/qa-monday-outlook-2003-problems-with-exchange-2010/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/12/12/qa-monday-outlook-2003-problems-with-exchange-2010/ Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question: My company has recently upgraded our Exchange server to 2010, but I still have some users using Outlook 2003. There are plans in the next 6 months to update these remaining users, but some of them are experiencing a problem. The users have a bunch of shared calendars and are getting a connection issue, … https://jimguckin.com/2011/11/18/alternatives-to-outlook/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/11/18/alternatives-to-outlook/ Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT I’ve been asked about this more times than I can remember, so I figured I’d just do an article about it….What are some alternatives to Microsoft Outlook. To fully disclose I still cling on to my Outlook for my windows machine, but I do use other software for my linux machines. So I’ve … https://jimguckin.com/2011/11/16/removing-crapware/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/11/16/removing-crapware/ Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Crapware (or bloatware) is unwanted software alreay installed on a new PC. This software has started to come bundled with other software you may want on your computer. For example most software I install on my computers now, I have to pay close attention to, because it wants to install a browser or … https://jimguckin.com/2011/11/14/qa-monday-adobe-pdf-printing-alternative/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/11/14/qa-monday-adobe-pdf-printing-alternative/ Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question: I am currently looking for a more cost-effective solution than adobe for printing PDF files. I am not looking to edit or create forms, just to print existing documents to PDF. While looking around I’ve found a couple products, but they wanted too much money for the full versions, any suggestions? Davina Knight Raft River, ID Answer: … https://jimguckin.com/2011/11/11/conserving-bandwidth-tips/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/11/11/conserving-bandwidth-tips/ Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT In today’s world, IT budgets all over the place have been cut down to the bone, and maybe you’re users are starting to hog up all the bandwidth and you don’t have the money in the budget to increase the bandwidth, what do you do? Well there are ways that you can squeeze more out … https://jimguckin.com/2011/11/09/linux-disconnect-a-stalled-ssh-session/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/11/09/linux-disconnect-a-stalled-ssh-session/ Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT I’ve recently told everyone about my semi-switch over from an all Windows enviromnet to adding some Linux boxes to my regularly used boxes. I’ve also been using SSH in Linux alot more, and every once in a while, I end up with a stalled SSH session. In my Windows world, I’d just close puTTY and … https://jimguckin.com/2011/11/07/qa-monday-event-viewer-problems-in-server-2008/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/11/07/qa-monday-event-viewer-problems-in-server-2008/ Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question: I have a Windows Server 2008 64Bit Standard and I am having problems getting the Event Viewer to display on the server. When I click on the Event Viewer, I get the following Error Message – Event Log Service is unavailable. Verify that the service is running. I went into the Windows services and … https://jimguckin.com/2011/09/26/qa-monday-5-tips-to-avoid-burnout/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/09/26/qa-monday-5-tips-to-avoid-burnout/ Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question: I just got a new job working in IT after leaving the field several years ago from burn out. I just want to know is there a good way to avoid this new job from driving me away from IT like my old one? Fred Cutler Reno, NV Answer: This is a big concern for … https://jimguckin.com/2011/09/19/re-windows-7-ftp-server/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/09/19/re-windows-7-ftp-server/ Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question Re: Blog Post: Windows 7 FTP Server The setup is helpful, but can you expand upon this with assistance on how to create a user and then set up access to a specific folder? I can’t seem to get this to work at all… and I thought I was pretty computer-savy. The new windows … https://jimguckin.com/2011/08/22/qa-monday-what-to-do-after-loosing-your-job/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/08/22/qa-monday-what-to-do-after-loosing-your-job/ Mon, 22 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question: Jim, I just found myself out of a job for the first time in 20 years and am searching for another tech job. I am looking for some things that I can do while I am looking to help my job search, is there anything you recommend? Richard Newsome Portland, Oregon Answer: I always … https://jimguckin.com/2011/08/17/security-update-mozilla-firefox-6-and-3-6-20/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/08/17/security-update-mozilla-firefox-6-and-3-6-20/ Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT Mozilla identified and fixed several memory safety bugs in its browser engine used in Firefox 3.6, Firefox 5 and other Mozilla-based products. Some of these bugs showed evidence of memory corruption under certain circumstances, and that they fear that someone with enough effort could be exploited to run arbitrary code. This update is considered CRITICAL by Mozilla. … https://jimguckin.com/2011/08/15/ways-to-control-your-it-budget/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/08/15/ways-to-control-your-it-budget/ Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question: I am under great pressure from management to decrease our IT budget for next year, while providing the same level of services. I’ve spent time with my team trying to figure out service contracts or software upgrades to cut, what are some of the ways you’ve cut budgets? Judith R. Eastman Knoxville, TN Answer: … https://jimguckin.com/2011/08/12/security-update-blackberry-enterprise-software/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/08/12/security-update-blackberry-enterprise-software/ Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT Blackberry has announced that there is a vulnerability on their Blackberry Enterprise Server product and have released a patch to fix the vulnerability. RIM (the maker of the blackberry) has released the patch for what they are calling a high risk vulnerability and being that it is being classified as “high risk”, it is recommended … https://jimguckin.com/2011/08/08/qa-monday-hold-onto-spare-parts/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/08/08/qa-monday-hold-onto-spare-parts/ Mon, 08 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question: Jim, I have a boss that constantly wants us to keep computer equipment, even though most of it is trash. He claims that the parts will come in handy if we need them down the line, but we have some computer parts for over 10 years, does it really pay to hold on to technology? https://jimguckin.com/2011/07/20/linux-still-for-the-uber-geek/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/07/20/linux-still-for-the-uber-geek/ Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT When I first tried getting into Linux almost 10 years ago, I found that is was hard to learn from the world of Windows that I had grown up learning. If I haven’t mentioned in the past, I have a horrible memory which makes remembering new commands in a OS I didn’t use often, … https://jimguckin.com/2011/05/20/bad-manager-behaviors/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/05/20/bad-manager-behaviors/ Fri, 20 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT This week I started thinking about the bad managment behaviors that could quickly kill the moral of your workers. Luckily, I’ve dodged this bullet and havn’t had any horrible managers, but have seen my share of them and the havoc they bring on their teams. Some of these problems can be worked on and corrected and … https://jimguckin.com/2011/05/18/safe-web-browsing-myths/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/05/18/safe-web-browsing-myths/ Wed, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT More often than not, if you are reading articles from this site, you consider yourself a savvy computer user. Though many of us think that we are using the internet in a safe way, we are actually vulnerable to malware or viruses. The problem I often run into, is that people think getting infected is about going … https://jimguckin.com/2011/05/16/qa-monday-waiting-for-the-dream-job-and-offered-another/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/05/16/qa-monday-waiting-for-the-dream-job-and-offered-another/ Mon, 16 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question: I know this is more of a general question than a technical question, but I expect end of next week to have two offers on the table from companies that are under a lot of pressure to get their positions filled. There is also third company, probably my favorite, which doesn’t seem to be under the same pressure and … https://jimguckin.com/2011/05/11/windows-security-best-practices/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/05/11/windows-security-best-practices/ Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT In todays age, you can not be too secure when it comes to your network it’s better to be safe than sorry. In the current economy I’ve seen many companies consolidate jobs and add new burden to already over-burdened admins. One of the places where this will hurt companies is the network security departments. I’ve learned many … https://jimguckin.com/2011/05/09/qa-monday-hide-accounts-from-xp-welcome-screen/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/05/09/qa-monday-hide-accounts-from-xp-welcome-screen/ Mon, 09 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question: I am currently setting up a couple of computers for a small business and not in a domain, and they prefer the Windows XP Welcome menu to log on to the computer. I have set up an Administrator account and would like that account to be hidden from the welcome screen. Adam E. Jones Dallas, TX Answer: To … https://jimguckin.com/2011/05/05/helpful-powershell-commands-to-know/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/05/05/helpful-powershell-commands-to-know/ Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT Recently I was talking with a colleague about our histories of working in the computer field, all the ways from the early days of DOS to where we were currently. I remember the early days of working on the computers and using the DOS commands to get stuff completed, today Microsoft has started using PowerShell for … https://jimguckin.com/2011/04/11/signs-your-project-might-be-doomed/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/04/11/signs-your-project-might-be-doomed/ Mon, 11 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT I’ve recently been given a new responsibility at the company I work for and put in charge of project that I’m pretty sure will be dead long before completion, is there any way to tell? https://jimguckin.com/2011/03/30/no-virus-maleware-and-computer-slow/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/03/30/no-virus-maleware-and-computer-slow/ Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT A lot of complaints I generally hear about people’s computers is that they have slowed down. Usually most tech will look towards one thing that is the most likely cause…spyware/virus (or whatever you personally call it). Though after ruling that out, what might be some other explanations for the slowness? I want to … https://jimguckin.com/2011/03/28/qa-monday-looking-for-a-job-while-at-a-job/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/03/28/qa-monday-looking-for-a-job-while-at-a-job/ Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question: Hey Jim, I am currently working at a company that I have been at for a couple years, and I feel like I’ve hit a brick cieling. I am going to start to look for another job, but with this job market, I don’t want my current job to find out. Any advice? Richard … https://jimguckin.com/2011/03/14/qa-monday-disable-ie-enhanced-security-in-server-2008/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/03/14/qa-monday-disable-ie-enhanced-security-in-server-2008/ Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question: In previous incarnations of Windows Server, when I wanted to remove the Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration, I’ve gone into the add/remove programs and removed the security component, but in Windows Server 2008 that isn’t an option, can you please help me remove this annoyance. Joseph Hart Jackson, MS Answer: The configuration for the … https://jimguckin.com/2011/01/03/qa-monday-domain-auto-logon/ https://jimguckin.com/2011/01/03/qa-monday-domain-auto-logon/ Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT Question: We are currently building a test lab, in which we can test proposed changes to the network, and have a test domain in place. We have a domain controller and a handful of workstations to test the changes out on. The problem is, that every time we power on the domain we need to log in all … https://jimguckin.com/2010/10/11/qa-monday-how-often-to-replace-a-buisness-mac/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/10/11/qa-monday-how-often-to-replace-a-buisness-mac/ Mon, 11 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: Hey Jim, I am a small business owner and I am constantly struggling with how often do I replace the Apple computers in my office. I do have some PC’s in the office which I lease on a 3 year cycle, but I’m not sure if I should replace the Apple’s as often as … https://jimguckin.com/2010/09/03/exchange-2007-get-mailbox-sizes/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/09/03/exchange-2007-get-mailbox-sizes/ Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT If you ever have had the pleasure to administer an Exchange system for some time, then you’ve run into the scenario where you need to know how big people’s mailboxes are. Depending on your workload, I suggest that you take some time regularly take some time to check the sizes of the mailboxes on your server. Now … https://jimguckin.com/2010/09/01/xp-mode-virtual-windows-xp-could-not-be-restored/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/09/01/xp-mode-virtual-windows-xp-could-not-be-restored/ Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT I recently ran into a weird problem with my Windows XP mode program in Windows 7. While trying to turn on the virtual machine, I kept getting a pop up with the following error: “windows xp mode could not be restored because of either host processor type mismatch” Regardless of what I tried to do, I … https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/11/browser-update-google-update-chrome-to-5-0-375-126/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/11/browser-update-google-update-chrome-to-5-0-375-126/ Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT Google has released Chrome 5.0.375.126 for Linux, Mac, and Windows. Chrome 5.0.375.126 contains an updated version of the Flash plugin which addresses multiple vulnerabilities. Exploitation of these vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code. https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/11/how-to-become-a-better-manager/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/11/how-to-become-a-better-manager/ Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT On a couple of different occasions I’ve mentioned that when I first became a manager, there was a learning curve that I needed to master, before becoming somewhat efficient at at. I’ve decided to give some more key pointers that help you become a better manager 1: Go to other’s offices for meetings When you … https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/11/software-update-adobe-flash-and-air-update/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/11/software-update-adobe-flash-and-air-update/ Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT Adobe has released Flash Player 10.1.82.76 to address multiple vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial-of-service condition. This vulnerability also affects Adobe Air 2.0.2.12310 and earlier versions. Links for More Information: http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb10-16.html https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/11/software-update-iphone-ipod-touch-and-ipad-update/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/11/software-update-iphone-ipod-touch-and-ipad-update/ Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT Apple has released iOS 4.0.2 for the iPhone and iPod touch and iOS 3.2.2 for the iPad to address vulnerabilities in the FreeType and IOSurface packages. Exploitation of these vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or gain system privileges. This is most likely to address the jailbreakme.com website that was able … https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/09/qa-monday-usb-printer-in-dos/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/09/qa-monday-usb-printer-in-dos/ Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: I currently have a legacy software at my current job that runs in DOS and have printed to a printer that was connected via parallel cable. Recently that printer has bit the dust and I bought a new USB printer to replace it, but now the program wont print, but the printer works in … https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/04/effectively-erasing-files/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/04/effectively-erasing-files/ Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT Thinking about getting rid of a computer can actually be a lot more complicated that initially thought. Many people remember to get their files off and delete any important information from the drive and think that’s the end of it. It’s not just individuals, companies can also fall into this trap. Just selecting delete does … https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/02/qa-monday-increase-simultaneous-downloads/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/08/02/qa-monday-increase-simultaneous-downloads/ Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: Because of my job I spent a lot of time downloading files from the internet, my productivity is killed by the simultaneous download limit in Windows. Is there anyway to work around this limit or a nifty program that will let me easily download more? Joseph James Dallas, TX Answer: Now I have tried … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/29/browser-update-apple-releases-safari-5-0-1-and-4-1-1/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/29/browser-update-apple-releases-safari-5-0-1-and-4-1-1/ Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT Apple has released the following update for their Safari browser, it effects: Safari 4 (Mac OS X 10.4), Safari 5 (Windows), Safari 5 (Mac OS X 10.6), Safari 5 (Mac OS X 10.5). According to Apple’s Support site for this update (HERE) the following vulnerabilities were fixed. https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/28/picking-a-helpdesk-software/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/28/picking-a-helpdesk-software/ Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT One of the first I was assigned when I became a manager was to find a new helpdesk solution. Our current solution was OK, but had been in use for several years and our department had outgrown the usefulness. Plus a big plus was we wanted our user base to be able to track the … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/27/browser-update-google-release-new-chrome-update/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/27/browser-update-google-release-new-chrome-update/ Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT Google has released Chrome 5.0.375.125 for Linux, Mac, and Windows to address multiple vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or obtain sensitive information. Please see the Chromium security page for more detail. Note that the referenced bugs may be kept private until a majority of the users are up to … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/26/browser-update-mozilla-releases-firefox-3-6-8/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/26/browser-update-mozilla-releases-firefox-3-6-8/ Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT Mozilla has released an updated Firefox browser to make the current version 3.6.7. This isn’t a big update as if only fixes one flaw: MFSA 2010-48, this update fixed the following problem: Mozilla developer Daniel Holbert reported that the fix to the plugin parameter array crash that was fixed in Firefox 3.6.7 caused a crash … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/23/apple-announces-iphone-4-free-case-program/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/23/apple-announces-iphone-4-free-case-program/ Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT Apple has announced today the release of the iPhone 4 Case Program Application that is available from the apple store online. Once you downloaded the application you sign in with your iTunes username and password and the application gives you a couple of different options to choose from. Despite my fear that it would take … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/21/consultants-how-to-communicate-errors/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/21/consultants-how-to-communicate-errors/ Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT If you ever spent any time as an IT consultant, then you understand that it can be a stressful, especially when things go wrong. Every consultant will eventually have to deal with a mistake, either made by them or someone else. Though mistakes are a part of the job, what happens next is important. … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/21/software-update-firefox-3-6-7-and-firefox-3-5-11/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/21/software-update-firefox-3-6-7-and-firefox-3-5-11/ Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT The Mozilla Foundation has released Firefox 3.6.7 and Firefox 3.5.11 for Windows, Mac and Linux to address multiple vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, obtain sensitive information, bypass security restrictions, or conduct cross-site scripting attacks. Some of these vulnerabilities also affect Thunderbird and SeaMonkey. Some of these vulnerabilities include: MFSA … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/20/security-alert-shortcut-file-vulnerability/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/20/security-alert-shortcut-file-vulnerability/ Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT This vulnerability is due to the failure of Microsoft Windows to properly obtain icons for LNK files. Microsoft uses LNK files, commonly referred to as “shortcuts,” as references to files or applications. By convincing a user to display a specially-crafted LNK file, an attacker may be able to execute arbitrary code that would give the … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/20/software-update-itunes-9-2-1-released/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/20/software-update-itunes-9-2-1-released/ Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT Apple has release a new version of iTunes making the current version 9.2.1 . This update is to fix a vulnerability due to improper handling of the itpc URLs. itpc is the protocol used by iTunes for handling podcasts. An attacker may convincing a user to access a specially crafted itpc URL and they may … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/19/qa-monday-block-sites-from-computer/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/19/qa-monday-block-sites-from-computer/ Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: Hey Jim hope your doing well and having a good summer! I need a little help. My daughter has autism and she loves Youtube. However, some of the things on youtube are very disturbing. Is there anyway we can totally block Youtube from our computers? Media, Pa Answer: There is a simple an easy … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/16/make-your-presentations-less-boring/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/16/make-your-presentations-less-boring/ Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT There have been many times in my IT career that I’ve had to give presentations, and if you haven’t consider yourself lucky. My presentations have covered Network Design, Network Upgrades, and Software Implementation all the way down to weekly user training. I’ve made many mistakes in my presentations when I started out (and sometimes still … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/15/patch-itunes-4-0-1-released/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/15/patch-itunes-4-0-1-released/ Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT Apple has just issued the 4.0.1 iOS update, which now includes a new formula for displaying reception bars. This updates doesn’t really fix the route problem that the phone has, just displays the bars a little differently. This new formula is supposedly the way AT&T recommends and doesn’t actually improve reception. Apple reported that the … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/15/update-tuesday-july-13th-2010/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/15/update-tuesday-july-13th-2010/ Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT There wasn’t a huge amount of updates this month from Microsoft, but be aware that some of the problems being patched this month, were from publically reported exploits, so you want to make sure you get your updates applied as soon as you can. Update: KB2229593 – Type: Critical (XP) and Low (2003) What … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/14/what-your-boss-doesnt-want-to-hear/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/14/what-your-boss-doesnt-want-to-hear/ Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT I’ve been on both sides of the managers desk, and recently when talking with another tech, I thought about excuses that I’ve heard and some that I may have used. An important part of any IT department is communication and following through with projects or workload, and someone’s excuses can hurt that department. I … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/13/patch-oracle-releases-critical-patch-update/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/13/patch-oracle-releases-critical-patch-update/ Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT Oracle has released a Critical Patch Update for this month to address 59 different vulnerabilities across multiple products. This update contains some of the following security fixes: * 6 for Oracle Database Server * 2 for TimesTen In-Memory Database * 5 for Oracle Secure Backup * 7 for Oracle Fusion Middleware * 1 for Oracle … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/12/qa-monday-small-business-alternatives/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/12/qa-monday-small-business-alternatives/ Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: Hi Jim, I recently have come across your blog and have found what I understood interesting. I am not much of a tech person, but I am currently starting my own business, and my budget doesn’t allow for a lot of money spent on software. I plan to get all the normal software (outlook, … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/09/why-you-should-encrypt-your-iphone-backup/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/09/why-you-should-encrypt-your-iphone-backup/ Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT I was reading an article about how the iPhone backup that your iTunes makes when you sync your phone can be cracked (for better or worse). It wasn’t even really a setting that I paid attention to, until this article came up. When I went to check, there it was, unchecked: “Encrypt iPhone backup”. Figuring … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/07/are-training-programs-worth-it/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/07/are-training-programs-worth-it/ Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT I had the chance recently to talk with another System Admin and he was relaying some problems he was having after rolling out a new software package in their company. The problem was that after it was was up and running and turned over to the users, it wasn’t widely used. This program had eaten … https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/06/browser-update-google-chrome-5-0-375-99/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/07/06/browser-update-google-chrome-5-0-375-99/ Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT Google has released a new version of their Chrome browser, updating the browser to version 5.0.375.99 on Linux, Mac and Windows Systems. This update to 5.0.375.99, is stated to fix the following errors that have been occurring in the browser: LOW [42396] OOB read with WebGL. Credit to Sergey Glazunov; Google Chrome Security Team (SkyLined). … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/30/enable-rdp-via-registry/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/30/enable-rdp-via-registry/ Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT There may be times where a server is in a co-location and you forget to turn on Remote desktop on, there is a way to get RDP on a server just by making a change to the registry. Either remotely connect to the server’s registry or make a batch script then will run when the … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/28/qa-monday-face-time-chat-ports/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/28/qa-monday-face-time-chat-ports/ Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: I am a Mobile Administrator of my company, and recently some of the users have preordered the iPhone 4 and they started to receive these phone’s last week. There is a new feature called FaceTime, which lets users do a face to face chat on their phone, like Skype. The users are able to … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/25/security-update-google-releases-new-chrome/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/25/security-update-google-releases-new-chrome/ Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Google has released Chrome 5.0.375.86 for Linux, Mac, and Windows to address multiple vulnerabilities. As always I highly recommend that you update to the current version of the Google Chrome browser, for security reasons. If you are looking for more information on what was updated in this version you can check out, Google Chrome Releases … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/22/most-overlooked-configuration-items/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/22/most-overlooked-configuration-items/ Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT No matter how prepared and how well documented the network is, sometimes techs forget some basic configurations sometimes. It’s never intentional, but sometimes there are small configurations that we just need to double check. Below is a list of some things that I’ve seen (and have) forgotten to double check when doing a project. Subnets … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/21/qa-monday-network-design/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/21/qa-monday-network-design/ Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: Hello Jim, I have only been a network administrator for only a short period of time, and recently I’ve been asked by a friend to design a network for his new business. I’ve only managed a network that was already in place when I accepted the job, and haven’t had much experience designing a … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/18/best-practices-for-password-policy/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/18/best-practices-for-password-policy/ Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT I’ve seen a lot of different companies send out a secure password when a user starts out, but when the user changes their password, they may make it something less secure. That’s why I thought I’d go over some of the configurable Group Policy Settings with some of the best practices for password settings. I … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/17/apple-launches-itunes-9-2/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/17/apple-launches-itunes-9-2/ Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT I’ve been waiting since last week for iTunes to be updated to support the new iPhone, but along with making the software ready for the iPhone, there are some security issues that this new version of iTunes fixes. Apple has released iTunes 9.2 for Windows systems to address multiple vulnerabilities affecting the ColorSync, ImageIO, and … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/17/windows-7-ftp-server/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/17/windows-7-ftp-server/ Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT There are many reasons you might want to set up your own FTP server, you want access to files when you are not in the office or home. But what many people don’t know is that winthin Windows 7 has a built in FTP server to it, and to activate and confgure it is easier … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/16/top-5-chrome-extensions-you-should-have/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/16/top-5-chrome-extensions-you-should-have/ Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Very recently, I’ve been sucked into using Google’s browser Chrome. I remember trying it out when it was first launched and wasn’t really impressed with it then. Like so many things, with experience comes knowledge and I’ve now come to love the browser, though it’s not exclusive at this point, and have heard similar stories … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/11/adobe-flash-update/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/11/adobe-flash-update/ Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Adobe has finally dealt with part of the security issues that it addressed earlier in the week. Adobe has finally updated their Flash Player with the release of version 10.1 (download here). It is recommended that as soon as possible you update all your computer and servers. Note that this update does not fix the … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/09/google-release-new-chrome-5-0-375-70/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/09/google-release-new-chrome-5-0-375-70/ Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Google has released Chrome 5.0.375.70 for Linux, Mac, and Windows to address multiple vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, conduct cross-site scripting attacks, bypass security restrictions, or obtain sensitive information. I shouldn’t have to tell you, but I will anyway, if you are using an older version of the Chrome … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/08/adobe-security-issue/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/08/adobe-security-issue/ Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Apparently there is a big security hole in the Adobe Products affecting the following Products: Systems Affected Adobe Flash Player 10.0.45.2 and earlier 10.x versions Adobe Flash Player 9.0.262 and earlier 9.x versions Adobe Reader 9.3.2 and earlier 9.x versions Adobe Acrobat 9.3.2 and earlier 9.x versions Other Adobe products that support Flash may … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/08/apple-releases-safari-5-0-and-4-1/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/08/apple-releases-safari-5-0-and-4-1/ Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Now this may seem confusing there are two different versions of this update? Well if you are someone who currently uses the Safari browser often but let me break this down for you as best I can…Safari 5.0 and Safari 4.1 address the same set of security issues, so if you don’t know which version … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/08/microsoft-security-updates-june-8th-2010/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/08/microsoft-security-updates-june-8th-2010/ Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Security Updates Update: MS10-032/KB979559 Type: Important Affected Systems: 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7, 2008, 2008 R2 What it does: A trio of bugs in the Windows kernel can allow the use of malformed fonts to allow escalation of privileges attacks. It would be a bit hard to sneak a font onto the system without some … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/07/qa-monday-disable-taskbar-preview/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/07/qa-monday-disable-taskbar-preview/ Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: Hi Jim, I am a big fan of you blog, and found your site a while back while looking for blue screen problems I was having on my XP machine. I just bought another computer with Windows 7 on it, and I hate the task bar preview, is there a way to get rid … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/04/backups-tape-vs-replication/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/04/backups-tape-vs-replication/ Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT I’ve been asked this question enough since this site started, so I’ve finally decided to take the time and write the article. What are my thoughts on the relatively new debate on Tape Backus versus replicating the data off-site. You’ll find many people taking up sides in this debate, but in my opinion no one … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/03/system-admins-vacation-checklist/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/03/system-admins-vacation-checklist/ Thu, 03 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Now that we are officially in summer, there are a lot of administrators that are planning their vacation. The problem is that many of them will have to still be tethered to the office solving problems. I’ve been in that situation, where while on vacation, I’ve gotten the phone call about a small problem that … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/02/classic-start-menu-in-windows-7/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/02/classic-start-menu-in-windows-7/ Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT One of the first things that I’ve noticed when I moved over to Windows 7 was the loss of my classic start menu in Windows. Switching to the classic menu has been one of the first things that I’ve done on a new install of Windows. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who was upset … https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/01/it-manager-how-to-motivate-your-employees/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/06/01/it-manager-how-to-motivate-your-employees/ Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT A while ago I had heard the fact that 85% of people in the work force today are either unhappy with their job or completely hate their jobs. One of the first things Most managers will tell you that an unhappy employee can cause havoc on their productivity. In IT you can run into even … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/31/qa-monday-upgrade-vs-fresh-install/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/31/qa-monday-upgrade-vs-fresh-install/ Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: Hi Jim, I am a new System Administrator, and the first thing that is assigned to me was to plan our upgrading our operating systems to Windows 7. Our environment is a mix of Windows Vista and Windows XP, and I’m not sure if we should just use the upgrade option or complete … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/29/warning-facebook-malware-attack/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/29/warning-facebook-malware-attack/ Sat, 29 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT A Facebook phishing attack is on the loose this weekend. The attack attempts to steal your Facebook login credentials, install malware on your computer, and even get your home address. The attack is spread via a “hilarious video” posted to Facebook walls, via a report on WebSense, when the wall post is clicked, a form … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/27/cisco-security-advisory-multiple-vulnerabilities-in-cisco-network-building-mediator/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/27/cisco-security-advisory-multiple-vulnerabilities-in-cisco-network-building-mediator/ Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Multiple vulnerabilities exist in the Cisco Network Building Mediator (NBM) products. These vulnerabilities also affect the legacy Richards-Zeta Mediator products. This security advisory outlines details of the following vulnerabilities: Default credentials Privilege escalation Unauthorized information interception Unauthorized information access Cisco has released free software updates that address these vulnerabilities. Workarounds that mitigate some of the … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/26/5-blackberry-apps-for-small-businesses/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/26/5-blackberry-apps-for-small-businesses/ Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT The blackberry you may have in your hand does more that just e-mail, and it can be used to help you run your small business. We’ve all heard that the android and apple phone’s had apps, and hear very little about the Blackberry Apps. So I wanted to give the small business owners some … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/26/att-raises-smartphone-early-termination-fee-to-325/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/26/att-raises-smartphone-early-termination-fee-to-325/ Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT In a desperate attempt to keep users with them, AT&T announce a couple of days ago that they are upping the smartphone early terminiation free from $175 to$325 starting on June 1st 2010. I wonder if this could have anything to do with AT&T’s exclusive contract with Apple’s iPhone expiring and the rumors of the … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/26/google-releases-chrome-update/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/26/google-releases-chrome-update/ Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Google has released Chrome version 5.0.375.55 for Linux, Mac, and Windows to address multiple vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to bypass security restrictions, execute script in an unsafe context, or mislead users. You can check out this entry for more information about exactly what updated where applied to this new version. This version … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/25/microsoft-security-updates-may-25th-2010/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/25/microsoft-security-updates-may-25th-2010/ Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT On Tuesday May 25th Microsoft released a round of minor updates for the Windows Operating System. Here’s what they are and what they do: SECURITY UPDATES: Update: KB982632-Windows 7/KB981793-XP Type: Recommended Affected Systems: 2000, 2003, XP, Vista, 7, NT What it does: Install this update to resolve issues caused by revised daylight saving time and … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/25/support-for-windows-xp-sp2-and-2000-will-end-soon/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/25/support-for-windows-xp-sp2-and-2000-will-end-soon/ Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT If you haven’t updated to Windows XP Service Pack 3, you should really look into that prior to July 13th 2010, if you ever want help from Microsoft. After July 13th 2010, Microsoft will no longer support Windows XP Sp2 as well as Windows 2000 Operating Systems. Though Microsoft hasn’t given any indication of … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/24/qa-monday-remotely-turn-on-computer/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/24/qa-monday-remotely-turn-on-computer/ Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: I constantly turn off my home office computer when I am not using it to save energy. I don’t think this is possible, but I thought there would be no harm in asking you the question anyway. Is there a way for me to remotely turn on my computer when I am not in … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/21/facebook-and-others-sending-you-data/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/21/facebook-and-others-sending-you-data/ Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT The Wall Street Journal had an article, that reported that Facebook and several other popular social media sites were sending information to their advertisers when you click on an ad. This information could help companies find your name or other personal information without your consent…despite claiming they don’t do that without your consent.The sites participating … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/19/apple-releases-update-for-java-on-os-x-10-5-and-10-6/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/19/apple-releases-update-for-java-on-os-x-10-5-and-10-6/ Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Apple has released Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 7 and Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 2 to address multiple vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial-of-service condition. I would recommend that anyone who has a Apple computer or administrates an apple computer goto … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/19/hide-drives-from-your-computer-in-windows-7/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/19/hide-drives-from-your-computer-in-windows-7/ Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT If you’ve got drives in My Computer that you never access, such as a USB Flash drive that is used s olely for MagicJack, a floppy drive, or a network drive only used for a particular piece of software, then you might want to hide the drive from your computer, so it doesn’t bother you. … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/18/facebook-privacy-scanner/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/18/facebook-privacy-scanner/ Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT A lot of recent concern over Facebook and their recent privacy changes and people are either talking about deleting their Facebook pages or trying to navigate the privacy settings to keep them safe. The latter is what I though I would do, since when I’m not at work, I’m addicted to Facebook. I thought I … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/17/question-and-answer-stop-domain-users-from-installing-files/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/17/question-and-answer-stop-domain-users-from-installing-files/ Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: I have Windows 2003 domain and some users have local admin rights. I would like to prevent these users from installing any software on their PCs. Bobby Clem Boulder, CO Answer: In an ideal world we wouldn’t have users who were also local administrators, but we in the IT world often have perfect … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/14/linux-newbie-mistakes/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/14/linux-newbie-mistakes/ Fri, 14 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Being a Network Administrator I’ve ran my fair share of Linux servers with various Linux OS’s on them doing many things. I’ve decided to give you some tips on using the Linux OS when you are more familiar with another OS. This isn’t meant to give you everything you need, but give you the ground … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/12/consultants-and-deadlines/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/12/consultants-and-deadlines/ Wed, 12 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT I’ve spent some time consulting for a small and medium sized companies and I’ve seen many consultants make many errors and one of the worse for you clients is blowing deadlines. Now for me to say that you’ll never run into a situation where your project is incomplete when the deadline comes would just be … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/11/apple-soon-to-release-ipad-wireless-fix/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/11/apple-soon-to-release-ipad-wireless-fix/ Tue, 11 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT For those of you that have iPads in your business, you might be aware of the Wifi bug that the iPad has. If you don’t, then you are lucky, pretty much when the iPad goes to sleep and then wakes up, it no longer checks to see if your router or DHCP server still has … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/11/microsoft-patch-tuesday-may-11th-2010/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/11/microsoft-patch-tuesday-may-11th-2010/ Tue, 11 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT On Tuesday May 11th Microsoft released another round of updates for the Windows Operating System. Here’s what they are and what they do: SECURITY UPDATES: Update: MS10-030/KB978542 Type: Critical Affected Systems: XP, 7, 2003, 3008, 2008 R2, Outlook Express 5.5 and 6.0 for 2000 What it does: Outlook Express, Windows Mail, and Windows Live Mail … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/10/qa-monday-reinstalling-wan-miniport/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/10/qa-monday-reinstalling-wan-miniport/ Mon, 10 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: My WAN miniport has gone missing. I accidentally deleted it durring some computer troubleshooting. Do you know how to get it back short of a complete Windows re-install? Thanks, Howard S. Jordan Montgomery, AL Answer: It’s been a while since I’ve been in this situation, but this should work: Download devcon.exe from some Microsoft site. Open netrasa.inf … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/07/windows-7-command-prompt/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/07/windows-7-command-prompt/ Fri, 07 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT One thing I like in Windows 7 is the easier way they have to open Command Prompt, and it can be done from any folder. To open a command prompt just press and hold down the shift button and select the “Open Command Prompt here” tab. It’s that simple, and was a time saver for … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/06/avg-free-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/06/avg-free-vs-microsoft-security-essentials/ Thu, 06 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT For the longest time when asked about a free anti-virus/anti-spyware software that I would use and recommend, usually top of the list would be AVG Free and I think that many of the techs that I worked with would agree with it. Infact another tech originally turned me on to the software and it became … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/05/admin-toolkit-5-linux-tools-you-need-for-windows/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/05/admin-toolkit-5-linux-tools-you-need-for-windows/ Wed, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT I think most System Admins have a USB thumb-drive with a bunch of tools that may be needed to diagnose any problems that might come to their network or their own computer. (Or is it just me?) I plan to go over what tools I use in more detail at a later time, but for … https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/03/qa-monday-test-your-security/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/05/03/qa-monday-test-your-security/ Mon, 03 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: Hi, I’m not a computer expert, but I just switched internet providers and I want to make sure that my home network is secure by seeings what “ports” are open? –Leah J. Hemby, Stockbridge, GA Answer: There is a website that I’ve used and recommended to other to use to self test their own … https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/28/delete-hiberfil-sys-to-regain-space/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/28/delete-hiberfil-sys-to-regain-space/ Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT Just incase you didn’t know when you activate the hibernate function on your laptop or computer, Windows takes a snapshot of your running programs, open files, etc. and writes that information to your hard drive in a file. The hibernate function was designed to speed up shutdowns and restarts and save power on laptops. Hiberfil.sys, is the name … https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/26/qa-mondayhow-can-i-display-computer-information-on-my-desktop/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/26/qa-mondayhow-can-i-display-computer-information-on-my-desktop/ Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: I was visiting another data center and while given a glimpse of their servers, I saw on the desktops of their server had their server information. I’ve seen this at other companies, and with the large amount of physical and virtual servers I have in my data center, it would help me keep the … https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/23/blackberry-java-exception/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/23/blackberry-java-exception/ Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT A Blackberry was handed to me, that wouldn’t turn on the Bluetooth on the device. When I would click to turn it on…it would try and then uncheck the box and show me a red X. Going to the Bluetooth options or attempting to connect the Bluetooth would do nothing…I could click and click … https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/21/exchange-2007-and-shared-mailboxes/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/21/exchange-2007-and-shared-mailboxes/ Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT In many environments it might come in handy to create a “Shared Mailbox”, this would be a mailbox that does not have an “active” user associated with this. Exchange 2007 lets you create a shared mailbox, that created and then disabled an active directory account. This creates the mailbox without the pesky problem of having … https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/19/qa-monday-move-files-to-new-computer/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/19/qa-monday-move-files-to-new-computer/ Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: Hi, I have an XP SP3 setup that I’ve tweaked to perfection (for me at least) and would like to maintain those files and settings when I get a new PC. Both machines have ASUS motherboards, the old with Intel Core 2 Duo E8400, the new with Intel i5. I have done some research … https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/16/helpful-xp-registry-hacks-part-2/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/16/helpful-xp-registry-hacks-part-2/ Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT I had a couple more registry hacks that I thought might be interesting, but not as useful as the first bunch. Since it is Friday and usually I have these things thought out, I’m going to throw more registry hacks at you…and maybe you’ll find them more useful than I do. Change categories in the Control … https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/14/dell-powervault-nas-8002801d-error/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/14/dell-powervault-nas-8002801d-error/ Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT Ok, so if you are reading this entry, then that means like me, you are administering a Dell PowerVault NAS error and when going to certain managment websites you got one of the following errors: Persistent Images to Restore, error ‘8002801d’ ,Library not registered. /snapshots/psm_vr_list.asp, line 513 Volume Settings, error ‘8002801d’ ,Library not registered. /snapshots/psm_setup_list.asp, line … https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/12/finding-enabled-active-directory-users/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/12/finding-enabled-active-directory-users/ Mon, 12 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: We are looking at a couple different software packages for several processes in my company, though a lot of vendors are charging by active AD accounts. Is there a way to just find all enabled active directory accounts, without having to goto all OU’s and count them. Answer: I have been there many times, … https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/09/helpful-xp-registry-hacks/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/09/helpful-xp-registry-hacks/ Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT Every-once in a while, someone asks me for neat little tricks or how to customize their computer. One of the things that I find fun to do, are registry hacks to make Windows XP do things that otherwise I couldn’t do. Also some of these things can be implemented as minor security measures or help you … https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/07/qa-wednesday-screen-saver-group-policy/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/07/qa-wednesday-screen-saver-group-policy/ Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT Since I for some reason thought that Monday was Wednesday, it only seems right for me to post Q&A Monday on Wednesday: Question: Hi I am currently running Windows 2003 on my servers. I have two DC’s in my environment. Clients are running Windows XP. I have 5 OUs created for the varying users in … https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/05/sysprep-for-windows-server-2008/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/04/05/sysprep-for-windows-server-2008/ Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT I was going sysprep a base image of Windows Server 2008 today and followed my usual method of SysPreping a machine…when I noticed somethin. I went to the DVD and couldn’t find sysprep anywhere. figuring my last entry might have been wrong I looked around and discovered that sysprep is installed by default on Windwos Server 2008. You can find … https://jimguckin.com/2010/03/31/sysprep-windows/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/03/31/sysprep-windows/ Wed, 31 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT Every single time it comes to me setting up a bunch of servers in a cloned environment, I always need to sit down and try to remember how this works or end up searching the web for the answers that I am looking for. So enough it enough and I wanted to take the time … https://jimguckin.com/2010/03/29/qa-moday-exchange-2007-e-mail-forwards/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/03/29/qa-moday-exchange-2007-e-mail-forwards/ Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: I am new to the Exchange 2007 environment, I’ve worked with Exchange 5.5, 2000, and 2003 and I’m running into a problem that I don’t know how to fix. I have a user who wants to forward all incoming e-mail from our email server to his personal GMail account. I loaded his Outlook profile … https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/24/cool-site-prey-project/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/24/cool-site-prey-project/ Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT In today’s world system admins can’t be too careful about where their equipment ends up, I’ve seen many Admins get panicked when a laptop goes missing, especially when the company doesn’t have a decent check-in and check-out system for their equipment. Though there isn’t any fool proof way to find a stolen laptop, I’ve recently … https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/22/qa-monday-disable-programs-that-start-with-windows/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/22/qa-monday-disable-programs-that-start-with-windows/ Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT Every once in a while, I get the following question: Question: How do I stop programs from running when I start up my computer? Answer: This is actually a very simple process. The first place would be the check the windows start up folder, by clicking on the Start Bar going to programs and then … https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/15/qa-moday-lesser-known-word-shortcut-keys/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/15/qa-moday-lesser-known-word-shortcut-keys/ Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: I use Microsoft Word, are there any short-cut keys that could help me format my documents? I’ve asked my IT guys, but they show me how to bold, italicize and etc but nothing really cool…do you know any? Answer: Crtl+Shift+D = Double Underline Ctrl+] = Increase Font Size Ctrl+] = Decrease Font Size Ctrl+Shift+A … https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/12/outlook-2010-beta-bug-fix/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/12/outlook-2010-beta-bug-fix/ Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT If like me, you downloaded the 2010 Office Beta, you may be interested to know there is already a path out for the Outlook 2010 portion. Now Microsoft releasing Patches is nothing new, and I think it’s funny to release a patch for the product prior to it coming out, but that’s exactly what the … https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/10/virtualization-planning/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/10/virtualization-planning/ Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT When deciding you need to virtualize your network there are some things you need to consider prior to doing so. https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/08/qa-monday-re-looking-for-a-job/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/08/qa-monday-re-looking-for-a-job/ Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT On February 5th 2010, I did a blog, talking about my experiences and some tips about looking for a job [Looking for a job] and I got the following question. Rather than just answer the questions in the comments, I thought it would warrant an follow up entry. Though I got e-mails saying the tips … https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/05/google-sync-and-outlook-2010-beta/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/05/google-sync-and-outlook-2010-beta/ Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT If you are like me, you usually rush to download the newest beta’s that are released, and for some bragging rights, you loose some functionality. That was the case with me and my download of the Office 2010 Beta, I use Google Sync to sync my Google and Outlook calendars, yet the Google Sync … https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/03/looking-for-a-job/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/02/03/looking-for-a-job/ Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT I have been absent from my regular posting due to the fact, that I myself have been found laid off and looking for a job. Because I haven’t been actively working with technology it’s been hard for me to sit down and write a blog. All of a sudden it came to me today, I … https://jimguckin.com/2010/01/12/qa-monday-hard-drive-wipe/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/01/12/qa-monday-hard-drive-wipe/ Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: At my company we are throwing out a bunch of older computers, and I want to make sure that all the data on the computer and servers are completely non recoverable, is there an easy way to do this?Answer: I’ve seen two major approaches to this kind of problem. One of them is the … https://jimguckin.com/2010/01/08/windows-printer-pooling/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/01/08/windows-printer-pooling/ Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT You may run into a situation where you need to pool a bunch of printers together and have the jobs printed to them spread out amongst different printers. One example is if you company prints a bunch of reports on a regular basis. Printing to just one printer (depending on the size of your … https://jimguckin.com/2010/01/06/virtualized-domain-controllers/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/01/06/virtualized-domain-controllers/ Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT I got a call yesterday from my old job, it was the software specialist who was having problems with the VMWare 3.51 server which I installed a couple of months before I left. Though by the time I was able to get a break and call them back, but it got me thinking about my … https://jimguckin.com/2010/01/04/qa-monday-domain-password-last-changed/ https://jimguckin.com/2010/01/04/qa-monday-domain-password-last-changed/ Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT Question: I am in a situation on where I need to find out when the last time a user changed their network password. Our domain policy forces the change in account passwords every 120 days, and a user is claiming that it’s been longer than that, I checked the GPO and everything looks OK, but … https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/30/changing-ip-address-of-vmware-esx-host/ https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/30/changing-ip-address-of-vmware-esx-host/ Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT I’ve come into many occasions where I needed to change the IP address of an ESX server. In one ocassion there was tiering a network so the servers were on a different network from the workstations, and in another it was moving the ESX server to a test network where it could not touch the … https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/28/qa-monday-server-disk-defrag/ https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/28/qa-monday-server-disk-defrag/ Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT Question: I was recently promoted to a Junior System Admin role at my company, and server maintenance has recently come under my job responsibility. I was wondering if it is a good idea to defragment the disk on the servers? We occasionally do defrags on the local PCs, but does defraging a server really help? … https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/23/remove-the-net-framework-assistant-for-firefox/ https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/23/remove-the-net-framework-assistant-for-firefox/ Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT Like me you may have abandoned the Internet Explorer browser for the more secure Firefox. Well if you recently updated your computer, Microsoft may have snuck a vulnerability into Firefox without even telling you. If you take a look at the installed add-ons in Firefox you might notice an add-on called Microsoft .net Framework Assistant. … https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/21/qa-monday-change-remote-desktop-port/ https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/21/qa-monday-change-remote-desktop-port/ Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT Question: Do you know if there is any way to change the port number of remote desktop? I am looking to make RDP more secure by changing the default port on our servers. Answer: There is a way to change the default port for all supported versions of Windows and it isn’t really that complicated. … https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/16/its-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year-for-viruses/ https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/16/its-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year-for-viruses/ Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT I know that this time of the year, the average home users computer is pretty vulnerable to virus, spyware and malware attacks. The reason I think this is, is because with most newer computers you get a year of Anti Virus protection, and well that year is coming to an end. Most people in this … https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/14/qa-monday-blue-screen-of-doom/ https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/14/qa-monday-blue-screen-of-doom/ Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT Question: I turned off my computer normally yesterday and used it for no more than half an hour. I tried turning it on this morning and the blue screen of death showed up. It reset and this time showed me the black screen which tells me that Windows was not successfully shut down along with … https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/11/check-browser-compatibility-fast-and-easy/ https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/11/check-browser-compatibility-fast-and-easy/ Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT Now like a lot of businesses now a day rely heavily on websites, and with the explosion of different browsers how can you make sure your site looks as good as it can on as many of them as possible? Before I would have as many different browsers located on my computer and load up … https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/09/slow-time-of-the-year/ https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/09/slow-time-of-the-year/ Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT In most of the jobs that I have had, this time of the year (November to January) can be the slow months of the year. With most parts of the year sometime we can end up shelving projects or running checks, but this time of year we can easily get complacent with just relaxing and … https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/07/qna-monday/ https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/07/qna-monday/ Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT Question: I have created a small (lets call it a web site) and I want to put it on a CD and have it ‘autorun’? Answer: Autorun is a feature of the Windows operating systems. Autorun is feature that detects when a CD is inserted and runs an application based on the Autorun.inf file located … https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/05/office-2010-beta-review/ https://jimguckin.com/2009/12/05/office-2010-beta-review/ Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT So the otherday I got an e-mail about downloading the new Beta of Office 2010. Now prior to this year, I would have just delted the e-mail and never looked back on it. Yet, as of this year I decided to look forward and be more proactive, than reactive and take pride in my work. …