Windows Vista

Where can I find information regarding new/updated drivers required to run Vista?
Where can I find Information regarding deploying Vista?
Sysprep links for XP and Vista
Mapping a Novell drive on Windows Vista
Wireless networking on vista doesn't get a valid DHCP IP
Microsoft Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET)
How to map Novell network drive when running Windows Vista
Windows Vista and Roxio causes cd-rom/dvd drive not to recognize
Network Printing Problems in Vista
Where do I download Windows Vista language packs?
Dell Optiplex GX620 systems and Windows Vista

Where can I find information regarding new/updated drivers required to run Vista?

If youâ€™re intending to install Vista on your computers, the process will likely require the installation of new/updated drivers. RadarSync offers a free, easy to browse clearinghouse for Vista drivers at www.radarsync.com/vista/ .

Where can I find Information regarding deploying Vista?

To download Microsoftâ€™s step-by-step guides providing instructions for IT professionals deploying or migrating to Vista, please go to:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=311f4be8-9983-4ab0-9685-f1bfec1e7d62&DisplayLang=en

Microsoft states that their Business Desktop Deployment 2007 is â€œthe best practice set of comprehensive guidance and tools to optimally deploy desktops running Windows Vistaâ€. See for yourself at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/desktopdeployment/bdd/2007/default.mspx

Sysprep links for XP and Vista

enjoy, links that i keep handy

technet xp
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457073.aspx

technet vista
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc721929.aspx

sysprep with ghost
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/on-technology.nsf/docid/2000081610075225

Mapping a Novell drive on Windows Vista

Change Security Policy on Windows Vista in order to map a Novell Drive.

Administrative Tools
Click on Local Security Policy
Click on Local Policies
Click on Security Options
Find "Network security: LAN Manager authentication level
Set value to Send LM and NTLM responses

This should allow for the Novell mappings to take

Wireless networking on vista doesn't get a valid DHCP IP

When trying to connect to the UCLAWLAN, the IP obtained would be 169.254.×.×. This is sign that the machine cannot reach the DHCP server.

From Microsoft’s knowledgebase article on this.
Consider the following scenario:
â€¢ You connect a Windows Vista-based computer to a network.
â€¢ A router or other device that is configured as a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server is configured on the network.
â€¢ The router or the other device does not support the DHCP BROADCAST flag.
In this scenario, Windows Vista cannot obtain an IP address.

Cause:
This issue occurs because of a difference in design between Windows Vista and Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2). Specifically, in Windows XP SP2, the BROADCAST flag in DHCP discovery packets is set to 0 (disabled). In Windows Vista, the BROADCAST flag in DHCP discovery packets is not disabled. Therefore, some routers and some non-Microsoft DHCP servers cannot process the DHCP discovery packets.

See Microsoft’s knowledgebase article for the solution:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928233/EN-US/

Microsoft Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET)

Microsoft EMET 5 has now been released to general availability.

Could be an interesting addition for those needing Internet Explorer and added protection—

TechNet Blogs–

Feel free to add links to other articles about EMET which may be useful and/or interesting. Thanks!

How to map Novell network drive when running Windows Vista

With the introduction of Windows Vista, mapping network drive to the Novell server without using the Novell Vista Client is still possible. In order to accomplish this, you have to make some changes with the way Vista authenticate.

Open Control Panel
Administrative Tools
Local Security Policy
Local Policies
Security Options
Double-click on Network Security: Lan Manager Authentication Level

On the drop down box, you want to change/select “Send LM & NTLM – use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated”

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa] “LmCompatibilityLevel”=dword:00000001

Once this is done, from windows explorer, you can click on map network drive and fill in the pertinent information such as \\servername.sscnet.ucla.edu\share.

If you Windows local account is the same as your Novell login ID, then you don’t have to do anything.

If it is different, you can choose to login using a different user name.

Windows Vista and Roxio causes cd-rom/dvd drive not to recognize

On certain version of Roxio Easy CD Creator on Windows Vista, the DVD drive may not be recognized. In Device Manager, the DVD drive cannot start.

When Vista SP1 is reapplied, this fix needs to be reapplied as well.

Link: http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/p2990771.html

“Also do you have roxio easy cd creator that came with it? Sometimes roxio puts upper/lower filters and occasionally a bkp of those filters in the registry causing a drive not to function. Start> regedit. The registry string is HK Loc Machine>system>current control set>control>class look for this key 4D36E965, highlight it and on the right pane of the regedit tool you MIGHT see upper and lower filters, if you delete these if they are listed, reboot and try your drive again.”

Network Printing Problems in Vista

ISSUE 1

I do not know if you have noticed, but here is another big problem with vista when humnet user tries to install network printer.

By default regular users are not permitted to install network printers.

For instance,

You have a user that wants to install a network printer from Clio on his/her profile. They click on Add Printer, Search Network Printer , They Find the printer and they click add. Vista will ask to install the printer and when you click on Install, it does not give them permission to install the driver because obviously they are not administrators. This is not an issue for windows XP user.

Here is a Solution Microsoft has to offer and I think we should add it to our image if we ever going to use vista:

In run Type : gpedit.msc

· If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password or click Continue.

· Under User Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, expand Control Panel, and then click Printers.

· Right-click Point and Print Restrictions in the right hand pane, and then click Properties.

· Click Enabled.

· In the Security Prompts area, select Do not show warning or elevation prompt in the When installing drivers for a new connection box and in the When updating drivers for an existing connection box. These settings enable the print drivers to be installed without credential or elevation prompts.

Now the user is not asked for permission when they try to add a network printer.

ISSUE 2

Vista doesn’t set administrator’s default printer for all users. If you are an administrator and you have created a local TCP/IP account and would like to have that printer to be a default printer for all users. You will need to do the following . This is not the case on XP

Open Notpad

· Type rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry /y /n"HM349-NELC-HP2430 or rundll32 printui.dll PrintUIEntry /y /n"PDF995

o ( notice the printer HM349-NELC-HP2430 has to be installed on the machine in order to be set to default, the above command does not install network printer for you, you will need to install the printer first using TCP/IP connection… )

· Save the file as setdefaultprinter.bat

o Name the file whatever you like just leave the extension as bat short for batch file

· Now under Run type gpedit.msc

· Expand User Configuration

· Expand Windows setting

· Open Scripts(Logon/Logoff)

· Open Logon and add the path for the script.

This will ensure that every time the user logins . you will have your local printer set to default.

Alternative Solution ( installing network printer for user on logon):

Another method requires the popular con2prt.exe file which is part of NT Resource Kit. I have attached the file for you. You can copy the file to your windows\system32 directory to have access to the file from cmd line.

Con2prt.exe connects users to network printer without user interaction with simple command such as

con2print.exe /cd \\clio\HM350-COMPLIT-HP2430 will connect user to printer HM350-COMPLIT-HP2430 and sets the printer to default. to have this command run on logon. Use the gpedit.msc and follow the above instruction.

If you are using Vista, you should resolve issue one first so the user has permission to install the drivers.

This is very helpful since every user till now had to connect to the printer themselves for their profiles and I myself had to do this over and over for my users.

Where do I download Windows Vista language packs?

The recommended method is via Windows Update, per Windows Vista integrated help or the online help here:

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/35a1b021-d96c-49a5-8d8f-5e9d64ab5ecc1033.mspx

Please scroll down for Vista Service Pack 1 MUI’s.
-———————
Click to open Windows Update.

In the left pane, click Check for updates, and then wait while Windows looks for the latest updates for your computer.

If any updates are found, click View available updates.

Select the MUI that you want, and then click Install updates. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
-—-

However, if you do not have any updates, or if, for me, you have updates but it never displays any MUI’s, you have to look for it.

Keep in mind that installing MUI’s is very slow compared to Windows XP.

Per this link from Ars Technica:
http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/99609816/m/855006884831

MUI’s in order -

Chinese (PRC)
Chinese (Hong Kong SAR)
English
Spanish
Swedish
Japanese
Portuguese (Brazil)
Norwegian
Dutch
Finnish
French-
Russian
German
Danish
Korean
Italian

16 32 bit packs:

16 64 bit packs:

For Vista Service Pack 1, this is a partial list of a much more comprehensive one originally from:
http://techblissonline.com/vista-sp1-mui-multilingual-user-interface-64bit-x64-language-packs-download-free/

Dell Optiplex GX620 systems and Windows Vista

Good news: Windows Vista natively supports all components in the typical Dell Optiplex GX620.

Bad news: except for audio.

Worse: Dell lists no Vista drivers of any sort as of this writing on their support site for the GX620.

Dell USA does not list any audio drivers on their support page or training pages, and a call to Dell Gold Support turned up nothing at this time. Cyril at Dell Gold had me try the Optiplex 755 driver, but that returned an error. However a google search turns this up:

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R145149&formatcnt=1&libid=0&fileid=193393

R145149.exe is the packaged Dell ADI 64 Bit Onboard Sound Driver for Vista x64 for the following systems:
-—-
OptiPlex GX280
OptiPlex GX520
OptiPlex GX620
OptiPlex SX280
Dell Precision WorkStation 370
Dell Precision WorkStation 470
Dell Precision WorkStation 670
-—-

This has been installed successfully on Windows Vista Enterprise x64 and passed on to Dell for inclusion in their records.