To check the SIM number with the phone on, hit the following:
1. #
2. *
3. Menu button
4. Right arrow button
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Monday, May 08, 2006
TIPS & TRICKS: Using Sysprep and Ghost to Clone Windows XP Installs
I've created images countless times for my machines. However, I've never been able to successfully create an image using Microsoft's Sysprep and Symantec's Ghost, though the Ghost part of it works fine. Here are some of the problems I've run into along the way:
- After customizing user profiles and copying/applying to Default User, running Sysprep negates all of those customized settings and applies to all users the settings in the Administrator's Profile (something I don't want).
- Though I use a VLA license and check the box in the Sysprep window to "Skip activation", the setup still calls for me to enter a product key
- Sysprep continues to install factory icons (i.e. Tour Windows XP, Windows Media Player, etc.) for each new profile created, even though I customized the Default User to not have it. This could be related to Sysprep ignoring the customized Default User profile I created before running Sysprep or it could be some other setting in Windows that scripts in those icons. If so, anyone have any idea how to modify it?
Microsoft Hotfix: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887816
Just ran the hotfix and it didn't seem to work. However, I ran the hotfix first then created Default User profile.
Just discovered that Sysprep with the hotfix works when using the mini-setup option. I've started to customize a sysprep.inf file for a fully automated install.
The sysprep.inf file works great, including automatically inputting in the license key, which also skips the activation process typically needed. My sysprep.inf file also adds the machine to our AD forest. I do end up having to go back into the machine and changing the computer name after it's been added to the AD, but that's a small step compared to having to go through the entire mini-setup.
- After customizing user profiles and copying/applying to Default User, running Sysprep negates all of those customized settings and applies to all users the settings in the Administrator's Profile (something I don't want).
- Though I use a VLA license and check the box in the Sysprep window to "Skip activation", the setup still calls for me to enter a product key
- Sysprep continues to install factory icons (i.e. Tour Windows XP, Windows Media Player, etc.) for each new profile created, even though I customized the Default User to not have it. This could be related to Sysprep ignoring the customized Default User profile I created before running Sysprep or it could be some other setting in Windows that scripts in those icons. If so, anyone have any idea how to modify it?
Microsoft Hotfix: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887816
Just ran the hotfix and it didn't seem to work. However, I ran the hotfix first then created Default User profile.
Just discovered that Sysprep with the hotfix works when using the mini-setup option. I've started to customize a sysprep.inf file for a fully automated install.
The sysprep.inf file works great, including automatically inputting in the license key, which also skips the activation process typically needed. My sysprep.inf file also adds the machine to our AD forest. I do end up having to go back into the machine and changing the computer name after it's been added to the AD, but that's a small step compared to having to go through the entire mini-setup.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
TIPS & TRICKS: Getting Palm User to Sync with Exchange on a Machine without Admin Access
Ran into trouble yesterday trying to figure out why a user of mine with a Palm m505 couldn't sync properly with her machine. When I originally installed her Palm Desktop 4.02, I didn't have a problem syncing and also tested as her and it worked beautifully. It turned out to be a 2 part problem.
First, her profile would not recognize the cradle as being plugged in via USB. When I right-clicked on the Hotsync icon in the taskbar tray, only Local Serial showed. I proceeded to try to reinstall the Palm Desktop software and conduits using the Run As command, since the user does not have admin access to install software. That seemed to work, until I rebooted and retested. Before the reboot, the Local USB option showed up. After rebooting, the Local USB option disappeared again.
Next, I tried to reinstall the software under my own profile. Again, the Local USB option came back after the reinstall. It also remained after rebooting. However, logging into her limited access profile yielded the same problematic result. The Local USB option would not stay.
Then I noticed that the driver that Windows needs to recognize the cradle was being installed into the System32 folder. That gave me the idea of enabling her account as admin. I installed the software again under her profile, this time with her as admin. Local USB showed up again and also remained after reboot. Success...or so I thought.
After removing her admin access, I got a new error message involving the software's inability to link the categories of data between the Palm and Outlook/Exchange. Great! If it's not one thing, it's another. Nevertheless, I did manage to keep the Local USB option from disappearing.
The second part of the problem, stumped me for awhile, until I realized that the when her user account had admin access, everything worked flawlessly. That brought me to thinking that something needed access that she couldn't provide as a limited user. This version of the Palm Desktop software installs its necessary software outside of the standard Program Files folder. It creates a Palm folder at the root of C and gets everything it needs from there during syncing. I decided to give her full access to that folder, whether she's admin or not. Then, voila, the error message took care of itself.
So to sum up, the Palm Desktop software should be installed as the user who's going to use it if they are not going to be admin. It should be installed by switching the limited user to admin, install the software, then switching them back to limited user. Then give them full access to the Palm folder, which will work without having to pass permissions all the way through the folder.
Note: Most times, I just installed the software on top of the existing software. I did try once to remove the software first, reboot, and then try to install the software from scratch. None of this made a difference.
First, her profile would not recognize the cradle as being plugged in via USB. When I right-clicked on the Hotsync icon in the taskbar tray, only Local Serial showed. I proceeded to try to reinstall the Palm Desktop software and conduits using the Run As command, since the user does not have admin access to install software. That seemed to work, until I rebooted and retested. Before the reboot, the Local USB option showed up. After rebooting, the Local USB option disappeared again.
Next, I tried to reinstall the software under my own profile. Again, the Local USB option came back after the reinstall. It also remained after rebooting. However, logging into her limited access profile yielded the same problematic result. The Local USB option would not stay.
Then I noticed that the driver that Windows needs to recognize the cradle was being installed into the System32 folder. That gave me the idea of enabling her account as admin. I installed the software again under her profile, this time with her as admin. Local USB showed up again and also remained after reboot. Success...or so I thought.
After removing her admin access, I got a new error message involving the software's inability to link the categories of data between the Palm and Outlook/Exchange. Great! If it's not one thing, it's another. Nevertheless, I did manage to keep the Local USB option from disappearing.
The second part of the problem, stumped me for awhile, until I realized that the when her user account had admin access, everything worked flawlessly. That brought me to thinking that something needed access that she couldn't provide as a limited user. This version of the Palm Desktop software installs its necessary software outside of the standard Program Files folder. It creates a Palm folder at the root of C and gets everything it needs from there during syncing. I decided to give her full access to that folder, whether she's admin or not. Then, voila, the error message took care of itself.
So to sum up, the Palm Desktop software should be installed as the user who's going to use it if they are not going to be admin. It should be installed by switching the limited user to admin, install the software, then switching them back to limited user. Then give them full access to the Palm folder, which will work without having to pass permissions all the way through the folder.
Note: Most times, I just installed the software on top of the existing software. I did try once to remove the software first, reboot, and then try to install the software from scratch. None of this made a difference.
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