Trips to the St. Paul office have definitely gotten better over time. The first time I went to the St. Paul office, I was a complete stranger to everyone in the office, the office itself felt temporary and not yet set up completely, and server problems were much more intense. At least they seemed so at the time. Perhaps I’ve learned a bit since then…

Or perhaps I wasn’t playing around with ISA Server.

Yeah, it was definitely ISA Server.

Anyway, trips nowadays are awesome. The office itself has taken on a new life. The designers that moved in from the other offices added their “touch” to the office, making it feel more recreational and fun, and less all-business. It’s also nicer from an IT standpoint. There’s no ISA server, and I know exactly what to expect when I’m working up there (my oh my, the joys of working with a network you set up from scratch).

The quest of this trip was to do the usual maintenace for the St. Paul guys, like updating permissions on shared computers, installing updated software, doing a reinstall or two, etc. There was also the plan of fixing the server.

The server in St. Paul has had a problem with it’s RAID config. Every time the server booted up, it would require user input (press the any key) during the RAID initialization (before Windows, which meant before I could remote to it and do anything useful). The plan of attack was to install Server 2008 and be done with it. Fortunately, it’s installed now and I’m just doing some mundane tasks (dcpromo–you know, the fun stuff). There is a small list of things that I would have liked to know before-hand, so I’m going to share these notes with you, dear reader.

Stuff you should do before implementing a Server 2008 DC in your Server 2003 network.

(FYI: If, for some reason, you have Server 2000 servers in your network, make sure they’re SP2 or higher [you haven't upgraded?] Strange things will happen otherwise, and you’ll be warned about it several times during the configuration)

ProTip #1: Prepare your forest

Fortunately, I had a Server 2008 image in Allenton. Otherwise, this would have been messy. On your forest domain controller, run adprep.exe /forestprep. This program is on your Server 2008 DVD under sources/adprep. Need I say that you need to match the architecture? :) Let it do it’s thing. Once it completes, run adprep.exe /domainprep /gpprep. Gpprep updates your group policy. If you don’t include it, the tool will tell you that you need it. Just giving you a heads up!

ProTip #2: Replicate

When working in a multi-site environment, this part is fun. I was impatient, so I played around in Sites and Services and forced replication, but you’re better off just letting it do it’s thing. If your domain uses the usual 4-times-an-hour replication, then your other site should be updated in 1-2 hours. If you’re playing around with more than 2 sites, I’m sure it’ll take longer. You can test replication by using dcdiag /tests:replication, or just try the next step. If it fails, then keep waiting

ProTip #3: Prepare the domain

Walk over to the other server in the domain you are installing to–Server 2008 disc in hand, of course–and run adprep.exe /domainprep. If this fails, go back to step 2. If it succeeds, then you’ve prepared your existing environment. Log off your Server 2003 machine and get back on to that Server 2008 box again.

ProTip #4: Install Active Directory

You can take it from here. My only informational note is this: I have no idea what happens if you leave “use advanced settings” unchecked. I’ve always checked it. I’m sure it Wizardify’s the process even more. I’ll keep my tried and true method, thank you.

ProTip #5: Enjoy!

Hey, nice server you got there!

~Jaker

Yes, this Media Center concept just won’t die! It’s an endless pursuit of perfection, and I may be one step closer.

For Christmas I received an HDHomerun tuner. This thing is pretty sweet. It’s a network-based tuner, so you just plug it into your cable/antenna, then plug it into your network. Then any machine on your network can see it and utilize it as a tuner. Even Media Center treats it as a real tuner! I did some playing around with different setups and currently have the HDHomerun broadcasting ClearQAM stations (which, albeit, is not very many). Still, the concept of having it as a network tuner is awesome.

This tuner brought my attention back to my Media Center. Why, oh why can’t I have HD cable on it? Why am I trapped in STB-World, limited by substandard hardware leased to me by Time Warner Cable? Why must CableLabs be so stingy and only allow OEM/certified machines use of a CableCARD tuner?

These were difficult questions, and required research. Again. I thought perhaps someone else had figured out a way around these things. Or perhaps someone had an alternative method of getting legal HD cable on a Media Center. My research came back empty. It was still the same as it always was: you needed a certified machine, which required a “special” BIOS with specific ACPI tables with vendor-specific information, and a “special” version of Windows Vista, which I learned was just a COA with two product keys–one for Vista and one for the CableLabs activation.

Wait..COA? When I did my initial research last summer, no one said anything about a COA. I never looked there previously.

When I learned of the COA number, I turned off my XPS 420 desktop and checked the COA sticker on the back, positive that this was just another dead end and that I should give up.

That’s when I saw it.

On the far right corner of my COA, there was another 25-digit number. I couldn’t believe it. I had a CableLabs certified PC!

Almost immediately after this discovery, I did some research online, and found the fabled ATi TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner on eBay and bid on it. I then proceeded to do two reinstalls–my XPS became my Media Center (Vista Home Premium x86), and my old Media Center became my desktop (Vista Ultimate x64).

After installing the MCE TV Pack 2008 and any related patches, my Media Center was ready to rock. It now sits connected to my TV, anxiously awaiting for it’s tuner.

This could be my moment to be released from the cable box!

Ironically enough, my cable box died over the weekend, so I had to take the wonderful piece of equipment into the TWC store at Mayfair Mall. The line was non-existent, which made me happy. I walked up to the counter and told them what was wrong, and they gave me a new tuner. Before I left, I told the person behind the desk of my plans to switch to a CableCARD tuner hooked up to my Media Center. I was both shocked and amazed by her response:

Amazed because she seemed to understand what a Media Center was. Either she owned one, or these things are actually starting to take off.

Shocked because TWC is obviously in the nickel-and-dime business. I was told the cost of this endeavor. To get a CableCARD, it requires a truck roll, since they need to activate it. Essentially, for a TWC tech to come out to my apartment, insert a CableCARD in a slot, make a phone call, then walk away, it’ll cost me “around $40.” What was even better was the rental cost of a CableCARD, which comes out to approximately $5/month. Yes, that’s half of the cost of my current rental fee for my cable box, but I figured it’d be a tad better (I read that Comcrap–I mean–Comcast offered these things for $1-2/month).

Alas, this is bad news, but I’m not bothered by it much as I’m still rolling with a machine that’s capable of being a cable-ready Media Center. I’ve got a possible alternative anyway..

The cable box I have now already has a CableCARD. I haven’t read into any of this yet, but I might be able to just remove the CableCARD from my existing cable box and put it in my digital cable tuner. If all goes to plan, I’ll save $40 and have a spare cable box to use as an over-glorified coaster. If all doesn’t go to plan, then I got a chance to test it.

For now, it’s the waiting game. I should have the ATi tuner this week or early next week. And trust me–I’ll be testing this as soon as I receive that unit.

~Jaker

Check out this link. It’s an oldie, but a goodie. It successfuly describes many problems I have with the software world. The Java description takes the take:

Java doesn’t do anything by itself. It’s a programming language. Programming languages are like sewage plants: if the average user becomes aware of them, something’s gone wrong. Java doesn’t know this. Java wants to be in your face. Java wants to be updated. Java wants to tell you the good news about Sun. Have you heard about Sun? Here’s a nice picture of our logo. And fancy a copy of OpenOffice? No? Well, never mind. Java’s installed a copy of Yahoo Toolbar in your browser instead. Because that’s what programming languages are there to do, right?

~Jaker

I’ve got some “Sirius” concerns with satellite radio.

First, let’s start at the beginning. In the beginning, there was XM and Sirius (and WorldSpace, that’s only for Europe/Asia). XM has a diverse and solid playlist with great channels. Sirius had a less diverse playlist and has Howard Stern. XM always was a step ahead of Sirius, whether it be the technology, number of subscribers, or quality of music. One day Sirius managed to merge with XM, breaking the FCC ruling that the two couldn’t merge in the first place.

At first, all was well. Mel Karmazin, SiriusXM’s newly-appointed CEO, announced that the two entities would remain separate, and everyone would get to keep their own music. Then things got bloody.

October 13: At the XM Headquarters in D.C., someone logged into the timesheet application and realized that he had a termination date of October 15. Word of this spread like wildfire through the office, and by the end of the day, as many as 75 people from music programming got the boot.

From dcrtv.com, a small list of those who got canned:

Soul Street’s Bobby Bennett and Leigh Hamilton, Raw’s Mz Kitti, The City’s DJ Xclusive and Lisa Ivery, Viva’s Karla Rodriguez, and Aguila’s Mad Mexican. Plus Ken Smith of ’50s-On-5, Pat Clarke of ’60s-On-6, XM America’s Ray Knight, John Welch, and “Country Dan” Dixon, BK Kirkland of the Groove, plus Bill Evans, Brian Chamberlain, and Cathy Carter from XM Cafe. XM Gospel’s Jay Bryant and Suite 62’s Vic Clemens.

Since then, several channels have switched into “auto-pilot” with no DJ, but a mysterious robot playing just music all the time.

While the Sirius side of things has seen a couple losses, it’s been nothing like the XM side. This “merger of equals” is looking moreso like “hostile takeover.”

Just today we’ve learned that XM 82 (The System) is getting canned on November 4. It’s quite possible that it’s demise is directly related to WorldSpace’s Chapter 11 Bankruptcy filing, but the timing seems a tad bit suspicious.

While all of this is bad, the biggest issue at hand here is the threat of losing the entire lineup. Despite Mel saying the two services would remain separate (this might have even been a requirement of the merger), there’s whisperings of Sirius and XM to combine channels and broadcast the same lineup on both services come November 5.

Judging by how things have been going, I can only imagine that we’ll lose more XM stations and on-air talent. So far, they’re already killing one station I listened to a lot, and they’ve killed a couple other stations that I recently just “discovered” and was starting to enjoy. If they keep going down this track, they’ll be loosing a 4 year subscriber/fan…

(More as this develops)

~Jaker

(See the Sponsored Link)

~Jaker

There are 10^11 stars in the galaxy. That used to be a huge number. But it’s only a hundred billion. It’s less than the national deficit! We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers.

I don’t care how much crap Intel is going to give nVidia about it’s CUDA architecture. This is an example that using a graphics card to do number crunching is sometimes better than using a regular CPU.

Global Secure Systems has said that a Russian’s firm’s use of the latest NVidia graphics cards to accelerate WiFi ‘password recovery’ times by up to an astonishing 10,000 per cent proves that WiFi’s WPA and WPA2 encryption systems are no longer enough to protect wireless data.

 

David Hobson, managing director of GSS, claimed that companies can no longer view standards-based WiFi transmission as sufficiently secure against eavesdropping to be used with impunity. He also said that the use of VPNs is arguably now mandatory for companies wanting to comply with the Data Protection Act.

 

He said: “This breakthrough in brute force decryption of WiFi signals by Elcomsoft confirms our observations that firms can no longer rely on standards-based security to protect their data. As a result, we now advise clients using WiFi in their offices to move on up to a VPN encryption system as well.

 

“Brute force decryption of the WPA and WPA2 systems using parallel processing has been on the theoretical possibilities horizon for some time - and presumably employed by relevant government agencies in extreme situations - but the use of the latest NVidia cards to speedup decryption on a standard PC is extremely worrying.

 

“The $64,000 question, of course, is what happens when hackers secure a pecuniary advantage by gaining access to company data flowing across a WPA or WPA2-encrypted wireless connection. Will the Information Commissioner take action against the company concerned for an effective breach of the Data Protection Act.”

(Per SC Magazine)

Am I surprised? Not really. From a convenience standpoint, WiFi is great. From a security standpoint, how secure can one be when you’re freely broadcasting your network over wireless?

~Jaker

I think I’m suffering an appliance/electronic epidemic. About a week ago, my Pizzaz died (rest it’s soul). This hasn’t been too bad, since I really haven’t made pizza in awhile, and I have the oven as a backup.

Earlier this week, my xm2go tuner died. This was bad, because that was my only ticket to getting XM during my daily commute to work. I’m saddened by this, because that old tuner was pretty cool. It was the first portable tuner that XM released, and had the ability to record shows, pause live XM, and keep me entertained for hours on end. I knew that I had to get a new tuner, because my alternative (Milwaukee radio) still sucks.

I got that new tuner, and now I sport the Inno. This new tuner hasn’t had much listening time on it yet, but I have figured out several pretty sweet features:

• The built-in antenna is amazing compared to the xm2go. I can pick up a signal when standing in certain areas in my apartment with just the built-in antenna.
• The TuneSelect feature lets me do really sweet stuff with recording music (which, by the way, we’ll never see again on another tuner because it was this feature that XM was sued by the RIAA for). TuneSelect lets me record automatically whenever a specific song or artist plays. It still stays locked on the device, so I can’t copy it elsewhere. But I can listen to it whenever I want.
• So I’m listening to a station. A song comes on that I don’t recognize, but after the first minute or so, I realize that I love this song and I want to record it. Once I hit record, the Inno will record from the beginning of the song (up to 10 minutes previous, and assuming you were on that channel the entire time) all the way to the end. That is just kickass.
• XM+Napster. I’m upset that the Inno is not Napster ToGo capable (and their marketing should make this clear, as I was fooled by this). It does still integrate with Napster in a different way though. On the xm2go, I’d press the “mem” button when I heard a song, which would keep a copy of the title and artist in memory (up to 20). Then, from time to time, I’d manually copy this list to a text file on my computer (the infamous “xm.txt” file). With the Inno, I press “Bookmark” and the Inno keeps the title and artist. The difference is when I plug the Inno in my computer, my bookmark list shows up in Napster, allowing me to copy the list, listen to songs right away, or download them. Napster also lets me manage records (and listen to them).
• Two words: color screen.

I love my Inno, and it’s amazing holding the two tuners side by side and seeing how they’ve progressed. My only complaint with the Inno is actually a complaint with the FCC. The FCC ordered XM and Sirius that their new tuners must find a new way to broadcast over FM, as their old tuners were too powerful. Sirius just lowered the power of the FM modulator, and XM released this thing called SureConnect. Basically you’re supposed to clip this little thing around your antenna so the FM signal broadcasts directly on your antenna. The problem is they only designed this little device with cars with front- or back- antennas. My antenna, the RC-car on-the-top style, was not officially supported by XM. At first, I didn’t find a good way to mount the SureConnect device, so I tried a couple alternatives:

1. Use the built-in FM modulator in the Inno. This worked barely. With the FM power turned up “all the way,” I still barely heard the signal over my radio.

2. Use my FM modulator. This sort of worked, except I heard a horrible humming noise in the background whenever the Inno was plugged in.

The fix? I little bit of “hacking” my car. While I couldn’t attach the SureConnect device to the antenna, I could attach it to the cable that leads to the antenna. After removing the dome light in my car and disconnecting the antenna, I was able to attach the SureConnect directly on the antenna cable. Then I put everything back together, did some wire running and hiding, and I was finished. I have SureConnect in my car, but you’d never know it

I’m still not completely convinced that using an FM modulator is the best solution, so I’ve still got my eyes on the AUX input adapter for my Focus. I just need to pay up the ~$70 for it, and dedicate an afternoon to doing some stereo work in my car.

While I’m sad to see the xm2go, well, go, I am happy to have my XM back. Rock on!

~Jaker

Well, it happened. The DSL (pronounced “D S Slow“) has been replaced with cable. Let me tell you–cable is fast. I went with the turbo deal, so it brings a smile to my face whenever I run a speed test and see how fast it goes (anywhere between 15MB to 18MB). I approve.

Since I’ve had a thing for watching TV on TV, I splurged and got digital cable. While it’s nice to get a lot of channels (over 9000), it’s not so nice that I’m stuck using the set-top box. I’d much rather use my Media Center, since it’s a nicer UI and I’m keeping the Media Center on anyway for sound. This prompted research..

Time Warner gave me the Scientific Atlanta 8300HDC. This little box gives me access to digital channels, outputs in 1080i HD, and includes two tuners and built-in DVR. For those keeping count, the DVR-o-meter in my entertainment center is now at 4. The “C” in the model indicates that it uses a CableCARD to authorize access, and to subscribe to OnDemand content.

The hardware seems solid enough. It’s got HDMI-out, Component out, two FireWire ports, a USB port (for “future use”), and an eSATA port to expand it’s storage capability. Impressive. The FireWire and USB gets my attention, but I’ll cover that in a bit.

The software is not very impressive. It’s quite sluggish and doesn’t feel responsive when doing seemingly simple operations like pulling up the channel guide or pausing live TV. It could be that I just have a bias towards Media Center, but the performance difference is quite noticable.

So, how could I make Media Center my tuner again, and not have to deal with this set top box? Sadly, unless I buy the ATi Digital Cable tuner card, there’s no way I’ll get rid of the box. I can, however, try to use the STB to my advantage without buying an input card for my Media Center to pick up HDMI or component.

Let’s go back to those firewire ports. Apparently they’re supposed to be used for some TV’s that accept firewire. I’d much rather use them as an input and control interface for my Media Center. I found that there are drivers out there in the wild that support this, but they’re quite outdated (2005) and don’t support Vista x64 (which is what I’m running). I tried to connect the STB to my laptop and the laptop attempted to install drivers for the “Scientific Atlanta 8300HDC,” but it couldn’t find any drivers. Sadly, I am at a loss for now.

Perhaps TWC will start using the Motorola boxes. I hear they support QAM over the coax-out, which apparently lets VMC treat the output as a CableCard-like device…

~Jaker