Jim at the Museum of flight during MVP Summit 2007.. I don't know where that plane came from behind me..

New Utility from CTRL-ALT-DEL: ENVTSCIP

Warren Simondson from CTRL-ALT-DEL.com has released yet another free utility (YAFU) for you to peruse

Hi All

ENVTSCIP is a minor extension of GETTSCIP whereby it sets the client IP address of a user session to an environment variable called CLIENTIP.

This utility was written due to the high demand in emails asking Ctrl-Alt-Del IT Consultancy to produce this tool.

There are another 5 Utilities in the pipeline all due out soon.

As always, get the utilities from http://www.ctrl-alt-del.com.au/CAD_Utils.htm

ENVTSCIP is a command-line tool for Terminal Servers to query the current session's client ip address and display it in the command line, as well as set it to a VOLATILE ENVIRONMENT

 VARIABLE - %CLIENTIP%.

 This utility is FREEWARE and was written by Warren Simondson of

Ctrl-Alt-Del IT Consultancy, Australia.  http://www.ctrl-alt-del.com.au/

Thankyou to the WINDOWS SDK available from  http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads

Usage: 

ENVTSCIP

 E.G. ENVTSCIP

This command will return the client ip address of a session as:

 WTSClientAddress: 192.168.0.141 and also store it as an environment variable %CLIENTIP% 

E.G. ENVTSCIP>ipaddress.txt  

This command will return the client ip address of a session as: 

WTSClientAddress: 192.168.0.141  and store it in the text file ipaddress.txt.

It will also store it as an environment variable %CLIENTIP%

Using ENVTSCIP in assigning an Environment Variable is best  executed from startup or the RUN section located in the registry. 

This will ensure it can be used throughout an active session. For  using ENVTSCIP in logon scripts, please see ENVTSCIP.txt included  in this package.

The freeware version is offered AS IS. Ctrl-Alt-Del IT Consultancy has made  every effort possible to ensure that ENVTSCIP is free of any bugs or errors,  however in no way is ENVTSCIP to be considered error or bug free. You assume all responsibility for any damages or lost data that may result from any errors or bugs in ENVTSCIP. IN NO EVENT WILL CTRL-ALT-DEL IT CONSULTANCY BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY GENERAL,  SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF  THIS PRODUCT.

 USRLOGON.CMD EXAMPLE

====================
 @Echo Off
:: call the client ip utility that assigns the environment variable
 call "%SystemRoot%\System32\envtscip.exe"
::Becasue this is run in usrlogon.cmd, the environment variable cannot be broadcast to the windows shell
::thus we use the old classic Terminal Server tool ACRegL to enforce the variable during the logon script
 "%systemroot%\Application Compatibility Scripts\ACRegL.exe" "%TEMP%\getpaths.cmd" CLIENTIP "HKCU\Volatile Environment" "CLIENTIP" ""
 If Not ErrorLevel 1 Goto Cont1
Echo.
 Echo Unable to retrieve path.
Echo.
 Goto Finish
:Cont1
Call "%TEMP%\getpaths.cmd"
 Del "%TEMP%\getpaths.cmd" >Nul: 2>&1
::The environment variable %clientip% can now be used throughout this script
::To use the environment variable %clientip% within a session run ENVTSCIP.exe in the startup of the user's session
 ::or the RUN section of the registry
::just as a test echo the variable to the screen
 echo %CLIENTIP%
:Finish  

Warren Simondson
Ctrl-Alt-Del IT Consultancy Pty Ltd

Download Pick of the Week: Unofficial Daylight Savings Time fix.

The DST time change had come and gone but some Windows 2000 workstations on your network may be still experiencing time problems. Here is a nifty utiltity that makes it so you don't have to jump through hoops to get the right patch applied. It works on NT/2000/XP/2003 (note they also offer a 98/ME version)

http://www.intelliadmin.com/DaylightSavingNotice.asp?File=DaylightSavingFix.exe

The utility can be run silently from a command line therefore has the ability to be pushed out as a scipt. Simply type:

DaylightSavingFix.exe /qinstall

See this blog article for more info:

http://www.intelliadmin.com/blog/2007/01/unofficial-windows-2000-daylight.html

While you are at the Intelliadmin site check out some of their other great Free and Commercial utilities from their downloads area.

http://www.intelliadmin.com/Downloads.htm

Bill holding up the podium...I was in the front row.

Yeah right I was on stage....(when no one was looking)

He is the richest guy in the world but still a geek true and true! LOL Think he would go to the tailor. Thats OK we still love ya Bill.

Here I am at the MVP Summit with Sean O'Driscoll

Tell us: What New features do you want in Terminal Services?

Hi All,

I will be off to Redmond and the Microsoft MVP Summit next week. Brian Madden has posted a synopsis and Microsoft wants to know what new features should be added to Terminal Services in Future releases.  

 

Please respond to the thread at http://www.brianmadden.com/content/content.asp?id=680  with your ideas.

 

(PS I will be on a mission to meet Bill and get a pic with him, wish me luck)

 

Thanks,

--
Jim Kenzig
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Services
http://www.thinhelp.com
Citrix Technology Professional
Provision Networks VIP
CEO The Kenzig Group
http://www.kenzig.com
Blog: http://www.techblink.com

Download Pick of the Week: Unlocker.

Hi All,

I came across this FREE utility called Unlocker this morning and thought I would pass it along. I tested it out and it does work.

 

From the Readme:

How often have you tried to delete or rename a file or folder and got
"Cannot delete xxx: It is being used by another person or program." ?

Unlocker is a tool which will help you removing this scandaleous Windows
bug.

Simply right click the file or folder and select Unlocker. If the file
or folder is locked then a window will appear with a list of processes
locking the file or folder. Select the locks and click Unlock and you
are done.

It is recommended to Unlock wisely and to close open processes locking
files or folder if any, but if only Explorer.exe is the culprit, do not
hesitate ! :D

See http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/#download

 

Direct download Link is:

http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/unlocker1.8.5.exe

--
Jim Kenzig
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Services
http://www.thinhelp.com
Citrix Technology Professional
Provision Networks VIP
CEO The Kenzig Group
http://www.kenzig.com
Blog: http://www.techblink.com

CTRL-ALT-Del Releases Terminal Server Load Balancing Client

Ctrl-Alt-Del IT Consultancy is proud to release a Terminal Server Load Balancing suite for Microsoft Terminal Services, absolutely FREE.

Download it from: http://www.ctrl-alt-del.com.au/CAD_Utils.htm

The first release is a Terminal Server Client extension that allows load balancing of Terminal Servers in a single Domain. The process balances sessions across a farm of terminal servers within a domain, applying a user load criteria to distribute the sessions evenly. This program also reconnects a client to a disconnected session based on computer name only.

Release 1.0 includes the following features:

- Basic Load balancing among Terminal Services in a single domain

- Administrative server selection to create Server farm

- User load balancing Criteria to distribute sessions evenly

- Reconnect a Disconnected session in the TS Server farm (reconnects based on Computer name only).

This addon requires the Microsoft Terminal Server Client to be installed on the operating machine. The Microsoft Terminal Server Client (MSTSC.EXE ) must be located in %systemroot%\system32 of the client machine.

This addon is currently only designed for clients running Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP (All Versions) and Windows Vista. A Windows 98 version is also in development, a linux edition may also be release, depending on user interest.

The next edition of TSLoadBal - Client Edition will include:

- Client option control such as screen size, colors etc..

- Application specification - Launch applications from a load balanced server farm

-More to come ..

TSLoadBal - Server Edition will be available soon, that will provide a central database for load balancing. The current client version calculates load balancing from the client end.
How TSLoadBal -Client Edition works:
1. The TsLoadBal Client works on a simple principle.

2. The client is launched.

3. The client Enumerates the list of Terminal Servers in the Current Domain.

4. The client checks the Terminal Server farm list as compiled by the user or administrator. All settings are stored in CURRENT_USER registry key 

5. The client checks to see if the server farm has a disconnected session that matches the computer name of the current machine running the program. If a session exists, the Microsoft Terminal Server Client native to the OS is launched with the server information predefined.

6. The client checks to see which server has the least load based on user sessions.

7. The client launches the Microsoft Terminal Server Client native to the OS with the server information predefined


If you would like to offer feedback, ideas or comments on the TSLoadBal Suite, please go to http://www.ctrl-alt-del.com.au.

Please remember the TSLoadBal Suite is freeware. The freeware version is offered AS IS. Ctrl-Alt-Del IT Consultancy has made every effort possible to ensure that this product is free of any bugs or errors, however in no way is this product to be considered error or bug free. You assume all responsibility for any damages or lost data that may result from any errors or bugs in this product.

 IN NO EVENT WILL CTRL-ALT-DEL IT CONSULTANCY BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY GENERAL,SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THIS PRODUCT. IN NO EVENT WILL CTRL-ALT-DEL IT CONSULTANCY BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THIS PRODUCT.

Warren Simondson
Ctrl-Alt-Del IT Consultancy Pty Ltd
Website: http://www.ctrl-alt-del.com.au

--
Jim Kenzig
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Services
http://www.thinhelp.com
Citrix Technology Professional
Provision Networks VIP
CEO The Kenzig Group
http://www.kenzig.com
Blog: http://www.techblink.com

Download Pick of the Week: More on US/Canada Time Zone Change TZMove

This year in the US, daylight savings time will start 3 weeks earlier than normal. This will throw off several applications that use time syncing. Exchange and Outlook appointments may also be affected by this change. Microsoft has released a document on how to address the daylight saving time change at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931667/

Microsoft has also released a tool called TZmove on Feb 19, 2007 to adjust single Outlook account appointments to be adjusted properly. This utility can be found at:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e343a233-b9c8-4652-9dd8-ae0f1af62568&DisplayLang=en

I highly reccomend that you read the information at all of the above two links prior to using the utility.
Check my previos post at http://kenzig.blogspot.com/2007/02/exchange-2003-dst-critical-update-for.html for info on updating your Exchange server for the time change.