Received the following error during the SP1 installation:

Some controls aren’t valid. Setup previously failed while performing the action “Install”. You can’t resume setup by performaing the action “BuildToBuildUpgrade”.

It seems as though the server thinks a previous installation operation never completed. An interrupted setup never occurred on this system, but whatever, that’s what it thinks.

My setup is Windows Server 2008 R2, Exchange 2010. To resolve this error and continue installation open up your registry and go to

• Open regedit
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ExchangeServer\v14\MailboxRole
• The role could potentially whichever role your server thinks installation was interrupted during
• Delete the key named Action

I’ve read posts that mention the existence of a value for the Watermark key is the issue, however my testing showed that deleting the Action key resolves the issue.  It is in fact what the error specifically states is the problem. Not sure if that logic can be applied universally however.

One other thing I should mention is this installation is for the -console install only. I would rather not deal with a GUI on a Linux server.  That’s why we have the DS-User!

This is process is unsupported but in my experience it works brilliantly! I hope you find this step-by-step helpful!

UPDATE: It should be known this process is for a 32bit Ubuntu installation. There seem to be some issues with the 64bit install.  Hopefully I can come up with a solution.  If anyone else has one – please share!

This installation process was done on a completely fresh install of Ubuntu Server 10.04 LTS.

Software Used
DS-Client 10
PostgreSQL 8.4
Ubuntu Server 10.04 LTS

Normal house cleaning stuff
# aptitude update
# aptitude upgrade
# reboot
# aptitude dist-upgrade
# reboot

Install postgresql 8.4
# aptitude install postgresql

Now setup PostgreSQL as you normally would with any Linux DS-Client setup.

Install other required library
I’ve had issues with other versions. So, what I did was skip over this and attempt to start dsc service.  It was unsuccessful and it told me it specifically wanted this version, so I gave it to it.
Download the right one for your architecture: http://packages.debian.org/stable/base/libstdc++5
Install library:
# dpkg -i libstdc++5_3.3.6-18_i386.deb

Install java
Uncomment the following in /etc/apt/sources.list

Ø deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-backports main restricted universe multiverse
Ø deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-backports main restricted universe multiverse
Ø deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu lucid partner
Ø deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu lucid partner

# aptitude install sun-java6-jre

Installing the ds-client
Install the bin file using the -console switch. Run through first few steps and after the legal mumbo jumbo get to the following:
——————————————————————————-
Setup needs to know the location where DS-Client will be installed.
DS-Client (i386) Install Location
Please specify a directory or press Enter to accept the default directory.
Directory Name: [$D(install)/CloudBackup/DS-Client]
——————————————————————————-

Notice it is mis-reading the PATH. This is very common with software that was not build for a particular Linux flavor You must put in the proper one (this issue did not exist in pre-v.10)
/usr/local/CloudBackup/DS-Client

Keep going through the normal stuff, eventually it will ask for the PostgreSQL home directory, I don’t remember it doing this pre v9.2, so here it is with this setup, trailing slash needed:
/usr/lib/postgresql/8.4/

….continue with DS-Client setup as normal.

You’ll notice when you (re)start the dsclient service manually it shows some mumbo jumbo. That actually means its working.  If it fails it will say FAILED.

root@ubuntu10:/usr/src# /etc/init.d/dsclient start
Starting DS-Client: -en 033[60G
[  -en 033[1;32m
$OK-en 033[0;39m
]

You now have a working DS-Client on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS.  This process is the same for Ubuntu 8.04.  I’m pretty sure the same libstdc is needed as well. If not, /var/log/messages should tell you which one it wants after an unsuccessful service start.

Happy installing!

I’ve been an XM subscriber for almost 5 years.  I pay my bill on time each month. I bought a second radio for my girlfriend’s car. Everything was great.  I was getting good service at a fair price. Then came the merger.

On July 28th, 2008 XM and Sirius officially completed the process of merging the two companies. The two companies claimed there would be a great cost benefit to satellite radio subscribers. Since then, they have raised the monthly price of secondary radios from $6.99 to $8.99, started charging $2.99/month for the “high quality” Internet stream, and still charge extra fees for “premium package” stations previously only offered on the “other” satellite radio providers system.

I kept my two XM radios, begrudgingly. I decided to give Pandora my money for high quality Internet streaming. Two years later the satellite reception quality has declined, dead spots all over, and with no word from the two companies Sirius XM if it will ever improve. The only communications I get from them is a sales spam asking me to buy more radios.

This week I purchased a brand new 2010 Ford F-150 SuperCrew – pretty much my dream truck. It came “Sirius Ready”. All the research I’ve done tells me there is absolutely no way to get XM service working in a Sirius Ready vehicle – at least with the built-in Sirius controls.

I spoke with Sirius XM customer service expecting they would be able to transfer my account to Sirius XM.  She stated that even though the companies we merged they still operate completely independently and that I would need to call Sirius XM and sign up for a new account with them. Furthermore, I would be force to turn my girlfriends Sirius XM service into a “primary account” rather than the discounted secondary.

Fantastic.  So the cost benefits the previous two companies were talking about were for them – not the consumer.  I will now be required to pay Sirius XM for a primary, full price account, as well as paying Sirius XM for a primary, full price account.

How can this be legal? Aren’t these the types of things the FCC is supposed to be protecting the consumer from? If only there were some other satellite radio provider I could give my business to instead of Sirius XM.  If only….<sigh>

The primary reason I use Firefox as my main browser is that there are many extensions for it that make my life easier as a systems admin…and yes I know there are a thousand other lists on other blogs about “must have Firefox plug-ins”.  This is by no means a complete list and this post is partially to share my experience with the world as well as a reference for me if my laptop ever explodes and I need to re-install them

Check out the staples in my Firefox plug-in collection after the jump.

Download Statusbar (link)
Download Statusbar allows you to view and manage all your downloads from a tiny little status bar at the bottom of Firefox.  These files can be launched directly from it, and it is uniform across all open Firefox windows. Definitely a useful tool for most people doing a lot of downloading.

I personally hate the Downloads popup box that Firefox ships with. I don’t want a new window to popup each time I download something, yet I still want my downloaded file to be easily and readily available without having to open up Windows Explorer and browse to it.

Domain Details (link)
I manage alot of webservers on many different platforms. It can get difficult at times to keep track of what server I’m working on, where an application is hosted and so on. Enter Domain Details.

This plug-in is indispensable in my opinion. Visible from the status bar, this plugin displays Server Type, Headers, IP Address, Location Flag, and links to Whois Reports. Shows links to check server status and cache when page fails to load.

XUL/Migemo (link)
This add-on gives Firefox extremely powerful “find” enhancements. It seems to be made by a Japanese developer that has dictionary assisted functions for the Japanese language, however it’s usefulness goes far beyond that.

My favorite feature is it’s inline search function.  This allows you to be on any web page and just start typing typing the term you are looking for on the page without having to hit CTRL-F or manually opening the Find box. It also allows you to highlight the search term as you type and it will identify the locations on the page it is found, and place little arrows on the side of the Firefox window to jump to the next found location.

It might be a bit difficult to understand exactly what this plug-in will do for you until you actually use it, so take it for a test drive.  If you are like me and scour the messages boards everyday you’ll love this one.

Extended Statusbar (link)
This is another statusbar plug-in that makes the lives of the sys admin and web developers alike. This statusbar enhancesment keeps track of the speed and success of the page loading, much like in Opera.

Adds an Opera-like statusbar that shows:
– percentage of the page loaded
– number of loaded images
– bytes downloaded
– average download speed
– load time

Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error ’80004005′
[Microsoft][ODBC Driver Manager] The specified DSN contains an architecture mismatch between the Driver and Application
/path/to/dsn.asp, line 6

Well that’s interesting.  It’s mostly interesting because of what was actually on line 6 of this file:

Conn.Open “dsn=dsnName;uid=user;pwd=pass;”

Googling kept pointing me to it being a 32bit application running in 64bit mode.  All the resolutions were mostly explaining that the application needs to be recompiled, yadda, yadda.  Obviously this .asp file isn’t a “32bit file”, and well what am I supposed to tell my customers, that they need to only use 64bit .mdb files?

The solution was actually simple and had been something I’d read a few days before at iis.net about 32bit mode worker processes.

To configure 32-bit mode for the server

• Open a command prompt and run the following:

%windir%\system32\inetsrv\appcmd set config -section:applicationPools -applicationPoolDefaults.enable32BitAppOnWin64:true

Or you can just toggle this option in the Advanced Settings for the Application Pool for which the site is running. Either way works just fine.

I suppose on a shared web server for which I have no daily knowledge or control over what my customers are doing, it would be a best practice to turn 32bit mode for all sites by default and if an opportunity or need arises to switch back to native 64bit mode, then all the better.

I would have expected there to be no problems with most of them. I started out with a dinky little site that uses a small Microsoft Access Database.  This site uses a standard DSN to access the .mdb. I proceed to go to the Administrative Tools and open the ODBC Data Source Administrator window and add a new DSN for the .mdb and lo and behold I see the following nearly empty window:

<– This of course is no good! Where are all the other data drivers? Apparently all the regular ones we are used to seeing in 32bit Windows no longer exist as 64bit drivers.  The trick is to execute %windir%\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe.

<– This will give you the ability to add the rest of the 32bit Data Sources such as Microsoft Access (.mdb).

Ubertwitter is a Twitter client for the Blackberry.  In my opinion it far exceeds the quality of any other Blackberry Twitter client currently available, and I’m not alone. Since it first became available a few months back it has caught on like wild fire. Other Blackberry client features pale in comparison to Ubertwitter. Then about a month ago an upgrade added a small advertisement to the top of the Twitter feed.  Advertisements were added without letting users know beforehand. Kicking and screaming ensued (READ)They then began to offer users the choice to pay $4.99 to get rid of the ads altogether.

Digsby is the hottest IM/Social Network aggregator on the market (w00t upstate NY!).  I first started using Digsby back when they were only allowing users to download it with private invitation codes – I don’t remember where I found that code, but I haven’t looked back since!

Now Digsby has a bunch of nagware you need to filter through and disable during the installation process – and it’s not difficult as long as you are awake and have your eyes open! Back in December of 2008 Digsby released (READ) an update that included, and enabled by default, a research module that uses only idle, low priority CPU power to help work on various grid computing projects.  The majority of users didn’t realize this was happening until just recently, and let me tell it you it was a shit-storm for the crew over at Digsby. They’ve since changed how they present these functions to the end user.

Now let’s look at this – here we have two free applications that generally speaking people are huge fans of – yes I’m a fanboy.  They do what they are supposed to do, probably better than their competition, quick releases and responsive developers. People seem to neither want them to stay free nor pay for them.  You know what happens when you get neither? The application ceases to exist!

I for one have absolutely no problem looking at a tiny advertisement at the top of my Twitter feed if it means I can use my favorite Blackberry Twitter client for free.  Nor do I have any problem with Digsby using a tiny piece of my idle CPU, at low priority no less, if it means I can continue to have all my social and IM networks aggregated together better than any applications does it for free.

Is it simply human nature to complain and be unhappy about stuff? Well yes I guess you can make that argument. I’ve been known to be a cynic. However I think it’s something different altogether: People just want to get onto the newest fad faster than ever before. Technology and the speed of communication is moving so fast now that the changing of trends and fads can’t even keep up with us. We for the most part are not willing to slow down and accept and appreciate what we have.  When you have something that is good – KEEP IT GOOD, then just try to make it better.

…..and Digsby and Ubertwitter are real good.

It seems as though this problem is caused by my local computer account name (which I am logged in as), is the same as the one in my Active Directory.  Outlook must be trying to unsuccessfully authenticate to AD using “username” instead of “domain\username”.  This seems odd to me, however since I changed my local Vista username to something different the problem hasn’t shown itself.

Thanks to Matt  / webdevmatt.com for the suggestion

We are defending against a denial-of-service attack, and will update status again shortly.
Update: the site is back up, but we are continuing to defend against and recover from this attack.

I sent an email to the guys over at Internet Storm Center (ISC) notifying them of the outage, probably just as many other ISC readers had done. When they updated their site with the information about the possible DD0S attack directed at Twitter I had a good and painful laugh at what I saw.

The share to Facebook and Twitter buttons sitting there, mocking me as only as a Social Network can do. How do I get the word out that Twitter is down if Twitter is down?!? It’s a paradox of the worst kind.

With the reports that Facebook is also having problems is my only choice to blow the dust off my Digg account and hope that it gains some attention and gets bumped up? Time for the next new idea? Social fads are only as good as the networks running them.

64bit
This is long overdue. I live out of Outlook and it gets put to the test on a daily basis. Any bit of extra power I can get out of Outlook is a huge plus in my book.  Granted there aren’t many functions that will make use of 64bit processing, but again every bit counts.

Splash
The first thing you’ll notice upon launching Outlook 2010 is the new splash screen. I know it seems insignificant, and this change lacks any sort of functionality, however it’s nice to see all aspects of the product being improved.  One very small thing the splash screen does do is show the progress of the startup process, which might prove to be helpful in the future.

Outlook takes a while to load up the first time.  It seems to have sped up with each subsequent launch.  I suspect that is due to caching and indexing finally completing.

Ribbon
Microsoft did what I thought they should have done with Outlook 2007 – give the same style ribbon that the rest of the Office products received with Office 2007.  This is long overdue in my opinion.

Quick Steps
One of the cooler things with this release is the inclusion of “Quick Steps”.  Thnk of them as customizable repeat actions. You can create a quick step to take care of things you do all the time, such as forward an email to a specific person or manager, reply or reply all to a message with a Meeting Request, move a message to a specific folder and much more.  You can even create a quick step, that will with on click, Reply (all) to a message, change the subject and insert predefined text in the body. I know this was all possible with rules and templates with previous Outlook versions, but never this simple and quick.

My one hope for Quick Steps is that Microsoft opens up the Quick Steps to allow users to create Quick Steps with much more detailed actions that they don’t offer by default. Currently they only give a short list of very basic functions.  You can’t tease me with an awesome idea like this and not expect me to want more

Search
Search within Outlook 2010 looks to be much more useful to the common user. Microsoft has including some predefined search criteria options which made often made it a pain to do more complex searches within Outlook 2007. It seems so simple, but we never had it like this before. I think Microsoft is really starting to listen.

Active Directory Authentication
The only, and potentially fatal problem I’ve had so far is since I’ve installed Outlook 2010 my Active Directory account seems to be getting locked out.  Its happened twice within the last day.  I’ll open Outlook and it will keep asking me for my username and password.  Then, I’ll log onto my Domain Controller and see that my account has been locked out – and yes I am typing the right password.  I’m not sure what is Outlook is trying to do, but it’s doing it unsuccessfully. My Domain Security Policy is vanilla, so Outlook is failing at authenticating something the magic number of times. I hope this is a bug that Micrsoft has assigned some resources to.

Conclusion
Other than the major problem with my Active Directory account getting locked out Microsoft is right on track with this one.  The interface is clean and fast and there few improvements I’ve seen thus far scream the fact that Microsoft is putting in a lot of effort.

I don’t usually have much of a need for the other Office apps, but when I do I usually work in them all day for a special project. I hope to get some alone time with Visio 2007 next week.