System Admin

Mekong River19-Jul-04 4:50

19-Jul-04 4:50

Do the followng procedure if you have visual studio .net 2002 or higher.

1. Create windows application in vb.net.
2. Place one ServiceController, one listbox and three command button on the form.
3. Rename the name of the listbox from ListBox1 to lstServices, rename the first button (command1) to btnLoad (this button will load all services it status (start or stop)), rename the second button (command2) to blnListStart (list only the name of the started service) and finally rename of the third button (command3) to btnListStop (list only the name of stopped services).
4. Write the following code for the btnLoad button:

    Private Sub btnLoad_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _<br />
    ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnLoad.Click<br />
<br />
        Dim services() As ServiceProcess.ServiceController<br />
        Dim i As Integer<br />
        Dim tmp, tmp2 As String<br />
        ' tmp variable store the service name.<br />
        ' tmp2 variable store the status of the service.<br />
<br />
        services = ServiceController1.GetServices<br />
        lstServices.Items.Clear() ' Clear the list box before<br />
        ' list the new service status.<br />
        For i = 0 To services.Length - 1<br />
            tmp = services(i).ServiceName ' Get the service name.<br />
            If CInt(services(i).Status) = 1 Then<br />
                tmp2 = "Status is stopped."<br />
            ElseIf CInt(services(i).Status) = 4 Then<br />
                tmp2 = "Status is started."<br />
            End If<br />
            lstServices.Items.Add(tmp & "--" & tmp2)<br />
        Next<br />
<br />
    End Sub

5. Write the following code for btnListStart button:

    Private Sub btnListStart_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnListStart.Click<br />
<br />
        ' List the start service only.<br />
        Dim services() As ServiceProcess.ServiceController<br />
        Dim i As Integer<br />
        Dim tmp, tmp2 As String<br />
<br />
        services = ServiceController1.GetServices<br />
        lstServices.Items.Clear()<br />
        For i = 0 To services.Length - 1<br />
            tmp = services(i).ServiceName<br />
            If CInt(services(i).Status) = 4 Then<br />
                tmp2 = "Status is started."<br />
                lstServices.Items.Add(tmp & "--" & tmp2)<br />
            End If<br />
        Next<br />
<br />
    End Sub

6. Write the following code for btnListStop button:

    Private Sub btnListStop_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _<br />
    ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnListStop.Click<br />
<br />
        ' List the stop service only.<br />
        Dim services() As ServiceProcess.ServiceController<br />
        Dim i As Integer<br />
        Dim tmp, tmp2 As String<br />
<br />
        services = ServiceController1.GetServices<br />
        lstServices.Items.Clear()<br />
        For i = 0 To services.Length - 1<br />
            tmp = services(i).ServiceName<br />
            If CInt(services(i).Status) = 1 Then<br />
                tmp2 = "Status is stopped."<br />
                lstServices.Items.Add(tmp & "--" & tmp2)<br />
            End If<br />
        Next<br />
<br />
    End Sub

I got the code and concept from:
Book Title: "Visual Basic .net programming"
Author: Harold Davis
ISBN: 81-7656-627-6
Chapter 10: Using Timers, EventLogs, and SerivceControllers
Section: Working with a ServiceController
Page: 244

Roath Kanel
APO-CEDC
Save Children Norway-Cambodia Office

Hesham Amin19-Jul-04 7:06

Hesham Amin

19-Jul-04 7:06

thank you..
very useful code..
but i'll not install .NET just to check the running services Smile | :)

I sent to this forum because i need a simple command line that admins always know Poke tongue | ;-P

bigLasagne20-Jul-04 14:09

bigLasagne

20-Jul-04 14:09

try 'sc query' (>= XP)

Mekong River21-Jul-04 4:11

DiskMngr functionality from an application.

21-Jul-04 4:11

Yes, that a good idea too. I never found it in msdos but I already try it and it is working very well. If you want to put in the text file type the following command: "sc query > FileName.txt" (ex: sc query > ServStat.txt). The file will locate in the current path that you are stand on.

Roath Kanel
APO-CEDC
Save Children Norway-Cambodia Office

Thingfish4718-Jul-04 22:08

Thingfish47

18-Jul-04 22:08

1. Take 1 scsi fat32 volume (Not the boot drive of course! - lets call it drive F:\), and modify the boot sector partition table to hide the partition using aspi functions.

2. Run diskmanager and the volume disappears.

3. Do stuff to the volume using aspi. (Please don't ask, but it is stil FAT32 in format at the end.)

4. Reinstate the partition table as it was.

5. Run diskmanager and the volume (with new contents) re-appears.

I have tried replacing the diskmanager calls by using DeleteVolumeMountPoint which will hide it, but SetVolumeMountPoint which reinstates it also reinstates the cache of the original contents, and disaster ensues.

What I need is information on how to force the OS to completely re-read the disk in the same way that diskmanager does, but from within the application. (manual running or CreateThread functions are not an option.)

PS I have tried the most likely looking IOCTL functions (using a handle to the \\?\Volume{guid} mount point and \\.\F:to no avail.

Share calendar over peer to peer network

Mekong River17-Jul-04 6:23

Re: Share calendar over peer to peer network

17-Jul-04 6:23

I have a problem when share the calendar over the netowrk. There are 30 computer in my organization. I need to share my calendar in Ms outlook over the network and the other staff also share their calendar over the network too. My boss need to check all of these calendar to make sure when they have a free time or have any meeting.

I read Ms outlook document that there is a way to set permission in calendar property. But when I open the property of the calendar there is no "Permission" tab in its dialog box. So I cannot set the permission for the other user to access my calendar (I also cannot share the calendar over the network too).

Does anyone know how to share the calendar over the network? Currently all of use using win xp and office xp.

Roath Kanel
APO-CEDC
Save Children Norway-Cambodia Office

Mike Dimmick18-Jul-04 8:33

Mike Dimmick

18-Jul-04 8:33

The Permission thing only works if you're using Exchange and Outlook is set to deliver mail to the Exchange mailbox.

Outlook 98 and 2000 had a feature called 'Net Folders' which was supposed to generate messages every time a change was made, sent to users who you invite to share the folder. When receiving an update message, Outlook automatically updates the calendar. In my experience, this didn't work very well, normally indicating updates that hadn't actually occurred. Microsoft removed the feature from Outlook 2002 (Outlook XP).

Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder

Re: Share calendar over peer to peer network

Mekong River19-Jul-04 3:57

Share access database over the peer to peer network

19-Jul-04 3:57

So, is it possible to share the calendar without using exchange server or any third party software on my network? I just want to us a simple share on the network using office xp only.

If not, is it a good idea to install exchange server on the network that have only 30 clients computer.

Roath Kanel
APO-CEDC
Save Children Norway-Cambodia Office

Mekong River17-Jul-04 5:35

Restore outlook express messages

17-Jul-04 5:35

Hi, I have a problem when share an access database over the network. I have develop a simple access database. I put in on my computer to view and add data. But I share it to the other people in my organization to view data only. I just share the folder and did not set any setting and press OK button. From here I have two question.

1. When I map the drive from the other computer to open the file, it is very slow. I took nearly 3 minnute to open the file that less than 1mb size. Does anybody know about this problem?
2. I know that my share method is very simple. Does any body know any effective share method to deal with my problem? (I'm using windows 2000 pro. at my workplace).

Roath Kanel
APO-CEDC
Save Children Norway-Cambodia Office

Mekong River15-Jul-04 13:10

15-Jul-04 13:10

Hi, I have a problem with outexpress messages. After I get new and read it, during that time the electricity is disconnect. So my computer is unexpected shutdown. What the electricity is connected and I go to inbox again, there is no new e-mail message that I just get. When I try to get new mail again there is no message also. From here I have two question:

1. Does any one know about the symtom of this problem? Why the message are lost?
2. Is it possible to restore the lost message in outlook express?

Roath Kanel
APO-CEDC
Save Children Norway-Cambodia Office

Mike Dimmick15-Jul-04 20:42

Mike Dimmick

15-Jul-04 20:42

Messages are lost because Outlook Express' database system isn't transactional. It doesn't guarantee that the data has actually been written to the file. The NTFS is transactional only for file system metadata - it doesn't protect the data itself, it only ensures that you don't lose the whole volume.

Basically, I think you hit the small window of time between OE asking the OS to write to the file and the OS actually doing so. This write caching is perfectly normal but you do have the possibility of losing data. However, OE has already told your mail server to delete the message from its store.

I'm afraid it's gone. You aren't going to see that message again.

In a corporate environment, it's usually much better to use Exchange or another enterprise messaging server. Exchange understands SMTP, the messaging protocol used to send messages between servers. Exchange's database is transactional, and it won't report successful delivery to the sending server until it has at least committed its transaction log to the disk, containing the new message(s). That means, if the power fails, either the message has been recorded and Exchange will roll it forward into the main database, or it hasn't, in which case the sender still has the message and will retry sending it later.

Finally, it's a lot easier to protect the server against power failures than it is to protect all the workstations. Even a small UPS (uninterruptible power supply) can buy enough time for the server to shut down gracefully.

Stability. What an interesting concept. -- Chris Maunder

Mekong River17-Jul-04 3:59

17-Jul-04 3:59

Thank you very much, your give a good idea to deal with this problem. Roger (the person who participate to answer this question) also give me a good idea too. Before that I really cannot figure out what is the main problem. Thank for a greate idea Smile | :)

Roath Kanel
APO-CEDC
Save Children Norway-Cambodia Office

Roger Wright17-Jul-04 4:24

Roger Wright

17-Jul-04 4:24

Mike Dimmick wrote:
it's a lot easier to protect the server against power failures than it is to protect all the workstations.

Excellent observation. A good UPS is a tiny investment to protect priceless resources, and the server is the smart place to invest first.

"My kid was Inmate of the Month at Adobe Mountain Juvenile Corrections Center" - Bumper Sticker in Bullhead City

CDROM not found in windows

Roger Wright15-Jul-04 20:43

Roger Wright

15-Jul-04 20:43

My best guess is that, because the shutdown was not an orderly one, Outlook Express probably had not yet saved the message to disk. I don't know how often OE saves emails, but it's possible that it only does so as part of the shutdown process, or at programmed intervals that hadn't occurred between the time you received the message and the power went out. In either case, the email would have existed only in RAM, and it will not be possible to recover it.

"My kid was Inmate of the Month at Adobe Mountain Juvenile Corrections Center" - Bumper Sticker in Bullhead City

Mekong River15-Jul-04 12:38

Automatic Updates - Please help

15-Jul-04 12:38

Hi, I have a problem when I change my harddisk to another computer. My harddisk contain winme, because it have a problem with mainboard I have took it out. I take to another computer and remove the harddisk of another computer and put it in. After that I go to CMOS (when it first start) and detect for the new harddisk. During detection, both harddisk and CDROM is found but when I quit CMOS (quit and save) and start windows, there is no CDROM drive appear in windows explorer. I try to check the registry, clean virus and check some hardware configuration but there is no way to show it in windows explorer. Does anybody have idea or solution with this problem?

Roath Kanel
APO-CEDC
Save Children Norway-Cambodia Office

david@mindplay.com15-Jul-04 6:44

david@mindplay.com

15-Jul-04 6:44

Dear anyone who can help,

I am a programmer currently working for an educational software company. We have a windows product that uses a centralized database on a server that serves entire school systems with data over a WAN. Right now it is in the beta stage of development.

We are having a delema and are hoping somone has the answer. The problem is: each of the workstations, and there can be thousands, need to be updated with patches every so often as they become availible. We can write an app. that runs when the workstation program starts, to check with the server to see if there is a patch availible and wheather or not the latest one has been applied or not. Then download it and install it. The only catch is, most times the workstation app. is started by students, and they are often times logged on to windows as a limited users. And when you are logged on to windows as a limited user, windows will not let you save files, except to certain, rather useless places for our purpose. Also, windows will not let you run programs that update or install things.

Basically what we want is for the app. to start up and automatically update itself if there are updates availible. Thus making it much easier and less of a hassle to computer illiterate teachers, administrators and students. Who would otherwize have to apply a patch to each and every single workstation. That way the only person who has to worry about it is the top level sys-admin and all he/she has to do is post the latest avalible updates on the centralized server.

Is there a way to achive this?

Thanks for your help, If you require more info just ask.

Re: Automatic Updates - Please help

Steven Campbell15-Jul-04 7:16

Steven Campbell

15-Jul-04 7:16

Rewrite it as an ASP.NET application? No update problems there!! This is a large part of the reason that web applications are so popular.

If you are needing to patch COM objects, i.e. written in VB6 or C++ using COM, then you have very limited options. There are some products out there that let an administrator PUSH updates to the client, such as Microsofts SMS application.

If you have a .NET application, you have more options, because .NET apps support XCOPY deployment, i.e. you can just copy the program to a location that the user has rights to. There are also some prebuilt .NET components that help automate the process.

my blog

Re: Automatic Updates - Please help

Henry miller16-Jul-04 3:06

Henry miller

16-Jul-04 3:06

Before you do anything, are you sure you need this at all? Just because version 5.1 is current doesn't mean versions 1.0-5.0 needs to stop functioning. If the user doesn't need new features and the bugs haven't hurt them (yet)there is no reason they have to update. Tell them they must upgrade to get support, but otherwise let them fall behind.

In the case of schools it is normally best to update between terms so that students don't have to learn the next version while putting finishing touches on the night before it is due. (and a lot of students do this even if it is a bad idea) Just tell the teachers what the bugs are, and have them not assign something that would hit those bugs.

You could write a program that runs (service? something else?) once a day, checks for updates, and if they exist loads them.

I'd recomend checking out bit-torrent (or whatever it is called), or something like that, otherwise when updates do happen your servers will be swamped. (perhaps with something to prefer local subnets, since you can expect several machines to be on the same subnet in most cases)

Make sure that you carefully test your application before each release. It would be a very bad thing for it to update itself, and then fail to work because of some obscure bug that only happens on strange systems... Perhaps you want to consider a back out program so if your update does break for someone you can walk the teachers through restoring the old one on the phone. (and check this ability twice as much)

Oh, and make sure auto-updates are easially disabled for those with good admins who will do this themselves.

SMTP and Exchange

Marcus Spitzmiller13-Jul-04 8:19

Marcus Spitzmiller

13-Jul-04 8:19

Hi All - I'm not much of a SMTP or Exchange guru, so I thought I'd throw this out:

I have an app that needs to send to an SMTP server (within IIS) to send email. What I'm attempting to find out is if it is possible for any email that is sent to that SMTP server to:

1. Best case - be actually processed by an exchange server I specify.

2. Next best - be automatically forwarded to another email address that I specify.

Does smart host have anything to do with this???

Thanks!

Marcus Spitzmiller

"Why must life be so hard? Why must I fail at every attempt at masonry?" - Homer

Backp/Restore HardDisk Image

trustable13-Jul-04 1:19

trustable

13-Jul-04 1:19

Hi,
My current Project has the following Requirements:
1. Backup the entire contents of the hard disk including Operating System as a bootable Image.
2. In case of System Failure, user should be able to perform a full system-recovery operation using the Backed up Image of the Hard Disk.

I am new to this concept and request any sort of help on how to proceed with this.
Any help will be greatly appreciated..

Regards
-Ram

retrieving network printer users

lnong12-Jul-04 12:29

lnong

12-Jul-04 12:29

I am able to use WMI to connect to another computer and retrieve its printer's info (such as name, model, resolution, shared properties,etc). Now if that printer is being shared on the network, is there a way for me to retrieve all the computers/users that are using this shared printer?

Error when get user profile from the server

Mekong River12-Jul-04 6:36