System Administration

Exit Loop

Troubleshooting Windows 2000 systems gets loopy. To take one example, suppose you are having trouble determining where your IPSEC configuration is incorrect. Since the idiots overworked programmers at Microsoft don't make it easy possible to log filter actions, let's ask Google for the answer. Google says, Microsoft knows. They say, netdiag /test:ipsec /debug.

And here's where the problems continue.

netdiag says, "[FATAL] Failed to get system information of this machine." That's helpful. Luckily, Google says, ah-ha! Turns out that netdiag wants the Remote Registry Service. Good sysadmins that we are, we've already locked down our box and disabled the Remote Registry Service, so fat lot of good that does us.

At which point we write a scathing note to one Mr. Gates suggesting certain abnormal uses of certain appendages.

3:36:50 PM # Google It!
categories: Dear Microsoft, System Administration

Who let the lawyers out?

The EULA for Microsoft Windows 2000 SP3 contains a CYA clause.

The OS Product or OS Components contain components that enable and facilitate the use of certain Internet-based services. You acknowledge and agree that Microsoft may automatically check the version of the OS Product and/or its components that you are utilizing and may provide upgrades or fixes to the OS Product that will be automatically downloaded to your computer.

The default behavior for Automatic Updates is to download the files automatically, but to notify the user before installing. You can change this to install automatically. This clause indemnifies Microsoft in the case that their software might have a few bugs in it.

Martha, do you think we should install this "Heap Overrun in HTR Chunked Encoding Could Enable Web Server Compromise" thing?

However, the validity of shrink-wrap licenses is still an open question.

11:06:52 AM # Google It!
categories: Law, System Administration