Basic Vs Dynamic Disk

Basic Vs Dynamic Disk

Basic Disk supported by all Windows Operating Systems.
Dynamic Disk supported by later version of windows including 2000, XP, 2003, etc.
Volume changes can be done on dynamic disk without reboot.
Any file system can be used for both the disks.
One can convert basic disk to dynamic. However, if you’ve converted the disk to dynamic, you cant revert to basic without first wiping and recreating the volume.
Basic disks contains primary partitions, extended partition and logical drives. Primary partition in Windows NT can support stripping and software RAID sets. However, in 2000, XP and 2003 dont support stripping and software RAID.

Dynamic Disks can create different type of volumes with dynamic disks.
Simple Volume -> Use space from single disk or hardware array volume.
Spanned Volume -> Non fault tolerant disk sets that use free space from multiple disk.
Striped Volume -> Non fault tolerant disk that stripe data across multiple disks.
Mirrored Volume -> Fault tolarent disk set that mirror data from one to another disk.
RAID 5 Volume -> Fault tolarent disk that stipes data across three or more disks including parity.

Published By
S.G.Godwin Dinesh.MCA
Sr.System Administrator

Network Troubleshooting Tools in Windows Operating System

Windows contains an assortment of utilities you can use to diagnose, monitor, and repair network connections. Here’s an overview of the key tools you’ll find in Windows Operating System and what they’re used for.

Get MAC Address (Getmac.exe)
Discovers the Media Access Control (MAC) address, and lists associated network protocols for all network cards in a computer, either locally or across a network.

Hostname (Hostname.exe)
Displays the host name of the current computer.

IP Configuration Utility (Ipconfig.exe)
Displays all current TCP/IP network configuration values, and refreshes DHCP and DNS settings.

Name Server Lookup (Nslookup.exe)
Displays information about Domain Name System records for specific IP addresses and/or host names so that you can troubleshoot DNS problems.

Net services commands (Net.exe)
Performs a broad range of network tasks; type net with no parameters to see a full list of available command-line options.

Netstat (Netstat.exe)
Displays active TCP connections, ports on which the computer is listening, Ethernet statistics, the IP routing table, and IPv4/IPv6 statistics.

Network Command Shell (Netsh.exe)
Displays or modifies the network configuration of a local or remote computer that is currently running; this command-line scripting utility has a huge number of options, which are fully detailed in Help.

PathPing (Pathping.exe)
Combines functions of Traceroute and Ping to identify problems at a router or network link.

TCP/IP NetBIOS Information (Nbtstat.exe)
Displays statistics for NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) protocol, NetBIOS name tables for both the local computer and remote computers, and the NetBIOS name cache.

TCP/IP Ping (Ping.exe)
Verifies IP-level connectivity to another internet address by sending ICMP packets and measuring response time in milliseconds.

TCP/IP Route (Route.exe)
Displays and modifies entries in the local IP routing table.

TCP/IP Traceroute (Tracert.exe)
Determines the path to an internet address and lists the time required to reach each hop; useful for troubleshooting connectivity problems on specific network segments.

Published By
S.G.Godwin Dinesh.MCA
Sr.System Administrator

HP RAID Configuration

HP RAID Configuration

Steps involved in HP Array configuration.


















Published By
S.G.Godwin Dinesh. MCA
Sr.System Administrator

RAID

Short for Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks, a category of disk drives that employ two or more drives in combination for fault tolerance and performance. RAID disk drives are used frequently on servers but aren’t generally necessary for personal computers. RAID allows you to store the same data redundantly (in multiple paces) in a balanced ay to improve overall performance.
There are number of different RAID levels:

• Level 0 — Striped Disk Array without Fault Tolerance: Provides data striping (spreading out blocks of each file across multiple disk drives) but no redundancy. This improves performance but does not deliver fault tolerance. If one drive fails then all data in the array is lost.
• Level 1 — Mirroring and Duplexing: Provides disk mirroring. Level 1 provides twice the read transaction rate of single disks and the same write transaction rate as single disks.
• Level 2 — Error-Correcting Coding: Not a typical implementation and rarely used, Level 2 stripes data at the bit level rather than the block level.
• Level 3 — Bit-Interleaved Parity: Provides byte-level striping with a dedicated parity disk. Level 3, which cannot service simultaneous multiple requests, also is rarely used.
• Level 4 — Dedicated Parity Drive: A commonly used implementation of RAID, Level 4 provides block-level striping (like Level 0) with a parity disk. If a data disk fails, the parity data is used to create a replacement disk. A disadvantage to Level 4 is that the parity disk can create write bottlenecks.
• Level 5 — Block Interleaved Distributed Parity: Provides data striping at the byte level and also stripe error correction information. This results in excellent performance and good fault tolerance. Level 5 is one of the most popular implementations of RAID.
• Level 6 — Independent Data Disks with Double Parity: Provides block-level striping with parity data distributed across all disks.
• Level 0+1 — A Mirror of Stripes: Not one of the original RAID levels, two RAID 0 stripes are created, and a RAID 1 mirror is created over them. Used for both replicating and sharing data among disks.
• Level 10 — A Stripe of Mirrors: Not one of the original RAID levels, multiple RAID 1 mirrors are created, and a RAID 0 stripe is created over these.
• Level 7: A trademark of Storage Computer Corporation that adds caching to Levels 3 or 4.
• RAID S: (also called Parity RAID) EMC Corporation’s proprietary striped parity RAID system used in its Symmetrix storage systems.          

Windows Sysinternals Process Explorer

Introduction
Ever wondered which program has a particular file or directory open? Now you can find out. Process Explorer shows you information about which handles and DLLs processes have opened or loaded.
The Process Explorer display consists of two sub-windows. The top window always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information displayed in the bottom window depends on the mode that Process Explorer is in: if it is in handle mode you’ll see the handles that the process selected in the top window has opened; if Process Explorer is in DLL mode you’ll see the DLLs and memory-mapped files that the process has loaded. Process Explorer also has a powerful search capability that will quickly show you which processes have particular handles opened or DLLs loaded.
The unique capabilities of Process Explorer make it useful for tracking down DLL-version problems or handle leaks, and provide insight into the way Windows and applications work.

Process Explorer can be used to track down problems. For example, it provides a means to list or search for named resources that are held by a process or all processes. This can be used to track down what is holding a file open and preventing its use by another program. Or as another example, it can show the command lines used to start a program, allowing otherwise identical processes to be distinguished. Or like Task Manager, it can show a process that is maxing out the CPU, but unlike Task Manager it can show which thread (with the callstack) is using the CPU – information that is not even available under a debugger.
Features

• Hierarchical view of processes.
• Ability to display an icon and company name next to each process.
• Live CPU activity graph in the task bar.
• Ability to suspend selected process.
• Ability to raise the window attached to a process, thus “unhiding” it.
• Complete process tree can be killed.
• Interactively alter a service process’ access security
• Interactively set the priority of a process
• Disambiguates service executables which perform multiple service functions. For example, when the pointer is placed over a svchost.exe, it will tell if it is the one performing automatic updates/secondary logon/etc., or the one providing RPC, or the one performing terminal services, and so on.

Download Process Explorer
Source: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals

Published By

S.G.Godwin Dinesh.MCA

Sr.System Administrator

Fix "The User Profile Service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded." Error in Windows 7

To Fix the User Account Profile

1. Before starting, it is highly recommended that you create a system restore point in case you make a mistake while in the registry. This way you will easily be able to do a system restore to use the created restore point to undo the mistake.

2. Open the Start Menu, type regedit in the search box, and press Enter.

3. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

4. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below step 5A)

Code:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

5. In the left pane, click on a S-1-5 (SID) key with a long number.

A) In the right pane of the selected S-1-5 (SID) key, look at the Data value of ProfileImagePath to see if it is the user account (ex: Moderator) with the error.

B) If not, then repeat steps 5 and 5A until you have the correct S-1-5 (SID) key with a long number selected.

C) If it is, then continue on to step 6 or step 7 depending on if you have either one or two S-1-5 (SID) keys listed with the exact same long number. One without .bak, and one with .bak at the end.

6. If you have Two S-1-5 (SID) keys with the Same Long Numbers
NOTE: This is if you have two S-1-5 folders (SID key) with the exact same long numbers, but the second one has .bak at the end of the long numbers and the first one doesn't.

A) In the left pane, right click on the first (top) S-1-5..... folder (SID key) that does not have .bak at the end of the numbers and click Rename. (see screenshot below)

B) Add .bk to the end of the numbers. (see screenshot below)

C) In the left pane, right click on the second S-1-5..... folder (SID key) with .bak at the end of the numbers and click Rename. (see screenshot below step 6B)

D) Remove only .bak from the end of the numbers and press Enter. (see screenshot below step 6B)

E) Now go back and Rename the first one with .bk to .bak now at the end of the numbers and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

F) Go to step 8.

7. If you have Only One S-1-5 (SID) key with .bak
NOTE: This is if you have only one S-1-5 folder (SID key) with long numbers and ended with .bak.

A) In the left pane, right click on the S-1-5..... folder (SID key) with .bak at the end of the numbers and click Rename. (see screenshot below step 7B)

B) Remove only .bak at the end of the numbers and press Enter. (see screenshot below and below step 10)

8. In the right pane of the one without .bak now, right click on RefCount and click on Modify. (see screenshot below step 10)
NOTE: If you do not have RefCount, then right click on a empty space in the right pane and click New and DWORD (32 bit) Value, then type RefCount and press Enter. This value for this entry will reset and return back to the original value after you have restarted the computer and logged on to the account.

A) Type 0 (number) and click on OK. (see screenshot below)

9. In the right pane of the one without .bak now, right click on State and click on Modify. (see screenshot below step 10)
NOTE: This value for this entry will reset and return back to the original value after you have restarted the computer and logged on to the account.

A) Type 0 (number) and click on OK. (see screenshot below)

10. The registry will now look like this for the one without .bak now. (see screenshot below)

11. Close regedit, and restart the computer.

12. See if you are able to log on to the use account now without getting this error.
NOTE: If this still does not help, then either try OPTION TWO below or try doing a system restore at boot using a restore point dated before you got this error.

To Delete the User Account and Create a New User Account

NOTE: This option is only if you do not care about losing the user account with this error and possibly all contents of it's C:\Users\(user-name) user profile folder. Your programs will still be installed and unaffected.

1. Before starting, it is highly recommended that you create a system restore point in case you make a mistake while in the registry. This way you will easily be able to do a system restore to use the created restore point to undo the mistake.

2. Create a new user account that is the same type (standard or administrator) as the user account with this error.

3. If you are able to, you could copy the contents of the user folders from the old user account's C:\Users\(user-name) user profile folder with the error into the new account's (step 2) C:\Users\(user-name) user profile folder. Be sure to also copy any shortcuts in the Start Menu from the old user account into the new user account as well.

4. In User Accounts from the Control Panel, delete the user account with the error.

5. Open the Start Menu, type regedit in the search box, and press Enter.

6. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

7. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below step 8A)

Code:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

8. In the left pane, click on a S-1-5 (SID) key with a long number.

A) In the right pane of the selected S-1-5 (SID) key, look at the Data value of ProfileImagePath to see if it is the user account (ex: Moderator) with the error.

B) If not, then repeat steps 8 and 8A until you have the correct S-1-5 (SID) key with a long number selected.

C) If it is, then continue on to step 9.

9. Right click on the selected SID key with the long number, and click on Delete.

10. Click on Yes to confirm deletion. (see screenshot below)

11. If there is another SID key directly below the selected SID key (step 9) with the exact same long number with .bak at the end, then right click on this same SID key with .bak on it, and click on Delete. (see screenshot below)

A) Click on Yes to confirm deletion. (see screenshot below)

12. When finished, close regedit.

13. Restart the computer, and log on to your new account.

 Published By
S.G.Godwin Dinesh .MCA
Sr.System Administrator

Operating System (OS) Differences – Linux/Windows/Chrome/Mac OS X

  Operating System (OS) Differences

 

No matter whether we have used or not, we must have heard these four operational systems, Linux, Windows, Chrome and Mac OS X. Maybe there are many opinions or deep understanding about them.  So in this passage, I just introduce every operating system simply and make a summarization about differences between operating systems. And express my opinion about how to choose one suitable operational system for oneself.

1st OS: The older operational system – Linux 

Linux is a free operational system with all of functions included in UNIX. Stable performances, high

efficiency and flexibility make it become popular for almost of computer hobbyist to learn, research, and modify computer operating system kernel. And this is why computer users like to use Linux.

But to be more, Linux is just the kernel. It is still difficult for common computer user to install and run it on computer. Because Linux traditional user interface is command interface based on text.  And why it is different to computer hobbyist? There are mainly two reasons.

1. Linux is like free software.

Anyone doesn’t need to pay for it to get its original code and computer user could modify it according to their purpose. Free use and transfer it freely.

2. Linux includes all of functions of UNIX.

So for people who want to learn UNIX or use UNIX, Linux is the best platform.

Therefore, for computer hobbyist, there are still advantages in Linux.

1. Openness.
2. Multi-user and multi-task.
3. Friendly user interface.
4. Device independence.
5. Kinds of Network function.
6. Safe system security.
7. Good portability.

Now see the differences between Linux and Windows/OS X:

1. In development history, Linux is developed from a relatively mature operational system. And Windows is designed newly and independently.
2. In cost, Linux is free. And Windows and OS X have to be paid for.
3. In usability, Windows and OS X are friendlier than Linux for common computer users.

2nd OS: Google special operational system – Chrome OS 

Chrome OS is open operational system based on Linux, designed for netbook. Actually, Chrome OS
is Web operating system. Most of data and files are dealt with on Internet. So how is Chrome OS?

• There is no “User” in Chrome OS. Google account will be used to login into Chrome OS instead of “User”.
• Network is needed when you access Chrome OS. Not like Windows, login Windows with user and do work on Windows computer without network are available.
• Chrome OS looks like a Chrome browser. No data are saved on local computer. All of them are stored in Cloud. And all of system applications are Web applications.
• Because of lack of local file system and desktop, security of Chrome OS is no match for Windows.
• Just about few seconds are needed to boot Chrome OS, but about a minute to boot Windows.
• Less demand in PC computer power if you use Chrome OS.

Even though there are so many advantages in Chrome OS, some questions are still asked usually. For example, Chrome OS couldn’t be used when no network is available? Is Chrome OS free? PC users only install Chrome OS? To respond to these problems, Google also says, they will make progress in Wifi, data encryption, access Google Docs offline. But these would take time to achieve.

So if you want to experience how Chrome OS works, install Chrome browser to experience is a good choice.

3rd OS: Most humanized and comfortable operational system - Mac OS X 

Mac OS X is designed especially for Mac series products. Based on UNIX, it seems to be simple and full of innovation. Mac OS X is friendly-use and it can be handled once people begin to try to use it.

So now see why we choose Mac OS X?

1. System interface is beautiful than any other operational systems.
2. Easy-of-use. Anyone could learn to use Mac OS X instantly. And it is no need to install other third-party software.
3. More safe. Because of no need of downloading third-party software, netbook is not so dangerous.
4. More stable.

Generally, it is not necessary to adjust system programs.

But why it is said Mac OS X is not suitable for general computer user?

• Mac OS X is special operating system only provided by Apple. It is hard to find one and install it.
• Lots of software available for other operational system is not available for OS X, such as games software. So its compatibility is not so good for general computer user.

So we can see the differences between Mac OS X and Windows. Try to understand why Windows is more suitable for common computer users and Mac OS X is not. And there is no doubt that Mac OS X is good operating system actually.

1. Mac OS X runs faster than Windows.
2. Mac OS X is more stable than Windows.
3. Windows is better than OS X in compatibility.
4. Mac OS X is hard to be poisoned than Windows because its fewer users and less chances to get touch with third-party software.
5. It is easier to realize double system in Windows computer than Mac.
6. Mac OS X is more humanized than Windows. But people who use Windows could become computer experts, but not for Mac users.

4th OS: Common operational system –Windows 

Windows is one operational system which is used widely both for persons or corporations. From the above introduction, we could see, its easy-of-use and compatibility are two main reasons. Now let’s see the advantages of Windows:

1. Intuitive and efficient object-oriented graphical user interface

Windows user interface is object-oriented. It works with way “Choose object – Operate object”. For example, we choose document first with keyboard, and then choose “Open” button in right-click menu.  It imitates behaviors in real life, so it is easy to understand, learn and use.

2. Unified and friendly user interface

Most of Windows programs meet standard of Common User Access. All of these programs have the similar appearance, including window, menu and toolbar. As long as user handles one of them, there would be no problem to use others.

3. Rich and device-independent graphics operations

Windows GDI provides rich graphics operations functions. So we can draw different kinds of graphics and different kinds of output devices are supported. 

4. Multi-task

Windows permits user to run different kinds of tasks in the same time. Every program would run in window. Computer user could move these windows to change program running in different time.

Published By
S.G.Godwin Dinesh.MCA
Sr.System Administrator