Computers

Sep 26 2009

Windows Home Server – Read Only Permissions

Windows Home Server LogoMy SBS server developed a hardware fault recently.  While I diagnose the fault I needed to move data from the SBS box to my Windows Home Server box.  I wanted this to happen fairly quickly and didn’t want to copy via network (network being part of the fault) so I used an external hard drive.  Copied the data from SBS to external drive and then from external drive to WHS.

This is where I ran into a problem.  Just copied directly to the DATA drive on WHS and then found that permissions on everything I copied was stuffed up – mostly, files were read-only or restricted.  WHS seems to lock out most of the permissions controls you’d normally use on SBS to fix this sort of problem and I was at a loss as to how to fix it without access to this mechanism.

WHS - Computer - Drives

Don't copy from external drive straight to the "DATA" drive

Copious Google searching didn’t really find a solution but I picked up enough hints from various sources to try some things.  What worked?  Use the WHS console to create the share you want.  Set permissions in the WHS console.  Then, instead of copying directly to “DATAsharesyour new share” you need to copy to the network share name (e.g. \serveryour new share).

Copy to the network share (even though you're on the local computer)

Copy to the network share (even though you're on the local computer)

There you go.  Hope that saves someone else out there some time and trouble.

By David • Computers • • Tags: , ,

Jul 19 2009

Life with Mac – The Tweaks

Reset ButtonNo matter how good an operating system gets in a default install, there’s always little things that niggle or don’t work quite the way you expect.  While I’ve tried to embrace “the way of the Mac” and not uneccesarily load up my MacBook there’s some things I just couldn’t seem to live without.

After a couple of years using Vista I’d come to like the sidebar for it’s ability to provide information “at a glance”.  In particular, it’s nice to be able to see basic system performance information like CPU load, RAM usage and system temperature – knowing this stuff helps understand if a system performance issue has an obvious cause.

More →

By David • Apple, Computers • • Tags: , , , , ,

Jul 19 2009

Life with Mac – Stuff that didn’t work

discAs much as I’d love to say that everything Mac is going swimmingly, there’s been a few obstacles to true OSX bliss.

My day to day life includes the businesses that I’ve been running for years (one of them over ten years, the other one about four years).  They are established and have fully developed processes that are followed by everyone.  While I can adjust some of these processes to take into account my Mac, there are limitations on what I can impose on others.

In a previous post I talked about what worked out well for me.  This post, however, is about the parts that didn’t work, what I’ve done to work-around for now and what I plan to put in place to completely resolve the issues as I move forwards.

The first obstacle has proved to be email.  I’ve used Microsoft Outlook for many years (and Outlook 2007 for the past couple of years).  With this kind of longevity of use I’ve arrived at ways that I handle email (and contacts, calendars, to-do lists) that are dependant on Outlook. More →

By David • Apple, Computers • • Tags: , , , , ,

Jul 19 2009

Life with Mac – Stuff that Worked

Optical DiscsSoftware.  Without it a computer would be an expensive door stop or paper weight.  With it, a computer can become far more.

Over time we all end up with our favourite applications that let us do what we need in the way we are used to doing it.

In moving from Windows to Mac I was determined not to just cop-out and install Parallels and XP and just keep using all the Windows programs I was used to using.  I wanted to do as much as I could in native Mac.

As a starting point, I went looking for programs I’m used to using in Windows that have an equivalent in the Mac world. More →

By David • Apple, Computers • • Tags: , , , ,

Apr 8 2009

The Build Disc – Part 5b (Extras – Office 2003)

Office 2003A fully standardised install only takes us so far.  At some point you have to cater to the stuff that doesn’t fit in with the standardised stuff.  This article is about the extra bits that help Office 2003.

What do I install?  Pretty much just the file format converters to allow Office 2003 to read files created with Office 2007.

(As an aside, the Office viewers normally only open Office 2003 files but if you install them and then install the converter, they will also read Office 2007 files.)

I’ve worked out an unattended install but for only one install it’s not really all that relevant.

For what it’s worth, this is the unattended install command:

Office2003-FileFormatConverters.exe /quiet /passive /norestart

This article is part of a series dealing with my standard system build.  It starts with this article and the post you’re reading now is directly related to this one.

By David • Build Disc, Unattended Installs • • Tags: , , , , , , , ,

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