PowerShell open source?

I read about

Pash = PoSH (PowerShell) + bash (one of the Unix shells)

today, its a open source reimplementation of powershell for mac, linux, solaris, window mobile, etc. Looks like this could be something that could great for scripters in heterogeneous environments.

BLOG:

http://igorshare.wordpress.com/2008/04/06/pash-cross-platform-powershell-is-out-in-the-wild-announcement/

Website:

http://pash.sourceforge.net/

Connecting XP/WM/Active Sync to Bluetooth

For some this getting Windows XP and Windows Mobile to connect with Active Sync from Bluetooth is not that easy so here is a great web site that will help you out. http://www.amset.info/pocketpc/sync-bluetooth.asp It gives you step by step and some screen shots.

VMware Advisory: CPU Spike

We have had this problem for about a week after our upgrade from 3.02 to 3.5, Do to non-stop outages on key systems do to 100% CPU on them. I fill I should help spread the word about the current problem that was known about from January 08.

Problem: CPU Spike or High CPU utilization on VMs on ESX 3.5 and Virtual Center 2.5 with DRS and Vmotion enabled.

Helpful Blog:
http://blog.scottlowe.org/2008/01/20/cpu-spike-with-drs-and-vmotion/#comment-36631

Offical VMware KB article about it:
http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1003638

Avocent ACS Repair

NOTE: you need to have the right console cable to see the right bootup screens

Device: Cyclades ACS 16
Problem: Kernel Panic Error at bootup, out of the box

Steps from Tech Support: http://global.cyclades.com/support/faqs1.php?nid=79 and http://faq.cyclades.de/index.php?nid=4

The steps I took to repair the ACS:

1. Download a fresh copy of the firmware
2. Setup a TFTP Server with the firmware
3. Bootup the ACS with the right Console cable
4. press ESC once on the ethernet test and answer the boot menu with the following answers

Booting from Original Boot 2.0.1  (Jun/04/03)  Cyclades Corporation
Testing RAM .............................. SKIPPED
Memory detected: 131072 Kbytes
Testing FLASH ............................ OK
Flash detected: 256 Kbytes
Testing Flash [Configuration] ………… OK
Storage Device Detected ……………… OK
Compact Flash SanDisk SDCFB-16
Size: 16 Mbytes
Testing Storage Device [Op Code] ……… SKIPPED
Interface Cards Detected …………….. OK
32-UART ports detected
PCMCIA Support Detected ……………… OK
Power Supply Capability ……………… DUAL
Testing Ethernet ……………………. OK            <– press ESC once
Testing Real Time Clock ……………… OK
Testing Serial Number………………… OK
ID is B9B6A908000074    

Watchdog timer ((A)ctive or (I)nactive) [A] : a
Firmware boot from ((F)lash or (N)etwork) [F] : n
Boot type ((B)ootp,(T)ftp or Bot(H)) [T] : t
Boot File Name [zvmppcts.bin] : acs/zImage.216
IP address assigned to Ethernet interface [192.168.10.43] : 192.168.10.43
Server’s IP address [192.168.160.1] : 192.168.10.2
MAC address assigned to Ethernet [00:60:2E:00:3D:4F] :
Fast Ethernet ((A)uto Neg, 100 (B)tH, 100 Bt(F), 10 B(t)F, 10 Bt(H)) [A] :
Network boot.
Sending a tftp request.
Trying file : acs/zImage.216
Booting from 192.168.10.2  …………. 8375 kb
Network boot completed.
Received 8587246 bytes.
CRC is … OK

5. Once the system boots up flash the firmware to make it permanent (FTP or DSView) NOTE: If you don’t do this step once the system reboots the problem will come back.

Why Reboot

The all time windows question, Why Reboot? Well if you install software sometimes you get the popup “Reboot Now” Well there is a free exe out there that will help you see if that Reboot Now is really a Reboot Now. It is called WhyReboot by Exocus Developemnt. This exe will let you see out standing changes that will not take effect until that reboot.

 

Note: there are Limitations with this app.

 

http://exodusdev.com/products/WhyReboot

Self Service Portal

I have blogged about other Quest software free tools like Spotlight and  PowerGUI, well here is an other one that I have been using for about 2 years. Its the quest Self-Service Web Portal, it installs in IIS 5 or 6 (200/XP or W2k3) and installs in to Default Web Page in IIS and is all ASP based.  Well if you are in IT and have a lot of web apps like me and my team it is easier to give one URL instead of them all. This was a great fix for that if you have more of a team environment to keep everyone on the same set of links.

 

 

http://www.quest.com/self-service-web-portal/

Shadow Explorer

If you use Shadow copy in Microsoft Windows like Vista/2008 that have this on by default now you might want to check out Shadow Explorer. This will let you browse through shadows copies, show point in time copies, and to retrieve version of files and folders.

http://www.shadowexplorer.com/

TFTP server

The other day I needed a TFTP server to push down some firmware because the device firmware was corrupt, after trying some TFTP servers. I found a good free TFTP server made by SolarWinds, that was easy to setup and that actually worked and had a good set up options to set with security and the ROOT directory.

 

http://www.solarwinds.com/products/freetools/

RoboCopy GUI

Ever use robocopy in the Windows Resource Kit Tools? And maybe don’t like to remember all the different commands that go with it. Or maybe just want to create a script around what you want to do, well I did. Microsoft made a cool GUI program to help with robocopy.

You can get a download of it at: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc160891.aspx and download the utilityspotlight2006_11.exe

Keyfinder

Ever wonder about your Windows product key or maybe your MS Office key. So if you wanted to reinstall any of these products you might have a problem if you don’t know what they are. Magical jelly bean software has such a tool to get the product key for these products.

You can get the software at http://www.magicaljellybean.com/beta/