How to Tell if Windows is 32 or 64 bit

KB ID 0000153

Problem

If you want to know what version (x64 or x86) of Windows you are running, then this is the simplest way to find out.

Solution

Under accessories run system information;

Under System Type: If it says x86 then it’s 32 bit.

However if it says x64 then it’s 64 bit.

Windows XP and Server 2003

1. Click Start > Run > sysdm.cpl {enter} > General Tab.

Windows XP x32 (x86) and Windows XP x64

Windows Server 2003 x32 (x86) and Windows Server 2003 x64

Windows Vista / Windows 7 / Server 2008

1. Start > Control Panel > System.

Windows Vista and Windows 7

Windows Server 2008

 

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WannaCry – Protect Yourself

KB ID 0001311 

Problem

Last Friday, the IT world was hit by another attack, WannaCry is a Ransomware infection, that exploits a hole in the windows SMB Protocol.

This hole was patched back in March, (Security update MS17-010) so if your, (windows update supported systems) have updates enabled, you will probably already be protected.

Why were big organisations like the NHS hit? Primarily because they have systems that are no longer supported, (or patched) by Microsoft. e.g. Windows XP, (support ended in 2014), and Windows Server 2003, (support ended in 2015). It happens because organisations have software that cannot run on more modern operating systems, so instead of migrating away from the software, Trusts continue to run old operating systems.

 

Solution

WannaCry Removal

If you are already infected, disconnect your affected machines from the network, Kaspersky has a tool that you can use.

Ransomware Removal

Microsoft Patches Windows XP and Server 2003

Although they have no requirement to do so, Microsoft has released patches for these legacy operating systems;

MS17-10 KB4012598 (WannaCry Patch)

Additional Steps

  1. Enable Windows Updates and wherever possible set it to automatically install updates. If you are a corporate customer, then get together a patching policy that has security updates tested and rolled out, in a matter of days.
  2. Backup your machines, the most effective defence if having your files backed up. So if you are infected, you can simply roll back to before the infection, and protect your machines.
  3. Be vigilant: Don’t click attachments in Emails unless you are 100% sure they are genuine.
  4. Local Firewalls: Turn them on (Start > Run > Firewall.cpl {enter}).
  5. Corporate firewalls: Block all inbound TCP 139 and TCP 445 traffic
  6. Run up to date AntiVirus and AntiMalware.
  7. Dont pay the ransom, don’t engage with the perpetrators.

 

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Reinstalling Windows XP

KB ID 0000291 

Problem

Reinstalling Windows XP from scratch can cure a multitude of slowness problems, I rebuild all my machines at least once a year. Wiping and reinstalling XP might seem like a scary task, but as long as you backup your data first, and are methodical you will find its not hard at all. And a fresh XP install will run as good as the day you got it out of the box.

In fact if I know it’s going to take me more than a few hours to fix a problem on an XP box, I will head towards wiping it straight away. You’re looking at about four hours work (unless your machine is very underpowered).

Solution

Here’s my XP Box – Slow and in need of rebuilding.

Before you start

1. Make sure your data is backed up. Take a copy of your entire user profile, it’s at C: Documents and Settings{your username} note you may need to log on as the administrator if it will not copy your folder while you are still logged in. You can either burn this data to CD/DVD or copy onto an external drive.

2. Make sure you have the unlock code for Windows XP and Microsoft Office and any other software applications you use. Recover them (XP and MS Office) with Magic Jellybean. Then write them down.

 

3. Make sure you have the relevant drivers for you hardware > Download and install DriverMax > Driver Backup and Restore > Backup Drivers.

4. Next > Select all > Next > Save the Drivers > Next > Close > Exit DriverMax.

5. Copy the folder you have just backed up elsewhere, again either burn to CD/DVD or put on some removable storage. (Note: Also put a copy of DriverMax on there in case you can’t download it, post rebuild without the network drivers).

Note: At the very minimum have your modem or network card drivers then you can download any drivers you “thought you had”.

6. Make sure you have the Windows XP install disk – it should have come with the PC. If you do not have one, speak to the vendor who sold you the PC, or you can buy a Windows XP CD from ebay (Note: this is NOT illegal, providing you are just buying the media and not an unlock code or COA (Certificate of Authenticity)). Look on your computer’s chassis, if you see a 25 character Windows XP unlock code then you need to buy the OEM Version of the Windows XP disk. If you need an OEM CD then I’d recommend buying a Dell recovery XP CD (Don’t worry if your PC is not a Dell machine).

7. Make sure you have the account details for your email accounts (including the password). If you use Outlook Express, here are some additional steps you might want to take.

8. Last minute common sense check – All your data is backed up? You have all the install CD/DVD’s for your programs? Scour your PC’s drives for any other data you might have squirreled away in an odd location.

Flatten and reinstall Windows XP (Erase Everything)

1. Set your PC’s boot order to boot from CD BEFORE your hard drive. This can either be done in the systems BIOS look for “Press {a Key} to enter setup” when your PC first boots up, Usually F1, F2, F10, Esc, or Delete. Note: Some Newer PC’s have the option to launch a “Boot Menu” by pressing a different key, you can use this method also. Either way if you boot you PC with the CD in it and you don’t see “Press any key to boot from CD” you’ve done something wrong!

2. Place the CD in the drive and reboot.

3. At the ‘Press any key to boot from CD…’ press a key.

4. At the welcome screen press enter, (you can press R here to repair an existing installation).

6. At the license agreement press F8 to accept the EULA.

7. Hard Drive partitioning: It will find the old partition, press escape to continue, you can delete by pressing D then you get a warning, press ENTER, press L to confirm.

8. To just create one big partition press Enter and skip to step 9, or if you want to create more than one partition (i.e. have hard Drive C: and D: etc), ensure the ‘un-partitioned space is highlighted and press C. Type in the amount of space you want to use (in Megabytes) for the Partition – there will always be a small amount you cant partition don’t worry! Then press Enter to continue, you can keep doing this until all the space is used up. When finished select the partition you want to put XP on and press Enter.

8. You will now be asked to format the partition. Select the top option “Format the partition using the NTFS file system (quick) > Enter.

 

9. Go and put the kettle on, this will take a while!

10. When it’s done it will copy a lot of files over to the hard drive, time to fit in more coffee!

11. The system will then reboot (after a 15 second countdown – to force it to do it now press enter).

12. You’re now in the nice looking graphical stage of the setup.

13. For a long time the install will do its own thing, you can check its progress on the left hand side.

14. You will be asked to enter your language and input locales, do so, if your American then you’re laughing just click Next.

15. If like me you are in the UK > Customize > Languages > Details > Add.

16. Select your input language (in my case English (United Kingdom) > OK.

17. Then change the default input language to the new one > Apply.

18. Select the Regional Option tab and change BOTH options on there as appropriate > Apply.

19. Select the Advanced Tab and change as well > Apply > OK.

20. Now if you are not American you can click Details > Select United States > Remove > Apply > OK > Next.

21. You will need to enter your name and organisation info > Next.

22. Aha! Pirates beware, time to enter the unlock code, if you have a typo you can go back and correct it (don’t panic) Press Next.

23. Pick a sensible name for the PC (the default one is not usually intuitive) and enter an administrator’s password (twice), DO NOT EVER FORGET THIS PASSWORD.

24. Time to tell the PC where you are, check the time zone, which annoyingly are always set to Tijuana (unless you live in Tijuana of course!). If you’re in the UK don’t forget to tick the daylight saving time box, click Next.

25. The next input will be Network settings, you can always configure these later at your leisure so I usually click Next here. If you want to configure your IP address etc, select custom settings before clicking next and follow the onscreen prompts.

26. After it’s finished it will reboot and USUALLY tell you it’s going to resize you monitor resolution, just click OK and let it go. If it all goes to pot here DO NOTHING it will revert back!

27. Depending on your version it will now either:

a. Log into Windows fine. b. Present you with the administrator’s logon prompt. c. Launch a welcome to Windows session to configure, Automatic updates (TURN THEM ON), create more users and connect to Microsoft to register (you can skip the registration bit if you like).

28. After all that you will be looking at a fresh install of Windows, now it’s time to put all the latest drivers back in and restore your data. Copy back your old profile folder, your driver backup file and your copy of Drivermax.

29. To restore your my documents COPY them from OLDFOLDERMy Documents to C:Documents and settings{your username}My Documents.

30. To restore your favorites COPY them from OLDFOLDERFavourites to C:Documents and settingsyour usernameFavourites.

31. To restore your desktop ICONS, COPY them from OLDFOLDERDesktop to C:Documents and settings{your username}Desktop.

32. You will notice that DOES NOT restore you old Windows wallpaper. If the wallpaper you used is in your “my pictures folder” then you can set it as the desktop again. If however, it was a picture you saw on the internet, and then set it as the desktop background. You will find it at OLDFOLDERApplication DataMicrosoftInternet ExplorerInternet Explorer Wallpaper, simply right click it and select “Set as Desktop Background”.

Note: You need to enable hidden files and folders before you can see the folder the wallpaper lives in.

Additional Steps that might be required.

Microsoft Outlook:

If you had your emails stored on your PC you will need to recover them from the .PST file in your old profile, .pst files live in,

C:Documents and Settings{your username}Local SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftOutlook

So you would copy them from OLDFOLDERLocal SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftOutlook to that location (remember to have hidden files enabled first).

Note: If your mail is on a Microsoft Exchange server them you will not need to do this, (Unless you ever said “Yes” when asked to archive your old mail). If you have archived your old mail then there should be a file called Archive.pst in your old profile folder in the location above.

Note: If you use the Outlook autofill/nickname system see here to migrate those settings.

Microsoft Word

If you use Autotext, Macros, Autocorrect, or have some personal styles and settings that you want to keep, all these settings are found in the “normal.dot” file, the normal.dot file location is,

C:Documents and Settings{your username}Application DataMicrosoftTemplates

Note: As above you need hidden files enabled.

Note: If anyone has anything to add, or thinks I’ve made a glaring omission, click here.

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Windows XP Service Pack 3 Hangs on “Performing cleanup”

KB ID 0000364

Problem

Saw this a while ago, and just thought it was a “One Off”. Then on a visit to a client yesterday I saw it on both machines I was working on.

Solution

This might scare you, but you need to kill the update, don’t panic at this stage SP3 is already on.

Update 05/04/11: Before continuing please read the feedback below. Ive never personally seen any adverse effects from doing this and I’ve rolled out a few thousand service packs.

1. Right click your task bar and select “Task Manager”.

2. On the applications tab > Select the Software Update Installation Wizard > Click End Task > Accept any warnings etc.

3. Reboot the PC > SP3 installation will recover and finish, ignore any errors or warnings just let it boot up and you will be at SP3, at this point finish the good work by going to windows update and getting all the post SP3 updates.

Feedback from Patrick Wright (05/04/11)

I am sending you a message concerning your advice on the Windows XP SP3 install “hanging” at “Performing Cleanup…”.  The advice you give is to end the installation task at this point and reboot the computer.

The truth of the matter is that during the “Performing Cleanup…” step, there is indeed quite a bit of activity and updating going on.  I’ve had this step take as long as 6 hours on slower machines on our network but it finishes successfully.

For testing purposes, I tried your solution on three training machines that were still running SP2 and ran into numerous issues after rebooting with getting several programs to install that require a minimum of SP3–Adobe Standard/Professional 10 is only one example and will refuse to install on all three of the test machines that I tried your suggested fix on.  It appears that even though Windows shows in system properties to be upgraded to SP3, it is not completely finished if you stopped the install prematurely by ending that task. 

I strongly advise to consider changing your solution to simply wait out the “Performing Cleanup…” task until it finishes.  It can take a while.  I’ve found one way to help the process along is to set the process for the updater to “high priority” in task manager.  This resulted in drastically faster install times when the installer seemed to “hang” at that part of the install.

 

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Windows XP (Safe Mode) Cannot access USB Drive(Access Denied)

KB ID 0000368 Dtd 31/12/10

Problem

A few weeks back I was working on a Windows XP machine that had been infected with some rogue AV spyware, I was having no luck installing my usual cleaning tools so I booted to safe mode, I have a USB thumb drive that I keep a set of up to date AV/Spyware tools on for this very purpose, but the machine did not want to let me open it.

 

Solution

1. OK, I admit this is not really a “Fix”, more a work around, but lets be honest how often are you in safe mode accessing USB drives? I’m guessing the route of the problem is the removable storage process won’t be running and is set this way in safe mode. So rather than start hacking the registry to get that service started. Simply right click the drive and choose “Explore” (annoyingly simple eh!).

 

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Windows XP – Sysprep (for imaging)

KB ID 0000599 

Problem

A client who we recently did a WDS (Windows 7) install for, needed to image a couple of Windows XP machines, (They had some software that either would not run, or was not supported on Windows 7).

They asked me for some documentation on how to do this, it’s been such a long time since I imaged any XP machine, so I took the opportunity to document it properly.

Solution

Before you begin, be aware you need to be building your reference machine with a Volume Licenced copy of Windows XP NOT an OEM or Retail copy (i.e. DONT build the machine with manufacturers rescue disks like Dell or HP). If you don’t do this you will need to activate every Windows machine that you deploy with Microsoft.

Make sure the version of sysprep you are using is at the same service pack level as the reference machine or bad things will happen.

Windows XP SP3 version of Deploy.cab

1. Build your reference machine, and configure it as you require.

2. Create a folder on the root of the C: Drive called ‘Sysprep”. Insert the Windows XP CD and locate the Deploy cabinet file. (This is ‘like’ a zip file and it’s in the supporttools folder).

3. Double click the support cab, then copy over the sysprep.exe file, the setupcl.exe file and the setupmgr.exe file to your c:sysprep folder.

4. You can now run sysprep.exe and skip to step 13. BUT if you require an answerfile (a script that will answer all the questions Windows will ask while it’s reinstalling post sysprep) then run the setupmgr.exe program, at the welcome screen click next.

5. Create New > Sysprep Setup > Windows XP Professional.

6. Fully Automate > Enter Name and Organisation > Set the Display Properties.

7. Set Time Zone > Enter the Volume Licence unlock code > If you are joining a domain, I suggest generating a random name then changing it later.

8. Set the Local Administrators password > Typical settings will enable DHCP > Supply any domain and domain credentials you need to join your domain.

9. Telephony (I just skip this) > Regional Settings > Languages.

10. Printers > Run Once commands > Additional Commands.

11. Enter a string that will go into the registry, and can be identified later > Finish > Accept the default save path > OK > At this point it looks like it’s crashed, you can manually close the setupmgr.

12. Now you can run sysprep.exe > OK > I select ‘mini-setup’ (If you don’t, it will run the welcome to windows session and play the annoying music you cant turn down!) > If you have installed applications and are going to image the machine click Reseal > OK.

Note: Factory will literally set the machine back to a ‘day one’ install of Windows XP.

The machine will then shut down and can be imaged.

Final Note: If you power it back on, it will rebuild itself and delete the c:sysprep directory. Which is fine unless you are doing some testing and realise you have to do the whole thing from scratch!

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Windows Deployment Services (Server 2003)
Deploying Windows XP

Windows Deployment Services (On Server 2008 R2)
Deploying Windows 7

Windows – Black Screen Of Death

KB ID 0000152

Problem

Post Microsoft KB 915597 and KB 976098 updates.

You PC will boot, and you will see a totally black screen with (but not always) a Windows explorer window.

Solution

Credit to the guys at Prevx who have a fix online already.

1) Restart your PC.

2) Logon and wait for the black screen to appear.

3) Make sure your PC should be able to connect to the internet (black screen does not appear to affect this).

4) Press the CTRL, ALT and DEL keys simultaneously.

5) When prompted, Click Start Task Manager.

6) In Task Manager Click on the Application Tab.

7) Next Click New Task.

8) Now enter the command:

Note the following is all one command copy and paste it in its entirety,

“C:Program FilesInternet Exploreriexplore.exe” “http://info.prevx.com/download.asp?GRAB=BLACKSCREENFIX”

In case that link goes down or ceases to work, try

“C:Program FilesInternet Exploreriexplore.exe” “http://www.petenetlive.comhttp://www.petenetlive.com/KB/Media/0000152/fixshell.exe”

Note this command assumes that you are using internet explorer as your browser, if not substitute your browser path and file details for those of iexplore.exe or use the Browser option of Task manager to locate it.

9) Click OK and your browser should start up and begin the download process

10) When prompted for the download Click run, the black screen fix program will download and run to automatically fix the issue.

11) Now restart your PC and the black screen problem will hopefully be gone.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

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WDS (Server 2003) Deploying Windows XP

For WDS on 2008 with Windows 7 Click Here

KB ID 0000107

Problem

This is aimed at people who want to capture a pre built machine and roll that image out to many PC’s. The client machine can either be vista or XP, at the time of writing most corporate’s are still using XP so I’ll use XP for this example.

The whole procedure was done on the workbench in Virtual Server, which is how I recommend you try doing this before trying it live. I wrote this because I struggled to find a good walk through on the internet, that was shorter than a squillion pages, I’d rather spend two weeks working out how to do it myself rather than RTFM, so I’ll save you good folks the trouble.

Here’s a two page Aide Memoir to print off

To do the whole thing you need to do three things, 1) Set up and configure WDS. 2) Image a reference PC and 3) Deploy that image to other PC’s.

Pre Requisites

1. The Server needs an installed and working DHCP Scope, WDS adds a PXE option to it.

2. You need a reference PC set up and “Sysprepped” with enough room on its drive to store the image.

3. You need the install DVD for either Windows Vista or Server 2008.

Note If you still want to use Ghost with WDS CLICK HERE

Solution

Phase 1 Setup up And Configure WDS

1. To start with, you need to add in WDS as a Windows component, Start > Run > appwiz.cpl {enter}

2. Scroll down to Windows Deployment Services. and tick the box > Next.

Note: This in an R2 SP2 Version od Windows Server 2003, if you cannot see WDS then install RIS and install WDS from the WAIK available to download from Microsoft.

3. WDS is added (The server may ask for the install CD)

4. Click Finish

5. Click Yes to Reboot.

6. Start > Administrative Tools > Windows Deployment Services.

7. Expand Servers.

8. Select your server > Actions > Configure Server.

9. Next.

10. Provide a path to the location you want to store your images in.

11. If the location is on the system drive you will see this warning > Click Yes.

12. Tick Both > Next.

13. Bottom Option > DONT tick the box > Finish.

14. WDS Copies over some files and configures itself.

15. Untick the box, we are going to do this manually and just add what we want. > Finish.

16. Right Click Boot Images > Add Boot Image.

17. Browse your Vista/2008 DVD to the sources directory and we are looking for “boot.wim” > Next.

18. Now change the name to something sensible like “Install an Image” > Next.

19. Next.

20. The Image is installed.

21. Finish.

22. Select the image you have just installed > right click it > Select “Create Capture Boot Image. “

23. Call it something sensible like “Capture an Image” > choose a location to save it (you need to save it with a .wim extension) > I call it capture.wim so I know what it is > Next.

24. The Image is created.

25. Finish.

26. Now we need to create a group to put out machine images in > Right click Install Images > Add Image Group.

27. Give it a name > OK.

28. Make sure it’s there.

29. Now we need to add the “Capture Image” we created in step 23 > Right click Boot Images > Add Boot Image.

30. Point it to the capture.wim file you created earlier.

31. Make sure its “Capture an Image” > Next.

32. Next.

33. The image will be imported.

34. Finish.

35. If you’ve done everything correctly you should see two entries under Install Images called “Capture an Image” and “Install an Image” When you see the boot menu later you will see why I named them this way.

Phase 2 Capture the Image from a Reference PC

36. Once you have build the reference PC, configured all the applications and settings, and ran sysprep. Boot it from the network (note you may need to alter the BIOS boot order to do this). Though most machines have a key sequence to press (F12 usually) to do a network boot (Note: in virtual server DEL enters the BIOS).

37. Now you can see why we named the images accordingly > Select Capture an image > Enter.

38. The files are loaded into memory.

39. Next.

40. Select the volume to image (if there’s nothing there then you either did not sysprep properly of the PE environment you are in has no drivers for the volume you want to image – Press shift and F10 if you can change to the C: drive then the drivers are there and sysprep is the problem. Give the image a name and description. > Next.

41. Enter a location on the PC to store the image > Put in the IP address or name of the WDS server > Connect.

42. Give it a username and password in the DOMIANusername format > OK.

43. Select the image group you created in step 27 > Finish.

44. First the image is copied locally.

45. Then its uploaded to the WDS Server.

46. When it hits 100% the button changes to Close > Click it > the Reference PC will reboot.

47. Back a the WDS Server right click Client Images > Select “Add Install Image”.

48. Navigate to the image that’s just been uploaded, it will be in the folder you set up in step 10 in a sub folder with the same name as your image group (if you can’t find it remember there’s still a copy on the Reference PC) > Next.

49. Next.

50. Next.

51. Finish.

52. There’s your image ready to go.

Phase 3 Image the Target PC’s

53. As above boot your target PC from the Network.

54. This time select “Install and Image” > Enter.

55. The files are loaded into memory.

56. It looks very Vista-ish but trust me it will install XP > Select the correct locale > Next.

57. Enter a username and password using the DOMAINusername format > OK.

58. Select the image you created earlier. > Next.

59. Select the drive to install in on > Next.

60. The image will install.

61. As soon as its finished it will reboot.

62. Depending on how you sysprepped XP you will either see this……………

63 ……….. or this. Job done.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

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