I have a guest VM on my vSphere test rig that’s running Ubuntu 10.10. That I use for testing, for a while I could not get the screen resolution above 854×480 (For wide screen or 16:9 format).
Solution
Note I’m assuming you already have the VMware tools installed!
1. Shut down your guest machine, open the VMware VI client and go to the settings of the guest machine. go the the hardware tab and select video card. By default it will be set to auto detect, change it to a nice high resolution, and click OK.
Note: For VMware workstation the setting is under “Display” see below.
2. Power the guest VM back on again and now you should have a better range of resolutions.
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My Windows 7 Media Center can’t stream to my PS3, but the Windows Media Player that’s built into the same PC can, (well it should be able to!) However when I tried, this is what the Playstation told me.
Media Server Error:
A DNLA protocol error (2104) has occurred.
Solution
Note: Your local firewall on the Windows 7 machine can also cause this problem. I have a decent firewall at home, so I disabled the local firewall on the Media Center, (Start > Run > firewall.cpl).
1. On your Windows 7 Machine open Windows Explorer (Windows Key+E) > Select Homegroup > View homegroup settings.
2. Make sure you’re set to location type Home, if not change it (mine was set to public!).
3. Now “choose what you want to share…”.
4. Select as appropriate > Next.
5. Choose Media Streaming options.
6. Allow All, (or if you know the MAC address of the Playstation it will be listed as “Unknown Device” and, (if you can see it on the list), you can add that in on it’s own, and allow).
7. Accept the warning.
8. If you allowed all, this is what you should see.
9. Finally open the services (Start > Windows key+R > services.msc {enter}) and ensure that the “Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service” Service is started > Set to Automatic > and set to logon as either the Network Service, or the Local System.
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You have a video encoded in .mkv format, and that video is not listed and cannot be played in Windows Media Center.
Solution
Playing an MKV file is one problem, getting them to be displayed in Media Center is another.
1. First we need to get Windows to “understand” what a .mkv file is, to do that we need to install a codec. The one I’m using is from the shark007 website. If you’re x32 or x64 bit Windows download and install this file. Then if you are x64 bit Windows you will also need to install this additional file.
2. To get Media Center to recognise MKV files download this zip file, inside you will find an x32 and an x64 bit registry file, run the one that applies to your version of Windows. Then reboot the machine.
3. Now you can see your files listed and play them.
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A few weeks ago my boss asked me to take a look at Microsoft Lync. Because he was interested in the Lync Client (formally Microsoft Communicator) for instant messaging.
Decent info is a bit thin on the net, and I don’t have the patience to read stupidly long PDF files. So to redress the balance I thought I would publish my findings below.
Solution
Note: The following procedure is carried out on Server 2008 R2 with Windows 7 Clients, on my VMware test network.
Walkthrough
I know a lot of people don’t like watching videos so heres my notes:
Pre-Requisites
1. Download and install, Microsoft Silverlight. (link)
2. IIS (Roles > Add Roles > Web Server IIS) > Next.
Also add:
i. ASP.NET
ii. Logging Tools
iii. Tracing
iv. Client Certificate Mapping Authentication.
v. Windows Authentication
vi. IIS Management Scripts and Tools
Next > Install > Finish.
3. RSAT Tools (Features > Add Features > Remote Server Administrative Tools > ADDS and LDS Tools) > Next > Install > Close > Select Yes to Reboot > Post Reboot Installation will continue > Close.
4. Have a Certification authority set up in your domain. OR a certificate ready for the Lync Server to import.
Install
1. Run Setup > It will ask to Install C++ let it do so.
2. Once it’s finished, It will ask for the install location > change if required > Install.
3. Accept the EULA > OK.
4. When the Deployment Wizard starts > Select “Prepare Active Directory”.
5. Prepare Schema > Run > Next > Finish.
6. Allow domain replication.
7. Prepare Current Forest > Run > Select Local Domain > Next > Finish.
8. Allow domain replication.
9. Prepare Domain > Run > Next > Finish.
10. When all are completed, add your administrators to the newly created AD group CSAdministrators > Then click “Back” to return to the main page of the Deployment Wizard.
11. Prepare First Standard Edition Server > Next > SQL Express will install > Finish.
12. Install Topology Builder > It installs very quickly and gets a green tick when complete.
13. Start > All Programs > Microsoft Lync Server 2010 > Lync Server Topology builder > When promoted select > New Topology > OK.
14. Save the topology as requested.
15. Under “Primary SIP Domain” > enter your domain name > Next.
16. Enter any additional domains if required > Next.
11. Give the site a name and description > Next.
12. Enter site details > Next > With the option to “Open the new front end wizard..” selected > Finish.
13. At the “Define a new front end pool” wizard > Next > Enter the FQDN of the server and select Standard Edition > Next.
14. Select features (Everything except PSTN, because I don’t have a PSTN gateway) > Next.
15. Choose to Collocate Mediation Server > Next.
16. Don’t add any further server roles > Next > Next.
17. Let it create a new share > Next.
(Note manually create the share and make sure it has appropriate permissions).
18. Set external URL if required > Next > we are not adding PSTN > Finish.
19. On the Topology Builder Select > Edit Properties > Central Management Server.
20. Add in the admin URL (Note: Make sure this resolves in DNS), and FQDN of the server > OK.
21. Select Publish Topology > Next > Next > Finish.
22. Re-launch or swap back to the Lync Server Deployment Wizard > Select Install or Update Lync Server System.
24. Run step one “Install Local Configuration Store” > Select “Retrieve directly…” > Next > Finish.
25. Run Step two “Setup or Remove Lync Server Components” > Next > (If you get a Prerequisite installation failed: Wmf2008R2 click the link) > Finish.
26. Run Step three “Request, Install, or Assign Certificates” > Request > Next > Send request immediately > Next.
27. Select your CA > Next > Next > Next.
28. Choose a friendly Name > Next.
29. Fill in your Organisation information > Next > Enter country > State and City > Next > Next > Next > Next > Next > Next > Finish. > Close.
30. Run Step 4 “Start Services” > Next > Finish.
31. Check the service status if you wish.
32. Close the deployment wizard.
Launch “Lync Server control Panel” and Configure
1. Launch the ” Lync Server Control Panel” > Log in with an admin account (created above at step 10).
2. Navigate to Users > Add.
3. Add in your users and assign them to your pool.
Post Install Tasks
1. You need to create a DNSSRV (Service Location) so the client can locate the Lync server:
i. service: _sipintenaltls
ii. Protocol: _tcp
iii. Port Number: 5061
iv. Host offering service: the FQDN of the Lync Server.
Install the ‘Lync Client’ on the client machines.
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